Devastation in NZ

This week we were witness (be it only through the media) to the worst natural disaster to hit New Zealand. The second earthquake to hit the city of Christchurch occurred at 12:51pm on Tuesday the 22nd of February. The first one that occurred in September 2010 was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake that was 15m deep, hit at 4am that morning. Buildings were shaken, roads were cracked and big craters formed in the middle of the roads and houses. It took the city 5 months to begin rebuilding and just when they thought they were on their way to making it, this 6.4 (or so) magnitude, 5m deep earthquake shook and crumbled what was left of the city to smitherines. To date more than 100 people have lost their lives, when last I heard it was 103 but that was only the identified bodies, they have more bodies that just have not been unidentified yet so they are not counting them. And there are more than 200 people missing. Iconic buildings like Christchurch cathedral, the Pyne Gould building and the CTV building have been destroyed. The Grand Chancellor Hotel has now been deemed dangerous and will be demolished.







It's been quite hard for me to swallow, as I am not used to such massive natural disasters. I know this isn't the norm for Kiwi's as well, but they're used to expecting these kinds of things. A lady I was on course with (Side note: I was on a 3 day course when this happened) was very nonchalantly explaining the difference between a "Rolling" earthquake & a "Shaking" Earthquake. To which myself and another young South African lady sat with eyes wide open and mouths agape! So this has really peeked my interest and I have been trying to follow every step of what's happening. Cameron has been telling me to stop watching cos I get to wrapped up in it and get really emotional watching the events unfold or reading the updates online or in the paper. The saddest part of all was hearing about the little babies that have been affected, the youngest (so far) victim was a little 5 month old boy who was born 2 weeks after the first earthquake in September and who died as a result of this one. They haven't given details of how he died, thankfully but Friday's paper had him as the cover story. Seeing that little baby, oh my word... it was excruciating. Then I hear there's been a 7 month old who also died, a tv fell on him during the earthquake and his mom couldn't get to him in time. And there's a 2 week old in the hospital with a broken leg. It's a horror story down there.







The whole of New Zealand has arms outstreched and will be digging deep to rebuild Christchurch and the people and families affected. I thank God that we have not been affected, but we know people that have lost friends, have had properties destroyed and businesses lost. My prayers are filled with "Lord bless Christchurch, keep them safe & sane and let your peace rule their hearts. And by Your grace may the people of Christchurch come to know that You are the God who saves, the God who heals, the God who restores and heals." I know that everyone who reads this will pray the same prayer and through all of us praying, I know God's hand is mighty to save.

The Pyne Gould and CTV buildings were the 2 worst hit, as many of the lives lost were in these buildings. Many tourists have also lost their lives as Christchurch cathedral and other tourist sites were affected.

Here are a few pictures (all courtesy of the NZ Herald, online) of what Christchurch used to look like and what it has become.










Lord Bless New Zealand.

"God of Nations at thy feet, in the bonds of love we meet, hear our voices we entreat, God defend our free land. Guard Pacific's triple star, from the shafts of strife & war. Make her praises heard from afar. God Defend New Zealand."

Valentines Day 2011

Another Valentines Day has come and gone, and still it's been so romantic and beautiful.

Because Valentine's Day fell on a Monday and with our hectic schedules we decided we would celebrate on Sunday, 13th. So after church we just hung around at home and then went for dinner at Mikano's restuarant in Mechanics Bay, Auckland. It was a lovely romantic setting, with the Waitemata Harbour in the background. And as it was a beautiful hot, clear day we really enjoyed the scenery.

Won't go into much details but here's a few pics:






Thinking my Valentine's celebrations were over, my darling husband surprised me with the most beautiful flowers delivered to my office. I will add, I was the envy of al the women at work, and I think I was the only one who got flowers on Monday! It was so beautiful, including my favourite flowers, lillies.




Happy Valentines to all the lovers out there...

Final Goodbyes

This has been the hardest goodbye ever for me. When I firt left it was hard, really hard but in my mind I thought, I'll see everyone again, just be strong. This time I couldn't! The last time I left everyone was there to say goodbye to me, and I had no idea that would be the last time I would ever see my brother Kale, ever again. So this time, I didn't want to leave without telling everyone how I felt, without holding onto them and capturing every moment.

We got to Durban International Airport, or rather King Shaka International Airport, now at it's new location. And my 2 little helpers were so cute!




