Karel: Jelly Bean Breath

On our last evening with the Sawyers we embarked on a Jelly Bean tasting with hilarious results. With two flavours per colour it was russian roulette as to whether you ended up with Licorice or Skunk, Honey or Rotten Egg, Chocolate Mudcake or Dog Food, Lemon-Lime or Barf... etc. Thanks Michael and Robbie for being such good sports!!

MaryAnn: Pure Bliss

At Water World I did do some of the rides - this ride was called 'Pure Bliss' - sunblock use advised (water wings unnecessary!)

Thank you Jim and Linda, Michael and Robbie for a dream holiday complete with full catering, fantastic accommodation, human GPS, superior entertainment for children, and fantastic friendship. Hope you are recovering form the van Helden onslaught, snuggled up in your Morrocan bed-spread.

Sacha: My Birthday

Even though it wasn't my actual birthday I had a cake in Denver. My real birthday is going to be in Disneyland. We also had massive strawberries for breakfast the next day.

When we were in Water World I went down the fastest slide before the man said go. It was a bit scary.

Sol: Water Everywhere

This is me and Arlo at Water World. It was awesome. I went on heaps of fast rides.

At the people we stayed with they have two dogs. This is me with Andy. We also played crazy soccer with Michael and Robbie. If we did a cool move we had to pull our shorts up really high.

 

Arlo: football & water world

I'm just going to put some images then write some thing about them. We went to Denver Zoo and met some bears.

New Zealand played Mexico in Denver and we were there to see it. The All Whites  got smashed but it was a cool experience.

We went to water World, the largest water park in the States. I did every hard core ride including the Death Drop - sore bum!

Karel: Even in Denver Football is King

Last night we all went out to support the All Whites as they took on Mexico in a friendly at Invesco Field Denver (home to Denver's professional football (ie. Gridiron) team). It was a raucous cultural experience as the handful of Kiwis were drowned out by 45,000 yahooing Mexican supporters.

Earlier in the day we made a trip to Denver's world famous Zoo which was excellent - highlights being the Gorillas, Grizzlies and the Polar Bears.


Loving hanging with the Sawyers and great to share in Michael's 17th Birthday - mexican buffet followed by the best chocolate cake ever.



Sacha: Polar Bears

Today we went to Denver Zoo. We saw Polar Bears and they went under the water because people threw fish to them.

Also I went to the snow and it was very cold and my fingers freezed up - lucky I had Michael looking after me. Me and Mum made a bow and arrow when we were up in the Rocky Mountains. But, I feel sad because I lost it.

At our house they have two dogs - a small one called Freya and a big one called Andy.

Sol: Basketball and Dinosaurs

I am in Denver at Robbie and Michael's house. They have a hoop and I have been playing lots of basketball. I can shoot from a long way out and can sometimes do a lay-up.

Yesterday we went to the Science Museum and they had a cool Pirates exhibition and I saw an IMAX movie about baby OrangUtans and Elephants in 3D - it was awesome (that's me with my IMAX goggles on). Also there were massive dinosaur skeletons.

Arlo: Denver & Rocky Mountain National Park

Denver: America is officially awesome. We havent actually done anything yet in Denver but I still think it's the best place we have been for the whole trip (partly because everyone speaks English). We are staying with friends of ours, the Sawyers, who have awesome sons who like football and rugby. After a day resting we headed up to the Rockie Mountains where there was snow the height of a house piled on the sides of the roads. We also went to a mexican food place where every thing was drenched in tobasco sauce - hot !!! That's me and Robby demolishing some hot wings.

Rocky Mountain National Park: We went to the rockie mountains it was great. You see that thing behind Sacha that is an elk and they can grow up to 9 to 10 feet which is bigger than a horse wow!!!

This is me and robby firing some arrows at the archery activity at the ymca at the rockies which is where we stayed.

Below is a picture showing the result of the arts and crafts activity that me and Michael did together. We made an awesome necklace each.

On our way back to Denver we went up the Rocky Mountains to have a taste of the Colorado snow experience (for me literally). 

This is what the Americans call a 'face wash' - well I guess I shouldn't have taken on the whole Sawyer family in a snow fight).

ps. I'm going to get a stack of lollies before I go, so whats your favourite lolly?

Karel: Paris je t'aime

Another cool couple of days in Paris. First evening we strolled through the grounds of the Louvre soaking up a gorgeous Parisian spring evening. Lay down by the fountain next to the Pyramide and watched the vapor trails across the sky. Nice to stop and reflect on our adventure so far. So proud of the kids and their ability to go with all the change, different beds, languages, foods, people - just brilliant. Followed up with a play in the Tuilleries before Metroing it home to our hostel near the Place de Republique.

We explored the Jardin Des Plantes on the Tuesday only to find that most of the museums are closed on Tuesdays - a shame as we were all prepped to check out the museum of comparative anatomy (my bro really recommended this). So we wandered around the small Zoo in the gardens before enjoying lunch in a little cafe and a lovely time in Mont Martre at the Sacre Couer.

We are now in the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado with our friends Jim and Linda Sawyer and their boys Robbie and Michael. Spectacular scenery and heaps of activities for the kids in the YMCA park that we are staying in. Woke up to giant Elk on our front lawn this morning - no bears yet!