2011 Journey

Bob and Margaret Kellett

                   "Not all who wander are lost"

22 - 29 Jan 2011

Great excitement, our grandsons, Ethan, Fergus and Varick are flying over from Melbourne to spend a week with us in Auckland.

Great Uncle Keith visits, and they catch up with other family members from overseas who are currently in Auckland, Warwick and Eileen [Boston], and Imogen [London] and Bobby.

The week flies by, with activities including; attending the Dinosaur Petting Zoo shown at the Auckland Museum, driving laps at the indoor go-cart track, Waiwera Hot Pools, and climbing the volcanic cone on Rangitoto Island. On one day a friend visits with her two grandsons and the five boys spend hours enjoying the trampoline, swimming pool and tennis court. 

6 - 9 April 2011

In Beijing, our first visit here. On arrival we are struck by the immense and ultra-modern Beijing Airport, built for the recent Olympics, and clearly meant to impress every visitor with modern China's capabilities.

Stay at Grand Hyatt Beijing - a really great hotel, and only a block away from the Forbidden City and Tiannamen Square. A tour out of Beijing takes us to the Ming Emperors' Tombs and the Great Wall [which is awesome any way you look at it!]

Tiannanmen Square is a massive space, but the high security controlling access is a clear indication that China's government is still terrified of any further efforts by their citizens to seek a freer, democratic society.

Our guide briefs us on their "One Child" policy. Evidently it is enforced only for city dwellers, if a farming couple's first child is a girl, they are allowed to have a second child, as the government assumes the daughter cannot work the farm. We are glad that we live in a society where a baby is regarded as a person, not merely a work unit!

Beijing has 20 million people, so commuting to work is a major difficulty, the public transport is massively overloaded, and the increasing number of private cars just add to the problem. Nevertheless, the big cities are where the jobs and money are, so there are huge numbers of rural Chinese who still desperately want to move to the cities to gain opportunities to improve their lives. 

9 -12 April 2011

In Hong Kong. Despite China having regained control of Hong Kong in 1999, it is obvious that the free market still rules here. Nothing stands still, the shops are bustling, and the people are hustling. We enjoy our visit, and the shopping!

We buy a very modern digital camera by Fukiyama. Fascinated by the styling and full of interesting capabilities, but eventually we discover that our reliable old Sony still performs better.

12 Apr - 3 May 2011

Flight from Hong Kong to UK is by day, so we have a magnificent view of the vast empty spaces in the middle of the Asian and European continental land masses. It is hard to imagine the vast unoccupied land existing in that region.

Desrae's beautiful smiling face is a welcome sight on our arrival at Heathrow, and we enjoy two days with the Traces at Burbage Road, including a visit to the British Museum to see the "Afghanistan" exhibition.  Plus we enjoy a convivial dinner with brother Warwick at Islington.

British Rail up to Edinburgh where we uplift a rental car and book into Kew House, a very pleasant B and B. Our plans are to follow the historic trail of Mary, Queen of Scots, plus Bess of Hardwick, who also played a major role in Mary's life.

 At Holyrood Palace we view the private chambers used by Mary, and the room where her husband Darnley was brutally murdered, some say at Mary's behest [those times were not for the mild or fainthearted].

Also visit the ruins of Linlithgow Palace, where Mary, Queen of Scots, was born.

Later we tour the "Brittania", the retired State Yacht of our present Queen. Despite the pomp and status of this famous vessel, we are surprised at the relatively modest accommodations the Queen and her family enjoyed [we were assured that the Royal Family really did enjoy their times on the Royal Yacht, being a special place where they could relax away from the constant attention of the media].

Visit Fiona, Stewart and their three children, who are pleased to show us the home they have just purchased. It is in a very nice area of central Edinburgh and we are delighted for them.

Head south into Northumberland for a walk along remains of Hadrian's Wall and the associated settlements and military posts established by the Romans 2000 years earlier. Their industry and ambition still impresses.

