Melbourne

We are so lucky to have such generous friends, who we can pick up with despite long absences from where we left off!

We met up again, after a year, with Prue and  Nick in Geelong (after staying in their Lorne bach). The boys went to the Footie (made Tadhg’s holiday……also in light of him meeting lots of the Geelong Cats team at lunch the following day in a cafe/restaurant, and he was brave enough to ask them for an autograph), and the girls reconnected and caught up.

Tadhg and Fin, pre match

Getting autographs

Hospitality from the heart, and also from the family, as we stayed with Prue’s parent’s (Darby and GG) in their fabulous house (we look forward to returning the favour when they visit Ireland, or NZ again!).

Millie and Ilona took no time at all to get over a faux shyness, and enjoyed baking a cake, making perfume from flowers, making a Father’s Day rocket from recyclables and having a two day sleepover.

We all had lots of fun…..particularly the kids who ran riot while driving with Nick in his car…..

They were hanging out the sunroof singing loudly to a happy song, when the mayor of Geelong came behind them (and waved, I understand).

We also were the beneficiaries of unbounded hospitality from Donal and Olivia in Melton. It was like a home away from home in their house, with little Emelia (the most placid child ever) and Liv’s nephew Maverick, who is Tadhg’s age. It wasn’t so long since we saw them, and indeed were “flatmates” with Donal for our last week in Auckland, as we all stayed in Eoghan And Rachel’s house, prior to our collective migration from NZ, albeit with different destinations.

We we also caught up with Daniel’s aunt Jill and Malcolm, in East Melbourne. We had a lovely catch up, again as  we as humans tend to do, over food. A lovely homemade hearty lunch.

So we bid Australia farewell with happy hearts, uber relaxed and we have satisfied stomachs (and haircuts)!