Well everything fitted in Bongo (just) and the move down to Christchurch went well and within a day of moving into our new house in Christchurch, Tim was off climbing with Max from Wellington (see
http://www.tiggerstravels.blogspot.com/).
While he was away, Helen's parents turned up and the three Aldersons headed off around Nelson and Marlborough for a sunny week of exploring, kayaking and tramping.
We all conviened back in Christchurch on Christmas Eve (the 3 As turning up at 10 in the evening after a lovely soak in Sumner Hot Springs) and Christmas Day was spent BBQing in the sun, washing and having a nice walk around the Botanical Gardens.
Early on Boxing Day morning, Tim's parents and brother arrived after 36 hours travelling via Amsterdam, Osaka and Auckland. Unfortuntately they were down two bags, one turning up the next day, the other not till a week later after having an unexplained holiday in Kuala Lumpur!
So we had a second 'Christmas Day', the associated BBQ and a walk in the Port Hills on Boxing Day. The following day we left for Mount Cook.
Dinner with a view on way to Mount Cook.
Over the next few days, we took Helen's parents and Tim's brother up to Mount Olivier and carried out a mass assault on the Hooker Valley track and Tasman lookout.
We spent New Year's Eve at Carolyne and David's in Tarras complete with lovely food and fantastic barn dancing, then headed to just north of Alexandra to have a day cycling along the beautiful Otago Rail Trail. From here the convoy parted and Tim took his family to Glenorchy and a day on the Routeburn Track and Helen's family went tramping above Bannockburn.
After an action packed couple of weeks Ruth and Peter headed back to Christchurch to fly on to Auckland for the rest of their trip, the visiting Stewards headed to Milford Sound and the tour guides (Tim and Helen) headed slowly back to Christchurch via a bit of cragging in Wanaka.
More photos to follow!
