Christmas Greetings

While it's still just about Christmas Day the Americas, we're well into Boxing Day here in NZ and enjoying being very lazy. So semi-belated Christmas Greetings to you all. In typical antipodean style, we celebrated our first southern hemisphere Christmas with a BBQ after having been to church in the morning.

Christmas could have been a difficult time, being so far from family and old friends. Indeed we have all felt fragile at times over the last week, but yesterday turned out to be fantastic. We'd been invited to join the Smith family from Woodford (who we'd stayed with when we first arrived in August) and their extended family and in-laws. Add in a family of Australian guests and there must have been about fifty of us at South Brigton Park for the afternoon. In a sheltered glade among the pines, the BBQ and tressle tables filled with food as everyone 'brought a plate', while the kids (of all ages!!) played. The sun shone!

We then spent the evening back at the Smith's opening presents, playing games and eating more food. The chocolate fountain proved a great hit with all ages, though I'm sure that chocolate covered crisps (chips) will ever have universal appeal. We eventually arrived home at 10.30pm, thirteen hours after having left home in the morning. A long but thouroughly enjoyable day, followed by a good night's sleep and a lie-in.

Unlike Mary and Joseph there was 'room for us at the inn' this Christmas as even though we were a long way from home the Smiths and Buxtons welcomed us into their family with open arms. It was a real honour to spend the day with them all and proved once again that the best present at Christmas is love, whether it be from person to person or from our Father in heaven.

And so with that thought, I wish you you all peace at this time and thank you for your thoughts and prayers during what has been an amazing year for the Laws.

Season's Greetings & the world's wackiest airport

I hear that it is Christmas in a couple of weeks time. It certainly seems strange to be preparing for the holiday as the days get longer and the tomatoes are flowering on the patio. Fortunately, Ali's organised and we manged to send our Christmas cards to the other three corners of the world in time. It's been great to receive cards and letters from family and friends. To all of you, we hope that you will know peace this Christmas wherever you are.

The weather has been unseasonal here today, with low cloud and a bit of rain in the air. How different from earlier in the week when I was on the North Island for three days. The sun shone down as I spent long days working on one of the rivers in the Bay of Plenty. Two days on a jet boat and yet we didn't get anywhere near any rapids, just lots of water quality monitoring in an estuary! Still, it beat being in the office and gave me a chance to top up the tan.

I flew home yesterday from what must be one of the most bizarre airport 'terminals' in the world. Yes, that really is Whakatane (fa-ka-ta-ne) airport building the picture below. I think this is time to start a little competition. Can anyone else propose a better candidate for the title of World's Wackiest Airport?

The flight to Auckland was on the smallest plane in Air New Zealands's fleet. It's the only time I've looked out of front window of a plane on a scheduled flight and been able to watch every move by the pilot.

While work's been busy for me, the rest of the family have also been incredibly busy. Both the boys have had end of year trips with school to outdoor swimming pools. And last Sunday was a busy day for cubs and scouts. Josh went sailing in Lyttleton Harbour while Matt cycled 23 km along the Little River rail trail.

Lots of people have asked us if we've been surprised by anything in New Zealand. The answer is nothing major, but there are a few little things that took a bit or working out or that we hadn't expected. So here are two of them:

• Traffic lights turn straight from red to green, with no amber to warn you that they are about to change.

• Department stores have 'Manchester' department, which sells bed linen, towels, etc.

With that next to useless information I will leave you to your Christmas preparations. Bye