The raindrops marching along the clothes line.

A small drain has been formed through the stones to allow for runoff

blue ginger with rain drops, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

The summer rains have arrived again. Two days of torrential rain, approx 200mm. The mulched areas became mini lakes and we watched as the level rose closer to the house. Jack rushed out in his undies to clear passages for the runoff to escape.

We were away during the rains of last summer and previous to that we had experienced 10 years of drought and minimal rain. Fortunately the Burleigh area was not flooded and again we are lucky to be spared the worst, with areas both north and south being evacuated and schools closed.

A paw paw tree fully laden with fruit fell over with the weight of the rain but it was tied back up and it should survive. The garden is planted and designed as a tropical garden so the plants are loving this weather pattern and when the rain stops, being sandy soil, it drains away quickly and leaves everything fresh and sparkling.

Heliconia, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

The “el Nina” weather pattern of last year caused a lot of disasters and heartache but tropical style gardens have loved all the rain and humidity and the garden is a riot of colour. I am enjoying spending time in the garden and have been very fortunate to have really good friends, June and Rex, who have looked after the garden so well whilst we have been away.

I am starting to check the couch surfing scene in New Zealand and it is very exciting to see  a number of interesting people offering beds over there.

Burleigh Heads National Park walkway, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

How quickly we have settled back into routine, back home again for a short while after the last house sit.It is now early morning walks along the beach and around the beautiful Burleigh Heads National Park walkway. Only a short 20 minute track but it does have a hilly bit. The luxury of  spending time in the garden, rediscovering our favourite eating places and the Saturday farmers market with such fresh produce. Visiting friends and family Christmas flashed by and here we are on the threshold of 2012. The fantastic travel experience of the past two years is now a memory and a hard drive full of photos, and a promise to myself to sort them into some sort of order. Nearly 30,000 of them!!!

But already we are making plans for the next trip…

Five weeks from now we will be winging over to New Zealand to visit family and friends and time permitting discover some of the areas we missed when we lived there. This time Matilda will stay at home and our challenge will be fitting all we need for 2 months into a small back pack as we have decided just to take the 10kg carry on limit. We have not made plans apart from visiting family and so want to stay flexible. Maybe we will use the buses and trains, maybe hire a car. Without a lot of baggage it will make it easier to get around.I love the unknown in travel and leaving yourself open to whatever may happen. We also are very keen to do some couch surfing, a great way to meet the local people.

So New Zealand here we come….

Here’s an excerpt:

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Thunder has fallen in love with Jack…