Author Archives: Jill

Christmas Table Runner

Better late than never!  I had an idea in the midst of the pre Christmas rush, to make a table runner for December.  While I procrastinated, I got a very nice little Secret Santa present …. 6 fat quarters of Christmas fabric.

 

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From this…….

 

 

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To this…except I swapped out the plain red fabric.  After all, you can’t have too many stars!

 

It’s actually quite a straight-forward pattern consisting of half square triangles and the good thing is that you could easily swap out the fabrics to suit any time of the year.  Something to keep in mind for a quick handmade gift.

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Whatever you are doing on Christmas Day, I hope it’s a happy and safe one for you and your families.  Last year we all made the decision not to worry about presents (except for children and animals!) so we all bring some lovely food to share and enjoy each other’s company instead.  Can’t wait!!!

Wyndham Resort, Fiji

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Just back from a very relaxing week in Fiji.  This was our third visit;  last time was to Suva in 2013 and the first time, around 2009 we also spent a week at the Wyndham Resort on Denarau Island.  So it was with many fond memories that we made the return trip.

 

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This lady’s grandmother weaves the fans, she adds names and sells them at the local handicraft market in Nadi.

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I stopped at the tailor in town and had a dress made to measure from one of these bolts of fabric in one hour!

 

After so many years, there were many improvements.  The airport is no longer like a big shed, we drove through Nadi (pronounced Nandi) which now has good roads and actual footpaths and the “air conditioned” little buses (meaning no windows) with wooden bench seats have been replaced with regular yellow buses.  There are many more shops and a cinema and it’s now compulsory for children to go to school.

 

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The “adults” swimming pool

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All these changes mean that it is more expensive than before but it is still a very nice place to holiday and everyone was very friendly and welcoming.   The weather was good,  our apartment spacious and comfortable and located close to the beach and pool. Swaying palm trees, swim up bars in both pools, tropical breeze and cocktail in hand …. I’m talking “Fiji Time”, which relates to just relaxing and enjoying the moment.  Very nice to leave our fast-paced Aussie lifestyle behind for a little while.

 

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A wood carver at the resort.

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The only two words you need to know are Bula and Vinaka;  Bula is a Fijian greeting which is very easy to say and is heard everywhere and Vinaka means thank you.  Put the two words together and you have a warm “hello”!

Apart from two trips into nearby Nadi, we were very lazy and stayed at the resort, which is something we seldom do.  But after our very busy time in New Zealand we didn’t feel it was necessary to visit all the places we’d already been to in Fiji, so the payoff was that the week passed nice and slowly and we’ve come home feeling rejuvenated for the start of the Christmas season.

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The end of another day in paradise!

 

 

We were very excited to find ourselves upgraded to Business Class on the plane –  both ways.  What luxury – priority everything!!!  We flew Fiji Airways which is a partner airline with Qantas, so as we’re all required to be at the airport 2-3 hours ahead of departure time these days, we felt very lucky to be able to spend that time in the Qantas lounge.

Once seated, we were served with welcome on-board cocktails before everyone else filtered through the plane.  Fine wine and good food,  high quality headphones and individual IPads to watch movies, all while seated in extra comfy lounge chairs with lots of buttons to press!  We certainly felt like VIP’s with the flight attendants offering such excellent service.  Now that I’ve had a taste of sitting up the pointy end of the plane it’s going to be very hard to return to “cattle class” next time!

Where the Hobbit Holes are Hiding

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The highlight of our week in New Zealand was our Middle-earth adventure to The Hobbiton Movie Set.  Hugely popular with both fans of the movies and tourists from around the world who just love the New Zealand countryside, you must book ahead for this experience.

Our day started when we drove into Rotorua and joined the bus for the 45 minutes trip to the Alexanders’ spectacular 1250 acre sheep and beef farm, just outside of Matamata.  Driving through the Waikato region, when we could bear to look away from the lush, rolling green hills and farmland (stunning scenery even though it was raining) we were entertained with several behind-the-scenes short movies and one featuring Sir Peter Jackson explaining how this particular location was chosen and welcoming us to The Shire.

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Our guide hopped on board at the gate and we were all dropped off at the Shire Store.  All tours are escorted.  There is no walking around on your own.    It was fun trying to work out what was real and what was not.  The apples in the basket were not real, but the vegetables in the patch were. An oak tree was cut down from nearby and moved to Bag End.  All the pieces were numbered and the tree was reconstructed, complete with imported hand-painted leaves which were individually wired onto the branches.  Who would have thought?

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Some branches have been temporarily removed for repairs

Our guide explained that when The Lord of the Rings was made, 39 hobbit holes were made out of untreated timber, ply and polystyrene.  Thatch for the roofs of the Green Dragon and the Mill were cut from rushes around the Alexander Farm.  When the set was rebuilt for The Hobbit Trilogy, everything was constructed out of permanent materials and a staff of 250 in summer and 150 in the off season are employed to keep the set in the wonderful condition we see today.

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Loved exploring the picturesque 12 acre set, where our guide pointed out the most famous locations and explained how the movies were made.  44 hobbit holes, Bag End, the Mill, the Party Tree and finally across the beautifully arched stone bridge (which was not stone) to the Green Dragon Inn, fully reconstructed inside and out to enjoy a beef and ale pie and a pint of specially crafted beer in front of a roaring fire.

Naturally, as soon as we got home, out came all our Lord of the Rings and Hobbit DVD’s, and it was fun to recognise where we had been.  We had the feeling of walking through a real village, with fish drying next to the river, chimneys, rocking chairs, wood chopped for a fire and clothes hanging on the line to dry.

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I highly recommend this tour.  Even if you are not a Lord of the Rings fan, it’s a fun and entertaining day out and the set is so realistic and detailed.  Each hobbit hole has been individually themed and the attention to detail is amazing.  I was quite happy to visit in the off season.  In summer, with tours leaving every 5 minutes, it would be a very busy place.  Would I want to come back in the summer?  Absolutely!!!