Home, sweet, home

Seven weeks ago today I touched down at Wellington Airport - my first trip home in almost two years. I got to spend a wonderful three and a bit weeks with my amazing family and friends, surrounded by the beautiful landscapes of the place I call 'home'.

It has now been three weeks since I took off again, heading back to London. Can't believe that time has gone so fast already.

These are the highlights of my trip home:

1) Getting to see and spend quality time with my family who I had not seen since I left home on November 14 2009.

2) Catching up with friends - lunches, coffees, drinks, sleep-overs, rugby watching, trip to Palmy, seeing babies....

3) Being surrounded by furry, cuddly animals - Walnut, Ruby, Snoop, Tilly & Charlie - the most wonderful (and naughty!) pets in the world

4) Seeing just how much my little sister, Hannah, has grown up - two years is a long time when you are talking about kids!

5) Soaking up the atmosphere of the RWC - from watching the Opening Ceremony & first All Blacks match, to actually getting to attend four matches at the Stadium

6) Walking along the Wellington waterfront/in the Belmont bush, soaking up the sights of bush and water which I've been deprived of whilst in London

7) Going to Wellington Zoo with Hannah - it truly is the 'best little zoo in the world'

8) Unexpectedly bumping into friends at the supermarket and in Westfield - Wellington really is a small place!

9) Getting to eat at some of my favourite restaurants - the Speights Bar in Tinikori and the Malaysian restaurant that Mum and Craig love (and the family dinner we had - was SO good to have us all sit down together)

10) Eating Kiwi treats (pineapple lumps, tim tams, vegemite) without the huge price tag!

I'm sure there are many more things I've forgotten to mention, and if I have, feel free to remind me!

I just want to say it was a wonderful trip home. New Zealand (and Wellington) is truly the best place in the world - can't wait to touch down on its shores once more xoxo

Overlooking Petone/Wellington Harbour from Mum's place

Siblings together again - me with Hannah & Ollie

Wellington Waterfront

Westpac Stadium aka the 'Cake Tin'

Tilly, Snoop & Ruby chilling in the sun

View from the Botanic Gardens

Walnut, my 'baby'

An Italian Summer - Part Three

My third Italian adventure this summer was during my week off from work, where I went to Rome to stay with my second cousin, her partner and their two lovely bi-lingual children. It was really great to spend time with them, just chill out, learning how to play Uno, playing with the kitten they were looking after and spending hours reading on the couch on the deck.

We also had a couple of "trips". The first was to one of Rome's beaches. I don't normally consider myself a 'beach bunny' but I loved lying on a sun lounger, reading my book and swimming in the ocean with the kids. Coming from Wellington, swimming in the ocean is something new for me - I'm used to cold water, so it was lovely to swim in warm water, even if it was extremely salty! People watching was also interesting - the women are so much more body confident than women back home - young and old, they let it all hang out (going topless seemed almost a requirement!) and the men were, almost without exception, wearing speedos. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Kiwi bloke in speedos. 

The other "trip" that my cousin and her kids took me on, was into Rome itself. We took the bus from out car-park and hopped off to have a look at the Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary, which takes care of the homeless cats in Rome. Being a feline lover I found it quite sad knowing that these animals had no real home of their own. We then walked along the river, going through one of the markets, and onto the Castel Sant'Angelo, which I have visited before. It used to be the strong-hold of the Pope's - recently the pathway between this and St. Peter's Basilica has been opened, but only on certain days, and not when I was there. It just gives me another reason to return to Rome ;)  

View from Castel Sant'Angelo

St. Peter's Basilica in the distance

One of Rome's beaches

Looking up the dome of Santa Maria delgi Angeli e dei Martiri

An Italian Summer - Part Two

Whilst staying at the 'Italy house' I was lucky enough to go to Perugia, twice, once with the family and their guests (admiring old, crumbling buildings and wonderful cathedrals isn't quite the same with three children, all under 6), and once on my own. The day I went with the family I was treated to a wonderful meal of pizza and a mosey around the Cathedral of San Lorenzo - which is fitted with some beautiful stained-glass windows. 

The day I went on my own started off a little grey (weather-wise), but I was happy to start walking in a direction and just see where I ended up. I came across a lovely old church, wondered down tiny, narrow streets (I just loved these) and ended up back in the main square to sit down to lunch. In the rain. Almost as soon as I started to eat (in an under-cover, outdoor area), it started to pour and pour. Consequently I found myself in Perugia's art gallery, almost solely composed of religious paintings. 

I was disappointed to learn, upon leaving the gallery that it was still pouring with rain, and after braving the wet roads, lost even with a map, I decided to give up and head back on the train to Umbertide. 

One of the wonderful old buildings in Perugia

The 'sign' over a shop

Stained-glass window in the Cathedral of San Lorenzo

View from the lookout point

An Italian Summer - Part One

Over the summer I was fortunate enough to go to Italy with the family that I worked for over the past two years. They have a house in a little town called Umbertide, near Perugia. 

It's a lovely house, situated on top of a hill, only accessible by car (so no public transport!) - very quiet, surrounded by nature, in other words, very much the opposite to London, which I have to admit I really love. At least in short bursts. It is also without internet, and very limited TV channels, so for a 21st century gal, it can be a little trying to cope without technology - but it's also good to just switch off. 

One of my favourite things about the 'Italy house' as C & B call it, is that it has a wonderful swimming pool. The kids spent many hours, most days, jumping in and out the pool, diving and splashing and generally just doing things kids do when they are in water. I'm not a huge pool person myself, but the fact that it keeps the kids entertained is a major plus in my books! And, when the weather was getting to the late 30's it was a god-send to be able to jump in the pool and cool off. 

For me, it was quite sad the day we left the 'Italy house' was the knowledge that I wouldn't be able to go and stay there again - given that I have finished working for Caroline and Robert, to embark on post-graduate study at Westminster University. But, I have wonderful memories of the place, and many, many pictures to remind me of the ivy-covered walls, spectacular views and blue skies :)

Overlooking the capana 

View from 'Italy house'

From the pool, looking at the 'Italy house'