Tramping the Waitawheta tramway

Kien's friend, Natalie, decided that for her 10th birthday party she wanted to go on a weekend tramp with her friends and stay at a hut. So over Waitangi weekend that's what a group of us did.



10km tramp along the Waitawheta tramway, with lots of stops at riverbeds, and many swing bridges. Luckily that Saturday was a little overcast, and we even had a sprinkling of rain, so we all managed to stay relatively cool.











Initially Kien was petrified walking over the swing bridges, but by the end of the weekend he was a pro.







We arrived at the DOC hut in the late afternoon, and the kids ran around playing tag/hide & seek. They also managed to forage a big bowl of blackberries for our breakfast. We were served spaghetti bolognese, which tasted amazing at a hut with no electricity in the middle of a forest.





What was also amazing was that the kids did all the washing up as well! So cute seeing them in the dark with their head torches.





We all turned in relatively early for the night. Jef decided he wanted to brave the wilderness and risk being attacked by mosquitoes and possums.




I didn't get much sleep. In a room full of people rustling around in their sleeping bags it wasn't easy to switch off. Kien also decided he wanted to sleep under the bunk for some reason, and I didn't have the energy to argue with him. Needless to say he changed his mind after midnight, of course!

After breakfast we cleaned the hut up before heading back.












We stopped along the way for a couple more swims.



















When we got to the car there were cold beers and a feast waiting for us. This definitely was not their first rodeo. Natalie's parents had a chilli bin packed full of goodies.



This trip was so much fun. Kien is very keen to do some more. We're building up for Tongariro crossing, when he's ready.

Pre birthday birthday party

I didn't feel like doing anything large this year for Kien's birthday party. It's just too hard at this time of the year. I asked him what he wanted to do, and he was really keen for a room escape challenge. So last Sunday that's that we did with a small group of his close friends. They truly are such an eclectic mix, which makes it very interesting when they get together.





We had to split the group into 2 teams to go to 2 separate rooms. Kien was in a room called "The Bach" and the other group went to "The Shed". They had an hour to solve clues to open locks and get out. I was locked in with Kien's group, and they were so excited throughout the whole thing. We managed to get out, but with lots of help from the game master, and with extra time as well.

















All round we had a great day. Kien and his friends enjoyed it - that's the main goal. Tick, another parental obligation fulfilled.

La Boca, Recoleta and Argentinian parrillero in Palermo

Yesterday was pretty much a write-off as it rained and rained all day. We stayed inside and slept until 1pm local time. When we finally left the apartment it was for food, booze and berries. I tried some empanadas from another store - good to try the various versions around.

For dinner I specifically wanted to have Argentinian BBQ. Jef found a local one a few blocks away. By day we would have totally missed it. But when we arrived last night they opened the gate and we stepped into this cool joint; wonderfully smokey and humming with people drinking Malbec and eating meat - lots of meat.











Today the sun was beaming down in Buenos Aires, and perfect for us to go sightseeing. Thank goodness for Uber - it makes getting around a whole lot easier when there is a language barrier. Our first stop - La Boca, famous for its colourful houses and pedestrian street, the Caminito, where tango artists perform and tango-related memorabilia is sold.









Theese photos are of the side streets away from the main area, Caminito. We intended to have lunch here and perhaps watch some tango dancers on the streets. However, with the hoards of tourists, and hawkers with leaflets for their restaurants to pursuade you in, and no sign of any tango dancers "in the wild" (they danced in a small area of a restaurant and only for patrons of that particular restaurant), and dog poo all over the sidewalks - we decided to grab our Uber out of there.

Next stop - Recoleta Cemetery. But first, lunch.



Yeah, we couldn't finish it. Didn't realise how much meat they were going to give us!

Off to see some ornate mausoleums at Recoleta Cemetery. In the heart of the richest area of Argentina, these families much have some big bucks to be here.













The most famous of tombs here, of course, is this one, belonging to Eva Peron.




We walked through some markets before walking back to the apartment, stopping at a nearby park to eat some strawberries. Kien has been in berry heaven here.