This week saw the successful conclusion to our much anticipated, much planned and worked for trip to Bathurst.
Simply we had a ball. It was an amazing experience and well worth the effort that everyone has put in to making it happen.
With our sponsors and supporters help we were able to deliver to two families the rev head trip of a lifetime and one which they will be sure to remember for many years to come.
Day one began with a very early start at Christchurch International Airport where Sabrina's Mum Sally produced a batch of banana & chocolate muffins. A delicious distraction as we made our way to the front of the queue to check in.
Bags checked, goodbyes said, cards filled out - we boarded our flight with much excitement. The kids enjoyed the various games and music available during the flight on the cool in flight entertainment system. Before we knew it we were going through customs and out the other side to collect our rental car at Sydney.
We found the car quickly and loaded her up with much luggage, left the airport and headed for Bathurst. Trip was actually pleasant, although trying to read a map and drive was a challenge! A few minor stuff ups which were easily corrected and all in all I was impressed how hassle free the drive was considering I have never driven in Australia before and basically had no idea where I was going!
Got to Bathurst on time and quickly found the local information centre so I could identify where the house was. Easy. On to the supermarket to gather supplies and on to the house. It was fantastic. Lovely house, great facilities - the kids had a swim in the pool! I began to cook dinner, homemade pizza, a batch of chocolate fudge and did a load of washing for the troops before putting together the scooters. Leftover pizza packed up with fruit and other snacks for the track Friday.
We let the kids have a BIG sleep in after what was a decent hike the day before, then got ready and headed out, the track was calling.
Picked up our tickets that were waiting for us and proceeded to enter the zone!
Amazing. It is huge! Exciting, electric and amping with good times is what welcomed and beckoned our senses. The kids and I putted around on the cool scooters we had brought all the way from NZ complete with personalised plates and chopper flags. I took a wee portable stereo and zip tied it to the front of my scooter so that we could cruise around listening to music. We all felt pretty cool.
The fans loved our efforts with the scooters many smiles and comments came our way. They looked just the part with our tees, coincidentally our website stats for Australia are well up!
We had all worked up an appetite and tucked into the leftover pizza and the choc fudge with gusto. Having satisfied our tummies we enjoyed watching the shoot out and the kids and I did some exploring catching up with a few people and sussing out the scene.
There were heaps of things to see and do, displays with sound systems, cars and interesting facts and figures. There was a strong Police presence which I thought was great - made you feel very safe. The merchandise tents and stalls were doing a roaring trade as per with everyone kitting themselves out in the latest Holden or Ford gear to support their favourite teams.
After we had a good look around it was on track entertainment and time to head home again. This time I cooked Sweet and Sour chicken with heaps of vegetables and rice and did another couple of loads of washing so the troops always had plenty of clean clothing for the next day.
Paula, Rob and I stayed up talking for a bit, getting to know each other better and sharing stories about the kids. Was great.
The next morning we were out of the house by 7:30am and at the track buying bus tickets to go up the Mountain at 8:00am. I'd got up early and cooked the troops a hearty breakfast of bacon & eggs on toast in preparation for a big day at the track. We loaded into the bus, and chugged up the hill taking in the sights and appreciating the view, and the fact it is so steep! It really is a hike.
Life up the mountain is awesome. We were treated to some extraordinary entertainment and what looked to be a fair degree of competition at who had the coolest site. The effort that goes into some of these camp sites is well worth a trip up the hill to see. Just awesome. It was a seriously non PC affair! We all had a great time watching the racing and soaking up the atmosphere up here. Was quite cold however, and when we returned down to the main paddock around lunchtime, it seemed very warm down there!
We tucked into the big sammies I'd made the night before, some more fudge and yummy fruit, re-hydrated and headed into the pit area for our big meeting with Stone Brothers Racing (SBR). We were greeted by John McIntyre himself who you may remember was an integral part in helping us get to Bathurst by putting on our hot laps fundraiser along with the Taupo Motorsport Park and Taupo District Council.
