Well, we are back in Wellington, for the last few days left before we leave for Australia.
The weather turned cloudy and rainy (normal winter) and I feel quite lucky to have seen so much sun as we did in Napier, Rotorua and Auckland.
I have found some nice Kiwiana textiles to bring home. A design of Kiwis on a white base, black and red in the pattern. I also got a fern fiddlehead design, of Maori inspiration that I really like.
There are a lot of galleries in Wellington and surrounds, and I have gone to see a lot of very inspirational work. I'm hoping I will remain inspired or have a long enough memory to implement some of the ideas I've seen.
I'm going to the Karori bird sanctuary tomorrow. They have a very nice website if you google karori. I hope to get some good photos of Keas, as I have worked out a painting I want to do.
They are real clowns and full of mischief, sort of the bull terrier of the bird crowd.
I must have walked 10 miles today as I am feeling quite legless after a great dinner of homemade soup. And Scrumpy, of course.
I like to read in bed at night. So far, it has been one of adapting to the inner climate and reading that is the challenge. Dressed to the teeth in pyjamas, sleeping socks, long sleeve top, topped by a fleece hoody, hood up. One hand outside the cover will last approximatly 5 pages before needing to be defrosted under the cover while I freeze the other hand for 5 pages. As you can imagine, I do not scrimp myself for food, as I use a huge amount of calories just keeping warm.
The worst part is knowing how much to wear as the mornings start out quite cold but warm up very quickly. Nothing like trying to wrestle out of a pair of long johns in a toilet stall, crammed in with backpack etc.
And, it's a damp cold. Washed clothes hung to dry on a rack take two days to dry in a cool room.
Well, it almost sounds like complaining, but it's not. It's what make Kiwis kiwis. They love to be outdoors all the time because you stay way warmer!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Napier and beyond
We arrived in Napier on the Monday afternoon. It was only a 3 to 4 hour bus trip between Rotorua and Napier. The scenery was spectacular, to say the least, as we travelled through the mountains to Lake Taupo, seeing the mountain ranges with snow sports going on. The town of Taupo is full of ski gear shops and thermal geiser places. Contrasts of hot and cold.
All the roads are up and down and turn around, dictated by the geography. It adds miles to the trip following a hillside down to a valley and then all the way up the other side to get around the next hill. They are all and I mean all steepsided and dotted with sheep.
We pulled into Napier through a part of town which didn't show us the deco architecture. That was for later when we walked from the bus terminal to the hostel we were staying in. This was right along the ocean, with big waves crashing in on a regular basis. The beaches are black pebbles.
We sure did a lot of walking there, taking in all the classic buildings. It's not only a lot of art deco built after the earthquake, but a lot of the victorian architecture left from before. There are spas galore, both old and new to fit the tastes of all the "taking of the waters" types.
We took in the cider instead...Scrumpy. 8.2 alcohol but tastes like sparkling juice. Very dangerous I'm sure.
A long uphill hike took us to a big bluff lookout where we could see up and down the coast of Hawke's Bay. Birds all over. Cats living off the land...well, the garbage in bins, as one came flying out as we walked passed. Heartstopping!
We left Napier on Thursday afternoon and were back in Wellington 5 more hours later.
The route took us through a huge gorge with an on the map wind farm at the top of the hills. I think these must be the largest windmills I have ever seen. They were visible from 20 miles away I'm sure.
Good to take a rest for a few days.
All the roads are up and down and turn around, dictated by the geography. It adds miles to the trip following a hillside down to a valley and then all the way up the other side to get around the next hill. They are all and I mean all steepsided and dotted with sheep.
We pulled into Napier through a part of town which didn't show us the deco architecture. That was for later when we walked from the bus terminal to the hostel we were staying in. This was right along the ocean, with big waves crashing in on a regular basis. The beaches are black pebbles.
We sure did a lot of walking there, taking in all the classic buildings. It's not only a lot of art deco built after the earthquake, but a lot of the victorian architecture left from before. There are spas galore, both old and new to fit the tastes of all the "taking of the waters" types.
We took in the cider instead...Scrumpy. 8.2 alcohol but tastes like sparkling juice. Very dangerous I'm sure.
