Tim, Cam and I flew to AK to see Marie and Brett arrive from Canada

I flew with Tim and Cam to Auckland on Holly's 18th birthday 16 Sept 2010; we picked up our rental car (thank you tony and Bartercard) and went to see Maryanne. (chris was in australia) . She had dinner waitning for us, though we arrived close to 10pm! A lovely chicken pasta. she had work in the morning, but she stayed up and talked to us...we retired to our beds, Tim on the couch, falling asleep watching TV.

We were up at 4am, Marie's plane got in at 5.30am.

We were waiting in the crowd as sleepy plane travellers came through from customs with their trolleys of luggage - and Brett's mum Christine recognised me,and came up and said, "Are you Marie's mum?" It was great, as we had thought they would not be arriving till later...

then there they were! I think my hands must have been shaking because all the photos are blurry...it was so great to see them...

Brett went with his parents, and Marie came with us - we were going to meet at Maryannes's. Maryanne had not gone to the gym, and she was leaving it too the last minute to go to work, waiting to see Marie, it was wonderful.

When Brett and Red and chris got there, we had
plenty of time to talk,




Tim had a shower, ...we arranged to meet that evening at Brett's auntie and uncle's place out at Silverdale where all the family with children and partners and grandmother were gathering to welcome Marie and Brett home.

Marie and Cam and I had a swim while Tim slept.





Marie went to the doctor, and it was thought she had had a virus, and would come right, but could have tests in Melbourne to rule out giardia if she wanted.

We went for lunch at Greenhithe, a place I have never had reason to go - it was a dutch cafe, and we had crepes and pancakes, and I had a beer...sunny, and we warmed up, as it was not that warm in Auckland.

We went to Mother's,






I went to the supermarket, and got Marie some yoghurt and some cider vinegar and manuka honey because she was having trouble with her gut.

We were SO happy to see Mother. She lit the fire for us, the weather was so stormy...we listened to Marie's stories of her time in Canada and Mexico, and saw Marie's treasures she had brought, a lovely top for me, and earrings - Fish!!! Marie had bought hand painted tiles made by a very young 19 yearold, sold at the resort Marie and Brett had stayed at.

Mark came, so lovely to see him, coming up the drive in his huge black car, smiling, he looked LOVELY!

Mark adjusted herthat day, and the next, and Marie and I and Tim had a crystal healing which deeply affected all of us...I found it very deeply moving.

We went that evening to the beautiful house of Brett's family, and met everyone, Marie in the home of her new family...there was thunder and lightning, what a stormy night, we looked out through the big windows out onto farmland and bush, and the hail and rain lashing the landscape. We got lost on the way home, the roads littered with leaves and small branches, but we got home safely! Mother was up, and we were not late, about 7.30pm. Mother says she if at her best between 5 and 11pm these days...

Staying the night with Mother, all of us felt great, like a marae experience, in the family home. I took Cam to the airport early the next morning, he had arranged to be back on Saturday.

Back after the airport, Mother had lit the fire - she said the weather was extraordinary, I felt the specialness of the fire, Mother does not light the fire in the morning except on very special occasions.

Mother did not go to early Mass. On this Saturday morning Mark came early to visit us, which was LOVELY, and he took Tim back to his place, to the clinic for adjustment and crystal healing. Mother, Marie and I followed in our rental car, and we waited in the carpark till Tim was finished. We went to Browns Bay Beach, and Tim waited in the car while Marie and I had a swim. Mother came to the beach with Marie and I and we had a swim, (it as warmer than we had thought once you got used to it) and just as in our old childhood days, Mother held our towels! It was so happy, seeing Mother on the beach, with us totally in spirit, probably praying for us...
We went back to Mother's, and had something to eat (Marie had more yoghurt, it was helping her) and we said a rosary till Yulia came.

We said a rosary with Mother, and Tim's friend, Yulia, came to get him, to stay with Tim's friends, Baraq and TA, and go out with them.


On Sunday morning, Marie and I had our healings from Mark, Mother had gone to Mass; Mother lit the fire again, and did not go to early Mass; and then we went off to Howick to get TIm - we got lost, and rang Dad and Cam to look up on the computer how to get to the house.We met Baraq's parents, which I was thrilled about!

