Maisie and her snowman she made with Grandma

There's no business like snow business

Snow! Maisie loves it, the dog however...not so keen!

Driving up the M1, every now and then Maisie shouted Snow!

We were welcomed by a very snowy Derbyshire. Snowmen building was required on the first day. Sledging and more serious snow people a definite on the second.

Grandma, Maisie and I cut down the Christmas tree grown especially for the purpose. This attracted much attention from a local Robin. It was all pretty magical. Also very hard to believe that me and Maisie had been swimming outside in the Motel pool in Auckland a couple of days previously.

The Flight

To the airport, Leanne's parents arrive and drive Leanne and Maisie, whilst I accompany the luggage in the taxi. Maisie's friend Ruby comes to the airport to farewell us. Only one spill at the coffee table with Maisie filling up Nana's handbag with diet coke!
After the required amount of snot and tears, it's Haere Mai Auckland, hello duty free shopping.

Both flights uneventful, and long. The break in Hong Kong we had intended to shop, after wandering around the airport trying to find a shop, and avoiding the various santa's, elves and christmas characters trying to give us christmas tree shaped pens, we decided to opt for a sleep in a hotel. After we had a light meal in the hotel sports bar watching English Premiership football (weird), 4 hours kip, and showers, we were ready for the next leg.

On arrival at heathrow, we had 4 hours to wait before we could claim the dog. So in no rush to leave the aircraft in the scrum, we hung around. The wait paid off as we saw our little doggy's crate being taken off the aircraft, coincidently he would have been just underneath where we were seated.

Heathrow was full of moody people and grey haired taxi drivers sporting bluetooth headsets. Into Mark & Spencers for percy pigs and pork pie, yum. WH Smiths for hula hoops, and Boots for hair product. With the shopping opportunities exhausted we were reduced to going out side to see how cold it was, Maisie was very amused to see her breath (get used to it I say)

Then it was outside to meet Mum in the taxi for a tearful welcome.

Off to England

Well, me and my family (including the dog) decided to move back to England and live with my mother in the beautiful Peak District. At great expense, organisation (by Leanne), packing up our stuff (Rachel), excitement (Maisie), blissful ignorance (Chess the dog) we set sail - well, got in the car to the hotel the night before the big flight.