Goldirocks and the Three Wild Pigs – it’s Out!!

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It’s official! It’s out! And it’s available online!!!

A few months ago we helped a Kiwi friend of ours record a CD of  New Zealand Music for Kids that she had written. We all had heaps of fun creating it. Picture four Kiwi adults and a cello in a hatchback car, buzzing around Auckland (New Zealand), getting lost while trying to find the recording studio, then playing the ukulele really really fast and talking and snorting like wild pigs. We had a blast, and much to our delight it’s now available to the general public. Check it out – there are all sorts of music styles on it, and it’s the kind of music that adults can actually enjoy when the kids keep thrashing it.

We featured in ‘Goldirocks and the Three Wild Pigs’, a Bluesy modern version of the old story that explains why crime doesn’t pay, plus I played ukulele here and there and also did some background vocals, on a few of the other songs. That’s us on the cover. We’re rather pleased with our hairstyles…

Big congratulations to Jodi, the album’s author. From conception, this album has been fifteen years in the making. You done good girl!!

Check it out HERE

That’s us – Mama and Papa Pig!

That’s us – Mama and Papa Pig!

Camera Rambles: Buffalo Sludge-Boulder Portraits (and a Cow)

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I’ve always loved the look of buffalo – magnificent beasties. I finally got my chance to get some decent photos of them at Elephant Nature Park this year. Most of them were taken on zoom, so no sludge-boulders were disturbed during this filming. They did take a good look at me for a little while, then went back to the business of applying their mud packs.

Buffalo1 72

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A Random Piece of Kiwiana

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There are many characters to be found in New Zealand. Here’s a fantastic short film on one of them –

Lost and Found

LostAndFound

 

Another Very Inspiring Being on this Earth…

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Have a look at this video of another dog that just wouldn’t give up!

Here’s the link

I'm the King of the Castle and I don't care WHAT the other dogs say!

I’m the King of the Castle and I don’t care WHAT the other dogs say!

Camera Rambles: Hunting Dog – Elephant Nature Park

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Just a series of photos I took of one of the Park dogs hunting goodness-knows-what in the grass while we worked nearby. The ‘Platform Dogs’ – ones that roam freely around the Park – often follow the volunteer groups around and lie down or play nearby. It was such a nice setting on this morning – early morning sun, green grass, dragonflies flitting by – that I had to capture this little moment in Paradise on camera.

DogHuntSeries1

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How to Mend an Elephant – an Excellent Read

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A fantastic write-up, with photos, about Elephant Nature Park and one person’s experience there.

How to Mend and Elephant

Scorpions – We Luvs Them!!

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Today we went to the Siam Insect Zoo to play with scorpions and peruse terantulas. Lovely beasties!

Tomorrow we’re popping over to Myanmar (Burma) for a few minutes (as you do) to do a visa run. We need to extend our visas for Thailand and have decided not to go to Cambodia, which would been the alternative method, so we will do a mad dash up to the Golden Triangle instead. We will technically step over into Myanmar, wander about for 30 minutes and reenter Thailand with a 15 day extension stamped in our passports. What can go wrong, right?

So durned cute and cuddly.

So durned cute and cuddly.

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Sleeeeeeeep…

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If I keep really still that mosquito might think I'm just a sticker on the roof. Yes, I think it is working... Dammit, I've got an itch!

If I keep really still that mosquito might think I’m just a sticker on the roof. Yes, I think it is working… Dammit, I’ve got an itch!

Yesterday, after two full on weeks at Elephant Nature Park, we arrived back in Chiang Mai and limped up the stairs of our guesthouse to our new temporary home. Today was spent inspecting the insides of our eyelids and supping on mango shakes. The tattered remains of our feet are very grateful and gradually returning to bearable state. I don’t expect that tearing off to the Sunday Walking Market last night helped them very much, nor the bar-hopping we did afterwards  with a couple of miscreants we’d met at the park. Tonight, after having dinner at the Night Bazaar, we are cruising on our balcony watching a family of geckos doing their thing on the ceiling above us. I’m hoping that in the next day or so I can remove the plasters from my blisters and walk normally again. Ah, the little things in life…

 

Thailand and Cambodia 2013. Or, Travel Anxiety – Am I Normal?!

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One more sleep then we’re off to Thailand. I’ve found I’ve been somewhat anxious over the last week or two. This is what I’ve been doing:

  • Packed my suitcase, repacked it 15 times minimum – and that was only in my sleep.
  • Checked my passport and ticket. Checked again in case they have disappeared since last time I looked.
  • Checked that Malaysian Airlines still exists and hasn’t gone bust and sold off all their airplanes while I wasn’t looking.
  • Checked that I have the day right for our flights and don’t turn up at the airport to hear ‘I’m sorry Madam, your plane left yesterday’.
  • Sent copies of my itinerary, travel insurance, passport and other documents to multiple members of my family in case of attacks by rampant snakes or being sat upon by a absent-minded pachyderm.

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A New Baby at Elephant Nature Park – The Aunties are in Fits!

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A new baby was born at the park yesterday. Have a look at this video and check out the excitement of the aunties. This is the third baby born here in the last few months – they’re absolutely beside themselves!!

Video of the new baby

Try having one of these very close to your own...

Try having one of these very close to your own…