At Maryannes, Sarah had arrived with Molly and Lily, because Steve's Dad sadly died at his home in New Plymouth, so the family had come for this sad reason... it was good to see them, meeting Lily for the first time. Marie is going to be their nanny in Melbourne, and for us to have this chance to meet and talk was a real treat!



After our last bit of time at Mother's, we left about 1.30pm, and met Chris and Red at Manukau. We left from there at 5.30pm, dropped Brett and Marie off at the International airport and Red took me to drop the rental car off. I got the timing wrong - did not get to say goodbye to Marie because we ran out of time, and Tim and I had to get to the domestic airport to check in, it was very upsetting. Tim and I flew back to Dunedin, and it was all over!
.

Tim has his flat

Tim is on his way off to Auckland, he and his friend, TA - (Sinan Tahir) have found a good flat in Fremans Bay, up on the hill behind queens St - Ta is going back to Dubai in January, but by then there might be someone else to com and share Tim's flat.
Yulia says to Tim, you will never feel ready, you just have to dive in...

We went to Welly, and Tim met Luca for the first time

Tim just had one night, and I had four.

Tim, Cam and I went to AK

We went to see Marie and Brett. It was great staying with Maryanne, and with Mother, and seeing Mark!!

Marie is in Melbourne

Marie is looking after her cousins, Molly and Lily.
















she works Weds Thurs and Fri, and on Monday and Tuesday at the cafe.

Brett is driving a delivery truck, and managing a warehouse.

They are looking for an apartment to live in, as the lease on theirs ATM is running out. It is a bit stressful!

Machupicchu

Sophie in South America

Sophie is in Peru living her last couple of days of her south American trip. she got caught in Equador for a tense few days in early October when there was a kind of coup when the police revolted against the president because they didn't like the removal of some of their overtime, and also the time between promotions, so they kidnapped the president. Equador's borders were closed, and Sophie's travelling companion, Steph's mother, Joan, rang me, and we shared our concerns together. Sophie and Steph, however, were safe in the country in an organic farmlet, where they could have outlasted a longer lock down of the country than they had to.

Oct 5 They managed to get a bus to the border, into Bolivia, and then another bus, after waiting 6 hours for it to turn up. . . A bus which took 30 hours (!!!) to get into Lima, Peru.

" http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?q=Lima&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Lima,+Peru&gl=nz&ei=4g29TPrNAZKWsgO9m6TwDA&ved=0CB0Q8gEwAA&t=h&z=9 "



from here they flew to Cuzco ,


Some info here: http://www.juliustours.com/paquetes/cusco1E.html

stepping off onto the Inca Trail from here, (Oct 7) along with 5 other friends whom the met up with in Cusco.





Sophie trekked up Machu Picchu -
an hours trek up steps which she did in 45 mins
because of time pressure.

Then they went to Punos on Lake Titicaca - the floating islands - (Oct 13) -

"In Puno, you can arrange to go on one of the Lake Titicaca tours that visits the Uros islands, which are made from the tortora reed. These islands float, and the natives who live here carry on a tradition that goes back thousands of years. "

and stayed the night with a traditional family - got dressed up in their outfits,then looking at other islands, and back to PUnos, , then to Copacabana.

"Lake Titicaca is a most sacred place when it comes to Inca religion and mythology, as it was here that the first Inca king, Manco Capac, was born by the sun god, Inti. Manco would create the Kingdom of Cusco, thus beginning the Inca Empire. If you make it to the Bolivian town of Copacabana, where pilgrims from all over the continent come to get the Virgin's blessing, then you can take a boat to the Isla del Sol. There is a sacred rock here which marks the point from which Manco Capac emerged.







"Copacabana is a holy city on the shores of Lake Titicaca in northwestern Bolivia. Once sacred to the Incas, Copacabana is now home to the revered statue of La Virgen de la Candelaria, the patron saint of Bolivia. This city is far less famous than the beach of the same name in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but the latter was named after this one—by grateful Brazilian fisherman who were saved from a storm by the Virgin of Copacabana. In addition to the Catholic basilica, Copacabana is home to several pre-Incan sacred sites and hosts a number of colorful Catholic festivals. And it is the best base in Bolivia for exploring Lake Titicaca and the ancient temples of Isla del Sol. "

Image of Lake Titikaka:
http://www.destination360.com/south-america/peru/lake-titicaca/virtual-tour