Visit the little towns of Over Kellet and Nether Kellet, the area granted to my namesake, Baron Orme Kellett, by William the Conqueror as payment for his support in defeating King Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

Arrive at "Pear Tree Barn", a rented cottage in Derbyshire. We are located right next to Hardwick Hall, built by Bess of Hardwick. She started life as a farmer's daughter, but through her business acumen, plus four marriages [each time to an even wealthier man] she ended up the richest woman in England, plus the title of Countess of Shrewsbury. She was a long-time personal friend of Queen Elizabeth the First. 

Bess's first Hardwick Hall is now a ruin, but as her fortune and status increased she was able to build an even grander "new" Hardwick Hall, which still exists today and is notable for it's very large windows which were a 'first' in it's time.  Hardwick is now a National Trust property after the Cavendish family gave it to the British Government in settlement of death duties in mid 1900s. 

Her grandest mansion however is Chatsworth, widely regarded as one of the most magnificent homes in Britain.  Queen Elizabeth, relying on Bess's friendship and wealth, required Bess and her husband to act as jailors of Mary Queen of Scots for some sixteen years before ordering her execution. Much of that time Mary lived at Chatsworth in an apartment on the top floor, now known as the Queen of Scots Rooms.

Bess left Chatsworth to her second son, William Cavendish, 1st Earl of Devonshire. A later Earl was elevated to a Duke, and the 12th Duke of Devonshire is the current owner. The scandalous lifestyle adopted by his great grandparents was outlined in the film "The Duchess", although much of that film was actually shot at the nearby neo-classical Kedleston Hall, built by Lord Curzon around 1760, after his period serving as Viceroy of India.

Not far away is the entrancing Bolsover Castle, built by Sir Charles Cavendish, another of Bess's sons, for his entertainment and pleasure.

Drive over to Stamford to tour Burghley House, built by William Cecil, Lord High Treasurer to Elizabeth 1st. Not a bad job to have if one is contemplating the building of a grand country mansion and estate!

We move down to Chipping Norton, in the Cotswolds, for the next week. From here we revisit Blenheim Palace, then on to Broughton Castle, the home of the Fiennes family for over 900 years [about the same time New Zealand was first settled by humans!]

Also called into Berkeley Castle, which dates back to 1154, but is best remembered as the site of the infamous and gruesome murder of King Edward II, son of the warrior king, Edward I [Longshanks].

                    Broughton Castle                        Broughton's Fleur de Lys Garden

The major event during our stay at Swereview Cottage in the Cotswolds was the wedding of Kate Middleton to Prince William on 29th April 2011. Huge numbers of street parties and celebrations were organised throughout the nation. We spend the wedding day in a charming English country pub, The Mason's Arms puts on free champagne and hors d'oeuvres, followed by an excellent lunch, as we watch the spectacle on a large TV.

Next day we drive into London to have dinner with the Traces, and to meet Ella's fiance, Captain Matthew Baker (of the 7th Parachute Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery), who has just returned from his second tour of duty in Afghanistan where he led a team that was mentoring Afghanistan's own artillery.

3 - 20 May 2011.

Fly London to Los Angeles, then next day on to Kansas City where we are delighted to drive our motorhome (Playtime) and the Jeep out of the Sub Tropolis storage facility. 

Spend a couple of days getting the vehicles serviced and restocked, then we head off on the three-day drive to Santa Fe where we have arranged to meet up with our Canadian friends, Sue and Peter. We have planned to travel together for a couple of weeks, touring some of the National Parks in the New Mexico/Arizona/Colorado region.

A couple of hours west of Kansas City after bowling happily along the I-35, we stop at a layby and walk around the rig on a routine check.  We discover something awful - the base boards supporting the motorhome's watertank have collapsed. It turns out that the problem can only be remedied at the Tiffin Repair Facility in Red Bay, Alabama. This fault has happened to numerous other Tiffin motorhomes, so there is a two-week wating time before they can fix our vehicle.

Unfortunately we cannot join Sue and Peter in Santa Fe, so whilst they are enjoying magnificent sights such as Canyon de Chelly, Mesa Verde, Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon, we are in NE Alabama, visiting the highlights of that State, such as their famous Coon Dog Cemetery, where only those coon dogs who achieved noted championship status may be buried [yes, it is for real!]. 

