Fiji time.

It was 2.15 am and the alarm started singing.  The day had arrived and Jocelyn, Grace and I were off on a wee tropical holiday to Fiji. It was brother Kens 60th birthday and we were off to celebrate it with him and family on a Fijian island. We were all packed so it was just a matter of throwing on some clothes, chucking the bags in the back of the truck and getting on the road to Christchurch airport.  Jocelyn checked the tablet and found we had been upgraded to premium economy so that was good news as well.  Rod was with us to take the truck back to Kaikoura and to see us off.  On arrival we checked in then went and grabbed a bit of breakfast.
  The first leg of the journey was a flight to Auckland, and the landing was delayed as there was fog over the runway.  So after eventually landing it was a footrace to get around to the international terminal and find our gate for boarding.  Our names were being called over the intercom so I was getting growled at by Grace and Jocelyn to step up the pace a bit.  We made it and we were soon settled in to our seats.  Pretty cool they were too. Pillows and water bottles waiting on every seat.  No sooner had we sat down and we were handed steaming hot face cloths to wipe face and hands.  Menus were offered as we settled into the very roomy and comfortable seats.  We weren't used to the flash seats but it was certainly much more comfortable than cattle class.  The food was great as well. definitely restaurant quality.  Gracie was having a great time watching movies and she reckoned the chocolate desert after her fish and chips was the best ever.
  We landed in Nadi and stepping off the plane the heat was a step up from the Kaikoura temperatures we had been experiencing.  Walking to the terminal we were welcomed immediately by the friendly Fijians with Bula called out numerous times as we passed.  Ken and Vicki and Lance were waiting in the terminal as we came out. They had arrived a couple of days before and had done a big shop and organised transport to Rakiraki where we were to hop on a boat and have a short 15 minute trip out to Nananu I Ra.  Most of the family were on the same flight as us and they started to drift out to us with luggage piled high on trolleys.  There was a real sense of anticipation as we all gathered out at the van and started loading all the bags and supplies. 10 days on a tropical Fijian Island with good family and friends.  Yeah can't wait.

Lovely Fijian sunset from the deck.

  Lucky the vans aircon was working as we were jammed in tight amongst all the bags, spearguns, duty free, and groceries.  It was about a 2 1/2 hour trip to Rakiraki.  The roads are a bit rough and bumpy but still interesting looking out the windows to see how other people live in another country.  Gracie was finding the day a bit long after our early start so she put her head down and had a good sleep on the way.  It was around 5pm when we arrived and loaded the boats with gear and bodies and were transported out to the island.  Coming into the bay we got a good look at the accommodation and we obviously weren't going to be roughing it while we were here.  We landed on the beach and the locals were on hand to help get all the bags and groceries up the path to the house.
  Jocelyn, Gracie and I were going to be staying in another house 5 minutes walk away down on the end of the island.  Vicki took us down to show us the house and it wasn't long and we were settled in and ready for a beer or a wine.  It was coming onto dark and still about 28 degrees so a cold beer was going to go down well. We also got to share our house with Darren and Kathryn who unfortunately arrived a couple of days after us and had to leave about 3 days before us.  Poor planning guys.
 

Fiji winter.

   Over the next 10 days we all had a very special time.  Lots of swimming, snorkelling, some fishing and spear fishing.  We had lunch at one of the resorts and a swim in their pool.  The food for the week was great with steak on the BBQ or fish caught that day.  The local fruit was really nice with bananas, pawpaw, pineapples and of course coconuts.  On Kens birthday the locals cooked us a great feast like our hangi on the hot stones in the ground with pork, chickens, taro and other lovely vegetables.   It was also Kens daughter Billies birthday on the same day so it was a double celebration. We had a great night topped off by a traditional kava session enjoyed by us all. Especially 5 year old Ollie who kept sneaking back for another quick sip against mums orders.  It was great having the young Ollie and Gracie with us to keep us entertained.  They got on so well and had a great time.

Kava session.

Jocelyn with Pina colada at VoliVoli resort.

Nice pose Gracie.

Awesome Spanish mackerel Lance.

Jake was deadly on the Trevs.

Island girl.

Kens 60th.

  On the last day out in the boat Lance managed to spear a very large Spanish mackerel, his first of the species and a great achievement.  We were spending a lot of time in the water.  The colourful fish species in Fiji are a real joy and there are so many of them.  Gracie and I had fun hunting out the little patches of Nemos in their beds of anemones that they hid in.  We also encountered a sea snake working its way through the coral.

The last sunset

  Unfortunately the day came to pack up and head back to the mainland for our trip back to the airport.  We got a bit of ribbing from the rest of them as we again found we had been upgraded on the flight home.  Gracie was ecstatic.  It was a bit sad to say goodbye to everyone but everything went without a hitch and we found ourselves back in Christchurch in the evening and met Rod for our trip back to Kaikoura.  All in all everyone had a great time and it was definitely a special family time.
   It took a couple of days to settle back in at Rods.  Catherine was still overseas in Europe, Gracie was back at school and I mucked around on the farm with Rod and even sprayed a few weeds.  Then we decided to hit the road again and head south.  We said goodbye to Rod and Grace and took the coast road down as far as Parnassus for the first night.
  Then the next day we passed through Christchurch and took the road south then turned off on the Geraldine turnoff and headed back into the McKenzie country again.  Jocelyn was keen for some salmon so we were aiming to park at the NZMCA park on the Ohau canals at Twizel.  We arrived just before dark and got settled in looking out over the canal to the salmon farm on the other bank.  Apparently someone had cut the nets on one of the salmon pens a few weeks previous and released about six thousand salmon into the canal.  I don't know if it was someone protesting salmon farming or someone who wanted more salmon to target but whatever the reason it is a pretty low thing to do with a huge financial loss to the farmer.

Looking across to the salmon farm at Twizel.

   The weather was nice but bloody cold.  You get some amazing frosts around here.  About minus 8 one morning according to the neighbours David and Shellie.  I managed to catch a few salmon but they weren't that big, although mostly legal so we did get to eat some.  Jocelyn went for a couple of bike rides while I was fishing.  I think when we have more time we will spend a week or two exploring this area.  Lake Ohau and heading in towards the Dobson Valley needs further exploration with a couple of DOC camps up that way.  The Tahr hunting is great up in those high mountain valleys as well.  And talking to our immediate neighbours the Ahuriri Valley is another area that needs more exploring.  But I need to wait until these rivers open to fishing again in October.  In the mean time the plan was to keep heading south to Invercargill and catch up with Joel and Julie.
  The first day back on the road got us as far as Lumsden where we stayed at the NZMCA park.  We had the whole park to ourselves and after parking we went for a bike ride around town.  That evening I decided to grab the shotgun and head down to the Oreti river for a duck shoot.  It was pretty quiet but just before dark I spotted two mallards and with a few quacks on the caller managed to call them close enough for a shot.  The first one dropped like a stone and landed right at my feet but the second one only got a couple of warning shots.  I think I'm out of practice again.  Still I had one duck dinner and it was plucked and cleaned before I headed back to the rig.
  We are now at Joel and Julies in Invercargill.  Monique and Greg along with James travelled down to see us all yesterday so we had a great day catching up, with a few drinks and a nice dinner.  I have had the ute serviced while here so we are ready to clock up some more kms.  We have to be back in Kaikoura by the 6th July to shift stock for Rod while they take a week up north to go to a wedding. So who knows? After that we may head north and check out Golden Bay again.