Hi how are you? n a motel room in Sydney so I am writing in word to post when we have internet. We are all fine and enjoying oz! we have rented a car and stayed with friends in Brisbane..they didn’t tell us they had 3 spare rooms..and an amazing pool and garden..fantastic..the kids looked like dried prunes couldn’t get them out of the water. We only met these people once..I invited her son to lunch he was visiting from Australia..and came to our church..we got talking cos he said he liked my singing..he had lunch with us..and from that we are now here his mum said if we were ever over in oz we could stay with her!!one good turn deserves another..but I think we got the best deal thank you God! drove down to Sydney..long way..2 days driving..but lovely and we saw kangaroos..I was sooooo excited!!what a saddo! it has been warm but rainy here..I didn’t think it rained here….We went to hillsongs church and were so blessed…some of the churches we have seen have been inspirational..amazing kids clubs..with climbing walls….computer games everywhere..just the coolest places you could imagine..not a problem getting your kids there!!Totally professional..at hillsongs they even had a room for parents with special needs children..which was fab…and have pregnancy and babies groups..then crawlers! The class my girls were in had a table full of make up and nail varnish amongst many other things..you can imagine how tasteful they looked afterwards!!!We went to the beach in the afternoon..lovely..till it started raining again…did abit of surfing!!(no..not really..just a bit of swimming and getting knocked over by killer waves!)Then we went back to church in the evening..and heard the most amazing message about praising god in the middle!(.God is so good and is speaking to us..I think sometimes its good to get away..its easier to hear him without the usual distractions..writing lots of songs just words at the moment….and feel he is somehow leading me to breakthrough spiritual barriers through prayer and praise. and he is filling me with faith to overcome in spite of how inadequate I may feel…..I am not there yet but filled with a confidence that God will finish the work he has begun. This trip has made me so aware of my vulnerabilities..fears and stuff..and I have to either trust him or not..no other way…scary but necessary!!!the kids have behaved so badly all day ..I could have throttled them( in a Christian loving family kind if way!!)we went round some art galleries after we had spent 3 hours waiting in a queue at the Indian embassy trying to get visas!!not the easiest of days for them..we are all tired tonight! Oh the police caught the guy who robbed us..reckon he will get 6 months…. Ate some amazing pizza tonight and feel like my stomach will pop….it was worth it!!well off to bed soon.. absolutely cant wait to come back home and see you all!!!and to have a bath and a cuppa in my own house!!Darcy made me laugh today she said in such a sad voice..”I just want to go home” I felt so bad ..then I asked her ..where? She said..The motel of course I’m tired!..kids eh! love to you all I need to sleep hope you are ok.. God bless…hugs and loves..Rachel.

Seth up a tree

Cathedral Cove

Hot spa on Hot water beach well ace!!

market place port vila

collecting starfish

big pig sharing the beach

Hideaway island

sunset Vanuatu

girls dressed in local gear

Waterfall in the North Island

Rachel and Seth athe great Kauri trees

Seth in a museum in Duniden with butterfly

At the back of our bach on the thyme covered moors(bush). Where we went shooting in the eve, never got a rabbit.

Fox glacier on the west coast. it was huge and i would loved to had walked on it, but got there late and not allowed with out a guide.
Photo of the children enjoying the view from the top of mt robert we climbed in Nelson lakes.

Still on the mountain enjoying hot chocolate
Darcy on the longest suspect Rachel not impressed far to unstable for hernsion bridge in NZ

By the lake on Christmas day
Another view of the lAKE MT rOBERT IS ON THE RIGHT
Seth and Darcy at the end of the pier, it is a shame you can’t see the eels in the water they were huge.

Well this is from our trip back up to the north island we slept in the car that night nr to the nat park Tongagrio Or something like that central north island These are all volcanoes, but we drove up to see the snow, do you see the moon, also the last one was used in Lord of the rings for Mordor
Anyway must go kids are getting fractious and Rachel is !!

sorry we havn`t updated much we have been travelling lots..to many remote places..and as for uploading photos it takes ages..we will sow you some pics of NZ when we get to Austrailia.We have toured the north and south island..great!in the north we got our car broken into and a load of money and all our cards nicked plus all the kids schoolwork..and 4 rugsacks!!well at least we are travelling lighter now which is a big plus!The people are great here and the night after we were robbed a wonderful Maori couple put us up in their home!!they fed us gave us their bed and blessed us!!Hamish met the guy in a petrol station..and we ended up having a much needed break in thier home!God is good to us.In the south we stayed in an old stone miners cottage..full of china…flowers..comfy beds..it was like something out of country home and garden..and half the price of a motel..in gold mining territory.We met a family in the park..we went to thier house and the kids panned for gold and found some..how exciting!they came to us for a BBQ and we had a lovely time with them..even though the weather was very British that day!Christchurch was a lovely arty town could of stayed there much longer!our cottage was in central otago..in the middle of nowhere..the couple who we were renting off were fantastic..he even lent us his gun..we were out on the moors shooting each evening..needless to say my son was in his element!now we are our way back to Auckland!currently staying in a batch..at the side of a lake..near nelson..we climbed a mountain yesterday..5 hours..fantastic views..everthing from the waist down hurts today!going to church Christmas morning on the lake..and I have a lovely leg of lamb to roast..but doesn’t feel Christmassy!miss my family and friends lots at the moment ..wish we could be there!We spend the new year on a south pacicific Island Vanuatu..so make our way up to Auckland for the flight in a couple of days.All very exciting and still a bit scary.Well I reckon everyone should see NZ it is stunning..mountains..snow..sun..beaches..glaciers(very impressive..flora just kept saying wow!)best go in an internet cafe..been here too long..love to you all miss you..and hope you all have a very happy Christmas and new year..God bless Rachel and gang.