After Christmas we flew out to New Zealand, stopping at Dubai on the way. This hotel is on it's own island complete with canal to take its guests by boat to the shopping arcade - it's impossible to get in for a look round without at least a reservation for afternoon tea! The restaurant junks moored on the creek are the complete contrast to modern Dubai.
Next stop was New Zealand, just in time for the New Years Eve party. On New Years Day we went for a walk on the beach with Chris, Abby & Evie (showing off her new sunglasses). Evie loves her playmat & can now manage to sit up on her own most of the time.
The best way to get Evie to have an afternoon nap was to have Grandad keeping her company!!!
Before we left New Zealand we visited the bay of islands - can't keep away from boats & water. We had a lovely day on a sailing boat & there really are lots of islands. On our return to Auckland we stayed with Patrick & Gerry who we had met the previous year travelling round France on thier boat - small world!!!
Final stopover on our way home was Brisbane & as it was Australia Day there were lots of things happening including this impressive display by sheepdogs. As well as herding the dogs were taught to run over the backs of the sheep to avoid being trampled by them.
We hadn't been back long when Guy tempted us to join them skiing in Meribel, the weather was perfect & there was even enough snow! Val achieved another ambition by taking a tandem parachute glide over the mountain tops while Paul waited down below anxiously listening for the sound of ambulance sirens.
On our return Said & Yvette invited us to a traditional swedish meal to celebrate the start of Spring. We ate on their back deck to show off their new canopy - well wrapped up against the cold - the only thing missing was the sun!
The first weekend in March we went to the carnival at Auxonne the floats were magnificent & it was warm enough for the skimpy costumes. The audience were armed with confetti to throw at the performers & by the end of the day it was inches thick the full length of the street. (As we forgot to take a camera the photo is courtesy of Said)
