Tag Archives: Motueka

Winter in Motueka

After an awesome 7 month season on the road we spent a couple of weeks slowing down and getting back into school. We kissed goodbye to our 2018 shows by tossing the remains of our end of season flowers into the resurgence and remembering. We were already planing new shows for the coming season.

Then it was time to plan my birthday party. We hired the hall at riverside for a sleep over and silent disco. My whole class was invited. It was fabulously full of crazy games and yummy food!

 We quickly got into a settled routine of school, making up new Magic and Circus shows and training for them. Weekends were more training , bike rides and trips to the beach etc. Mum and Dad were busy preparing for the next season. Dad fixed my room which had been leaking, our rooms were re-floored, the inside of the truck painted and lots of other maintenance done.

A week in Golden bay during school holidays.

 

My class on talking statues night. I was Kathrine Hepburn.
Singing Mama Mia with my B.S.F (Best sister forever) Jasmine.

We moved into our friend Chrissy,s house for a couple of months which was fun as I got to share a room with my B.S.F Jasmine. Dallas and Jaz joined me at Steiner school for the 3rd term and loved it. This would be my last year at Steiner school. Our school play was fabulous as was our ski trip.

My class play “The ice throne” Big thanks to my wonderful teacher Margot!
Skiing at Rainbow with Zuva and Magot. I love skiing!

After a few months in one place we were all excited to get back on the road again. Mum and Dad had everything ready just in time. We had yet to do a full dress rehearsal of our Circus show but time was up.  Season 5 of the Extravaganza here we come!

 

Winter in Motueka

Winter is a welcome holiday for us Extrava-gangsters. We fill it with buying stock, preparing our shop, maintaining our truck and for our family, making our new shows and practicing them. Not to mention going to school. Well sort of a holiday! The boys had their first day at school and it turned out… they loved it! Mean while I was loving being back at Rudolf Steiner my old school. It was great to see all my friends again, they welcomed me back with open arms and hearts. I had a lovely time.

                                           My classmates and I at a Hockey tournament

To begin with we stayed at kina beach. We said goodbye to last seasons shows with a ceremony involving throwing our end of season bouquets flower by flower in to the ocean.

After a couple of weeks we moved to Marchwood park (motor caravan camp ground).

Soon my birthday appeared on the agenda, so we planned a pretty primo party. It involved most of my class taking the ferry from Mapua to Rabbit island with our bikes. We then cycled along the trail to meet up with Mim (our truck) where Mum had set up a party. We ate, played and partied for the afternoon finishing by cycling back to the ferry.

                                                          Playing Port / Starboard

A month later Mum’s birthday came around. We decided to do something special with her. We packed up the car and headed to Golden bay to walk into Wharawharangi hut for a night. Mum and day had their usual mid winter swim in their birthday suits! We lit a fire on the beach (below the high tide line), toasted marshmallows and had a wonderful time. Happy birthday Mum!

A few weeks later we were back in Golden bay for the school holidays, this time with our truck. Daisy beach and Wharawhariki beach were the highlights of our trip.

                                             Cooking sausages over the beach fire

 

Over the five months in Motueka I enjoyed weekly Dance and Drama classes.

A lot of thought and practice went into our new magic show. Dad and I took Latin dance classes. Poor Daddy!

We also practiced our family circus show about three times a week which was not always easy outdoors in winter.

In September as a late combined birthday present Mum and I flew to Auckland to see in spark arena………… P!nk!!!!!! It was the most inspirational, sensational, performance I have ever seen! She is such a strong amazing woman.

With the end of winter came my school play and my Drama class play. Both high on my list of priorities as when I grow up I would like to become an actor. The school play was a stunning success (surprisingly as we wrote it ourselves). It had me staring as Julia the love struck roman princess. The title was Ludus Roma (roman play). Thank you to all my classmates and our devoted teacher Margot.

In my Drama class play we all got to create our own characters. My character was the sassy Clarissa De Vain, a detective.

                   Clarisa De Vain

The play turned out to be fabulous. The last performance was the night before set up in Christchurch, a tight squeeze. After the play at 9pm we drove the two hours to Murchison, stayed in a cabin then continued with the four hour drive to Christchurch for setup.

Whew what a busy winter! Now back to the Extravaganza. Bye!

,

 

Nelson

Did you know that the Nelson area was settled by Maori 700 years ago? In 1841 Nelson was established by English colonists. It is the second oldest city in New Zealand and the oldest in the south island. Nelsons population is 46,437. Nelson is well known for its thriving arts and crafts scene.

Oh what weather, one minute bucketing down cats and dogs and the next throwing down from the heavens armfuls of sun-rays which fly around the sky as if they own the place. It poured with rain right in the middle of our last show, scattering the crowd. By the time we got back to the truck the cheeky sun-rays were leaping around the sky again!

My darling friend Jasmine had her ninth birthday with us at the Extravaganza in Nelson.

Two years ago we left Queenstown and headed for Motueka where we spent a lovely summer in Marahau. We then moved over the hill to Motueka where I went to the Steiner school before joining the Extravaganza.

Staying at Kina beach whilst in the area felt like coming home.

Ange my fire poi mentor lights me up. Thanks Ange!
Loving my first spin!

Oh I almost forgot, I did my first ever fire show with real fire poi. It felt amazing.