However it is not all bad news. First, the fault with the base boards happened to several hundred Tiffin motorhomes, each after approx 5 - 6 years of use, nevertheless Bob Tiffin decided all repair action would be totally at his cost, so all we have to bear is a relatively minor inconvenience.

Secondly, we take the opportunity to do another factory tour through the Tiffin Manufacturing plant, and this reinforces our confidence in the quality of their product, notwithstanding the above problem.

The Global Financial Crisis has severely damaged the US economy, and many well-known RV manufacturers have failed. Fortunately Tiffin has survived, although their factory output has reduced from 18 down to 12 motorhomes per day.

20 -31 May 2011

Head north out of Alabama on the I-95, driving through the Davy Crockett Forest through to Nashville, Tennessee. We enjoy an evening at the Grand Ole Oprey, which has just been re-opened after being inundated by the massive flooding that covered the Mississippi Valley several months earlier. The large shopping centre nearby is still closed due to flood damage.

We drive on to Bowling Green, Kentucky, where the famous Corvette sports car is assembled. They build 80 Corvettes each day, every one is pre-sold and built to the owner's precise specifications, so no two cars on the line were identical. Often the new owners come to watch their car being assembled, so when it reaches the end of the line, the owner is invited forward to be the first to start up the engine. Having done so, they are then presented with their car's Birth Certificate. Only in America!

This is the time of year when severe weather, including many tornadoes, strike throughout the USA east of the Rockies. A terrible tornado hits Joplin, Missouri, a small town we had driven through on our way to Red Bay, Alabama. The town horribly devastated, with great loss of life and property.

A few days later, just as we arrive at Grand Rivers, Kentucky, we are advised that a massive storm is due to hit the area in a couple of hours, so we close up the motorhome and, with many others, scurry to shelter in a nearby hotel. Until the TV goes down we watch the detailed coverage of how numerous tornadoes hit in many areas throughout the five States the storm is covering. Fortunately our area escapes major damage, but the evening demonstrates very clearly to us the need to have good storm shelters and heed the weather warnings.

Grand Rivers is a holiday resort town located at the junction of Lake Tennessee and Lake Barkley. We enjoy many rides on the excellent bike paths throughout the area, and especially appreciate the two shows we attend at their Badgett Playhouse, particularly a musical biography of Hank Williams, "Lost Highway". Wonderful songs - 'You're Cheatin' Heart...", "Hey Good Looking....." etc. 

We also revisit the awesome American Quilt Museum in Paducah, KY, our third time there, but we never cease to be impressed with the changing display of fantastic quilts.

1June - 5 July 2011

Head north to Michigan and clear out of Tornado Alley. A long drive north through Indiana, flat as a pancake, huge farms.  Spend a week or so at Sunnybrook RV Resort near South Haven [same site as last year], and punish the Kal-Haven Bike Trail. A local car rally displays a fascinating range of American automobiles.  Margie loves the quilt shop at South Haven.

Drive to the attractive historic holiday town of Saugatuck. The shops are far quieter than last year, and they all say the same story, the US economy is really hurting, Michigan's unemployment is at 16%, however Big Government in Washington just does not seem to be listening.

Next we stay a week at Duck Creek RV Resort. It is well setup and family oriented, with kids everywhere. This is a very rural area, so on our bike rides through the forests we see numerous wildlife; deer, wild turkey, cardinals and blue jays, but fortunately the bears keep away.

On up to the Signature RV Resort at Petoskey. At this time of the year the resort would normally be booked out, but the economy and high fuel prices have kept many at home. Nevertheless our hosts arrange some great social activities so we have a happy time here.

On Fourth of July we bike over to Harbour Springs, where we were on Independence Day last year, and their parade again is impressive for such a small town. 

The Fourth of July is the day Americans celebrate the signing of their Declaration of Independence. In 1776 the original thirteen colonies were at war with Great Britain, and at that stage the war was not going their way. The Declaration of Independence formally asserted that the colonies no longer regarded themselves as part of the British Empire. As such, the Declaration constituted a major act of treason, and those who signed it were placing their lives at great risk. Benjamin Franklin famously cautioned his comrades that, in signing, "We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately".

