On Holiday in Rotorua

I have been on holiday. Well it really was a dual purpose holiday but a holiday none the less. We went to the sulphur smelling tourist destination of Rotorua, New Zealand. We spent the first 3 days watch DD play hockey in an inter provincial competition and the last few days playing the tourist and catching up with friends.

Hayden was in Respite Care for a week so that the whole family could go and participate in life as ordinary families do. I get a chance to sleep in and sleep through the night and the children get to things without having the restraints that Hayden brings upon us. I know this might sound harsh to some but that is just how it is with Hayden in our life. I work really hard to protect and unite the rest of us as it would be very easy for Hayden to unwittingly pull us apart.

Anyway the first three days were full of hockey. We were very proud of DD and her efforts playing hockey. She is only 8 and is playing up against girls more likely to be 10 or 11 years old. Size is a serious issue for her as she is small for her age and young again many of the others but really persued excellence in her game. She has learnt just so much about the game of hockey this year and is passionate about it too. So here she is in action.

Sweeping the ball to another team member


In action with the opposition


It was the first time our children had been to Rotorua. It is a very touristy place. People go there to experience traditional Maori culture and the geothermal activity that takes place. Then there is the adventure tourism. All just so much fun. It is very iconic New Zealand really. So here are some photos just to show a little of what we did.

Rock climbing



A lovely afternoon luging. Adventure tourism for children and adults alike. The photo is not a good one but you can get the idea. Put one or two on a toboggan like machine and use gravity to go down hill as fast as you can.


Then a morning looking at the geothermal activity. As you can see from the photo the children as exaggerating the smell and behind them is the steam being produced from the boiling mud.






Naturally it was raining while we did the walking around the geothermal events.

Later that day we went swimming in a nature warm mineral pool. It was found out in the forest and free. Two and a half hours later we emerged from the water. What a fun day. I will put some photos up about this soon.

Well that's it. Our trip in summary.

Homemade Fish and Chips

Last week one of my readers asked how the homemade fish and chips went so I thought for a change I would put a recipe up.

A little while ago my husband was up in Rarotonga with work and bought us home some fish. For some reason I could not cook it up that night and reduced the fish to being frozen. Now I am not a fish connoisseur by any means but what I do know is that fish is best eaten fresh. By the time the fish got back to New Zealand it was not more than 5 hours out of the water. Lucky us.

Finally after a number of weeks I get round to looking into what to now do to the fish especially since it has been in the freezer and came a cross a nice simple kiddy friendly recipe that not only would they eat but could make with a little help from adults.

So here is the recipe.

Fish Fingers

4 fillets fleshy white fish
1/2 cup flour
1 cup dried breadcrumbs
salt and pepper
1 egg
1 Tbl low fat milk
1 1/2 tablespoons oil
4 lemon wedges to serve

Serves 4

1. cut your fish fillets into finger length strips.

2. Spread the flour and breadcrumbs out on two separate plates, and season the flour with salt and pepper.

3. Beak the egg into a bowl, add the milk and mix together using a fork or whisk.

4. Coat the fish fingers with flour, then dip them into the egg mixture. Then coat them well on both sides with the breadcrumbs.

5. Heat the oil ina fry pan over a medium heat and add the fish firngers. Fry for 3-4 munutes on each side un til browned on the outside but cooked in the middle. The fish fingers are cooked when the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork and the flesh has turned white.


As for the chips.

You will need

two large potatoes
spray oil
flavour of your choice.

Cut the potatoes into even bite sized pieces. Lay them flat on a baking tray that is lined with baking paper. Spray lightly with oil and sprinkle with your flavour.

Bake in an 200 degree C oven for 20 minutes.

My children just loved the result and can't wait for Dad to go to Rarotonga again. If I says so myself the fish was just perfectly light and flaky.