The SBR experience was excellent. They allowed us to use their food hall when we needed to retreat from the rain with the kids, and we were welcomed into their pits for most of the rest of the afternoon. We learnt all about the hydraulic jack system, the data and checked out the massive brake pads and discs on these cars. The brake pads are HUGE!!! But its easy to understand why. The kids had photos with Johnny and were lucky enough to sit in his car with the belts all done up. They were in rev head heaven. The kids tees were signed and I did a de-brief interview with the kids on my video, both claiming Johnny was "cool". SBR were great to us and we would be keen to proudly have them as our Ford team for future V8 Supercar events.
Shortly before we left we were jumping out of our seats to rush out and see what was making the massive noise - a huge jet 'buzzed' the track and man alive it was awesome. Looked like an F16 or something similar - I'm not an aero expert so don't quote me. Put it this way, it was BIG, LOUD and FAST. I decided I had better try to have a fly in something like this one day. It's on THE list. Good times.
We headed home again and decided on an early night to get to the track early the next day. On race day we arrived at 7:30am and the difference in where we had to park was huge. The crowds were massive and it had exploded into full on Bathurst action, everyone eagerly anticipating what the result of today would mean for their colour.
Our appointment with Sprint Gas Racing was at 8:00am Sunday. We were outside the pit garage at 7:45, charging. We were lucky enough to be able to stay in here until just before race start. The kids adored meeting Murph, getting his autograph as well as Skaife and Bargs. The kids were in heaven! As always Murph was great with the kids, both parents exclaimed how relaxed he was with them. We got some great footage and photos and really enjoyed ourselves.
As the race started it bucketed down with rain. Come in our SBR ponchos! Thank goodness! We all agreed even though it was raining we wanted to be on the bank with the crowds. After all, rain, mud, jeans and tomato sauce are all part of being at a race track. The anticipation of the race start was intense. You could have heard a pin drop. And then a huge roar as everyone's favourite teams sped off into the first corner and nailed the first lap.
The rain persisted for a while, we all huddled under our ponchos and stayed warm and dry. It added to the essence of the trip and actually found it a bit of a dag.
The race went on and we saw many drama's unfold in front of us as we were sitting on the bank opposite the pit garages. It was a great spot.
Towards the end the kids and I were on our feet jumping up and down screaming at the top of our lungs "GO MURPH" "GO JOHNNY go go go". Everyone around us thinking it odd we were all cheering for both a Holden and a Ford!!! The end was a massive build up, as with any race meet, anything and everything can happen. For a few laps Johnny was right in front of Murph and then Murph got past and it was the other way round. It was exciting for the kids to be cheering on drivers they had actually met, and struck up a rapport with. It's all the more exciting when you have a horse in the race!
Do I need to say that HOLDEN WON? Um, what was it again: Holden, Holden, Holden, Holden, then we gave ya one with a Ford, then Holden, Holden, Holden, Holden and surprise surprise, Holden. Ahhhh, good times.
Logan being a staunch Ford man found it within himself to shake my hand in congratulations and him and Sabrina quickly trying to gather historical victories for Ford. It was very funny. We had a lot of fun being such a mixed group of supporters, bound to be some friendly fire to keep things interesting.
We were proud of our boys, Murph and Johnny did great. We loved that there were so many Kiwi's we could be proud of.
Everyone raced on to the track and we packed up our things. We went and took some mandatory photos on the track and had fun watching all the fans do their thing too. We ran into Stig who looked to be a well organised chap, towing a supply cart done up like Brockie's #05 complete with essential supplies for the day.
After we exhausted our photo opportunities we headed home again, cooked up a storm and began to pack our things for the trek back to NZ. We had an awesome time and everyone was buzzing about what we had just been part of, what we had achieved. The kids were stoked.
We decided on a McDonalds breakfast on our way out of town, and I was able to check with Google Maps on where I was meant to go to find the Hotel back in Sydney. The car went well on gas that's for sure. But we had an issue with the alarm being a bit trigger happy because the remote key was having a bad hair week. We affectionately named her 'Christine' The Holden from Hell. But it was a bit of an exaggeration as she was pretty good really. Even obliged a small squeal.
