Today we had the Kiwi Club Hangi that was meant to be held on Waitangi Day, but due to bad weather was canned.  Last night we had a torrential downpour which filled the pit up and meant that today dragged a bit with the food out about an hour later than it should have.  Although both Jacinta and myself (being the Hangi experts we aren’t) would have put it down late last night rather than this morning…

It turned out to be an awesome day, however turned into a disaster at home with everyone tired, server problems at work, and both Xanthe and Xavier vomiting.  I think the lollies might have had something to do with the vomiting…

I was one of 3 meat carvers for the day, so once the food started coming out – I was full on carving the pork and lamb.  I’m not a chicken person so left that for Neil 🙂  I think that when you are busy carving meat – you do miss out on a lot, and by the end – I really wasn’t hungry, and was pretty knackered.  Jacinta had a hard time looking after the kids, but at least we had lots of friends around, with both Jane and Ian, Liesa and Matt, and Sharon and family coming out to enjoy the day.  I think we might make Kiwis out of those aussies yet 🙂  I only took a few photos and thankfully Jacinta did too – so here is the day out at the kiwi high comm in pictures:

www.bukbilongpikinini.org

Last weekend we ventured out to the Botanical Gardens for the Buk Bilong Pikinini Teddy Bears Picnic.  Buk Bilong Pikinini (Childrens Library) only started a few years ago and is doing amazing work delivering literacy to kids here in PNG.  The Teddy Bears picnic is a fundraiser, and a great (all be it hot and humid) day out with the kids starting at 9:30 in the morning and finishing before we cook at 1:00pm.  The heat and humidity in the Botanical Gardens is something else…

We took Jono, V and Talia along as it was Talia’s 2nd birhday the other week, and of course a lot of people we know; including the newly arrived AJ and Kye (with family) and Dan and Amira (with kids)  both of which contacted Jacinta and myself through our blogs.  And of course Jenny and Adam with thier tribe, with a number of other regulars there too. 

Talia had never been to the Gardens, so she exhausted herself very quickly, it was so nice to see Xaria and Talia both playing so well together, there is only a month between them 🙂

Tomorrow we are off to the Kiwi Club Waitangi Day Hangi, which was meant to be on Waitangi Day, but was rained off. If you ever want to go to Kiwi Club events, get in quick they sell out REAL fast.  We are lucky as the VP of the club Leonie lives in the same compound as us, and of course, we are Kiwi Club members 🙂  So tomorrow, we will satisfy Jacinta’s Hangi cravings, I will be put to work carving meat, and then I’ll try and take as many photos as I can.

In just 3 short weeks, we will be having our first ever proper family holiday.  And I do mean first ever….  We have always done the couple of days away, or stayed with whanau, but this time its 2 weeks onthe Gold Coast!  yay!  We can’t get away from the whanau thing though, with most of Jacinta’s family coming too, but what the hell, more the merrier eh…  and JB and myself might be able to sneak off to hit the Gold Coast night clubs.. yeah right.

I did take some photos of us at the Botanical Gardens, here is a fine selection 🙂

Our aussie wantoks Lesley and Peter expatsinpng.wordpress.com are leaving PNG and going back to Brisbane.  Lesley and Jacinta have been really good friends, and I know that my wife is very sad 😦  Peter is a good mate, we are drinking buddies – and it’s always been great having someone to talk to about our life here.  We have very similar ideals, so I will really miss our Friday and Wednesday catchups.  On the bright side – someone else to see when we are in Brisbane 🙂

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