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1970	Rakiraki, Fiji: Details in Peace Corps Journal.
1971	Murphy drove me to Suva. I walked to the South Seas Hotel around noon. A block above Albert Park with a beautiful view of the bay. The building was built at the turn of the century with verandahs etc... I was the first to arrive and my room was really nice with carpeting, but in the middle with no windows - three exits to three hallways. Had carrot soup and tea for lunch; posh setting, I had 8 pieces of silverware, but the food was skimp. I walked to the PC office, had my physical, got shots (gamma gobulin and PPD) and orders to give specimens at hospital so Dr Low can see if my stomache ailment is serious [ed. - turned out to be amoebic dsyentery]. Ran into Hari Mani and Voi who is off to South Hampton on a navigation scholarship then 15 year apprentice tour. [ed. - ended up being a cruise ship captain doing route to his home in Rotuma]. Had a hot shower then walked up to the midterm meetings at the Bergensen Credit Union School in Suva which were for the most part a big waste of time. Only 8 (Ken, Bailey, Hoffsis, Coyles and Pete) out of 100+ showed. Filled out a questionnaire and piled into Phil's [ed. - PC mgmt?] VW and went to Nanking. Ran into Phil C just back from Samoa. Played "7's" with the Hoffsis and Pete Johnston in the lounge. Pete stayed over night and they moved us to a room with a window.
1972	Gail and I spend the day in the amazing Peabody Museum at Harvard. Large South Seas collection with a big section for Fiji. Got to the airport with 3 minutes to spare. Chris picked us up and brought us to Town's.	Dave and Kelera
1974	Walked to QEII stadium and swimming pool built for the upcoming Commonwealth Games. Peter came and we to a pub in town where I tried an Irish ale and couldn't stand it - thick and warm. Grand QVS reunion at Murphy's in Christchurch with Peter Wilkins (with Sue) and Murray Heasley.	Peter
1977	Doug stung on big toe by wasp, so I called him and said that a sore in the toe is better than a pain in the butt. Gail built a sandbox and we put it at the back of the yard. Aldies came in the evening so we dressed Te up in his Do-Bee outfit and I chased Doug around with the clicking Buzzy-Bee toy. We popped corn and it was the first time that the Aldies had seen it being done. Looked at slides of Fiji and Sea World.
1978	W - Begin trip to Northland with mom. On the motorway the hood popped up, so I pulled off at Takanini and discovered that a radiator hose was leaking. Back to Green's and exchanged it for a Valiant. Lunch outside of Kaikawa. Took highway 12 to Dargarville and the Waipoua Forest. Walked in to check out the 2nd biggest kauri tree in New Zealand, Te Matua (Father of the Forest). Spectacular hill of sand at Omapere. Helped two ladies change a flat tire. Kaitaia at 7PM and checked into Dyers Motel (brochure out - brouchure in - $11 for 3 adults and two kids).
1979	Th - Another pleasant stroll in Kauaeranga Valley with the Sanders as we hiked to Boom's Flat and beyond in the rain. Te has turned into a firebug and he sits by the fire with a stick in it all the time. We crossed the river and found a small sandy area that was ideal for the kids to play. It was tricky going back across the river and then along it in the bush back to the camp. After a rest we climbed to the top of Edwards Lookout. A swim and then supper with a SYC pinotage. Photo - Photo
1980	F - KV: Tired of all the rain we drove into Thames for an afternoon meal at the Chevron Diner at 2:45PM. Bought each kid got a $2 cowboy hat. While women got groceries we let the kids play at the park. Got gigantic ice cream cones at the KV dairy. Went to small beach when we got back, but too cold for swimming. Went down the road the new camp under the pines near the large beach. I had everyone sit on a log and asked each a question and gave them a mint for a correct answer. Once the kids were in bed we sat around the fire drinking wine. A possum made repeated attempts to get to our food seemingly unaware that we were a few feet away. Ne slept in small tent with me.
1986	Sa - Doug dropped off his trailer and stayed for coffee. Chadwick's to get a hedge pruner as a gift to Sanders while David checked out the pet store. Breeze's to get golf clubs. Mom forwarded a card from Lamorna and she showed up at the same time on her motorcycle. David and I fixed up the golf course and made a sign for the group shot. Mike helped me swap stoves with the one at 62 Beach. Brought a load of his prunings to the tip. Aldies were the first to show up and we got in a round of golf. Just as we finished Clarks showed up so a second round ensued. When Sanders arrived we got the group photo and then played golf until dark. Inside for chit-chat and red wine. Torres 1980 Sangre El Toro, 1980 KWV cabsav and the 1976 Penfold claret that I had given Sanders in 1980. Slides of 29 KE.
1988	First stop Heaven's Rest Orchard [ed. - now closed] for apples and apricots. Then we drove on through to Thames stopping at Totara Wines for sampling (bad cabernet pinotage, Shery and Tawny port). Bought a cask of Dry Gold and a chardonnay. Bought a flop hat (green w/ fishes) at the Info Center [ed. - tossed 2011]. Next stop Tapu beach so Kathy could gather shells while David and Tom looked for gemstones. We crept along a Fijian-type road to Rapaura Water Gardens and explored the lily ponds and waterfalls (series of 7). Tom dropped his lens cover into a pool and Gail went in to the rescue. Further up the road we did a short walk (but up 175m) to the Square Kauri. Back to Thames; ice cream cones from the dairy and then into K-Valley. We set up at Wainora and spent the evening around the fire. Tried to locate Southern Cross and saw a few shooting stars.
