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Smalls and the Land of the Long White Cloud

1
This year we finally took the plunge – we braved the peak travel time air fares, braved the uncomfortable meetings with the head teachers and braved the 11,426 miles travelling in a confined space. We did it, we took the 3 girls to New Zealand for Christmas.

It was not a insignificant plunge, we hadn’t been back for 7 years. Life, work and school holidays (or lack of) always seemed to get in the way. Last time we travelled it was with a spirited 5 year old and a very ill two year old. I can’t say the journey to and from held fond memories for

SelfishMother.com
2
me.

This trip couldn’t have been more different, it went without a hitch, without complaint, without the vomiting and without the torturous lack of sleep. I have to admit to even enjoying it a little. As a working mother of three, movies don’t register on my radar and I got to catch up on every Oscar winning film from the past 3 years.The kids took one outfit each to travel in, dressed head to toe in Smalls, I knew they would be comfortable and happy, taking them from the icy cold UK winter, right through to toasty warm New Zealand and all the

SelfishMother.com
3
air conditioning in between! Total travel happiness.

Auckland was everything we remembered and more. It seems to have grown up over the last 7 years and has an undercurrent of ’at ease with itself cool’. There are new shopping areas, new eating areas, amazing food, out of this world coffee, inspirational design and best of all…grandparents! As a Kiwi living in London missing our families is the hardest thing for both EJ and I (particularly because ours are so nice) and it was wonderful beyond words for the girls to have the total undivided

SelfishMother.com
4
attention of their grandparents for three weeks (saving sweets for the weekend rule…swiftly out the window). www.aucklandnz.com

After 3 glorious days in Auckland, having managed to get our children embarrassingly and thoroughly sunburnt, we boarded another plane to the South Island. We were going to Merino country.

My hubbys brother and sister-in-law moved to Arrowtown 5 years ago escaping the rat race of the big city and joining an amazing community of like minded creatives and international adventure sports fanatics. What an amazing place

SelfishMother.com
5
it is to live, heaven for children – ours would have happily have been ‘accidentally’ left behind. They have built an astonishing house (when I say built..I mean..actually built)  over the last 2 years and now have a slice of design heaven nestled amongst the mountains of Central Otago.

We stayed in the nearby Arrowfield Apartments www.arrowfield.co.nz which was perfect for our family. We had a three bedroom house with a cosy fire, views of the mountains and use of a pool, highly recommended for a summer…..or ski holiday.

Here is a list

SelfishMother.com
6
of some of the 6 favourite things we did during our week there. Each one has the stamp of approval by my 12, 9 and 6 year olds!

1)Shotover Jet www.shotoverjet.com

Ok this isn’t new information but it really is as exciting as you think it will be…and astoundingly beautiful. I had genuine face ache from smiling so much. Not cheap but a lifetime experience.

2)Horse trekking at Moonlight Stables www.moonlightstables.co.nz

If you and your children like horse riding this is a must. Ours have had lessons every Easter for for years but here they

SelfishMother.com
7
were let loose in a stunning environment on very safe horses. The views are indescribably beautiful and undeniably worth the bruised bum and aching thighs the next day.

3)Chinese Settlement in Arrowtown www.doc.govt.nz

Totally free and a fascinating view into the lives of the Chinese settlers here during the gold rush. There is a gorgeous little cafe and the kids can try their hand at gold panning. Oh….and good coffee.

4)Sunday Farmers and Craft Market in Cromwell Old Town www.cromwellheritageprecinct.co.nz

Cromwell Old Town is a

SelfishMother.com
8
historic little gold rush town nestled on the outskirts of new suburbia on the edge of beautiful lake Dunstan. We gorged ourselves on cherries and loved wandering around the market (9-1pm) and art galleries here. An amazing drive through the gorge from Arrowtown. Pack sick bags.

5) Swimming in the Arrow River www.arrowtown.com

This was a huge highlight. There are beautiful swimming holes all the way down the Arrow River, you need to befriend a local because they are a closely guarded secret and its easy to see why. The kids floated down the

SelfishMother.com
9
river in rings we bought with us and swam in crystal clear waters edged in shining sand flecked with gold dust. I kid you not.

