GOOD TIMES WITH GARETH

What a special day the Muru's had today. They got to spend it in London with their very good friend Gareth Moore-Jones from Ohope. Gareth and his wife Di use to live next door to the Muru's but now have a house at the other end of the beach. The day started by meeting at the "Sports Cafe" in Haymarket. (NB This was a concern as the Sports Cafe was only 200m from where the police found a car bomb the day before). The idea was to watch and celebrate the All Blacks victory over the Wallabies but someone forgot to tell the JAFFAs our plans (yes the English refer to Australians as we do Aucklanders) . We also met Gareth's close friend Stu Brizzle and what a small world as we discovered we had some very close mutual friends. GO THE "NUA
Lunch at the Sports Cafe was great. For a start it's located at NZ House so lots of Kiwis tend to congregate there. Kids are allowed in (big bonus for the Muru's). They boast 65 TV screens including 2 Wall size screens and viewing in the toilets. The meals are reasonably priced and lastly pool tables, foosball tables and game machines for little gremlins with that incessant "can we go now?" during the match. Yes as you can see by the look on Paraone's face, Ngahuia is winning the pool
After lunch and watching the All Blacks and Team New Zealand loose they decided to go for a wander to Trafalgar Square. As you can see by the crowds not many people were concerned with bombs.

Sharon had always wanted to see Covent Garden for the markets and the kids for the entertainers. Unfortunately because of the rain the street entertainers were fewer than usual
Ngahuia and Paraone liked the marbles stall. They had some spare change and managed to buy a couple of marbles each

At the end of the day they said their good-byes and went their separate ways on the Piccadily Line. Thanks Gareth for a neat day the Muru's really enjoyed the catch up and look forward to your return hopefully in September.

PS It would've been a perfect day if Auntie Di had been there. Maybe next time

CAPITAL RADIO

One of the coolest activities the kids did while at leicester Square was to cut and produce a CD of themselves as DJs for CAPITAL RADIO LONDON. They had a great time scipting what to say, doing voice overs and telling jokes.

WEST END LIVE

The whanau trained to London again this time for the "West End Live Festival" at Leicester Square. The festival had performances from the West End casts' from "Stomp" to "Mama Mia" as well as workshops for the kids.


EXTERMINATE!!!....EXTERMINATE!!!....EXTERMINATE!!!.......

Here Nghuia and Paraone are collared by the Cyberman in the Doctor Who tent.
Ngahuia code breaking for the CIA
Ngahiua inside the big bubble in the Science and Technology Museum tent

Ngahuia thought she looked more like a tiger than a butterfly. We still think your beautiful said her Mama and Papa

Paraone and Liam at the clay-mation workshop

Paraone and the Bean mobile
Liam and Mr TumblesParaone getting his air tattoo
" MEAN PARAONE MEAN"......................

Ngahiua with the best viewing platform in the square.

NEW ZEALAND MEMORIAL - HYDE PARK

The New Zealand Memorial in London's Hyde Park Corner commemorates the enduring bonds between New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and shared sacrifice during times of war. It is a symbol both of the common heritage and of New Zealand's distinct identity.Each of the sixteen standards of the memorial is a unique piece of sculpture with the first ten bearing patterns, words and images evoking the memorial’s overall themes – New Zealand’s national identity, the historical and ongoing relationship between New Zealand and the United Kingdom and shared wartime experiences. Paraone stands next to the only one of the Southern Cross standards to carry substantial text and displays a list of New Zealand cities arranged in order of geographical location from north to south. Standard nine is dedicated to New Zealanders’ love of the sea and the coast. On one side the word ‘antipodes’ is spelt out with pipi and toheroa shells.
Liam checks out the standard that focuses on rugby - New Zealand’s national game, introduced from Britain in the early 1870s. New Zealand’s first home test was played in 1904 with a win over the English Lions. Rugby is only one of the sports New Zealand adopted from Britain and sport continues to play an integral part in kiwi life. The rugby ball is hard to miss, but the standard also shows the silver fern emblem worn by the All Blacks.

FABULOUS FATHERS DAY

Sunday June 17 was Fathers Day and once again Ngahuia was at the forefront of organising the rest of the whanau. Grant got to sleep in, have breakfast served and given a choice of activities for the day. Ngahuia designed and produced some wonderful cards using skills she learnt from the T.V programme "Art Attack". She took orders for everybody and prepared the chocolate pancakes for her father. The boys did their part as well by once again doing the dishes and cleaning up. "Thanks Kids" said their Dad

SAYING HI! TO THE SHAFFELBURGS

After spending the afternoon at Hampton Court the Murus were invited to Steve, Helen, Ethan and Will Shaffelburg's near the Palace for a BBQ. Sharon and Steve worked together in Whakatane for Toi Te Ora. The Shaffelburg's left New Zealand over 3 years ago to be closer to Helen's family and Steve now works for the British Heart Foundation. The Muru's had a great time catching up with them. Ngahuia just loved holding and hugging wee Will and Paraone played with Ethan. Sharon and Steve reminisced over their days at Toi Te Ora and the kids got to watch "Britain's Got Talent" (the most recently produced Simon Cowel reality TV show). THANKS ETHAN AND WILL and we hope you come and see us again soon.

HAMPTON COURT

Hampton Court Palace is a former royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, south west London. It is open to the public as a major tourist attraction. The palace's Home Park is the site of the annual Hampton Court Palace Festival and Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.
Thomas Wolsey, then Archbishop of York and Chief Minister to the King, took over the lease in 1514 and rebuilt the 14th-century manor house over the next seven years (1515–1521) to form the nucleus of the present palace. Wolsey spent lavishly to build the finest palace in England at Hampton Court, which he was later forced to give to Henry VIII as he began to fall from favour.

The Privy Garden represents a formal style of gardening which fell out of fashion soon after this garden was originally made. Its geometry is not to everyone’s taste but many find it extremely pleasing to the eye. This garden from Henry VIII’s day was always the King’s private garden, and very few people would ever have gained admittance to it up until the 18th century. Even then, it remained a private garden for the grace and favour residents of the palace right up until the early 20th century. Now they even let antipodeans in for a gander

LARK RISE CREATIVE ARTS FESTIVAL

Ngahuia performed for her school Lark Rise in the "Creative Arts Festival. A combined show with 3 other lower schools in the Dunstable College Theatre. They did an item called "Street Dance" and combined with the other schools to sing "We can do it" and" Everyone Sing".