Made our way to Sydney in good time, and abode relatively easy to find. Took one wrong turn which was easily corrected. We then caught a taxi into the heart of the place to take a look around. We visited the Opera House, went over the bridge, took heaps of photos of the simply beautiful old architecture and the troops did a spot of shopping. We caught a taxi back to the hotel and got ready for a meal at the restaurant to celebrate Rob's 50th birthday.
It was a great night with lots of laughs and Rob saying it was the best 50th birthday present he could have had which was just super.
In the morning I drove the troops to the airport and parked 'Christine' up where we had found her. We checked in, and the troops had a bite to eat. Before we knew it we were in Christchurch after another great flight.
Saying goodbye there were a few tears. We'd all found new friends and we will forever be bound by this incredible experience that we'd worked very hard for.
Personally, I would struggle to find a better group to spend a week away with. And when you are away with people you don't know, for a week in an unfamiliar territory it could have served as a challenge. It was anything but and we just clicked.
We had the time of our lives.
Thank you for your support, for your encouragement and for your shared vision to create such a meaningful experience for these two awesome kids and their parent each. This trip marks a significant achievement for a relatively unknown children's charity - especially given the economic climate we raised our funds in.
It really was the trip of a lifetime and I'm sure will remain a treasured and fond memory in the hearts and minds of Sabrina, Rob, Logan and Paula. I know it will mine.
Our many thanks goes out to:
* John McIntyre Racing
* The MAD Butcher
* Air New Zealand
* Timaru Motors
* Woodnorth Joyce Ltd
Taupo Motorsport Park, Taupo District Council, Orange Dog, Dabhand Webdesign, Embroidery Works, Sudima Hotel Christchurch, Sudima Hotel Rotorua, Cheryl Freeman, PC Electrics and all individuals and businesses who made donations towards our trip.
It has been an honour to make this dream trip a reality.
My very best wishes,
Leah xo
Simply we had a ball. It was an amazing experience and well worth the effort that everyone has put in to making it happen.
With our sponsors and supporters help we were able to deliver to two families the rev head trip of a lifetime and one which they will be sure to remember for many years to come.
Day one began with a very early start at Christchurch International Airport where Sabrina's Mum Sally produced a batch of banana & chocolate muffins. A delicious distraction as we made our way to the front of the queue to check in.
Bags checked, goodbyes said, cards filled out - we boarded our flight with much excitement. The kids enjoyed the various games and music available during the flight on the cool in flight entertainment system. Before we knew it we were going through customs and out the other side to collect our rental car at Sydney.
We found the car quickly and loaded her up with much luggage, left the airport and headed for Bathurst. Trip was actually pleasant, although trying to read a map and drive was a challenge! A few minor stuff ups which were easily corrected and all in all I was impressed how hassle free the drive was considering I have never driven in Australia before and basically had no idea where I was going!
Got to Bathurst on time and quickly found the local information centre so I could identify where the house was. Easy. On to the supermarket to gather supplies and on to the house. It was fantastic. Lovely house, great facilities - the kids had a swim in the pool! I began to cook dinner, homemade pizza, a batch of chocolate fudge and did a load of washing for the troops before putting together the scooters. Leftover pizza packed up with fruit and other snacks for the track Friday.
We let the kids have a BIG sleep in after what was a decent hike the day before, then got ready and headed out, the track was calling.
Picked up our tickets that were waiting for us and proceeded to enter the zone!
Amazing. It is huge! Exciting, electric and amping with good times is what welcomed and beckoned our senses. The kids and I putted around on the cool scooters we had brought all the way from NZ complete with personalised plates and chopper flags. I took a wee portable stereo and zip tied it to the front of my scooter so that we could cruise around listening to music. We all felt pretty cool.
The fans loved our efforts with the scooters many smiles and comments came our way. They looked just the part with our tees, coincidentally our website stats for Australia are well up!
