It has been another strange year. Good that we are still Covid and cancer free; good that we managed to travel to Italy to sell our house, pack up our stuff and send it to NZ; good that we had a whirlwind trip to UK to see family and a few friends and survived managed isolation together for 14 days back in NZ. We tend to look on the bright side and be positive and thankful for what we have got.
Probably, like us, you had to cancel several travel plans in 2021. We were also supposed to holiday in Australia (NSW, Queensland and Tasmania) Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Portugal and Morocco, playing golf, opera, theatre, cycling, walking with friends. Instead, we spent most of the year exploring more of New Zealand. Not a bad option considering its outstanding beauty.
New Zealand is still cut off from the rest of the world until at least May 2022; it is very quiet in the South Island. As we write, Aucklanders are just being allowed out to visit the rest of the country after several months of lock down. In Otago, we have been lucky. Only a few weeks lockdown this year; Covid has been contained so far and 90% of Southland are double jabbed with booster jabs on the way. We have been able to explore the mountains, hills, golf courses, tracks, vineyards and beaches. The air is fresh; the people friendly; food and wine great.
Here are some of our highlights:
Sunrise Balloon trip
Tramping in Fjordland
Opera in the local gardens
Trip up the West coast.
Walked the Old Ghost Road
Golf trips to Blenheim, Dunedin and Nelson, Kinloch and Wairaiki GC
Cycling the Timber trail with Robbie and Marti.
Kayaking the Whanganui
Drove a BMW race car at speed at NZ equivalent of Silverstone.
Flew around Mt Cook in a helicopter on a blue sky day.
Celebrating Becky and Alan’s wedding anniversary in Kinloch lodge, near Glenorchy in June
Vaccination month. Euphoric that we could book a slot in MIQ to get back into NZ. This meant we could travel.
I started making cheese. So far we have Camembert, Brie and Stilton (similar).
Sarah started learning to play the piano and to play bridge.
July/ August. Italy and UK.
Wrote blogs on our travels as we experienced them
Italy:
https://joandsarahcrimbo13.blogspot.com/2021/08/ciao-italia.html
UK:
https://jojobucketlist.blogspot.com/2021/09/whirlwind-trip-to-uk-august-2021.html
Abel Tasman kayak + walk
Health wise, it was a mixed year. Sarah is still going strong but worried by aching joints and cholesterol. Must be something to do with too much cake (Can one have too much?)
I had a nasty dermatitis in January, with swollen hands and feet; I lost several layers of skin. Off sport for 6 weeks.
My Mum has had a hard time with cancer, ileostomy and still suffering from a stroke. Mum is so brave; so resigned, so stoic; yet still cheerful. Dad is doing very well despite everything.
In November I had a very sore chest and difficulty breathing; suspected Pleurisy. After several rounds of painkillers and anti inflamms all fixed.
On 21 December, we (along with 6 friends) start a 72 hole golf marathon around Arrowtown in aid of the Cancer Society.
We expect all seasons in one day, playing 4 different courses, starting at 6am and finishing at dusk. All our adventures are on the following links.
To follow us on the day:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/6610866498983600
Link to interview on Sports Radio
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19z0Tg5CGNz5oXED83_aQoPNLTkDlduOG/view?usp=sharing
Our sponsorship page:
https://longestday.org.nz/thebirdies
Apart from the golf marathon tomorrow, Christmas will be up a mountain somewhere near.
So on to 2022.
We wonder how anyone is still in the travel business. We are wary of booking as Covid, with all its variants just keeps on developing. We hope for everyone’s sake, we all can learn to live with it and that the world opens up again to travel soon. Maybe we will get our trip to Ireland and Scotland for The Open 2022.
We hope to see you next year somewhere.
We wish you a Happy Christmas and all the best for 2022.
love Jo and Sarah
xxx
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