BossClark World!

September 2004 brought an unprecedented change in the BossClark household. With Ted graduated from college, Ashley off at Middlebury (for her second year), and the other siblings and hangers-on scattered around the country, Amy and Roger decided it was time for them. Time for them to take leave and "do something." With Roger on sabbatical from Rutgers, and Amy on leave from Temple, the two decided to return to the capital of Middle Earth, and Roger's (and Melissa's and Rupert's) alma mater: Victoria University.

So, leaving Bowser, Brenden and the house in the care of friends, Amy and Roger set off for the land of the Lord of the Rings. Greeting them upon arrival were Melissa, Grace and Rupert.

We started out putting on this page all of the highlights our trip: starting, of course, with Rupert and Grace. But the page has become way too crowded! So, we have had put much of the material elsewhere. Just keep on reading . . . and click away!

• Rupert. Rupert graduated from Victoria University of Wellington in May, and is now working at the Film Archives while at the same time he is trying to pursue film making.

• Grace. Mid-October brought another "graduation": Grace had her last class at CityKids, and she has since begun school at Marsden. The best part of being in New Zealand is, of course, getting time to spend with Gracie. Click here to see more Gracie pictures!

• Rugby. Until this year, the only live rugby games Amy ever watched were Ashley's girls' games! In Wellington, we've had the chance to see real pro rugby: the big game where Wellington beat Taranaki 73 to 28, and also when Wellington went down to defeat in the finals against Christchurch.

• Waitangi. Yes, there is a Waitangi. And in November, during Seymour and Carolyne's visit, a pilgrimage was made to that place we honor every February!

• Russell. Russell was the birthplace of New Zealand. It was where the English first settled, and for a time was known as the "hell hole of New Zealand". Yet it is a beautiful little place nestled in the Bay of Islands.

• Bay of Islands. During Seymour and Carolyne's visit, we traveled to the North -- and had a wonderful time in Tutukaka (where S&C went scuba diving while A&R went hiking and exploring), in Pahia, and on an overnight boat trip around the Bay of Islands.

• Hundertwasser. Did you know the great Austrian artist Fritz Hundertwasser actually designed a public toilet in New Zealand! A&R even got to use it!

• Toast Martinborough. Every year, the wine growing region of Martinborough hosts a gala wine festival, when tens of thousands of people descend on the region (many traveling for hours by train to get there) to drink, eat and carouse the day away. The whole crew -- Amy, Roger, Seymour, Carolyne, Melissa, Grace, and Rupert -- were on hand for the occasion.

• Thanksgiving. It just isn't the same in New Zealand. But we celebrated it -- with dessert (including Pavlova) at Melissa's house!

• South Island. Our friends Roger and Debbie Dennis joined us at the beginning of the New Year for a wonderful tour of some (but far from all) of the South Island. Christchurch; Akarora (with its Hector Dolphins and White Flippered Blue Penguins); Mount Cook (and a wonderful helicopter landing on the glacier), Queenstown (jet boating, sheep farming, the lake, cable car); Kaikoura (albatross watching, whale watching, seal watching, and eating crayfish); Hanmer Springs (relaxation time: massages and lounging in hot springs); Nelson (vineyards galore, and dinner with the former prime minister). . . each place more spectacular than the last. We then headed north by ferry over Cook Strait (thank heaven it was a calm crossing!), for a quick stop in Rotorura, the hot spring capital of the world. Enjoy our pictures; we enjoyed taking them!