We had all worked up an appetite and tucked into the leftover pizza and the choc fudge with gusto. Having satisfied our tummies we enjoyed watching the shoot out and the kids and I did some exploring catching up with a few people and sussing out the scene.
There were heaps of things to see and do, displays with sound systems, cars and interesting facts and figures. There was a strong Police presence which I thought was great - made you feel very safe. The merchandise tents and stalls were doing a roaring trade as per with everyone kitting themselves out in the latest Holden or Ford gear to support their favourite teams.
After we had a good look around it was on track entertainment and time to head home again. This time I cooked Sweet and Sour chicken with heaps of vegetables and rice and did another couple of loads of washing so the troops always had plenty of clean clothing for the next day.
Paula, Rob and I stayed up talking for a bit, getting to know each other better and sharing stories about the kids. Was great.
The next morning we were out of the house by 7:30am and at the track buying bus tickets to go up the Mountain at 8:00am. I'd got up early and cooked the troops a hearty breakfast of bacon & eggs on toast in preparation for a big day at the track. We loaded into the bus, and chugged up the hill taking in the sights and appreciating the view, and the fact it is so steep! It really is a hike.
Life up the mountain is awesome. We were treated to some extraordinary entertainment and what looked to be a fair degree of competition at who had the coolest site. The effort that goes into some of these camp sites is well worth a trip up the hill to see. Just awesome. It was a seriously non PC affair! We all had a great time watching the racing and soaking up the atmosphere up here. Was quite cold however, and when we returned down to the main paddock around lunchtime, it seemed very warm down there!
We tucked into the big sammies I'd made the night before, some more fudge and yummy fruit, re-hydrated and headed into the pit area for our big meeting with Stone Brothers Racing (SBR). We were greeted by John McIntyre himself who you may remember was an integral part in helping us get to Bathurst by putting on our hot laps fundraiser along with the Taupo Motorsport Park and Taupo District Council.
The SBR experience was excellent. They allowed us to use their food hall when we needed to retreat from the rain with the kids, and we were welcomed into their pits for most of the rest of the afternoon. We learnt all about the hydraulic jack system, the data and checked out the massive brake pads and discs on these cars. The brake pads are HUGE!!! But its easy to understand why. The kids had photos with Johnny and were lucky enough to sit in his car with the belts all done up. They were in rev head heaven. The kids tees were signed and I did a de-brief interview with the kids on my video, both claiming Johnny was "cool". SBR were great to us and we would be keen to proudly have them as our Ford team for future V8 Supercar events.
Shortly before we left we were jumping out of our seats to rush out and see what was making the massive noise - a huge jet 'buzzed' the track and man alive it was awesome. Looked like an F16 or something similar - I'm not an aero expert so don't quote me. Put it this way, it was BIG, LOUD and FAST. I decided I had better try to have a fly in something like this one day. It's on THE list. Good times.
We headed home again and decided on an early night to get to the track early the next day. On race day we arrived at 7:30am and the difference in where we had to park was huge. The crowds were massive and it had exploded into full on Bathurst action, everyone eagerly anticipating what the result of today would mean for their colour.
Our appointment with Sprint Gas Racing was at 8:00am Sunday. We were outside the pit garage at 7:45, charging. We were lucky enough to be able to stay in here until just before race start. The kids adored meeting Murph, getting his autograph as well as Skaife and Bargs. The kids were in heaven! As always Murph was great with the kids, both parents exclaimed how relaxed he was with them. We got some great footage and photos and really enjoyed ourselves.
As the race started it bucketed down with rain. Come in our SBR ponchos! Thank goodness! We all agreed even though it was raining we wanted to be on the bank with the crowds. After all, rain, mud, jeans and tomato sauce are all part of being at a race track. The anticipation of the race start was intense. You could have heard a pin drop. And then a huge roar as everyone's favourite teams sped off into the first corner and nailed the first lap.
The rain persisted for a while, we all huddled under our ponchos and stayed warm and dry. It added to the essence of the trip and actually found it a bit of a dag.