A long uphill hike took us to a big bluff lookout where we could see up and down the coast of Hawke's Bay. Birds all over. Cats living off the land...well, the garbage in bins, as one came flying out as we walked passed. Heartstopping!
We left Napier on Thursday afternoon and were back in Wellington 5 more hours later.
The route took us through a huge gorge with an on the map wind farm at the top of the hills. I think these must be the largest windmills I have ever seen. They were visible from 20 miles away I'm sure.
Good to take a rest for a few days.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Past winter solstice
We are in Napier. I is friggin' cold and today (Wednesday), I am wearing longjohns, top and bottom. First time for the bottoms since it's really quite temperate in New Zealand.
Rotorua was interesting. Is is an old volcanic area that is still, in a sense, active. There is an enourmous amount of geothermal activity going on all aver the town. People have fenced areas in their backyards, with steam coming up. The streets have steam creeping through the bricks and pavings. It's cool here, so you really see it in the morning. The place is crawling with black swans! Apparently, they can be quite nasty and one is warned against feeding them.
We went to a Hangi (a Maori village feast thing) in Rotorua on our last night there. It was way out of town, going by bus, and on top of a hill in the forest. Very magic but cold. We were at the welcoming, with the dancers (not dressed for the cold, so extra impressive) doing the eyes and tongue as warning. Lots of singing and telling of tales.
I did not have the long john bottoms on and when we stood outside after the dinner as he explained cooking in a fire pit (demo was a fake), I wished we were near a real fire pit for the warmth.
The food was fine with roast lamb, chicken and fish. Kumaru potatoes and dessert was Pavlova!
The bus ride to Napier was crazy! up, down, curve left, twist right, and at an angle. We even saw mount_________ can't remember right now, after lake Taupo, that was covered with snow.
The ski season just kicked off there and down in the south, where they are having very wintry weather.
The cold is here because it is a high pressure. This means beautiful skies have been our company for the last week, apparently, very unusual.
We have been cooking for ourselves in the mornings. I've got Nina appreciating oatmeal!
I should say oatmeal, again, as we had that all the years of growing up. That and a boiled egg.
The gannet colony is off somewhere, as I knew they would be, so bird watching is limited to the birds in town. I have seen a lot of the hawks that are native to NZ.
The hostel we are in here in Napier is right by the sea. Our room faces the sea too. Not a lovely room, but the beds are great and the comforters are warm. I sleep well after days outside in the fresh air.
The kitchens in the facilities are great. Things like four gas stoves to work with, umpteen sinks and tons of dishes.
I've read a bunch of books on the road. A Rohinton Mistry, which I finished before leaving Auckland, a bunch of short stories called "Women of Influence" by a Saskatchewan writer, while in Rotorua, (how it got there is probably a good story too) and a Louis L'Amour now here in Napier. That one may end up coming with me, since I won't finish it before tomorrow.
We turned in early last night, since during our walk out, looking for a nice bar to sit in and have a Scrumpy (NZ alcoholic cider), the town was a ghost town. NO ONE ABOUT! Even the bars were with two or four patrons. Very sad winter scene.
The views, which are spectacular, make up for the cold. The light is amazing! I'm up to about 600 pictures so far.
Rotorua was interesting. Is is an old volcanic area that is still, in a sense, active. There is an enourmous amount of geothermal activity going on all aver the town. People have fenced areas in their backyards, with steam coming up. The streets have steam creeping through the bricks and pavings. It's cool here, so you really see it in the morning. The place is crawling with black swans! Apparently, they can be quite nasty and one is warned against feeding them.
We went to a Hangi (a Maori village feast thing) in Rotorua on our last night there. It was way out of town, going by bus, and on top of a hill in the forest. Very magic but cold. We were at the welcoming, with the dancers (not dressed for the cold, so extra impressive) doing the eyes and tongue as warning. Lots of singing and telling of tales.
I did not have the long john bottoms on and when we stood outside after the dinner as he explained cooking in a fire pit (demo was a fake), I wished we were near a real fire pit for the warmth.
The food was fine with roast lamb, chicken and fish. Kumaru potatoes and dessert was Pavlova!
The bus ride to Napier was crazy! up, down, curve left, twist right, and at an angle. We even saw mount_________ can't remember right now, after lake Taupo, that was covered with snow.
The ski season just kicked off there and down in the south, where they are having very wintry weather.
