The last few days of New Zealand
Feb 22, 2018 by Krysta
On our last morning in Queenstown, we woke up to dark clouds. Incoming rain, combined with the torture of seasonal allergies meant that it was time to move on to sunnier places.
We packed the van and hit the road. As with the majority of our trip, we set out with absolutely no plans. We had 3 days to get to Christchurch, but other than that we were free to wander. We stopped at a fruit stand, where I bought some plums and nectarines as Ryan asked the employee for advice on which route to take. We had 2 options, both scenic. Mountains and farmland, or coast and farmland. Being fortunate enough to spend a lot of our time in the mountains back home, we opted for the coast.
The rest of the day consisted of a lot of driving, but we still snuck in some fun along the way. We stopped at a lookout and watched seals playing on on the rocks as we enjoyed popsicles.
We stopped at the Morekai Boulders, which were giant circular rocks along a beautiful stretch of beach.
The highlight of the day for me was definitely Oamaru, where we were lucky enough to spot penguins! There were hundreds of them hanging out on a pier, waiting to swim to the beach for the evening. I’ve always dreamt of seeing penguins, so I was pretty excited.
The sun was setting and we still had nowhere to sleep, so we carried on our journey towards a campground. Before we arrived, we turned off onto a dark, quiet country road, where we drove into the darkness and turned off the vehicle for a view of the night sky. We could see the Milky Way stretching above us, with thousands of stars twinkling in every direction. We rolled into a campground late, and moved our sleeping kids from car seats to bed.
The next day we were Christchurch bound! We reached the city around lunch time, and we were starving.
I found some cute cafes that seemed like good options, and jokingly said we should go to a fancy 5 course restaurant that had won a few awards and had great reviews. My foodie husband strolled in and got us a table. I followed behind with the girls, feeling totally underdressed in my denim shorts and tank top. The food was amazing. We shared our meals with the girls, and Briley the adventurous one loved it all. Aaralee held out for a cheese bun in the van.
That evening, we went to a Maori performance and traditional Hangi meal. Aaralee loved the performance, as she thought the women were all Moana. Briley was terrified.
The food was fantastic and the highlight of the evening was when they let the girls feed the deer. Briley squealed with delight and wouldn’t stop giggling. It was probably the highlight of her trip.
We drove back to the campground for the final evening in our van. The next morning we packed it up in preparation to return, and checked out of our last campground.
We were freshly showered and the van was clean, so naturally we thought it would be a good idea to go to the beach. What started as a quick stop to see enjoy the views turned into our kids digging in the sand and playing in the water fully clothed. I was torn between cringing at the mess and never wanting it to end. Childhood is not supposed to be clean.
We stopped for a quick roadside lunch and then drove downtown to check into our hotel. Ryan left us there while he went to return the van. We said our goodbyes to our beloved home on wheels and then ventured upstairs to our luxury accommodation. We had thick, plushy pillows on big beds, unlimited hot showers, and room for all of us to stand up at the same time!
As soon as Ryan returned, we got our shoes on and went for a walk. Our first stop was to the 185 white chairs that stand as a memorial for the 185 people who lost their lives in the 2011 earthquake. Seeing the chairs all lined up put into perspective just how many people sadly did not survive. Tiny child seats and a baby car seat were somber reminders of the tragedy.
We carried on, walking through the gorgeous city until we reached a cute little street where we stopped for dinner. We dined on the patio, and every once in awhile a trolley would drive by, clearing Ryan’s chair by a matter of inches.
On our way back to the hotel we came across a massive, amazing playground. We stayed and played for awhile, migrating to the water play area. I’m not sure if Ryan or the girls had more fun, but everyone was happy and soaking wet.
We hadn’t planned for water activities, so our dripping wet Briley wore my extra sweater for the walk back. The sun was setting on a beautiful evening and I longed for those warm, late sunsets to come back to Canada.
In our hotel room, we stayed up late in hope of catching a glimpse of fireworks at a nearby park. Our view was impeded by a large building, but we saw colourful flashes above and to the side and the girls were satisfied.
We woke up to our alarm clocks the next day, for the first time in weeks. We had an early morning flight to catch, bringing us back to Auckland. It was only an hour long, and before we knew it we were back in Auckland having lunch.
