Gonna steal time from the faulty plan (Phish)

I like this idea of stealing time.

It's all about taking some time to actually appreciate something. In this case it's appreciating the surroundings.

Whanau member/cousin Christine has three children. One of them, Fran, is staying with us at present. She flew out from England last week to undertake a project at Hastings Hospital, as part of her process towards becoming a doctor.

I took her for a tiki tour around Taupo last weekend. The usual haunts: Huka Falls, The Craters Of The Moon thermal park, and The Lion Walk. The only things we missed were mini golf and an ice cream from Rainbow Point.

Fran is a good sight seer. She takes things in, doesn't look at things from a camera lens all the time, and didn't necessarily want to be documented as part of a photograph. She's still not a fan of photographs.

I managed to persuade her to pose a teensy weesy bit at each of the three locations though. Hence her being on the periphery of these photos.

Mr and Mrs Adam and Ashleigh Purdy have also been visitors to Red Phoenix Farm this week. Keen observers themselves - they're off to live in Australia for a while (Melbourne to be specific). 

Happy trails and safe travels to them.

Generation Y Purdys: Fanfa, Ashleigh, Adam

Love and peace - Wozza

I'm gonna keep on walkin', till I find my way back home (Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee)

Still reading Waging Heavy Peace (slowly- it's so good!) and ole Neil's a keen walker. I love Neil Young - he's so funny, and wise!

Anyway he's a keen walker and I miss walking. Except I think he means hiking. I'm not so much a hiker but I love walking. Are you keeping up?

So... this post is going to celebrate some of my favourite walks.

Place: Leigh-on-sea (Essex) - the walk from our place in Western Road to the shops (Fives! I really miss Fives - one of my favourite record stores) - beautiful gardens and views.

Place: Leigh-on-sea (Essex) - the walk from our place in Western Road to Rayleigh Castle - beautiful views of the Thames estuary.

Place: Dubai - specifically The Dubai Mall - I loved walking around it, visiting the Virgin Mega Store and the great bookshop close by.

Place: Doha (Qatar) - from our place down past the Souq Waqif, along the corniche to the City Centre Mall.

Place: London  - the embankment - war memorials, views of the Thames, the London Eye, Westminster, St Tommys, the Cathedral. Sometimes we'd do the Charing Cross - Mall - St James' Park to Westminster walk and that was amazing as well - squirrels. I miss the squirrels!

Place: Taupo (NZ) - the Lion walk with the kids from the Taupo house. A loop that took in a Rainbow Point ice cream.

Place: London - from Leicester Square tube station to Covent Garden and Fopp (I really miss Fopp - another of my favourite record stores)

Place: Wuxi - the botanical gardens after biking there from our place. Spectacular gardens.

Sadly, even though we live out in the beautiful Central Hawke's Bay countryside, we currently have no regular walks around us. Our place to Otane shops does not appeal. 

This is a real pity. I love to walk!

Love and peace - Wozza