The cold is here because it is a high pressure. This means beautiful skies have been our company for the last week, apparently, very unusual.
We have been cooking for ourselves in the mornings. I've got Nina appreciating oatmeal!
I should say oatmeal, again, as we had that all the years of growing up. That and a boiled egg.
The gannet colony is off somewhere, as I knew they would be, so bird watching is limited to the birds in town. I have seen a lot of the hawks that are native to NZ.
The hostel we are in here in Napier is right by the sea. Our room faces the sea too. Not a lovely room, but the beds are great and the comforters are warm. I sleep well after days outside in the fresh air.
The kitchens in the facilities are great. Things like four gas stoves to work with, umpteen sinks and tons of dishes.
I've read a bunch of books on the road. A Rohinton Mistry, which I finished before leaving Auckland, a bunch of short stories called "Women of Influence" by a Saskatchewan writer, while in Rotorua, (how it got there is probably a good story too) and a Louis L'Amour now here in Napier. That one may end up coming with me, since I won't finish it before tomorrow.
We turned in early last night, since during our walk out, looking for a nice bar to sit in and have a Scrumpy (NZ alcoholic cider), the town was a ghost town. NO ONE ABOUT! Even the bars were with two or four patrons. Very sad winter scene.
The views, which are spectacular, make up for the cold. The light is amazing! I'm up to about 600 pictures so far.
Friday, June 19, 2009
last day for Auckland
We have done our duty to this large city. We've walked a great deal of the parks and preserves, up and down big hills doing homage to the fact that we still can, without standing at the top, panting like bears.
I've been to many art galleries, done some retail window shopping (backpacks are a great way to discourage surperfluous shopping, since you can't carry it.) and eaten in various types of establishments. We've seen some of the most lovely villas you can imagine. They are cottage style victorian building of which they built millions, I'm sure.
We've taken ferries, buses, trains and pathways, enough, in a week to satisfy myself that I have given it my all. We even went to an aquarium that made use of old underground sewage pipes, for an amazing tunnel walkway under the ocean, viewing of fish, kind of place!
Tomorrow, we head off to Rotorua. This is a place with boiling mud pits, mildly active volcanic things and the smell of sulphur. We will go to a Maori Hangi, a feast and dancing singing thing. After that, we will head down to the capital of Art deco, Napier.
I realize in writing this, that there is only a chronicling of activities, and see it will take a while for my impressions of everything I saw and did will take a while to percolate down.
We were in the country yesterday, to visit a farm of friend. The sheep were quite large and all I could think of is how heavy they must seem to themselves when they are wet. I did see a few birds I had not seen before and got the opportunity to see some I had seen before at a better advantage. I had my field glasses with me and took full advantage.
This morning, Saturday, we went to a litle downtown market and had some great coffee. Delish!
The coffee culture here is incredible, you go anywhere and get a great espresso. They make a pretty good egg and whatever hand pie too!
Traffic is heavy during the rush hour, but nothing that Toronto wouldn't consider "moving smoothly" Our hostess despaired at being held up for 15 minutes to cross a bridge over to downtown.
The biggest thing to adjust to is looking to the north for the sun, thus looking left for west and right for east. Daytime temps are warm enough for light hoodies and night time can come close to freezing sometimes. They get full on snow in the south island, but rarely what they call snow to the sea, i:e down on the lower ground and not in the hills. We picnicked out on the balcony for lunch and were almost too warm!
Well, there will be more later, as I tell you about Rotorua.
I've been to many art galleries, done some retail window shopping (backpacks are a great way to discourage surperfluous shopping, since you can't carry it.) and eaten in various types of establishments. We've seen some of the most lovely villas you can imagine. They are cottage style victorian building of which they built millions, I'm sure.
We've taken ferries, buses, trains and pathways, enough, in a week to satisfy myself that I have given it my all. We even went to an aquarium that made use of old underground sewage pipes, for an amazing tunnel walkway under the ocean, viewing of fish, kind of place!
Tomorrow, we head off to Rotorua. This is a place with boiling mud pits, mildly active volcanic things and the smell of sulphur. We will go to a Maori Hangi, a feast and dancing singing thing. After that, we will head down to the capital of Art deco, Napier.