The girls were sleepy, so we went back to the hotel where they cozied up on the closet floor and proceeded to have the longest nap they’d had the entire trip. I’m now contemplating moving their bedding to the closet at home.
We finished the day off with dinner at an upscale food court, where we all ordered exactly what we wanted from whichever restaurant we desired.
On our last full day in New Zealand, we set off for one final adventure. After breakfast we caught to ferry to Waiheke Island. It was a 30 minute journey, just long enough for Briley to fall asleep. Once we reached the island we boarded our hop on/hop off bus and the girls were thrilled to ride on the top deck.
We grabbed lunch at a beachside village and then got back on the bus. Both girls fell asleep, so we did the entire route, taking in the views while they snored in the seat in front of us.
We got off again at Oneroa Beach. I sent Ryan and the girls down to the beach while I browsed the shops and bought myself a gelato to eat in peace.
When I joined them at the beach I was pleasantly surprised at how warm the water was. I’d failed to pack a swimsuit for Briley, so we stripped her down and she was happy to run naked and free, splashing in the waves with Ryan and Aaralee.
Once everyone was all tired out, I bribed them to take a family photo and then we caught the ferry back to Auckland.
We stopped at a few souvenir shops along the way, where the girls proudly picked out one toy each.
After dinner we discovered that Briley had shoplifted a tiny “New Zealand beer” keychain, so we made her bring it back to the store and apologize. Wewalked back to our hotel in the rain. We had our ponchos on, and the round of the rain falling on our heads was soothing.
When we woke up the next day, it was our final day of vacation. We ordered smoothies on Uber eats and sipped them as we packed up the room and organized our bags for the flight.
The girls had been asking to go back up the tower, so we made a lunch reservation to eat at the top. It included our ticket up, so we went early to take in the views before sitting down to eat. The food was yummy, the views were stunning. It was the perfect ending to an amazing trip.
We reluctantly made our way to the airport, with Aaralee grumpily staying several times that she did not want to go home. I couldn’t blame her. At the airport, nostalgia overcame me as we spotted 3 Emirates A380 planes. The crew walked by and I pointed them out to the girls, explaining that once upon a time, their mommy was one of those girls in the red hats.
2 hours before our flight, we heard an announcement saying that it was the final boarding call for our flight. We were confused as we frantically dashed across the airport, dragging the girls as we ran. Turns out, it was a mistake.... a mistake that caused us great stress and more cardio than I had signed up for.
Eventually it was time to board for real, and we said goodbye to New Zealand as we flew off into the sky. We had dinner and the girls and I were super excited to find New Zealand ice cream for dessert.
With full bellies, it was time to attempt bed time. We’d made the genius decision to upgrade to a Skycouch, which turned 3 of our seats into a makeshift bed. Ryan sat across the aisle and I cozied up with the girls. I had a hard time sleeping, but I was much more comfortable. More importantly, the girls slept like a dream. The seat next to Ryan was vacant, so when we got crowded I’d pass some of our belongings to him.
We finally landed in Vancouver, eager to get off of the plane but weary with the knowledge that we were still hours from home. Aaralee immediately expressed her displeasure with the cooler temperatures.
We had lunch, let the girls play, and eventually it was time to board our flight to Edmonton.
Finally, we were on the way home.
The girls were miserable and whiny and I’m pretty sure that none of the other passengers wanted us to get onboard. To be fair, it had been a long day and they were exhausted. Briley fell asleep before we reached the runway and Aaralee gave in during takeoff.
We landed into cold, snowy Edmonton and Aaralee cried when it was time to go outside.
None of us are thrilled to be back in the frozen tundra that we call home, but we’ve sure missed the space and our cozy king sized bed, and the girls have loved rediscovering all of the toys that they’d forgotten about. It’s back to reality, but we are so thankful for our journey and the many, many memories made along the way.
Soaring to Milford Sound
Feb 14, 2018 by Krysta
f you know me or if you’ve followed my blog for a few years, you’ll know that I’ve never been a huge Valentine’s Day fan. Ryan and I don’t celebrate it by going on dates or buying gifts. I’ll acknowledge it for the sake of fun for the kids, but otherwise it’s just an ordinary day in our household.
This year, however, Valentine’s Day was one for the books.
We started the day with breakfast at Bespoke Kitchen. We were out of groceries and tired of our morning yogurt ritual, so a hot meal was much appreciated. The food was incredible, and I left full but wanting more just to try all of the options.
