First stop Amsterdam

Here we are safe and sound in Amsterdam, smooth flight only 50 minutes just enough time for a G&T

Now we're settled into the Crown Lounge and are partaking of the free refreshments

It's rather smart in here and I'm glad that Phil saved his air miles so we can travel business class. See you in Hong Kong.

So precious

At the moment these are the most precious things in our house.

Our semi finals and final tickets.  The rest of our tickets are to be collected when we get to New Zealand. Phil is in charge of looking after these.

Itinery is as follows.
Wed 31st Aug Leave Uk, fly to Hong Kong for 5 days.
Mon 5th Sep Fly to Auckland arrive Tues 6th
Wed 7th Fly to Christchurch collect car , stay 2 nights.
Fri 9th drive down to Dunedin ready for the pool games.
Mon 19th Sep drive to Queenstown for 4 days.
Thurs 22nd back to Dunedin for remaining pool game
Sun 25th drive to Christchurch
Mon 26th Collect Brother & Sister in law from airport and drive onto Hamner Springs and a two day    tour round Nelson and Picton
Wed 28th arrive back in Christchurch.
Thurs 29th Sep Fly to Auckland for the England v Scotland pool game
Sun 2nd Oct Fly to Napier to stay with Charlie & Robynn (Brother & Sil) lots of things organised including a wine tour ....yipee
Wed 5th Oct drive down to Wellington to meet up with nieces.
Fri 7th Oct Fly to Auckland for both quarter finals
Mon 10th Oct Fly back to Napier to Charlie's for a week of fun including a trip to Rotoroa.
Fri 14th Oct Fly to Auckland for the rest of our stay in New Zealand.
Tues 25th Oct fly to San Francisco for 3 nights
Sat 29th Oct Fly home
Sun 30th Oct home.

Think we might need a holiday to get over it. Ok I'm off ....lists to make and check off.

Countdown

Three days to go and we have to get all this lot into three suitcases. I'm ok but I don't know where Phil is putting his!!!

 One the problems is (apart fom me having too many clothes) is that it is cold in New Zealand so our clothes are bulky. Also we are stopping 5 days in Hong Kong on the way there and it is 32C so we need light things as well and I'm sure I'll need  some space just in case I find a couple of things I need to buy!

We have been planning this trip for two years and we can hardly believe that we're off on Wednesday. We have lots planned not least the rugby. We will be meeting up with my brother Charlie and his family. He emigrated back in 1973 and is so settled in New Zealand. He has been home, the lasr time in 2008, but I haven't been out there since 1980 and Phil had a two day stopover in 1998. So it will all be new to us.
Ok enough yakking back to the packing (wow that rhymes)