Set off from Liverpool 3.30pm Monday 1st November. Arrived at this far away place Thursday 3rd November at 3.30pm. Lost a few days somewhere on the journey. Hope to find them on the way home. Wellington an interesting place. People very friendly. A mismatch of architecture and a great harbour. Views across the Sounds spectacular. Spent most of the day at the Museum of New Zealand. Fabulous exhibits from the history of the settlement to Gallipoli. From giant squ...

Thanksgiving Day! Walked a couple of blocks down to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. Enormous crowds, but very calm and friendly. Sunny but freezing cold! About 30C. Parade was amazing, marching bands, dance troupes and floats. The highlight being the giant inflatables! All the famous children's TV and film characters on a massive scale. Must have taken up to 50 people to hold them down. They caused an eclipse of the sun as they went past. Took a walk in Cen...

Got up late. Missed breakfast at Juniors.Think the jet lag is setting in! Spent day in New York wandering round shops. Did the Christmas windows at Macy's, Saks 5th Ave and Lord and Taylor and all the Christmas departments (much to Michael's disgust). Forgotten how tiring cities can be! Booked to see the Rockettes! Christmas isn't Christmas without seeing the Rockettes! Weather wet and cold, not what we've become used to!

Arrived safely in New York after travelling for about twelve hours. Missed a whole night's sleep. We're five hours ahead of what we were in Hawaii. By Sunday when we get home, we won't know what time or day it is. Flights were good and both landed earlier than stated. Came into Manhattan a different way, because we are staying on the Upper West Side, not far from the Dakota Buildings where John Lennon was shot. A very safe neighbourhood now. Apartment is fabulous...

Spent the end of the day watching the wind surfers and kite surfers. Some sort of competition going on. Apparently some had been out all day. Trying to control a kite and surf those waves must take some guts and a lot of skill. Needless to say, some came to grief in the surf, but were quickly picked up and put back on their feet again. The common or garden surfers were relegated to a moderately calm corner of the beach, where they played quite happily. Rather th...