It was so hard saying goodbye, I cried my heart out and just took forever hugging everyone. With Cameron just wanting to get out of there. He is not good with goodbyes so he likes it to be brief, I on the other hand just didn't want to say goodbye! Thankfully we weren't too late, we were the last people to get on the plane but we got on nevertheless. I don't know if it's a sign or anything, but as soon as we got on the plane and started to taxi, it literally started pouring with rain and storming, with lightning & thunder. The sky got black and it just poured down! It was as if what was in our hearts came through on the earth. For a moment I thought our flight would be cancelled, but we waited about 10 minutes then finally took off. It was so hard leaving Durban and the hardest part was that it wasn't actually over. We still had to see Wayne & Tish is Jo'burg which started the flooding of tears all over again. They must have thought I was so rude, but I just had no conversation. I just hung onto Cameron for dear life. I kept thinking f my mu, my brother and my nieces & nephew, of my in-laws and all our friends. And all I wanted to do was cry! But I put on a brave face and we finally went through Immigration and to International departures and found our gate.
Cameron found the Soccer World cup mascot, Zakumi and because we missed the World Cup in South Africa, he had to take a picture!


We flew from Jo'burg to Perth, Australia (6 hour flight) and when we got to Perth we had a few hours to waste. Perth International isn't a very big airport, so we didn't do much "window shopping" so just had some lunch and wasted some time and then got onto another 6 hour flight to Auckland.
We wasted time by logging onto Facebook and doing some blogging.


We eventually we got to Auckland and our friend Lenny & his dad picked us up!

It felt so weird being back. We just couldn't get over the fact that our holiday was over. Anyway, after 4 weeks of holiday it's time to get back to life as we know it!

Our trip home Part 3 - Saying goodbye

It's finally our last week in South Africa. It is so hard, even as I write this I have the biggest lump in my throat. I don't want to think about us leaving or anything like that, all I want to do is be positive and be strong.

In the past 3 weeks, we've seen our friends, caught up with family and done things we used to do when we were in SA. We went to Gateway and shopped and walked around aimlessly. We don't have such big shopping malls in NZ, and although we still do our shopping sprees like we used to, we really miss Gateway. Everyone used to laugh at us and want to know how we ever spend hours and hours in Gateway. But we love it! Anyway, we really enjoyed our time in SA. Besides the shopping, we hung out with our friends and got to see people we've missed so dearly over the past few years.We didn't get to spend any time on the beach, much to my dismay because it rained everyday, and when it didn't rain it was so extremely hot. In the 4 days that the sun did shine, it was so extreme that there was no way you could be anywhere else besides an airconditioned mall! People who dared go to the beaches ended up with sun stroke, or burned their feet (Literally) because the sand was so very hot! No jokes!

But with this being our last week, Cameron's parents really wanted to give us a farewell party. So we got everyone together again and had a do at home.












We've finally said goodbye to all the boys, Cameron hardly slept last night but I guess he really didn't want the time to come to an end. Neither did I. The time has come for us to get ready and board the plane and fly back to NZ. I love South Africa, this is our home, always & forever.

Our trip home Part 2

For the most part we've mainly spent time at home with family & Friends and our focus was mainly to catch up with everyone and see how life's been wit people over the past 2 & a half years. Because there is just so many people we needed to see (and to those we didn't get to see, we're so sorry - Our hearts were in the right place we just ran out of time) we just got everyone together at home and just relaxed and made the best of it!

Here's just a few pics with everyone at home:
Danita, Kaylene, Jerusha & Jerushan (Always in front of the tv)

Brandon & Shannon

My mum & Aunty Maliga (Cam's aunt)

Me & Darryl

Mum & Angie

Kumaran & Cameron

Kumaran & I

Cameron & Kumaran have been friends for so long, and while we've been away Kumaran moved to Cape Town. So we were hopeful that we would see them but honestly we doubted it so much. But as usual this darling man took a flight to Durban to stay just for one night so he could see us! So we were ecstatic when he & his wife, Sandy walked through the door.
Just hanging out







This is a pic of my mom & one of her dearest friends, aunty Isabelle. They met when my mom was pregnant with me and have been best friends ever since. We always joke around because everytime they think about how long they've been friends they just think, "Oh how old is Corrinne now?". I love aunty Isabelle and she is like a second mother to me, and I was so happy that she and her husband Uncle Eddie came down from Eshowe just to see Cameron & I. And the funniest part is that they know all Cameron's family because they all gre up together in Clairwood, so they really just gelled with the family.


We are so grateful for the friends and family we have. It's been so good being at home! We're really gonna hate it when the time comes for us to go back to NZ...