The comeback (as they say)

The latest post on our blog is dating back to August 27th 2012!! Ouch... So what happened since then, and why haven't we been writing? 

I guess we wanted this blog to be about our travels during our round the world which we didn't finish and I guess we ended up putting writing on hold. But I miss it. 

Writing was always on my top 10 'to do list' as they call it. I don't know why, but I enjoy writing. And, I don't care if nobody is ever going to read it. It is more about the exercise of it rather than wether people are going to read about it. Weird hey? 

Anyway... I am back on the blog. Logging moments, thoughts, ideas, whatever comes to mind. Kind like a private journal, but that everyone can read I guess. 

It is Tuesday 13th of January, and I am back in New Zealand after 10 months spent in France. Nothing has changed here, which is what I like most. Of course, new roads have been built, new businesses have been created, new people have arrived, but other than that, it is still the same. The same in a way that makes New Zealand what it is and should always remain. A place of peace and warmth, a place of smiling and genuinely friendly people. They should have called it the land of the happy people by the way. 

I have 60 days, now 59 days left to enjoy. And I want to write the most about my time here. I am probably not going to follow any writing protocol... I am just going to let my ming wander and will see what has happened 59 days later. 

COMMITTED. 

Yes, this is what I am going to be. Committed. Committed to writing something everyday or so. Looking up at the definition, the word obligation came up. I am not a person who feels obliged to do something, committing is not really my thing, and I often cut corners or simply give up. So, for once I am going to stick to this. Writing. It might not make sense at the end. But there is only one way to find out. 

I'll see you in 59 days and we can talk about it. Between then and now. You'll have to wait and see. 

Vinaka Vakalevu Fiji

Hi there !
Time to break the hibernation right ?

Ok, while Marie was in Europe having all the fun, I decided to go meet my brother and parents in Fiji for a Weppe family reunion, a month ago. The family was complete for the first time in 4 years and just that is enough to make you have a great time. Now consider that this actually happened on what is pretty close to paradise on Earth in my opinion, Fiji.

In no time, we were all on Fijian time, taking the sun, surfing (of course), snorkelling, spearfishing (more like snorkelling with a speargun unfortunately), stand up paddling (and totally assuming it), hunting for coconuts with a big cane knife, eating fresh fish, receiving the "Bula" yelled by locals with the widest smiles ever going through villages !

No need to say the surf is amazing there. Tavarua is truly a gem obviously and the Coral Coast on the mainland hides so many quality breaks, it's confusing !

All photos were taken by Steven Lyon, living the life in Fiji and willing to swim around the shallow reefs (when he's not getting barreled on his bodyboard, that is). check him out http://www.stevenlyon.com.au/

Lil Bro charging !

Whaingaroa

Fishin'

Hey!

Sorry, we haven't been very good lately about keeping the blog updated... What's new for us?! Simon is going back in the water in three weeks! I am going to France for three months this summer (for the North hemisphere), so I'll get active and write from there! 

Otherwise, we have been catching up with friends here in Raglan, and it is so nice to spend time with them. We had an amazing weather since we have been back (it has only rained 3 days!!), hence we have been able to do some really cool stuffs or just hang around and enjoy the amazing sunsets drinking some nice cold kiwi beers.

Enough talking, here are a few photos of a fishing trip to Papanui Point in Raglan - which is mostly about drinking some nice red wine an eating some snacks, and if we get lucky, maybe catch a fish!

Kakite Ano!

Marie

Fishing trip happiness?

New Zealand sunset

Hi everyone,

We have now been back to beautiful NZ for a month! This place is just amazing, and we have the chance to have it as our home.

More to come about our time back in Raglan, but first a few shots of the summer sunset we had over the past few weeks.

Kakite ano!

Hawaii

Hello everyone!

This is the story of our time in Oahu, Hawaii: We landed late evening at Honolulu International airport after a short 6 hours flight from California. After getting the rental car, we drove to the North Shore. Our first impression was that Waikiki did not really match the image we had of Hawaii; tall buildings, over packed town... but once we arrived on the North Shore, all of this bad first impression let go, and we finally felt good! There is pretty much nothing in the North Shore, when I say nothing I mean, no big buildings, no streets full of restaurants and shops, but there is a lot more than that to it; beautiful beaches and nature, people moving around on bikes, and of course awesome waves. 

The swell was pretty small for the first few days, but hey, this is the North Shore during winter, so of course it did not last very long! Banzai Pipeline was soon firing 15+ N swell, with all the other famous spots showing what they have. Our days were about finding a cool place to surf, a spot where you won't pee your pants too much (sorry for the expression) each time the set was coming through!

As you have probably read on our Facebook page, we had to stop our trip and come back to NZ so that Simon could get the time he needs to fix his knee. So I am actually writing from beautiful Raglan!

We really hope to be able to go back traveling very soon, but we really want Simon to be better first. The blog will keep on being updated with cool pictures from NZ and more...

I want to thank you all for following us, we had an amazing time on the road, and it sure won't be our last adventure!

Aloha & Mahalo.

Marie and Simon

Last weeks in SoCal...

Oye Oye,

Well well well... we are close to the end of our adventure in California, and what a journey it was!

I personally had no idea what to expect about the 'California lifestyle', and it certainly canno't  be resumed to the easy stereotypes we see in Hollywood movies, as it would be at the same time entirely true and yet too simple to really explain what California is about.

We met some amazing people, ate some crazy food, things like 'fa' (soup), 'shabu-shabu', New York style pizza, and drunk a hell lot of 'venti/tall non fat hot chocolate with no wipp cream'... and much more (Oh I was about to forget, Mexican food of course, chicken/asada/fish tacos etc...). We drove up and down the coast to amazing sceneries, parks and cities. And of course not to mention what the coast has to offer for surfing, from cold and grey Santa Cruz, to warm and hyppe La Jolla! 

I think 4 simple words really put it together: WE WILL BE BACK!! Be it as tourists, or who knowns, to settle there...

I have put together what I think are the most beautiful pictures we have made of this great 'escapade'!!

10 days to go before we hit Hawaii!