School holidays? They're a walk in the park!

Keeping kids entertained during school holidays, particularly with the excitement of Christmas looming, is always tricky.
Yesterday, I decided we'd check out another of Auckland's fabulous parks, and give the chance to burn off some of energy as well.
This time it was Western Park, in Ponsonby.
It's a gorgeous park, with loads of winding paths, trees straight out of fairytales, and soft green grass. There's also a fab (and slightly dangerous!) playground. NZ laws are obviously not as over-the-top as back home, and parks still have monkey bars, roundabouts, and some huge-arsed slippery slides as well. So kids still get to be kids, and parents get to worry and sooth the inevitably bumps and bruises later!

See why we needed to get out of the house? They're unstoppable!

C. and friend check out one of the slides

My own human monkey

The Pohutakawa or New Zealand Christmas tree. So-named, because it blossoms every Christmas. Settlers used to decorate their homes with it instead of holly. They are gorgeous and in some areas turn hills and mountains red! The flowers when they fall leave a carpet of red underneath.

A doggie dumpster. The council provides free litter bags, and a doggie bin to put the bags in later.