6) Ice Cream in Queenstown www.patagoniachocolates.co.nz

We drove the short way into Queenstown and gorged on the most divine ice cream at Patagonia Chocolates (hokey pokey of course) on the banks of Lake Whakatipu. It is beyond stunning here and you can understand why it is New Zealand’s number one tourist destination. You can take the circa 1912 steamship, the Earnslaw, across the lake to Walter Peak high country

SelfishMother.com
10
farm and get properly close to some real Merino sheep. www.queenstownnz.co.nz

Truly the list goes on. We went to watch the brave but crazy people bungy jumping from the bridge at skippers canyon www.bungy.co.nz .There is a zip wire here which we almost agreed to let the kids do (probably not doing it is our one regret). We swam at the Arrowtown community pool, drank endless coffee at ‘Provisions’ www.provisions.co.nz, swam from the banks of Lake Hayes. The girls went for bush walks and panned for gold with their adventurous aunt and uncle

SelfishMother.com
11
and gorgeous young cousins. We ate barbecues every night and had our first taste of mutton bird – an acquired taste:)

As Merino wool fanatics do, we went went in search of a true Merino farm and found ourselves not only on a high country station but at the home of Shrek the Sheep himself, Bendigo Hill . Farmer John Perriam is the oracle of all things Merino and a legend in his own time in the industry. We were all treated to a Merino masterclass during a tour of the station and its historic buildings. The farm sadly isn’t open to the public but you

SelfishMother.com
12
can read all about Shrek and his amazing story here www.bbc.co.uk

After 5 glorious days, ending on a high with a proper Kiwi ice cream cake for my eldest daughters 12th birthday, we boarded another plane to Auckland. Even the short flight is astonishing. You fly out through the Remarkables (aptly named) and are are treated to views of glaciers and snow capped mountains.

Our Auckland trip is a whole chapter in itself so I’m leaving you here, hopefully with a little inspiration to visit this incredible island www.newzealand.com

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- 26 Feb 16

This year we finally took the plunge – we braved the peak travel time air fares, braved the uncomfortable meetings with the head teachers and braved the 11,426 miles travelling in a confined space. We did it, we took the 3 girls to New Zealand for Christmas.

It was not a insignificant plunge, we hadn’t been back for 7 years. Life, work and school holidays (or lack of) always seemed to get in the way. Last time we travelled it was with a spirited 5 year old and a very ill two year old. I can’t say the journey to and from held fond memories for me.

This trip couldn’t have been more different, it went without a hitch, without complaint, without the vomiting and without the torturous lack of sleep. I have to admit to even enjoying it a little. As a working mother of three, movies don’t register on my radar and I got to catch up on every Oscar winning film from the past 3 years.The kids took one outfit each to travel in, dressed head to toe in Smalls, I knew they would be comfortable and happy, taking them from the icy cold UK winter, right through to toasty warm New Zealand and all the air conditioning in between! Total travel happiness.

FullSizeRender-18FullSizeRender-17

Auckland was everything we remembered and more. It seems to have grown up over the last 7 years and has an undercurrent of ‘at ease with itself cool’. There are new shopping areas, new eating areas, amazing food, out of this world coffee, inspirational design and best of all…grandparents! As a Kiwi living in London missing our families is the hardest thing for both EJ and I (particularly because ours are so nice) and it was wonderful beyond words for the girls to have the total undivided attention of their grandparents for three weeks (saving sweets for the weekend rule…swiftly out the window). www.aucklandnz.com

FullSizeRender-2FullSizeRender-1

After 3 glorious days in Auckland, having managed to get our children embarrassingly and thoroughly sunburnt, we boarded another plane to the South Island. We were going to Merino country.

My hubbys brother and sister-in-law moved to Arrowtown 5 years ago escaping the rat race of the big city and joining an amazing community of like minded creatives and international adventure sports fanatics. What an amazing place it is to live, heaven for children – ours would have happily have been ‘accidentally’ left behind. They have built an astonishing house (when I say built..I mean..actually built)  over the last 2 years and now have a slice of design heaven nestled amongst the mountains of Central Otago.

FullSizeRender-3FullSizeRender-5

We stayed in the nearby Arrowfield Apartments www.arrowfield.co.nz which was perfect for our family. We had a three bedroom house with a cosy fire, views of the mountains and use of a pool, highly recommended for a summer…..or ski holiday.

Here is a list of some of the 6 favourite things we did during our week there. Each one has the stamp of approval by my 12, 9 and 6 year olds!

1)Shotover Jet www.shotoverjet.com

Ok this isn’t new information but it really is as exciting as you think it will be…and astoundingly beautiful. I had genuine face ache from smiling so much. Not cheap but a lifetime experience.

2)Horse trekking at Moonlight Stables www.moonlightstables.co.nz

If you and your children like horse riding this is a must. Ours have had lessons every Easter for for years but here they were let loose in a stunning environment on very safe horses. The views are indescribably beautiful and undeniably worth the bruised bum and aching thighs the next day.

