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After the Milford Track, the next few days were spent in our glorious standalone riverside chalet at the Milford Lodge.

The fourth day of the Milford Track was a long one, and a ferry to catch at 4pm and an 18 kilometre walk to get there - so we couldn’t be late! 

The third day on the Milford Track is another long day with a 14 kilometre walk, including heading up one side of the Mackinnon Pass and down the other side plus of course I was interested in a side trip to the Sutherland falls, the largest waterfall in NZ.

The first day waking up on the Milford Track was a great feeling even with an early start, as today is a long day at 16.6 kilometres and I like to take it slowly with easy stopping to enjoy the scenery and the wildlife as I walk.

The rare NZ native Blue Duck lives in this valley and I was determined to see one, so any opportunity to look into the Clinton River while walking along involved stopping for a look, so there were many little pauses through the morning.

Milford Track is the most famous and the most popular of New Zealand’s Great Walks and is something I have been wanting to do for a very long time and last year I decided to just do it.

Robin found out a while ago that Paw Patrol was having a live show and he really wanted to see it and as the fates would have it, the date of the Auckland show (just a short drive from my house) was the same weekend that we were going away to the snow. 

But it so happened that Paw Patrol Live was playing in Hamilton the week before, and as Robin was so excited I thought lets go for it; and to take the opportunity to finally visit Hobbiton, which has been so close but I have never got around to visiting it.

The last two days of holiday were a lot more relaxed than the first two, and unlike most of my other holiday’s in the past there were no set plans from here on-wards. First up on Monday morning was to the Woodville information centre on the other side of the Manawatu Gorge to see if we can collect a kiwi ranger badge for Robin, who had completed the required tasks from the booklet several days earlier. 

On arriving at the Air Tattoo we walked around all the static aircraft and tents, I wanted to see what I could before the flying started at 10. This was so different from a civilian air show which have lots of old historic aircraft, as it was just current military aircraft – a real show case the RNZAF. 
First up and, and really exciting to me were the helicopters (for those who don’t know I used to fly helicopters & they are a bit of a passion for me). The RNZAF now has a range of modern helicopters compared to Vietnam era old B47’s and Huey’s that we used to have only a few years ago.

The Pinnacles is is a very popular mountain in the Coromandel ranges, so popular in fact that DOC’s largest hut is located below the summit with an impressive 80 beds!
As Coromandel is so close and convenient I have never been up to the Pinnacles even though I have been wanting to go there for a long time.

Tiri has a kid’s ‘Kiwi Ranger’ experience which is a number of activities which need to be completed and you get a badge. Robin has been working hard over the last few days on the activities and was so excited to get his badge, and has told me that he wants to complete other Kiwi Ranger activities at other DOC sites, unfortunately most of the others are in the South Island.

Monday morning was the same reading and guiding routine, but for the afternoon we headed to the far end of the island 3 kilometers away. So it is a bit of a walk, but on the way we came across a takake in the bush called Nohoa and then excitingly a kokako and we got some great views of this normally hard to see bird. Stopping to look at all the birds really slowed down our walk but after an hour we arrived to find the beach all to ourselves all alone except for some shags and oystercatchers.

On Saturday morning, the first morning of the holiday I was up early as normal and I got to read my large Tuatara book in peace and quiet which was nice before people including the boys got up.

As there are currently no DOC volunteers on Tiri all the volunteers staying overnight have to do their bit to help out, so we are cleaning and refilling the water troughs around the lighthouse. There is 6 of them and took us about an hour, and the boys loved doing there bit to help the endangered birds

I have just spent an amazing 6 days on the scientific reserve of Tiritiri Maitangi with the entire family. I have fond memories as a kid going with my parents to Piha for our summer holidays, with only the beach and a couple of games for entertainment – and I loved it. So I wanted to recreate the same thing but with rare and endangered birds thrown into the mix.

As part of the Royal New Zealand Navy 75 years celebration, there is a massive open day in the city. Over 10 ships from Navies from a whole range of counties are here in Auckland, and most of the ships are open for the general public to visit which is great. 

This was to great an opportunity to miss, so by 10am I was parked up in the city and walking down to Queen's Walk with the family to see what was going. 

During the first weekend in November the whole family journeyed down to Miranda to spend two days with the Forest & Bird Southern Kiwi Conservation Club - for kids. 

Robin has been going to KCC events for several years now but has never been overnight with them, and I have been keen to visit Miranda shorebirds for a while.

Labour weekend was the same weekend as my birthday, so lot's of Adam orientated stuff happened over the long weekend; Meeting Doc Brown from Back to the Future, the amazing nice Nichelle Nichols, going for a 13 km walk through the bush and watching several movies at the cinema. 

On the morning of September the 5th, when Luke woke up he was taken into my bedroom and was told it was his birthday - and boy was he so excited! It was really lovely and cute to see. As he started opening his presents he was almost shaking in excitement and had the biggest smile I have ever seen on his face

Robins final South Auckland KCC event, as from now on he will be attending the West Auckland KCC events. 

And what an exciting event - a visit to a Forest & Bird forest (who knew F&B actually owned forests, but they do) to do some pest control. The forest is called Olive Davis Reserve and yes there was a dead possum involved! 

On the 25th of August Robin turned 7, incredible to think he is seven already. He is so helpful and fun to have round - through he does have his father temper on occasion. Robin was of course up early, and his presents were opened on my bed so I didn't even have to get up.