Taking a Load off in Whenuapai

After travelling from one side of the planet to the other for a BBQ at my cousin Amelia's place, I decided I'd take the next day off and just hang out for a little bit to catch my breath. I like the TV in New Zealand, and the cartoons are pretty much the same as they have in Canadia. In fact, they even have my favourite show - the Bubble Guppies.
    I loved seeing all New Zealand cousins at the BBQ the day before by the way; but remember, I'm only four. I might be older than those babies at Kari's, but even four-year-olds can use a little down time. On this particular occasion, that's exactly what I did.

    My Mum was still away in Australia seeing my Aunty 'Netty; so Dad was busy writing and disseminating the 'itinerary'. I think he must have sent it to nearly everyone in New Zealand. Even to people like Granddad Kim who don't even check their Inbox, let alone read things like that. 

   He said he wanted to 'maximize his time in Auckland' before heading down to Dunedin, but somehow, he seemed to spend more time writing his silly document than playing in the Sun with me and Amelia.

     (I can't quite read yet; so I'm still not sure, but I think he gradually adjusted my daily nap times to account for the adjustment of my circadian rhythm). 

    Uncle Regan made fun of him for being too organized. Or maybe it was Aunty Dianne who said that? Or maybe it was Dumby - I can't remember. The point is there were a lot of people making fun of my Dad so he'd stop scheduling us all to within an inch of our young lives. (They all said something about the old man being like 'A Creature of Habit', because he turns around ten times and bakes bread before he does anything productive).

    I get it Dad. You just wanted to make the rounds and were worried you wouldn't get to see everybody. But we're on holiday now though, remember... H-O-L-I-D-A-Y... it's where you play games on your iPhone instead of checking emails. 

    They even have real parks in New Zealand too - with slides, and swings, and everything.

    

    One thing I should mention here is that even though the Fall leaves were starting to change colour outside, it was Easter weekend. (Fall at Easter time? I know, right? Random, eh). I know what you must be thinking, but even though the birds seemed confused by all the Spring images and symbols of new life in the Autumn-time.

   Topsy-turvy calendars aside, the important fact to remember here is that there was plenty of Cadbury's chocolate to eat: but not just any chocolate, we're talking Marvellous Creations here. 

   Mmm mmm... C-H-O-C-O-L-A-T-E!!! My favourite is the bar with the pop-rocks... You just don't get the same sugar rush from a Hershey's bar!

    Dad is always trying to teach me things so I understand the 'true' meaning of the world. While I was on my second helping of Jelly Popping Candy Beanies, he started one of his Wikipedia-inspired rants about some dude called Cheeses Crust. I think he said he borrowed our Grilled Cheese Brassier?

    I'm not sure because I couldn't hear him over the sound of the pop-rocks exploding in his cheeks. I do like grilled cheese though. Perhaps we can have some for lunch. (Love you, Dad. I know you mean well).

    Speaking of religious holidays that are completely lost on us - we took a little time out of our lazy Easter lay-about to give our belated Christmas presents to Amelia. 

    Honestly, we didn't forget you little-kuz. We had them all wrapped and ready for you in December; but nowadays, excess baggage fees are cheaper than postage stamps - so we jammed them on the bookshelf until our New Zealand Trip, then smuggled them into our carry on. Only took four months or so to get them to you... which is like, more than half your life span... 

   

    OMG!!! Hey Mum, did you realize we made Amelia wait half a lifetime for her Canadian Christmas presents?! [Let's blame Dad for being useless, OK... (It's our secret. He'll freak out if we can keep a strait face for long enough)].

    December. April - at this point suppose we are splitting hairs over a part of the Calendar no one can do much about. At least until someone figures out how to put a tele-port button in the next Beta-release of Skype. (Wouldn't it be cool if you could just email presents to one another. You could just send hand-me-downs to your relatives by uploading them as an eamil attachment).

Amelia ignores the Charlotte-hand-me-downs and gums
the wrapping paper instead.

    The point is, we finally made it, and on this particular Autumn Easter day, we were given a chance to catch our breath. We'd travelled a long way and were really happy to be there. I remember there being a bit of excitement planned for both the Auckland and Dunedin legs of the trip, and based on Dad's MagnaCarta.docx, we could all tell we were in for a bit of a whirlwind of a tour (Yeah, yeah. OK.  No more tornado jokes, I promise). 

    We have two fun-filled, action-packed weeks in New Zealand yet to talk about on this blog-diary, so clearly adventure beckons; but for now, I think you can forgive me for having taken a day off to sit back, chillax, and hang out with the gang.

(Yaaawwwwwnnn!)

    ...I think I'll take a little nap.

Charlotte

4 1/2 years old.