FullSizeRender-15FullSizeRender-16

3)Chinese Settlement in Arrowtown www.doc.govt.nz

Totally free and a fascinating view into the lives of the Chinese settlers here during the gold rush. There is a gorgeous little cafe and the kids can try their hand at gold panning. Oh….and good coffee.

FullSizeRender-6

4)Sunday Farmers and Craft Market in Cromwell Old Town www.cromwellheritageprecinct.co.nz

Cromwell Old Town is a historic little gold rush town nestled on the outskirts of new suburbia on the edge of beautiful lake Dunstan. We gorged ourselves on cherries and loved wandering around the market (9-1pm) and art galleries here. An amazing drive through the gorge from Arrowtown. Pack sick bags.

FullSizeRender-9FullSizeRender-4

5) Swimming in the Arrow River www.arrowtown.com

This was a huge highlight. There are beautiful swimming holes all the way down the Arrow River, you need to befriend a local because they are a closely guarded secret and its easy to see why. The kids floated down the river in rings we bought with us and swam in crystal clear waters edged in shining sand flecked with gold dust. I kid you not.

FullSizeRender-7FullSizeRender-13

6) Ice Cream in Queenstown www.patagoniachocolates.co.nz

We drove the short way into Queenstown and gorged on the most divine ice cream at Patagonia Chocolates (hokey pokey of course) on the banks of Lake Whakatipu. It is beyond stunning here and you can understand why it is New Zealand’s number one tourist destination. You can take the circa 1912 steamship, the Earnslaw, across the lake to Walter Peak high country farm and get properly close to some real Merino sheep. www.queenstownnz.co.nz

IMG_6748FullSizeRender-14

Truly the list goes on. We went to watch the brave but crazy people bungy jumping from the bridge at skippers canyon www.bungy.co.nz .There is a zip wire here which we almost agreed to let the kids do (probably not doing it is our one regret). We swam at the Arrowtown community pool, drank endless coffee at ‘Provisions’ www.provisions.co.nz, swam from the banks of Lake Hayes. The girls went for bush walks and panned for gold with their adventurous aunt and uncle and gorgeous young cousins. We ate barbecues every night and had our first taste of mutton bird – an acquired taste:)

As Merino wool fanatics do, we went went in search of a true Merino farm and found ourselves not only on a high country station but at the home of Shrek the Sheep himself, Bendigo Hill . Farmer John Perriam is the oracle of all things Merino and a legend in his own time in the industry. We were all treated to a Merino masterclass during a tour of the station and its historic buildings. The farm sadly isn’t open to the public but you can read all about Shrek and his amazing story here www.bbc.co.uk

FullSizeRender-10FullSizeRender-8

After 5 glorious days, ending on a high with a proper Kiwi ice cream cake for my eldest daughters 12th birthday, we boarded another plane to Auckland. Even the short flight is astonishing. You fly out through the Remarkables (aptly named) and are are treated to views of glaciers and snow capped mountains.

FullSizeRender-12FullSizeRender-11

Our Auckland trip is a whole chapter in itself so I’m leaving you here, hopefully with a little inspiration to visit this incredible island www.newzealand.com

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Catriona Pharo • New Zealand-born, Cat, is mum to three girls aged 12, 10 and 6 and lives in Little Venice, London. Cat has been based in the UK since 1999 with her partner, now husband, Russ Hamilton Design Director at Farrell’s www.farrells.com • A former Storm model, Cat worked in Japan, Sweden and Germany before graduating from Auckland Unitec with a degree in Design. Since graduating, Cat has worked as a freelance Art Director and Interior Stylist for Elle Deco, Living Etc, Next Directory amongst others. • Cat and her husband, Russ, are both passionate about design and their London home is piled high with 21st Century design classics. Emma-Jane Adam • Also from New Zealand, EJ, is a mother of two boys and a girl aged 12, 10 and 7. She lives around the corner from Cat in London. • EJ grew up on a farm in New Zealand with pet cats, sheep, a dog and a goat called Mickey. Needless to say, she’s a lifelong lover of animals • EJ graduated in International Business from Massey University and moved to the UK in 1998 where she worked for Mercer Investment Consulting and Overture as Marketing and Brand Manager where she was part of the team who launched Pay Per Click advertising in the UK. • More recently, EJ climbed Mt Kilimanjaro in 2014 in aid of Borne with Will Greenwood.

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