When in New Zealand, a trip to Milford Sound is high on the “must do” list. We desperately wanted to visit, but it is a 4 hour drive from Queenstown and sadly, our vacation days are rapidly depleting. We couldn’t possibly see it all in such a short trip
Unless...
Unless we booked a scenic flight.
Obviously it wouldn’t be cheap, but after much contemplation we decided that we might only be here once, so it was probably worth it. Besides, Briley was free!
Ryan had called the night before to enquire, but there was no availability for Valentines day, and the forecast called for rain the day following. Maybe it just wasn’t meant to be. As we ate breakfast, Ryan decided to call just to see if there were any cancellations. It was wishful thinking. The skies were clear, the weather was perfect, and it was Valentine’s Day. Much to our luck and surprise, the 12 pm slot for a flight and cruise had opened up! We booked it without hesitation and happily returned to the camper to pack a bag.
We got picked up by a taxi and we were on our way to the airport!
We were led to our plane, and hopped in excitedly. Aaralee and I sat beside each other in one row, while Ryan sat behind us with Briley on his lap. And then we were off!
The views were incredible, and I say that as someone who has experienced many scenic flights around the world. We flew over blue lakes and between the snow capped mountains of the fjordlands. We saw waterfalls cascading from cliffs and waves crashing on the shores of the Tasman Sea.
The gentle turbulence rocked both girls to sleep.
We were in awe, and we still had so much left to see. We landed at the Milford Sound airport and transferred by bus to the cruise terminal.
Once there, we picked up our picnic lunches and boarded our boat. It was immediately beautiful, as we cruised past a roaring waterfall and into the sound towards the sea.
We spotted seals sunbathing on the rocks and the skipper brought us in for a closer look.
While the rest of the passengers were taking their photos of the seals, Ryan spotted something far more exciting... dolphins!!
Aaralee is obsessed with the movie Dolphin Tale. To see dolphins in real life was like a dream come true. We caught a few more glimpses of them before we carried on.
Briley was still tired, so I set her down on some seats inside and she slept for the remainder of the trip.
The boat came nice and close to a huge waterfall, and Ryan and a few other crazy individuals stood at the front, getting absolutely soaked.
Finally, we were back to the terminal and it was time to say goodbye to Milford Sound. Lucky for us, we still had a scenic flight to take us back to Queenstown.
We took a bit of a different flight path back for more views of the sound and the beautiful mountains. It was pretty turbulent at times, and I was thankful for the timing of our trip. Only weeks ago, a car ride to the grocery store would have made me nauseous. I was able to relax and enjoy the ride, and Aaralee seemed to be a fan of the turbulence too.
It was perfect, until descent. Poor Briley cried in pain as her ears tried to equalize. I felt terrible as she sobbed, but once we landed she was back to her happy self and told us that she wanted to go on another airplane ride.
We rode back to our campground, where we dropped off our bags and then set out in search of dinner. We decided on a Thai restaurant. Maybe it was the fact that I was really hungry, or maybe everything tastes better during pregnancy, but we had some of the best curry I’ve ever eaten.
On our walk back to the campground, we stopped into a store where we found a tiny dolphin necklace, made out of the same seashells that Aaralee is so fond of. She wore it proudly, still beaming from having seen her first dolphins earlier that day.
We headed back to the camper, where we stopped at the park for a quick play before calling it a night.
Days with kids are never perfect. Today was no exception. It was chaotic, extra work and there were a few tantrums. But months from now when I look back at Valentine’s Day 2018, I’ll remember the incredible day that we had together as a family. I’ll remember Briley’s chubby cheeks squished together as she wore the headset on the plane, and the look on Aaralee’s face when she saw her first dolphin. I’ll remember Ryan coming inside from the boat deck, his clothes completely soaked and the huge smile on his face.
When I reminisce about it, I’ll only remember that today was perfect.
The Stunning South
Feb 13, 2018 by Krysta
Bright and early on Sunday morning, we woke up and packed the van to proceed to the ferry terminal. The North Island had treated us well, but it was time to head south!
We waited patiently for our turn to board the ferry, one of the last vehicles in a long row of other campers.