The race went on and we saw many drama's unfold in front of us as we were sitting on the bank opposite the pit garages. It was a great spot.
Towards the end the kids and I were on our feet jumping up and down screaming at the top of our lungs "GO MURPH" "GO JOHNNY go go go". Everyone around us thinking it odd we were all cheering for both a Holden and a Ford!!! The end was a massive build up, as with any race meet, anything and everything can happen. For a few laps Johnny was right in front of Murph and then Murph got past and it was the other way round. It was exciting for the kids to be cheering on drivers they had actually met, and struck up a rapport with. It's all the more exciting when you have a horse in the race!
Do I need to say that HOLDEN WON? Um, what was it again: Holden, Holden, Holden, Holden, then we gave ya one with a Ford, then Holden, Holden, Holden, Holden and surprise surprise, Holden. Ahhhh, good times.
Logan being a staunch Ford man found it within himself to shake my hand in congratulations and him and Sabrina quickly trying to gather historical victories for Ford. It was very funny. We had a lot of fun being such a mixed group of supporters, bound to be some friendly fire to keep things interesting.
We were proud of our boys, Murph and Johnny did great. We loved that there were so many Kiwi's we could be proud of.
Everyone raced on to the track and we packed up our things. We went and took some mandatory photos on the track and had fun watching all the fans do their thing too. We ran into Stig who looked to be a well organised chap, towing a supply cart done up like Brockie's #05 complete with essential supplies for the day.
After we exhausted our photo opportunities we headed home again, cooked up a storm and began to pack our things for the trek back to NZ. We had an awesome time and everyone was buzzing about what we had just been part of, what we had achieved. The kids were stoked.
We decided on a McDonalds breakfast on our way out of town, and I was able to check with Google Maps on where I was meant to go to find the Hotel back in Sydney. The car went well on gas that's for sure. But we had an issue with the alarm being a bit trigger happy because the remote key was having a bad hair week. We affectionately named her 'Christine' The Holden from Hell. But it was a bit of an exaggeration as she was pretty good really. Even obliged a small squeal.
Made our way to Sydney in good time, and abode relatively easy to find. Took one wrong turn which was easily corrected. We then caught a taxi into the heart of the place to take a look around. We visited the Opera House, went over the bridge, took heaps of photos of the simply beautiful old architecture and the troops did a spot of shopping. We caught a taxi back to the hotel and got ready for a meal at the restaurant to celebrate Rob's 50th birthday.
It was a great night with lots of laughs and Rob saying it was the best 50th birthday present he could have had which was just super.
In the morning I drove the troops to the airport and parked 'Christine' up where we had found her. We checked in, and the troops had a bite to eat. Before we knew it we were in Christchurch after another great flight.
Saying goodbye there were a few tears. We'd all found new friends and we will forever be bound by this incredible experience that we'd worked very hard for.
Personally, I would struggle to find a better group to spend a week away with. And when you are away with people you don't know, for a week in an unfamiliar territory it could have served as a challenge. It was anything but and we just clicked.
We had the time of our lives.
Thank you for your support, for your encouragement and for your shared vision to create such a meaningful experience for these two awesome kids and their parent each. This trip marks a significant achievement for a relatively unknown children's charity - especially given the economic climate we raised our funds in.
It really was the trip of a lifetime and I'm sure will remain a treasured and fond memory in the hearts and minds of Sabrina, Rob, Logan and Paula. I know it will mine.
Our many thanks goes out to:
* John McIntyre Racing
* The MAD Butcher
* Air New Zealand
* Timaru Motors
* Woodnorth Joyce Ltd
Taupo Motorsport Park, Taupo District Council, Orange Dog, Dabhand Webdesign, Embroidery Works, Sudima Hotel Christchurch, Sudima Hotel Rotorua, Cheryl Freeman, PC Electrics and all individuals and businesses who made donations towards our trip.
It has been an honour to make this dream trip a reality.
My very best wishes,
Leah xo