I realize in writing this, that there is only a chronicling of activities, and see it will take a while for my impressions of everything I saw and did will take a while to percolate down.
We were in the country yesterday, to visit a farm of friend. The sheep were quite large and all I could think of is how heavy they must seem to themselves when they are wet. I did see a few birds I had not seen before and got the opportunity to see some I had seen before at a better advantage. I had my field glasses with me and took full advantage.
This morning, Saturday, we went to a litle downtown market and had some great coffee. Delish!
The coffee culture here is incredible, you go anywhere and get a great espresso. They make a pretty good egg and whatever hand pie too!
Traffic is heavy during the rush hour, but nothing that Toronto wouldn't consider "moving smoothly" Our hostess despaired at being held up for 15 minutes to cross a bridge over to downtown.
The biggest thing to adjust to is looking to the north for the sun, thus looking left for west and right for east. Daytime temps are warm enough for light hoodies and night time can come close to freezing sometimes. They get full on snow in the south island, but rarely what they call snow to the sea, i:e down on the lower ground and not in the hills. We picnicked out on the balcony for lunch and were almost too warm!
Well, there will be more later, as I tell you about Rotorua.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
AUCKLAND
This is a city that surrounds the water. Lots of inlets, bays isthmuses (?)
There are sailboats, luxury liners, cargo ships and everything in between. I've taken ferries to two different destinations and the system is wonderful!
Yesterday, I went to a suburb called Birkenhead. My goal was to see Kauri trees. They only grow in the northern part of the North Island. Enormous trunks with a frilly growth of leaves atop massive branches. Very cartoon like if you see the right specimen. We walked in a nature reserve (the city is full of natural areas to walk in) that was full of birds and little waterfalls and plants I have never seen before. I've seen kingfishers, Pukekos (lots of them) fantails and a teeny tiny gray wren thingy.
Even walking through the suburbs itself was fun, looking at the gardens. People have grapefruit trees and avocados in their yards.
Today was an excursion out to Waihiki Island, a 45 minute ride by ferry out toward the ocean. A little jewel of a tourist island, with a 1 1/2 hour bus tour at the other end. We followed that up with a great fish and Kumera fries (a south seas sweet potato). We were kept company by Alfred Hitchkock's birds, screaming around us till we finished and then squabbling over the leftovers.
I've discovered a great soda here, Schweppes lemon, lime and bitters. MMMMM good!
I stood on the upper deck of the ferry going and coming back, probably got a bit of sun and windburn, but it being the first all sun day I've had since arriving, I wasn't going to waste it.
Tomorrow, we will see Kelly Tarlton aquarium. It has sharks and penguins (one not food for the other) and will enjoy that because it's supposed to "hose down" all day.
Friday is a trip to the farm of my brother in law's sister??!!!
Sheep, cattle and whatever, with a walk in gumboots.
The appartment I'm staying in in Auckland is right on the waterfront. Very swish, with great views of the harbour and loads of yachts. The city has a very vibrant waterfront scene, both for entertainment (lots and lots of bars) and for condos. There is a wonderful fish market where we bought some tuna skewers for a dinner one night.
My days end pretty early, with a dinner cooked by my sister and myself or my brother in law and his daughter. In bed with my book (Rohinton Mistrie book, "Family Matters") by 9:30.
So exciting!
There are sailboats, luxury liners, cargo ships and everything in between. I've taken ferries to two different destinations and the system is wonderful!
Yesterday, I went to a suburb called Birkenhead. My goal was to see Kauri trees. They only grow in the northern part of the North Island. Enormous trunks with a frilly growth of leaves atop massive branches. Very cartoon like if you see the right specimen. We walked in a nature reserve (the city is full of natural areas to walk in) that was full of birds and little waterfalls and plants I have never seen before. I've seen kingfishers, Pukekos (lots of them) fantails and a teeny tiny gray wren thingy.
Even walking through the suburbs itself was fun, looking at the gardens. People have grapefruit trees and avocados in their yards.
Today was an excursion out to Waihiki Island, a 45 minute ride by ferry out toward the ocean. A little jewel of a tourist island, with a 1 1/2 hour bus tour at the other end. We followed that up with a great fish and Kumera fries (a south seas sweet potato). We were kept company by Alfred Hitchkock's birds, screaming around us till we finished and then squabbling over the leftovers.
