Travel

Exploring our planet

We have travelled to several countries and we are now living “overseas”. Learn more about our journeys…

There are 28 posts filed in Travel (this is page 3 of 3).

Visiting New Zealand

In April and May 2006 we visited New Zealand to catch up with a lot of friends and relations we hadn’t seen for two and a half years.

It was Erin’s first international trip and so Istanbul passport control were surprised that she didn’t have an entry stamp.

Our travels took us from Kaikohe in the North of NZ to Dunedin in the South. We drove about 4500 km and had four domestic flights and two ferry trips.

Highlights include:
– Meeting new nieces, nephews and cousins
– Speaking to lots of people about life in Turkey
– Eating kiwi “kai”
– Driving Grandad’s digger
– Playing draughts with Grandpa
– Seeing Peter’s grandparents before Nana died
– Seeing Edria’s grandmother before she died
– Staying in beach houses larger than our apartment

Going to New Zealand

We are planning to go to New Zealand soon to catch up with friends and relations we haven’t seen for the last two and a half years. We hope to be there for about eight weeks and will be travelling around.

Turkey 2000

In September/October 2000, we spent two weeks in Western Turkey.

We spent some time in Izmir and did a tour of the seven churches of Revelation. Turkey has a large number of historical sites and Ephesus in particular has had significant restoration.

Highlights of the tour include Ephesus, staying in the resort towns, meeting grape and cotton pickers, the white terraces and hot springs at Pamukkule.

We liked Turkey so much that we moved there in September 2003.

Vanuatu 1998

One week. December 1998.

Another Pacific island holiday. We enjoyed lazing around in the sun by the hotel pool or at the beach.

Highlights included: snorkelling and sailing the small catamaran on the lagoon. We attempted to spend an afternoon playing golf, but our lack of skill caused too many lost balls in the long grass around the edges of the fairway and we gave up as it got dark on the third hole.

Solomon Islands 1995

One week December 1995.

Edria lost her wallet on the second day. She lost only a few dollars, but we spent the rest of the week trying to get her credit card replaced so we could access money.

A lazy week, spent wandering between air conditioned shops, the library and the hotel pool.

Highlights included: a tour of the sites occupied during World War 2. Peter’s grandfather (Wes Hayward) was stationed in Honiara as a New Zealand Air Force medic during the war.

Australia 2001

In April 2001, Edria flew to Melbourne courtesy of Marlborough Girls College to investigate ICT in four schools.

Meanwhile, Peter flew to Brisbane to spend four days with his brother Nigel. They celebrated Nigel’s birthday by spending the day at Steve (the crocodile hunter) Irwin’s Australia Zoo. Peter watched one of Nigel’s rugby games and they also saw a 3D Dinosaur movie at Imax. Then, Peter flew to Melbourne to spend a few days with Edria.

Peter’s sister Stephanie was unexpectedly returning from USA to New Zealand, and after a mix up of flights, found herself at Melbourne airport. We directed her into the city and did lunch and a visit to the Melbourne Aquarium.

 

Norfolk Island 1994

Two weeks in January 1994. Honeymoon!

Highlights included: Swimming around the reef, watching the stars, mini golf, exploring the whole island, winning bingo twice in a row and the discovering the history of Norfolk Island.