Jiji & Baba

Finally they arrived! This Sunday we got VIP visit from Japan and although we had given instructions not to bring any stuff, they came with one extra suitcase, full of everything from cool backpacks, dolls and books for Hana and Kai to crackers and dried fish for everyone. With or without presents the kids where delighted to se grandma and grandpa in Hanoi again.

Whitianga and the North

Back to the beach, and it does seem like the farther north you get, the better the beaches get as well! We enjoyed white sand and blue skies, and a great campground right on the beach.

Cow spotting

Who's watching who?

The west coast

After almost a week in the cloudy mountains we started to miss the ocean and decided to go west. Most of all we liked the little village Piha, and its neighbour Karekare with its beautiful but extremely dangerous surf beaches. The windling road down and the houses climbing up the rain forest covered mountain side totally reminded us of Dominica.

The surf coming in at Raglan.
. Magic Karekare.

Piha beach at night.
Piha village? Or somewhere in Dominica?

As Piha is only a 45 min drive from Auckland, Karin, Grattan and Lara came out to have lunch with us one day, then we said bye-bye and see you in Italy in June!

Forest lakes and volcanoes (behind the clouds?)

A visit to New Zealand's north island, without passing Roturoa seemed impossible. We got ourselves soaked in a couple of hot springs but tried to avoid all the adventure parks, and also passed lake Taupo and even continued further down to Tongarino National Park. It seemed beautiful, but the rain was pouring down and the volcanoes well-wrapped in thick clouds. The Mangamate campsite next to Whirinaki Forest Park and a hike down to the river gorge was the highlight of the second week.


Mangamate campsite.

Freedom

For the kids it was three weeks of total freedom. With about everything clean, green and safe the boundaries extended way beyond those of Hanoi.

Travelling

We picked up our car already at the airport in Auckland and even though we did try to not drive too many hours a day, we did do almost 3000 km. Kids behaved great and pretty soon realized the best way to spend those hours were to sleep, Hana generally making herself comfortable already before closing the door, dozing off pretty fast.
With great roads - no potholes, cows or other surprises, and great views, driving was effortless. Even though Keisuke did most of the driving even I had no problem getting back into left hand side driving.

Into the wild.

Zzzzz...

View from Kai's window, by Kai.

Car-turned-into-playground while parents packing or unpacking...

Whangamata beach life

After a night in Auckland we took off to the east coast and Coromandel Peninsula where we started our NZ adventure with a lazy week in sunny Whangamata with moster Karin, uncle Grattan and new baby cousin Lara, hanging out on the beach and at their "batch" beach house, finishing every day with bbq and lots of Pinot Noir.

Friends!

New Zealand!

"It smells like at mormor and morfar's" was Kai's first comment on his impressions of this new country, actually not that different from Sweden. Only just a little bit better! Mountains a little higher, forests a little deeper, beaches a little whiter, weather a little better, people a little more relaxed... At least when it's summer and vacation!
After three great weeks we have returned to Hanoi, with plenty of wonderful memories and some photos. As soon as I get organized again, a few of them will appear here.

New Zealand

Packing, packing and fixing all those last little things. But tomorrow we are finally off for Auckland. Hopefully we will be able to post some pictures from there as well!
Today we spent the afternoon in the garden, talking about New Zealand.

Dragons

If its not playing dragon, or at least running after Hana sounding like one, it is reading stories with dragons in them or watching whatever there is to watch with dragons or monsters. Or, of course, drawing...

Rain, rain, rain...

It's been pouring down for two days and we've had to dig the cupboards for raincoats and rubberboots for the kids. But it's not really a tropical rain, just keeps falling and falling, the sky as gray as can be...
Moreover, the figs on the neighbour's tree are ripe again, inedible and full of little insects. Fortunately, to make at least the house a little more colourful, the landlord already brought us a Tet-tree; a huge peach tree branch that will start to blossom any day, for us to enjoy before we leave for N.Z. next Saturday.

Figs in the backyard...

... and peach blossom in the living room.

Thinking, planning and coffee

Who are they? What are they talking about? What are they thinking about? I don't know...

More than that, it seems like January has brought us back to daily routines again. Hana and Kai goes to school, Keisuke is at work, and even I am trying to finish off a small consultancy I have been working on lately.

And, we are of course also preparing for important upcoming events: Next Saturday we leave the Hanoian winter for three weeks of summer holidays in New Zealand and in March we will host the first ever Taketani-Johnsson family reunion! My parents are coming from Sweden and Keisuke's from Japan and the idea is to meet and travel around central Vietnam, visiting both Hoi An and Hue. That sure requires some planning.

Now, Hana is still sleeping and Kai just went off with the school bus to play at a friend's house. Keisuke will pick him up on his way from work. I think I will go have a coffee in the sunny garden.

Back to school!

Three weeks of winter break is finally over and all is back to normal again! And, we did have a lot of fun during this last week, visiting friends, having friends over, going to different parks and even enjoying a fair amount of sun. One morning Hana's baby&nanny group was held at our place.

Looks like the Tay Ho nanny reality show, says Keisuke. Full of exciting elements as the fastest diaper change contest or feeding baby an entire meal without a stain on the t-shirt, and interesting conversations around western recipies exchange or at what temperature it is ok for the babies to stop using socks.

Brittish-Indian/Italian friend Robbie visiting. This photo might serve as the cover for an interesting article about TCK's and expat life in Hanoi (again, says Keisuke)...

Harvesting

Summer comes and goes, grey and cold days are followed by wonderful sunny and warm days. Like today, when we spent all day in the garden, even had a pasta lunch picnic with Keisuke visiting! The other day we harvested the last of our many grapefruits or pomelos or whatever they are. Huge and juicy at least. And many.