6 July - 8 Aug 2011

Anna is scheduled to play in an International under 12s soccer tournament in Albany, New York, so we arrange to rendezvous there with the Welburn family. We set up in a campground in nearby Lake George and Toby and Georgia enjoy a sleepover with Grandma and Grandad in the motorhome. They are delighted to discover that the kids playground is located right beside our RV site.

Anna's team plays well and they reach the semi-finals, which is a good reward for their efforts during the season. We all head off to Ottawa.

Back in our regular site at Recreationlands Campground. The weather is scorching, over 100 C each day, so the grandchildren get taken to inside activities such as the Natural History Museum.  We watch them play on their new Kinnect computer activity, which provides great exercise for young and old alike.

One weekend we look after the kids whilst Victoria and Colin enjoy a short break in Montreal to celebrate a milestone birthday and a wedding anniversary.

Eventually the weather cools, allowing an expedition out to the new waterworld complex, Calypso, that has recently opened just out of Ottawa. The kids are unanimous in their endorsement of Calypso, and especially enjoy Grandma Margie whizzing down all the slippery slopes, rubber donut rides, everything scary - keeping up with the children.  We anticipate there will be more visits there in the future.

As well as family activities with the Welburns, we also enjoy socialising with our friends, Sue and Peter, including bike rides around Ottawa and lovely dinners at their home.

All too soon the day arrives when the Welburns head off for their annual camping holiday at Sandbanks. We decide to join them their for a day, after an en route stopover to have dinner with Helen and Don at their truly lovely home on the scenic shore of Lake Shabomeka. When we arrive at Sandbanks it is pouring, but the kids are having a ball. Fond farewells all round, then we head off to the Province of Quebec.

9 Aug - 24 Aug 2011

Quebec City is picturesque and historic, with the landmark Hotel Frontenac sitting high and proud above the mighty St Lawrence River. The French influence creates a feeling that one is already back in France, with great streetside cafes, interesting art galleries, and boutiques that offer dress styles much different from what one finds in the rest of Canada and the USA.

Whilst enjoying the shopping and scenery of Quebec the exciting news arrives that Amy has given birth to Riley James Evitts (on 13th August 2011), so we are now great grandparents!

We leave Quebec City and head east, driving along the south bank of the St Lawrence. It widens very quickly now, and one is soon unable to see the north bank, so now it becomes the St Lawerence Waterway. We pass through lovely rolling hill country farms and attractive little French Canadian villages, each one called "Saint" someone or other.

Stay for a week in Shediac, New Brunswick, at a beachside RV park. This part of the Atlantic Coast has many jewel coloured bays and inlets, so the scenery is very appealing. One day we drive over Confederation Bridge to Prince Edward Island (where we had previously spent an enjoyable time during our 2006 journey).  There is an interpretive centre describing the building process of this awesome 13km long bridge spanning the Northumberland Strait between New Brunswick and PEI, and built to withstand the icebergs that pass through this Strait each Spring.  In our opinion it is one of the "Wonders of the World"!

Cape Breton Island, in Nova Scotia, is an area we have not previously visited, and the town of Baddock, near the far end of the Island, is our next destination. The following day is brilliantly fine and we set off in the Jeep to drive the 300 km Cabot Trail, a circular drive through awe inspiring scenery, sapphire blue seas, emerald forests, mountains, and small coastal villages that once supported their fishing industry.

Alexander Graham Bell and his wife built a magnificent home on the hill overlooking the nearby town of Baddock. On that site is now the Alexander Graham Bell Museum which presents the amazing range of his achievements. Although he is world famous for inventing the telephone, we were greatly surprised to discover the major contributions he made in a number of other fields, especially flight and power boats.

25 Aug - 4 Sep 2011

From here, something happens...... a complete change of plan.  On returning to the motorhome there is an email from Margie's sister, Cherrie.  She informs us that her cancer has got the better of her and, barring a miracle, has only a week or two to live.  This shattering news changes everything and we gear up to quickly return to New Zealand.

