Visit from our Kiwi mates!

Our dear friends Goddy and Fleur finally found time to come and visit from NewZealand. My other half, Tom, and Goddy have been mates since about 1982 having met after the Whitbread Round the World Race finish in the UK. Goddy was on Outward Bound from New Zealand finishing 5th out of a fleet of 29 yachts. He went on to compete in another 3 races and in 1990 was on Steinlager 2 that won each leg and the race overall. Bravo!

Our first trip to Auckland was in 1986, Goddy was getting married and Tom was his best man! We had a fantastic holiday after the wedding and hired a camper van and drove round the South island seeing Fox Glacier, Milford Sound, skied in Queensland and more. Tom and I were living in Southern California when Goddy stopped over on his way to the UK for yet another race, on Steinlager 2. We made a 2nd trip down for Christmas in 1996 and had a lovely time camping on a beautiful stretch of beach. By now they had an 8 year old boy and 5 year old girl. We went body surfing, boogie boarding and enjoyed fresh from the sea green muscles smoked by Goddy.

Both Tom and Goddy are still in the maritime business and stay in touch as much as possible working so far apart. With a current project in Holland, Goddy and Fleur took a 2 week holiday in France, cycling in July. After they finished in Bergerac they came to stay in Beaulieu in La Charente apartment. Our house is too small for guests so it was easy to have them stay in one of the apartments. We had lovely evenings at our house around the BBQ catching up on stories and having some good laughs. But as usual time flies by and soon they were off, Fleur back to NZ and Goddy to NL.

Our last night was dinner at Les Flots Bleus on the riverside in Beaulieu. It was superbe. We hope they can return in the not too distant future. à bientot...

Mates :)