Treasured moments - from Swan Lake to One Direction.

Back in 2009 I took my girl to the city to watch the ballet Swan Lake. I remember at the time that I felt like it was a lot of money to spend on taking a just turned seven year old to the theatre and to expect her to sit still through three and a half hours of ballet.

I needn't have been concerned as she sat completely mesmerised, mouth slightly open, eyes transfixed.  I watched her almost as much as I watched the ballet! I think at one point I considered checking that she was still breathing.

That was the start of our regular mother daughter theatre outings.

Since then we have been lucky enough to catch some pretty amazing productions in Brisbane, but to date nothing had ever really come close to the enjoyment experienced watching Swan Lake. There have been quite a few musicals like Mary Poppins, Annie, Grease and Mama Mia. Then the Nutcracker ballet and more recently The Bright Stream performed by The Bolshoi Ballet. Some of these theatre visits have been large scale international productions but we also love to support the smaller amateur performances too.

Last week the dance studio that Sibs is part of had their annual dance concert at Queensland Performing Arts Centre. This performance is one of the highlights of her year. She loves the routine of rehearsals and back stage antics. Behind allowed inside the theatre is a real thrill.  Imagine having to tell her that she wasn't going to experience it this year?

When I first found out the dates for her dance concert, I knew that it clashed with something else. I also knew that the 'something else' was huge. Something that Sibs had been looking forward to for the whole of 2013.

It was time to break the news about the clash.

There were a few silent tears and a wobbly bottom lip. Then a big hug and a promise that we would go and watch the first night of the dance concert.

She still wanted  to attend the rehearsals and her lovely dance teachers who knew how disappointed she was and not being able to perform always made sure that she helped out in some way.

So what prevented her from being part of the show......?

We were having a long planned girls weekend away....to Auckland....to watch One Direction!

My eleven year old is a beautiful mix of interests. She adores her ballet, looks forward to rugby season, loves to listen to a real mix of music and over the last year or so like millions of other tweenage girls has discovered 'One Direction'. (Thank you for the introduction goes to cool Aunty T!)

So last Friday, I picked her up from her afternoon school rugby game and instead of the usual ballet lesson it was a quick shower and change and off we went  to the airport. We shopped a little, bought a book each and arrived in New Zealand on a cold and wet Friday night.

We were originally booked into the same hotel as the band but in my wisdom(?) I changed this to be closer to the city.
At the risk of sounding fuddy duddy - One Direction fans can be a little crazy....
There were hoards of young girls camped out at 1am in front of the hotel screaming. They screamed for almost three days! The groupie mentality was almost a little disturbing and whilst I have no problem with Sibs being a fan of the band, I think that I have a parental responsibility to ensure her safety and to allow her to be eleven...

So we enjoyed a slightly quieter time. We walked, chatted, shopped, giggled and did the tourist things like the museums and the Sky Tower. We lazed over hotel breakfasts - such a treat. We ordered room service in our bath robes and watched TV whilst painting our toenails. It was pure luxury having that time away from home with my girl.

Of course the absolute highlight of the weekend was the One Direction concert.

"I think this is a dream"

I once again watched my girl completely awe struck at the spectacle in front of her eyes.

It was the Swan Lake experience four years later (but with screaming!)

Five minutes after arriving in our seats she turned to me - "I think this is a dream!"

Her quiet contemplation lasted about 10 seconds and then she jumped, sang and screamed with the best of them. Oh my goodness the screaming again.....the ear plugs came in very handy!

One Direction - Auckland 2013

One Direction - Auckland 2013

Sibs beamed all the way through the concert, then all the way back to the hotel and then all the next day and more!

This was loving and living the moment big time!

from Swan Lake 2009 to One Direction 2013

We made a pact last weekend that we would find the time to get away together maybe once a year. 

Just a night or two, just the two of us.

...Already planning the next trip!

Brisbane floods - where were you one year ago?

This time last year we were holidaying in New Zealand.

Driving around the northern tip of the country in and out of patchy Internet reception frantically trying to get news of home...

We left Brisbane as the city was bracing itself for a major flood.

Earlier in the week we had witnessed horrific scenes on the TV of the devastation in other parts of the state as the water claimed homes, businesses and worst of all lives...

We knew that Brisbane was next - but we didn't know what this really meant.

Waiting at the airport that morning was eerie. The skies were a strange grey colour, the staff and travellers all looked apprehensive. My phone kept beeping with texts from near and far checking we were ok. My work sent a text to tell me not to come in...
I felt like we were running away from something and part of me felt relieved and another part felt guilty...

After a delayed flight we reached Auckland and checked into the hotel. The first thing we did was switch on the TV. Nothing major appeared to have happened, just lots of precautionary tales of people barricading buildings and evacuating homes. A quick call home to check and again all seemed okay.

