All posts tagged: experiences

A Day Out At: the Royal Albatross Centre

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You really are spoiled for choice when it comes to wildlife adventures in Dunedin, however we chose to visit the Royal Albatross Centre because it’s the only place in the world where you can see these amazing birds from the mainland. What we did We made a booking and, as we had a rental car, we drove ourselves out there. Getting there without a car would be tricky. It’s a 32km drive from the city, and a 3.5km walk from the nearest bus stop on the peninsula. We booked on the tour and while it was quite expensive at $100 for a family of five, all proceeds go to maintaining wildlife on the peninsula so it is for a good cause. How it went We arrived in time for our session, but of course the kids took one look at the café and decided they were starving and could no longer go on without being fed instantly. Our tour time was easily rescheduled and so we sat down to a leisurely lunch before meeting the …

Why it's important to get a second opinion

Choosing Your Own Path

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When it comes to things medical, I’m a firm believer in getting a second opinion. It’s not that I don’t have any faith in doctors. It’s just that too many times I’ve been on the receiving end of a decision that seems to be easier for them rather than the right option for me. It was seeking a second opinion that gave me three beautiful children when the first specialist told me it would never happen. And it’s was a second opinion that has given me a new knee when the first specialist told me that it’d be best if I just ‘made do’ with the help of some ‘lifestyle changes’. Lifestyle changes. By that he meant giving up playing a sport I’ve played for over 20 years. He meant giving up skiing, tramping and every other active past time I’ve enjoyed. I may be 48-year-old mother of 3 with a few extra kilos on board, but that doesn’t mean I’m ready to grow old. Heck, I’ve still got a long list of things I …

Mothers Day. Better Late Than Never?

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This year, Mothers Day didn’t quite go to plan. I’d given my kids a very specific brief. I didn’t want any presents, I just wanted their presence. “It would be nice to get out and do something together”, I told them. Imagine my surprise when my Mothers Day present turned out to be a horse riding experience. I was overwhelmed. What an amazing gift. And what wonderful children I have grown. Children who have clearly spent a long time saving enough money for us to all go horse riding together. There was silence. And nervous shuffling, before Miss 9 admitted that not only were we not booked to go horse riding that day, they hadn’t saved a single penny. The thought that they might actually have to pay for the gift they were giving me clearly hadn’t entered their heads. I thanked them graciously. After all, revenge is a dish served cold. A week or so later I took them to their favourite toy shop. I told them I’d love to buy them a present …

Giving Presence – Have I Gone Too Far?

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There’s nothing I love more than being on holiday. It doesn’t have to be a long holiday, or even a holiday to anywhere fancy. As long as I’m not at home facing the endless list of things that need to be done, then life is good. Which is why I think ‘giving the gift of an experience’ is a concept I’ve embraced. OK, maybe we’ve gone passed embracing and are now in a serious, long-term relationship. You see, last year the experiences I gave the kids for their birthdays were fun days out doing something they each loved. Miss 10 went horse-riding, Miss 8 went skiing and Mr 8 had a not-so-great day out at the Monster Slide festival. This year, I may just have taken it to a whole new level by using the idea of ‘giving presence’ as an excuse for a holiday (or two). I didn’t see anything wrong with this approach until a well-meaning friend pointed out that I might be setting the bar a bit high – creating an expectation that …