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It was while working together at P.C. General (a computer company no longer operating), that our history together began. Maria joined P.C. General on the 12th February 1993, and on this same day in 2000 we exchanged wedding vows in the Tai Tapu church. This happened to also be the hottest day recorded in the summer of 2000 (a very dry 36 degrees, which I’m sure everyone there would remember). Six months prior to our wedding, we purchased our first home in Christchurch, a modest 3-bedroom 1920’s bungalow. To date we still own this house, which in our absence was taken care of by friends and family from mid 2001 to early 2007. The joint decision to depart New Zealand and travel abroad was made late 2000 and in May 2001 we jetted across to the United Kingdom via Singapore. Setting up home in a new country proved to be fun and challenging all-in-one.
We spent our first month dossing with friends on their sofa bed; which from memory had big hard built-in cushions. It was here that Maria managed to crook her neck and ended up wearing a neck brace. This accessory was worn while taking our first trip up to Scotland in our newly purchased run-around-car "Nuddy", only weeks after arriving in the UK. Our second month in London was just as memorable, pitching a tent in the backyard of another friend’s flat, whilst waiting to take-over his room (thanks David!). Conscious that we were spending New Zealand hard earned dollars whilst job-hunting and paying for everything in pounds was not easy but we persevered and later relinquished in our new home environment that we fondly came to know simply as 121. All the crew attached to this flat, were a mix of South Africans, New Zealanders, Australians and Brits, all now living in different locations but still we are in touch with a few. We spent 37 months in the United Kingdom, with Matthew at one stage working/living in Bournemouth for four months. Throughout our time based in London, we explored many of the outer cities that make up the United Kingdom, extending across to Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
Convinced that there was more to see, we departed from the UK in June 2004 and set off on a six-month road trip. We had a sure idea of where we wished to go but no set itinerary; yet definitely with a set budget. We kick-started our trip off in Milan, catching the Red Hot Chilli Peppers on our first night before continuing further to explore Italia, followed by Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and United Arab Emirates. It had been our intention to stop in Dubai on a two-day stopover only, before traveling onto Nepal, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Spending longer than anticipated in the Middle East, our funds were than less than expected for our exploration into Asia. Having told family and friends that we would be home for Christmas after four years absence, we felt pulled between making decisions but then decided to wing it and stay in Dubai, make some cash and get back on the road within six months. We surprised ourselves by staying in Dubai over two years and even then the decison to leave in 2006 was not an easy one! Back on the road again with funds aplenty, we explored Turkey for a second time, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Russia. With a plan to embark on our abandoned travels into Asia from first Road Trip, we once again had to give up this plan due to our house in Christchurch being with sudden tenancy issues. Not content to go home without experiencing a snippet of Asia, we spent a month in Thailand before quietly returning to New Zealand un-announced in January 2007 ... nothing like a surprise and we didn't think people would truly believe us if we'd told them we were in fact coming home!
Mentionable highlights from all of the countries that we have visited over the past six years, would take some time to cover but here we will share some of our favorites with you...
- Having only been in London; United Kingdom few weeks, we saw Madonna live in concert at Earl’s Court. Watching her close up and personal singing solo with her acoustic guitar was fantastic. Another wow factor concert was Annie Lennox!
- Scuba diving in the Red Sea; Egypt together in 2003 and again in 2004; the coral and marine life was nothing short of spectacular. Also in Egypt, climbing up Mount Sinai in the pitch black, snuggling under a blanket on the cliff’s edge, to then watch the sunrise and see nothing but mountains around us is a moment that neither of us will forget.
- Glastonbury Festival 2003; United Kingdom … enough said!
- Revisiting our home country New Zealand after being away six months; driving around the South island with our dear friend Renwick.
- Walking through sunflower fields in Spain and sipping Sangria in Guell Park; Barcelona.
- Listening to the call to prayer from the mosques on our first visit to an Islamic country; Morocco.
- Cycling through the streets of Amsterdam after sampling some local brewed tea and chocolate brownies.
- Sitting on top of the mountains in Auros; France and kissing under the Eiffel Tower on Valentine’s Day.
- Wandering through the colorful Christmas markets in Vienna, while sipping gluhvein to keep us warm.
- Taking a stroll through Central Park; New York and taking a scenic boat ride which took in the sighting of the Statue of Liberty.
- Sitting on the grass at Knebworth Park; United Kingdom, on a sunny day enjoying a vino whilst watching Robbie Williams perform live.
- Riding through the streets of Roma; Italy with art history evident all around us. Also sharing mass with Pope John Paul II in St Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday.
- Floating on air mattresses basking in the warm sunshine on Hvar Island; Croatia.
- Experiencing the thrill of floating in a hot air balloon ride, with the extraordinary rock formations of Cappadocia; Turkey below us.
- Receiving warm hospitality in Syria, while taken into a Syrian home with dinner and bedding provided.
- Relaxing on a private felucca in Egypt, sailing down the Nile River for two days.
- Taking a picnic on the cliff top inside the lost city of Petra; Jordan.
- Up close and personal to nesting turtles in Oman; watching the little ones scramble under the moonlight towards the water.
- Parachuting in the United Arab Emirates on impulse.
- Riding elephants bare-back in Thailand with just the two of us in the elephant park.
- Returning home (our second home Dubai) after freezing our butts in Russia!
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