Once onboard, we explored the ship and all of its amenities. We grabbed breakfast, walked the outside decks, and then spent the majority of the time in the kids play area. Aaralee had conversations with new little friends without realizing that they didn’t even speak English.
3 1/2 hours later we arrived in rainy, but beautiful Picton.
We had no game plan. After fuelling the van we stopped for a brief while on the side of the road, contemplating which direction to head and which sights to see. We couldn’t decide, so we let the weather forecast choose for us. Onwards towards Christchurch it was.
Our first stop of the day was only 20 minutes past Picton, the Manaka chocolate factory. Being pregnant has hindered my ability to participate in the adrenaline activities that New Zealand is famous for, so I have to improvise with more suitable options. I splurged on a fancy box of chocolate, justifying it by the fact that Valentine’s Day was only a few days away.
We carried on our journey south, winding down roads lined by wineries. It was stunningly beautiful, but pouring rain. There was so much precipitation that the ventilation fan on our ceiling was leaking. At one construction stop the radio wouldn’t work for the worker holding the sign to know whether he could let us proceed.
We reached the coast, and it was beautiful. The water was bright blue like the Caribbean and the sand was black. We spotted hundreds of seals playing near the shores and lying on the rocks in the water. We stopped for a delicious lunch at a cute little seaside restaurant. It had apparently just reopened after the 2016 earthquake in Kaikoura. As we continued south, the damage from the earthquake was evident in the boarded up buildings and constant road repairs.
Shortly after passing through Kaikoura, we spotted a cute little tree by the ocean and turned off of the road to stop for a photo. Upon further inspection, we discovered that it was actually an oceanfront campsite, and it was settled; this is where we’d camp for the night.
After grabbing some groceries we returned to set up camp. The girls ran around chasing seagulls as I prepared dinner. It started to rain lightly, but we weren’t complaining. The rain brought us an incredible rainbow that spanned from the mountains to the ocean, perfectly framing our van. I pinched myself, but this was real life. How lucky I was to be witnessing such a beautiful scene in the company of those I love most.
We settled into bed, falling asleep to the sounds of the waves. For the sake of honesty, we spent about 30 minutes convincing our children to stop screaming and threatening to take away ice cream privileges. This is a dream vacation, but it’s still a vacation with a 2 and 4 year old. EVENTUALLY we heard nothing but the sound of the waves crashing.
When the kids finally fell asleep we opened the van door and stared at the sky, which was lit up with thousands of bright stars. It was all a blur to Ryan without his contact lenses, but I assured him that it was magic.
I woke up just in time for sunrise over the ocean, and stared at the sky in silence as my family slept. When Aaralee woke up, she excitedly proclaimed “I saw so many stars last night!”
After a quick breakfast, we carried on our journey. Our first stop was at a small cafe where we sat in a pretty courtyard sipping giant lattes out of bowls, and ordered a second breakfast because we couldn’t resist. The girls played happily with the toys and chases around the resident cafe cat, Ninja. Cafes and restaurants in New Zealand put Canada to shame when it comes to kid friendliness. Most of them have a box of toys, if not a play area.
Before leaving, we picked out a tiny pair of wool booties. Aaralee proudly handed the money to the cashier and told her that we were buying them for our new baby.
It was a sunny 30 degree day, so spending some time outside was essential. We made our way to Corsair Bay, where the kids and Ryan swam and played in the blue water. I waded in to my knees, but I’m more of a hot tub type of girl.
We were all hungry after our time in the sun, so we found some shade on the side of the road and stopped to make sandwiches. I wish that my car at home had a fridge and pull out table for impromptu picnics.
We headed inland via the inland scenic highway. We passed vineyards and rolling hills filled with sheep and deer. The only deer we’ve seen in New Zealand have been in farm fields.
We stopped in a small town for dinner and then carried on to Fairlie, where we set up camp for the night in a spot surrounded by trees. The girls ran off some energy at the park, and then we settled in for another night.
The next day was sunny and beautiful as we continued our journey south. We were Queenstown bound! The drive was beautiful, and we stopped at gorgeous blue Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki.
The rest of the drive felt like we could have been in Kelowna or Vernon, with lakes, orchards and wineries.
We finally arrived into Queenstown, checked into our jam packed campground and headed out to find dinner. Queenstown was gorgeous! It felt a bet like walking through Banff, only much bigger and warmer. Dinner was amazing, as was the ice cream we ate afterwards. We walked down to the lakefront and enjoyed the views and the breeze.
