2007-09 (SEPTEMBER, 2007)

New Molloys - Auckland, New Zealand

My Dad arrived on Thursday afternoon, his first visit to our not-so-new house. He and Holly got on like a house afire, which was great.

On Friday we all had breakfast at the Chocolate Fish Café🌐 before Pa and I got on the road north to Auckland. We got as far as Taupo🌐 before stopping for the night. Here we stayed at the excellent Gables Motor Lodge, complete with an in-room spa pool. We had a great meal at the Lotus Thai Restaurant, too.

We woke early to watch the decidedly amateurish opening to the 2007 Rugby World Cup and were on the road before 09:00. After an uneventful drive into Auckland we found Bex and Pete's flat in the centre of the city. We spent the rest of the day with the newest Molloys, Zoe and Samuel. Both were remarkably active for 5-week-old babies, especially as they weren't even due until mid-September. Our evening was spent with more Thai food and 'Casino Royale' - splendid.

On Sunday I headed South soon after breakfast. I got home at 18:30 (I clocked up over 1300km in one weekend's driving) to find that my girls had gone out for dinner. 'The Simpsons' and pizza saw me through, though. ;-)