The 3,500 km drive to our storage facility in Kansas City takes us five full days (through Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, then 10 States of America).  Another couple of days to prepare the motor home and Jeep for storage, and re-arrange our air bookings, then on 4 Sep 2011 we land at Auckland Airport. Louise arrives from Melbourne same day.  We drive to Whakatane.

Many friends and family members are with Cherrie, who is very tired, however the sisters still share a smile and some treasured words.

Cherrie passes away peacefully on 10 Sep 2011, surrounded by close family and friends. We feel especially sad for her beautiful daughter Evelyn (22).  Also for Cherrie's partner Colin and his family. Mourners at her funeral fill the Church and flow out into the foyer.  Margie feels privileged and humbled to be giving the Eulogy, speaking movingly about Cherrie's life and her outstanding achievements, especially highlighting her years in Spain, where she became a Flamenco dancer of renown.  

4 - 18 Oct 2011

Ella's wedding to Matt is to be on 8 Oct 2011, in her family chapel in Dulwich, London.

Fly to London by Royal Brunei Airlines, which entails a day-long stopover at Bandar, capital of Brunei, so we go on their complimentary tour of the city and environs.

The wedding is a grand event, with Ella's sister, Imogen, singing a stirring rendition of "Ave Maria", whilst Matt's fellow officers impress all when they draw their swords and form a guard of honour through which Ella and Matt exit the chapel.

The lovely reception in a marquee set in the grounds of the Dulwich Picture Gallery is a credit to Desrae and David, who the next day generously host a barbecue at their home for the closer friends and family of the newy-weds.

To round off the wedding weekend, we are pleased to spend an evening with Desrae and David in the West End where we enjoy a convivial dinner, followed by the amusing musical "Legally Blonde" showing at the Savoy Theatre.

Next day we travel by Eurostar to Paris for a four day sojourn, staying in the L'Horset Opera Hotel, just a block away from the grand Palais Garnier Opera House. Even though we have visited Paris a number of times, it is nevertheless inspiring and thrilling once again.

We walk everywhere, Margie's stepcounter tells us we're averaging 20 km per day, so there is room for those delicious French pastries when we stop at street-side cafes and watch one of the other famous sights of Paris, its people.

The Louvre and Rodin's Museum again are unmissable destinations.

All too soon it is time to catch the Eurostar again, back to London, then fly Royal Brunei back to New Zealand. There are business matters to attend to in Whakatane, so we drive down there almost immediately.

Happily these matters are quickly settled to everyone's satisfaction, whilst the All Blacks go on to defeat France in Final of the Rugby World Cup [although it was a very close call], so it was a successful end to the week.

26 Oct - 7 Nov 2011

Fly to Melbourne where we mind the three boys, whilst Louise and Stephen fly to Auckland and enjoy a break staying in in our home. 

We go to the Tutankhamun Exhibition at the Melbourne Museum, then watch a 3D film, "Born To Be Wild" an the Imax Theatre next door. On Melbourne Cup day the boys inform us that a classmate's father has been riding a horse called Dunedan with great success, having already won the Cox Plate and the Caulfield Cup, two of Australia's premier races. We give Ethan, Fergus and Varick $10 each for their bets: they each back Dunedan, which wins dramatically. Unfortunately Margie and I were not so lucky.

When Louise and Stephen return, we uplift a rental car and head west to Adelaide to catch up with the Turnbull family, which has expanded with the addition of little Riley Evitts, our great grandson!

Riley is, of course, a marvellous baby, and his parents, Amy and Joel are very caring and lovely parents. We always enjoy visiting beautiful Adelaide, the Turnbulls make us feel very special and we have a lot of fun catching up with all their milestones, activities and achievements.

On our return flight to Auckland we reflect on the fact that, although our children all live so far away from Auckland, nevertheless we rejoice at how fortunate we are having such a loving family.

Dec 2011

Old friends, Liz and Dave have moved to Rotorua and established a B and B, "The Rising Trout". They are in an ideal location on the edge of Lake Rotorua, and we are delighted to enjoy their warm hospitality for a weekend. It is such fun being in their company!

Now Christmas is here once again, time for us to slow down and reflect on the year's events, count our many blessings and send kindest of wishes to our much loved family and friends. 

                    SEASONS GREETINGS TO ALL.   

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