gollygoshgumgoonz: Norwich

We left Lincolnshire and drove to Norwich to finally meet my other cousin, Sally's brother Nick. Nick and his wife Ger had been to New Zealand a couple of times and we had been to London for an extended family gathering but, like ships who pass in the night, we missed each other each time so it was exciting to finally meet them.
We had been told what a wonderful couple they were and we totally agree. We loved them! Nick is a very experienced and passionate arboriculturalist and he and Ger run their own consultancy.
It was fascinating to learn from them both all about the amazing world of trees. They do a lot of assessments of trees around Norwich to advise on their best care and maintenance, and are responsible for many of the amazing trees in the city. In fact our first impression of Norwich was what a lovely green city it is.
Ger runs her own reflexology practice from her home and uses natural scents and products which meant that everywhere you turned, the home smelt divine. I was so taken with these (no 'instant' migraines I often get with perfumes and other scents) that I am now a big fan of Neals Yard, one of Ger's main suppliers.
In addition to these two occupations, Ger has been studying photography and showed us her impressive and inspiring portfolio, and Nick is a talented musician with a beautiful collection of Mandolins. He also studies Iaido. Oh and draws! Too much! 😀 We were also inspired and loved their fabulous and delicious organic cooking.
Needless to say, we had a fantastic time. On Saturday they invited their lovely friends Jason and Ellen to dinner so Barry could meet a fellow architectural technologist, and learn about the market and systems in the UK. One of Barry's paths to becoming a registered architect in NZ is to become a registered Architectural Technologist in London.
So, on with the photos. We will be back again soon Nick and Ger!