North Island fun

Dames is chuffed about something.


We'd always suspected that there was some sort of volcanic activity behind Damian.


It's all go,go,go. Up and at them in Whangamata.


Ah Dave, our trusty camper.


Damian attempts to communicate with the Kiwis. Why do you think it was that we didn't see any?


Our camping spot by the side of the road at Hahei beach. All mod cons included:boogie board as luxury sofa and beer in a glass no less.


Queen of the road. With Dave by her side, nothing could stop her.


This isn't cider.
What are you trying to do, sober me up?


Jealous? You should be. Julia gives her all for the camera at Whangamata Beach.




King Canute? King Can-nuts, more like.


It looks like Guinness, it smells like Guinness, it gets me pie-eyed like Guinness. If only it tasted like Guinness. Sigh.


Man at Millets. Dames at the world's largest hot pool. That smell is the sulphur, by the way.


More hot stuff.


Exhausting work, this backpacking. Dames takes the waters at Kerosene Creek.


Which would you rather meet on a dark night?
Auckland museum.

Some old photos from the States

I see the future...


Our last view of the Atlantic for some time.
Miami Pies?

Amanda, looking nuatical.



And Matt, too. Both of whom looked after us spendidly over the Xmas period in San Fransisco.

Two great bits of news.

Good news. Part One.
On 30 Dec, at some terrible early hour,
Rufus Storm Woodthorpe Browne
was born to Zoe and Justin.
Here's a picture of Oscar
meeting him for the first time.

Good News. Part Two.

At the stroke of midnight on New Year 2007,
Julia agreed to marry Damian.

There had been much getting down on one knee,
followed by much kissing,
followed by ferocious amounts of booze.
What a night.

This is us, shortly after midnight.
The pictures from later on that night/morning are a bit out of focus.
Or was that just us?

Again, sophistcation rules the day,
especially here at the Grand Canyon.

Julia looking placid in Yosemite.

Take a step back, Dames. Go on...

Being engaged looks as though
it's taking it's toll on Dames.

On the other hand,
Julia is looking a little down in the mouth, too.

This is Jules in her role
as fearless and accurate navigator.
Orlando via Tampa, anyone? Oh, yes.

We arrived on the West Coast, only to discover it was wine country. What were we to do?

Just up the beach is a massive colony of elephant seals. We have dozens of pictures of them fighting, birthing, belching and bonking, but we want to keep this a family site (i.e. one that our mothers can view), so we've not included them here.

Happy Jules at the Grand Canyon.

These shots are of Jules sitting in the same spot.
Kinda gives a sense of scale, but even so...

Caption competition. Entries on the postings, please. Remember, again, that our relatives read this.

.xXx.

We've now arrived in muggy, rainy Auckland and have already bought a camper-van ("Camper than what?", I hear you cry) called, for no apparent reason, Dave. On Monday we set off for destinations as yet unknown, but which will involve some or all of the following ingredients: beaches, pubs, erm... That'll do, actually.

.xXx.

Happy New Year, everybody!