New Zealand 2013

For those of you interested in our New Zealand trip we just took, I'm going to update my blog with information and pictures about our trip.  In a nut shell, it was GREAT!  We were gone a total of 15 nights and went to Auckland (north island), and then most of the south island.  On our way home, we also stayed a few nights in Tahiti (but that's at the end of the blog).

The beginning:  Auckland, New Zealand.  We were there only one and a half days.  But that was enough to see Auckland.

 This is a good view of the sky line from the water -

This is taken from our balcony - it looks fake - but, it's real!

and we took it before the cruise ship came in to port.

 The views atop Glen Eden Hill (360 degree views)  Beautiful!

This is a Doggie Doo - you lift the lid (head) and dispose of the doo -

We went out on the America's Cup sailing boat:

This was a working boat - what we're doing is called grinding -

Our hotel is on the right - the Hilton Auckland Hotel -

When we checked in, they warned us that in the morning a cruise ship would be docked right outside our balcony so make sure to close your curtains.  At 6am it pulled up and they weren't kidding - it was right next to our room and it was a massive ship, as you can see.

We enjoyed Auckland, but were looking really forward to our week in the 

South Island with 

Active New Zealand - the tour company that we will be spending 

the next week with.

UPDATE!!

Wow! It's been such a long time since I updated this blog (4 months).
There have been so many things to blog about.
I'd better get started.....
First of all, Teri & James had their beautiful baby boy, Ryan Matthew, on the 4th of July.  What a great day for a birthday!  And he is such a good little boy.  I hope they realize how lucky they are.

Second, Bob & I flew to Amsterdam and spent a few days there.  It is such a beautiful city.  We went to the Anne Frank House and got to walk around the rooms that her family was hidden in.  That was an incredible feeling!  Then we got to take a bicycle ride into the countryside with an organized tour group.  It was fun and great to be able to see the countryside and how beautiful it is.


















After Amsterdam, we flew to Africa and went on an AFRICAN SAFARI.  WOW!  What an experience that was!  Definitely a trip of a lifetime!
We were on the Safari for 5 days and then we flew over to an island called Zanzibar which is on the coast of Tanzania (it's actually part of Tanzania).

That was quite the experience also.  We took a tour of the city, and then a spice tour.  We saw where Freddie Mercury (Queen) was born.  (Definitely a highlight)!!

And then I flew home.

As I was in the Kilimanjaro Airport getting ready to board my flight for Los Angeles, Ryan and Joe were just arriving at the same airport for an adventure of their own.  One that I decided not to participate in.

Bob, Ryan, and Joe spent the next week climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.  The summit's elevation is 19,340 feet.  That didn't sound like anything I'd like to do.  But, those 3 guys saw a challenge and wanted to conquer it.  And they did.  They even did it one day quicker than they had originally planned.  Which was a good thing because the boys were able to go on their own "mini safari".  And they were also able to witness what life is like in Arusha.

It was quite the experience for all of us.  I sure do love traveling.  It really gives you a flavor of how people live around the world.  And let me just say this; i've never seen poverty like I saw in Tanzania.  It's amazing to me how the people can live in those circumstances.  We take so much for granted.  Things like having a washer and dryer.  Those people was their clothes by hand.

It sure does make you appreciate what we've been so blessed with.

Teri's Baby Shower

Last Weekend we were in Utah for 2 reasons.

First of all, Teri was having a baby shower.  

Here are some pictures from the shower:

It was an AWESOME baby shower -

Melissa made the cutest centerpiece:

Mickey dipped strawberries in Chocolate, got some super good cookies.

And then they both set the table SO CUTELY! (as you can see).

Mickey had Bob (Grandpa Ford) write a poem to Teri

and James also wrote a letter to Teri

Mickey read them both out loud during the shower -

We had family & friends there -

The second reason we were there was that there was a century ride in SLC (that's 100 miles of biking) that Bob, Jim, Ryan, Chris & Mary Ann Crall were in.

FUN WEEKEND!!

Getting Joe from his mission in Paris

THE DAY finally came when we were able to take a train out to the mission home and get Joe. It was SO awesome. We got to meet Sister Poznanski, President Poznanski, and another missionary & his family going home (Elder Ellis).

This is the Mission Home:

Us with Sister Poznanski:

Pres. & Sis. Poznanski with Joe

At the Eiffel Tower

Shakespeare & Company (Famous Book Store)

there are signs to not take pictures inside -

oops.....

We had such a great day with Joe as he showed us around Paris.

There's nothing better than having someone who knows the language be your tour guide!

EUROPE POST

FINALLY!

Yea, I know, it's been a little over a month since I've been back from Europe. And, I'm just now getting to update my blog.

Sorry - I've been super busy -

I'll just give you some highlights that me & Mickey had in London:

This is our hotel in London: Marriott County Hall

(it's right next to the London Eye)

This is us at STONEHENGE - very cool place!

Here we are in front of Buckingham Palace -

For all the Harry Potter Fans - platform 9 3/4

A famous artist - Banksy (this is my first taste of graffiti art)

Mickey was in heaven! She loves this artist!!

She said now her trip was complete -

That's the highlights from London - then we took the Eurostar Train over to Paris -

It went under the English Channel -

This is the Palace of Versailles (VERY fancy!)

Inside the Palace

The Louvre

These were our favorites: Venus de Milo

Winged Victory

Mona Lisa

Here is Notre Dame

This is the Arc de Triomphe

These are the Catacombes

My next blog post, I will show pictures of when we picked Joe (Elder Ford) up from the mission home in Paris, and our day we spent with him.