Next morning was different. Now the TV news showed familiar landmarks under water. The river swollen beyond recognition,  - water and mud....so much mud...

Another phone call - our home was okay.
The nearby creek was high and flowing fast but thankfully just making it under the bridges.



photo by Brooke Gillot
local creek Jan 2011



same creek Jan 2012

It was with some trepidation that I switched off the TV, checked out of the hotel and went to pick up our camper van. All conversations - hotel staff, taxi driver, camper van rental staff was solely about the floods.

Whilst Neil was checking the details of the van,  I was using the free wi-fi to find out as much as I could. News channels, local blogs, anything I could log into.
I saw a photo of a golf course under water - a few minutes down the road from our home and had a little panic!
Another phone call....yes, all was still okay.
Brisbane city centre was slowly being engulfed, but our suburb was still okay.

It took a few days to try and steer our thoughts away from home. I don't think we quite managed to switch off completely. New Zealand tried its best. It gave us glorious countryside, spectacular coastlines, miles of nothing - it was beautiful.



Northern New Zealand



 

We did have a lovely holiday. We were lucky.

Even a couple of weeks later as we returned home the Brisbane recovery operation had seriously kicked in. We only saw the aftermath. We heard the stories of rescue and of the volunteers that worked tirelessly to help those in need. We saw the businesses that were closed, drove past some of the boarded up homes and counted our lucky stars.

TV and news coverage concentrated on the clean up and the positives. This was Brisbane and Queensland in recovery mode.

Last night I watched a recorded programme on the National Geographic channel - "Australia's Great Flood". (It's repeated on Fri Jan 20th at 8.30pm). I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. I bit the side of my tongue trying to stop the tears...then I gave up and cried anyway.

The horror came back. The uncontrolled fear that those poor people must have felt.

Now a year on and most of the city is back to its former state. This last week or so there have been services of recognition and remembrance. Yes, there are still families waiting to return home and there are still business counting the loss of income.
There is still grief...
For some people they will never be able to forget the floods of January 2011.

Now that the wet season is here again, we'll keep everything crossed that it was a once in a lifetime occurrence.

Think of Christchurch

To the people of Christchurch, New Zealand... thinking of you on your long journey of recovery...

NZ Prime Minister John Key's moving speech here

New Zealand. (Northlands road trip)

It's been a week since I returned from my holiday to New Zealand...

I want to go back... to remember that wonderful feeling of not knowing what day of the week it is, waking with the sun and falling asleep to the moon, rediscovering the true meaning of the word relaxation.

Allow me to reminisce and I'll take you with me...

on the road to Matakohe

Our little family packed our suitcases and escaped the relentless Brisbane rain to tour the Northland of New Zealand for a couple of weeks. We had previously done a month tour of both islands and had earmarked the north tip as one area to return to explore further.
Before the camper van pick up we spent our first night in rather a luxurious hotel in the city of Auckland. (Make the most of this space as you will be accompanying me in a rather more cramped fashion soon!)

Next morning after a hurried online catch up with the start of the flooding news from home we picked up our van, turned right, took a left and followed our noses over the bridge to the Northland.

It was exciting...we didn't really know where we were going...what freedom! 

About 45 mins north of Auckland the main highway became more of a winding road, the traffic lights disappeared, vehicles became sparse and the city was a million miles behind us.

the quaint library at Puhoi

"Where are we going?" said a little voice behind me, "North, just north..."

I could write pages on where we visited and the amazing adventure of waking in the morning with only a sense of direction to guide us. If you haven't been to New Zealand it should be, no, make that has to be on your list. The serenity is breathtaking. The unspoilt countryside a reminder of times gone by when life was simple. The Northlands has no airs or graces; doesn't pretend to be something bigger than it is - it's beautiful in its own calm and simple way.

morning catch at Omapera

The people are generous and proud, and we marvelled at the bilingual towns and the recognition that modern New Zealand is very much a shared country between Maori and settlers.

gentle Mangonui

Our 'Lonely Planet' and ''Rough Guide' were faithful companions throughout the trip and ensured that we found the best coffee, (very important!), the museums, the viewpoints etc. Every now and again though you have to follow your nose...

Hokianga harbour area

My birthday celebration was one of the highlights of the trip. Sibs had so much fun decorating the van.

Do you think anyone noticed??

Every holiday has to end and we eventually had to stop 'heading north' and make our way back to Auckland.



Haruru Falls nr Paihia, Bay of Islands



So we are back to routine and lists and definitely having to remember what day it is!

The suitcases are back in the wardrobe, the holiday clothes are washed, the new school year has started and the money box will have to be replenished with pennies dollars so that we can plan our next trip.