Coromandel Peninsula North Island New Zealand

Beautiful, isn't it? Imagine waking up every day to scenes and views like this? Most of my life I have been a farmer, so I was very interested in seeing this farm. It's a family farm run by my niece's husband, just him. They do mostly beef cattle and are branching out with some sheep now as well. Believe it or not, in the past I did plenty of speculating with cattle and consider myself to have a good eye.

I was a bit surprised by the terrain here, as it's very steep and harsh (albeit beautiful) and was wondering how well animals could do here. One has to remember that there is no animal whatsoever that is indigenous to New Zealand, nothing, not one. Birds are a different story however. I need not have worried, as we drove around the farm towards their privately owned beach, I became impressed.

All the cattle and sheep that I saw were in top nick, sure it was tough terrain but it just goes to show what one can do. It put me in fine fettle and as we wound our way down to the beach I knew I was going to enjoy myself. Firstly I am going to show you some pictures of the farm and then onto out barbecue on the beach. Remember this is family and I for one was having the time of my life.

No sooner than we had arrived here than my niece's husband told us to be careful where we walked on the beach as there are often birds eggs on the beach, some of them rare. I marched off for a swim and luckily looked down just before I stepped on some eggs. What a start so decided to mark the area with some driftwood just in case I forgot next time. Naturally I was intigued and spent a lot of my time watching this rare bird. I was fooling myself that I would be able to catch an iconic photo.

Now this bird is faster than a racehorse and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't capture it. It caused much amusement amongst the family and the more they taunted me, the more determined I became to get it. No such luck. All my attempts were blurred. However, persistence payed off, the mummy bird got tired and came home to roost. I managed to get it and am actually proud of this. I wonder how many there are in the world?

As already mentioned I failed to get an unblurred photo of this lovely bird. However one of my niece's did, or my sister in law. Used with their kind permission.

In sparkling form I was and I was suddenly reminded of the film Notting Hill. I will get to that later, but in one part of the film the star has a Welsh mate, who does one scene which had me in stitches of laughter.

I've always been a thin person and throughout my life I was reluctant to take my shirt off, even on a beach. When one has had nicknames such as, rickets, bones and spook, perhaps it's understandable. I have now reached an age in my life where I no longer give two hoots about this, thanks be to God.

So go on and join in the spirit of things and I trust I will make you laugh. Oddly enough at this stage of my life I was a Squidoo Angel. The things Angel's get up to hey. Shocking. None of the following photos are mine, again used with kind permission.

Prior to this photo we were talking about school days and some of the lads who prided themselves on their bodies. More often or not water polo players or rugby players. Some of them had a hard time, almost irresistible, of having to look at their muscles at all times. Each to his own Here we are then in the same frame of mind.

Bit more of the same and now ready to strut our stuff on the stage.

The champ celebrates.

Well here are a couple of the lads getting the food going. When I do a barbie no one is allowed any where near me. No sir. It spoils the broth. Anyway there is a South African delicacy, a sausage called 'boerewors' and I've always loved it

. Haven't eaten it for ten years now. It was also very popular in Zimbabwe as well. There is such a large contingent of people from these two countries in New Zealand now, that many butchers have it. I couldn't wait to get into it. We also had a variety of other sausages, steak and New Zealand lamb. Thoroughly enjoyed everything.

For me this is one of the loveliest pictures I have ever seen. From the left, Uncle Spook, proud father, my eldest niece, her husband. a soon to be husband, my middle niece and lastly my youngest niece. Now I'm fierce proud of this lot so I wonder how the parents must be. I also have two other niece's from other sides, both stunners as well. I guess in the end we all have a lot to be thankful for.