Hawke's Bay and Taupo, NZ

Lucky us. We get to go back to Hawke's Bay and the mighty Waipuk, it's warmer and considerably drier than Sydney, as well as a tip-top reprieve from travels.
It's meant picnics, lunches in various lovely spots, Ballantyne family activities, the Waipuk gang and thanks to Nicky and Lawrie's wedding at TeAwa lots of the Auckland lot.
The wedding was beautiful, under the trees at TeAwa, fantastic food and vino; the dancing hit all those cheesy spots so beloved of kiwis everywhere, with the linen jacket playing a surprisingly prominent role. This was followed by all sorts of trouble in Havelock North till the early hours, with surprising journey's etc.
The Motel man won the line of the following day, once we'd missed check-out by two hours, he shouted in the gruffest voice through the door "are you people staying another night?"
Good morning to you too, you miserable git.
Top day-after lunch as well - may now have to get a fire heated bath in the back garden, or a section in the TukiTuki valley (spare mil anyone?). Then if that wasn't enough, a gourmet lunch with the girls in Waipuk, well actually Waipawa to be precise, but it's nearly the same thing. More kids than grown-ups (counting the unemployed loafing brewsters as children), all good, it made Mrs Brewster a little homesick though.
We are now up in Taupo with Erica's parents, sunny lake swims, further scrabble defeats and the last chance to drink a good kiwi beer for a while. We then head to Auckland for dinner at Scotty's bar, Suite (or is that sweet) and fly to Ho Chi Minh, via Singapore early on Valentine's day, malaria pills in hand.