Back at the campground, the girls played for what felt like forever at the park. Aaralee ran around with a group of girls from China, who eagerly followed her around giggling and having fun, despite having no idea what she was saying. The innocence of kids is my favourite thing to witness.
Today is Valentine's Day, and I've promised Aaralee a fun day as a family, so we'll see what adventures we find in Queenstown!
The Last of the North Island
Feb 10, 2018 by Krysta
Our first morning in Taupo felt like a vacation in Mexico. After breakfast we headed for the pool, where I sipped a latte as the rest of the family swam.
I eventually joined them and was pleasantly surprised by how warm the water was. It was like a nice warm bath. The pool was amazing. It had a swim up bar, waterfalls and a cave that dropped to a depth of 4 metres.
We paused for a break to apply sunscreen and have a second breakfast. Nothing is better than a feast by the pool!
With full bellies, the girls went for a nap on the lounge chairs while Ryan and I enjoyed the pool. This is what vacation dreams are made of. We sipped drinks from the swim up bar and the girls woke up just in time to watch a movie on the big screen above the pool.
Ryan and Shane had a boy’s day out and enjoyed a riverjet boat ride. In the meantime, Jay and I took the kids to the Huka Honey Hive, where we watched bees, sampled honey and ate ice cream.
That evening Ryan, the girls and I went on a lake cruise. We ate pizza as we cruised through Lake Taupo. Aaralee especially loved the Maori rock carvings, as she thought that they were from the movie Moana. Briley slept for 80% of the journey, rocked to sleep by the gentle waves.
When we got back to the campground we headed for the pool for one last time. The girls were living the dream as we ordered milkshakes from the swim up bar and stayed up far past bed time. The sunset was breathtaking, the girls were happy, and all in life was wonderful.
We woke up the next morning to the sound of pouring rain, our cue to hit the road in search of sunshine. The forecast didn’t look promising for anywhere in the vicinity, but it was worth a shot. We headed west after a breakfast at McDonald’s. I’m not normally enthusiastic about McDonald’s breakfast, but this one had an actual DC3 plane that had been converted into seating. We had our breakfast in an airplane and it tasted far better than any plane breakfast I’ve had.
After breakfast it was back to the highway, where we sadly parted ways with Jay, Shane, and Texas. They are now making their way back towards Auckland as we carry on towards the South Island.
Disclaimer: The rest of up day involved no plans, a complete lack of knowing where we’d sleep, and no final destination decided. It might be a stressful read for you if your an organized, planning type of person.
We drove west, originally planning to stop after about 3 hours of driving. We stopped along the way at various viewpoints, and drove up a volcano just for fun.
We eventually made it to our original planned stop, Foxton. We stopped for a pizza picnic and then proceeded down the coast to check out some of the nearby campgrounds. We were spoiled by a bright rainbow and a spectacular sunset as we carried on. The girls fell asleep as soon as we reached the motorway, so we changed our plans and decided to carry on towards Wellington.
It was dark as we approached the suburbs and set out in search of a place to call home for the evening. Our options were limited, but with a bit of help from Google and a bit more driving we finally found a campground. We pulled into a spot, moved the girls from their car seats to their bed, and finally settled in for the night around 11 pm. Around 11:30, we were woken by the sound of banging on our van and a family claiming we’d stole their spot. As per the front office sign, any empty site was free for the taking, so we’d thought nothing of it. We reluctantly moved to what appeared to be the only other spot available in the campground. Ryan and I were tired and grumpy but the girls were super excited about the 30 seconds that we drove while they were still in their bunks.
We packed up early the next day and drove to find a place to have breakfast. We tried to route to a spot with a playground, but our GPS failed us. The joke was on it, though, because we instead found ourselves at the top of a hill with stunning views. We parked the van, and had a roadside picnic.
After breakfast we drove to downtown Wellington, where we came across a park right along the waterfront. The girls played at the playground while I strolled the underground market.
We came across a spot where they were renting out power wheels cars for kids to drive, so we let the girls cruise around as we tried to prevent them from running into things/people. We walked to a boardwalk over the water to see if we could see any fish, and just as we peered over, a stingray swam below us!
