New Zealand travels and future inspirations

I have been teaching in Taupo for a week and this is the view I get up to every morning . It's so spectacular that this picture doesn't really do it justice

We then travelled over the mountains to Napier an Art Deco town that was rebuilt with all the houses in this style after an earthquake completely flattened it

Then we stayed with Sheryl at Palmaston North and had a wonderful lamb roast and talked craft

Visited Vicky and her family . Vicky is Carolyn's  friend and we couldn't be in New Zealand with out them catching up. Vicky took us up mount Taranaki a volcano which she had climbed. Carolyn and I declined this and settled for a close up look and photo opportunities instead.

After this we stayed with Sharon one of the other tutors from the Taupo symposium on her farm  where we were made so welcome and I thoroughly enjoyed talking with Olivia and seeing all her beautiful patchwork . She is one clever little girl who will go far.

Th next day we completed our circle of the island by driving round the coast to Rotorua.

The terrains in New Zealand is to die for and the roads are so quite that I drove for 3hours plus and only saw a handful of cars. Roads are so quite and almost scary in the absence of people and cars. Mountain roads are so twisty and windy that your arms hurt to drive the car. Good thing is that cars are all automatic so gear changing is not an issue and you can't get lost coz there are not enough roads to loose your way. I have though lay enjoyed my stay in New Zealand and have a bucket load of pictures to base a life times work on. I can't wait to use my pictures to inspire embroideries and patchwork in the future.

I could go on for ever about the life style on the islands .Its so like England but isn't England an is a pleasure to experience.