1992	Hard rain overnight and boys tent completely soaked through. Helped boys dry out, stretch tents and dig a trench around them. We all played cricket. Ian took kids up the road for a swim. After a curry supper we played jarts (video). Walked to Wainaro to see glow worms (100's and very bright). Bridge until midnight.
1993	Purvis is going to send me a orthopedic surgeon (left knee). Ian and Susi arrived 7 hours early from Fiji and we shot out to get them and bring them home. Had supper there. Kaitanis came and we visited on the front porch until 9:30PM. Cyclone: their house survived; Rusi's blown over; neighbor lost roof and all bridges washed away except the big one at Nausori.
1994	Met Whites, with Billy Varma who I dubbed "Roger", at the "castle". Got to Broken Hills at 1PM. Girls set up at entry under a tree, our big tent facing trees by river and Ian spent a long time putting up a tarp over their tent (door doesn't close). Hiked to the remains of the Golden Hills battery on the other side of the Tairua River. When the others left, Ian and I tried to climb a slip, he gave up so I went back with him. Found a cave that had been used as a jail cell. Swim in the river and curry for supper. Played bridge in the tent until midnight, then Ian and I played Upwords.	Battery More photos
1995	Watched the Warriors very first game ever and they beat Canberra 22 - 12.
1996	Th - Girls walked up the road to a swimming hole. Rest of us drove to do the Jewel of Boom Creek trail to an old stamper remains where we had lunch.
1997	Sa - Susi caught the two big eels that she was after. Whangamata so Ian could get a $34 arm brace. Five hour tramp to Parakiwai Falls. Ian lost his camera case, at our first ford and Matthew had to dive in to rescue it. Had lunch by an old boiler. Three level of falls. Went swimming in the upper pond. Barbeque supper, Pictionary and Chinese Checkers.
2001	Gail and I spent a bit of time searching for Wright's Watergardens in Mauku and were half an hour late to meet Trish and Dot at the swish Waterfall Cafe. Had smoked chicken salad, kumara wedges and a pecan pie washed down with a smooth '00 Phoenix Gerwurtztraminer. Then we spent about two hours wandering through the gardens filled with lilies and lotus. Site is situated in an old quarry and 40 years of noxious weed growth was cleared beginning in 1992. Home to find a giant mound of tree chips that Gail put around Brundell Bush plants. Doug came for a swim, some cricket with David and Matthew, then our Music TP session.	Wrights
2003	Drove up the lake to Glenorchy and from there we did a 13Km gravel road through 9 streams and the forests of "Lord of the Rings" on Paradise Road. Gail wouldn't let me cross the final, and widest, ford; so we parked and spent some time finding a place to cross over (the old fallen tree trick). About a Km or a mile along the road to get to the trail head, Chinaman's Bluff. We only went as far as Sandy's Bluff, but it was the most scenic section, so plenty of photos. Waded through the stream in our barefeet to save time and the water was beautiful - not freezing as we had expected. Back to Queenstown. CaddyShack City is a brilliant indoor miniature golf setup. Costs twice as much as outdoor one across the road so it wasn't crowded. A lot of work has gone into making each hole a theme. Gail beat me by one and we were both way over par. At the last hole, the CaddyShack Candy Company you get a Chuppa sucker from the factory. Finished off a Babich 2000 Fume Vert that seemed a bit sweet.
2004	Smithers came by to tell about how wonderful life is in Christchurch while sipping a Mission Rosé. Long session in the pool with David and his boys, James (the clown) and Thomas (serious one). They left just as Susi came with kids and grandkids for a swim.
2005	Dropped in on Ann and Chris (with a bubbly) who are back from England today. Got to meet cute little Sam in his All Blacks oufit. Ann gave me a Goofy baseball cap, Goofy candy, cereal boxes (empty of course) and US flag lights. Over to see Trish - David had a seizure on 14th and is still in hospital. Final stop, Peter's, where we took his computer apart to try to get capture card working. Met friends from England, Debbie and Don here for 6 months.
2009	Kjell and Louise over for lunch with a Mission '06 rosé. And they showed us photos of their recent trip to Europe.
2013	F - Ian and I kayaked Palm Beach storm water canals. About an hour in the water with Muscovy ducks. Had to walk around a low bridge at one stage. email from Hoffsis in Hawaii with photos of Nanbu hotel. After supper it was a couple games of Upwords and then Dominion.
2022	T - Day 151 of Delta/Omicron lockdown (1028 cases). Exchanged emails with Newsy (Darlene has Covid). Gail got her booster. email from Lesser (brother and his wife have Covid). email from Randy (3 Covid deaths).
2024	Th - 60 minute walk to Sandhurst. Gym and pool (12). New friend, Coconut. A cat who lives over the fence but I often see lying under a car. Now that I know its name I called it and it came and rubbed up against me.
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