Our next adventure of the day brought us to a quiet beach with yet another playground. The girls have been in their glory here, with so many parks to explore in such warm weather. After a bit of playing we went to the beach to search for shells. They were everywhere that we looked, and Aaralee was thrilled. If it were up to her, she’d bring them all home and save them forever.
It started to rain, so we got back into the van and took the scenic route back to the city. We made it to Oriental Bay, where we stopped for a coffee while the girls played at another park. Whoever built a cafe beside a playground is my hero. They played in the water play area, mixing water with sand and getting mud everywhere. At home I might try to keep them clean, but this is their vacation too, so muddy kids it was.
We’d actually planned ahead for once and booked a campground earlier that day, so we headed there to check in and freshen up before dinner.
Thanks to my former career, I’m fortunate enough to have friends from every corner of the globe. One of my batch mates from my days at Emirates calls Wellington home, so we met him for a delicious dinner. It was great to reunite after 7 years, and the girls loved him! We chatted about Dubai, New Zealand, and Canada before parting ways until we meet again somewhere in the world.
It was time to go back to the campsite to bathe my dirty children and get to bed in preparation for an early morning ferry ride. Today we are off to the South Island!
From the Coast to Taupo
Feb 7, 2018 by Krysta
Our camper van adventure continues! After night one, we met up with Jay and Shane and ventured further down the coast. The views were stunning as we drove past stretches of beaches before eventually stopping at one to spend the afternoon.
The kids ran wild up and down the beach, building castles and collecting shells. They got sand in every crevice and I had a hard time getting them to leave when it was time to go. By kids, I obviously am also referring to my husband, who sat with a bucket and dug holes, having the most fun of everyone. The only downfall was the fact that I got stung by a bee, but the scenery made up for it.
We headed back into town for dinner and then decided to spend the night at a fancy campground on the beach. It had a pool with water slides, trampolines, playgrounds, and most importantly, hot showers!
We settled in for the night, relaxing outside after the kids were tucked in. At home, the girls fight bedtime on a nightly basis. Here in New Zealand, they are worn out from long days playing in the sun and they go to bed immediately. We were so worried about them sharing a bed, but knock on wood, sleep has been better here than it ever is at home.
After a lazy morning at the pool and after numerous snacks, we were back on the road and bound for Rotorua.
It was a beautiful drive along tree lined winding roads as we passed by lakes and orchards. It reminded me of a more tropical Okanagan.
We found a cute little campground with thermal pools and enjoyed an evening swim before bedtime.
The next day was a day of adventure for the grownups. We headed to a place to go zorbing... AKA rolling down steep hills inside of giant inflatable balls. I stayed back with the kids while Ryan, Jay and Shane zoomed down.
Once they’d had their fun, we headed for lunch and then ate ice cream in the park.
Finding freedom campsites had proved to be more of a challenge in Rotorua, so it was another night of “glamping”. Our campground for the night had an inflatable jumping pillow, hot and cold pools, trampolines and a great playground. It was small enough that the girls could run around without constantly needing us. They were particularly excited about the kid sized picnic table. We feasted on a home cooked meal and then headed to bed, tired from a long day of fun.
Today was another day on the road! Before we left Rotorua, we stopped at the Redwoods forest to walk on suspension bridges high up in the trees. It was beautiful, and the fresh forest air was wonderful. Aaralee loved running down all of the rickety bridges, and Briley hated every second of it.
We stopped at a geothermal park for a picnic lunch and then made our way towards Taupo.
Our campground for the night was by far the fanciest thus far. We are gearing up for some free camping nights soon, so we’ll enjoy the amenities when we can. The girls will be so disappointed this summer when our campgrounds don’t have trampolines, playgrounds, or swimming pools with swim up bars. After checking out our new home we ventured to Huka Falls to take in the views before continuing into town for dinner by the lake. Lake Taupo is gorgeous and I can’t wait to explore more tomorrow.
We are now over a week into our trip and it’s going by too fast. The girls have had their share of meltdowns and tantrums, but overall everyone is having a great time and we don’t want to go home any time soon. The girls particularily enjoy eating breakfast outside, something that we won't be able to do in Canada for several months.
Oh, and in case you missed it... we shared some pretty big news this week! Life just wasn't quite chaotic enough, so we are adding a bit of extra fun this August.
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