I've discovered a great soda here, Schweppes lemon, lime and bitters. MMMMM good!
I stood on the upper deck of the ferry going and coming back, probably got a bit of sun and windburn, but it being the first all sun day I've had since arriving, I wasn't going to waste it.
Tomorrow, we will see Kelly Tarlton aquarium. It has sharks and penguins (one not food for the other) and will enjoy that because it's supposed to "hose down" all day.
Friday is a trip to the farm of my brother in law's sister??!!!
Sheep, cattle and whatever, with a walk in gumboots.
The appartment I'm staying in in Auckland is right on the waterfront. Very swish, with great views of the harbour and loads of yachts. The city has a very vibrant waterfront scene, both for entertainment (lots and lots of bars) and for condos. There is a wonderful fish market where we bought some tuna skewers for a dinner one night.
My days end pretty early, with a dinner cooked by my sister and myself or my brother in law and his daughter. In bed with my book (Rohinton Mistrie book, "Family Matters") by 9:30.
So exciting!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Thirty four words for rain
Winter in New Zealand is defined by rain. Several types fall . For instance, right now it is "hosing down" but only lasting about ten minutes. Then there is a "mist" that seems very refreshing when it first starts, then starts to just soak through, to be followed by a quick "lashing" to just show you it can.
Nina and I have experienced it all.
Today, we are in Auckland, taking in the Big City of NZ. When we arrived yesterday, after our train ride on the Overlander express (12 hour ride up the middle of NZ) we walked out into a very modern train station platform. I don't think I have ever seen so much stainless steel. Ever.
We are staying in an appartment down by the waterfront, overlooking part of the harbor and marina. Wow! Beautiful sailboats. More touring later, but great food now! Sushi galore in this city. I will be seeing a Kauri tree forest this week, a working farm and a volcano island before moving on to Rotorua and the thermal springs and volcanos there. We will then go on to Napier, a city completely built in the Art Deco style after a devastating earthquake in the '20s. All this before returning to Wellington and our trip to Australia.
Must build up courage to hook camera up to machine to add a few pictures. I think I must have a couple of hundred already. Beautiful landscape. Trees you would not believe. I have even managed to get photos of tuis and pukekos! I've seen deer and more wet sheep than people. Oh, their wet too.
More later.
Nina and I have experienced it all.
Today, we are in Auckland, taking in the Big City of NZ. When we arrived yesterday, after our train ride on the Overlander express (12 hour ride up the middle of NZ) we walked out into a very modern train station platform. I don't think I have ever seen so much stainless steel. Ever.
We are staying in an appartment down by the waterfront, overlooking part of the harbor and marina. Wow! Beautiful sailboats. More touring later, but great food now! Sushi galore in this city. I will be seeing a Kauri tree forest this week, a working farm and a volcano island before moving on to Rotorua and the thermal springs and volcanos there. We will then go on to Napier, a city completely built in the Art Deco style after a devastating earthquake in the '20s. All this before returning to Wellington and our trip to Australia.
Must build up courage to hook camera up to machine to add a few pictures. I think I must have a couple of hundred already. Beautiful landscape. Trees you would not believe. I have even managed to get photos of tuis and pukekos! I've seen deer and more wet sheep than people. Oh, their wet too.
More later.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
The trip as part of the adventure
Well, I'm here, but it was a long ride! Tuesday morning, up at 6am to have time for breakfast and final prep. I had a ride set up for 7:30, so, compulsive as I am, I didn't want to be late.
The flight was only for 12 noon, but they say you should be at the airport 3 hours ahead, so I don't fool around. The ride took just over half and hour, so now I have three hours and a bit to wait around.
I had an e-ticket and with only the slightest duh-ism, I got through that with a little help and (wow) had three boarding passes for my trip. Bag gone, I only have my backpack and a shoulder purse thingy with my books, camera and drawing stuff. A good coffee is in order at this point, since it's still early.
I sit around, write in my journal, watch planes unload, load and leave and generally relax during my wait. It sounds boring, but I quite like just watching. Yes, I do have some pictures, but haven't taken the time to try all the possible connection things yet. Scared I guess.
The first part of the flight is to LA. 5 hours over the mid United states. There was a fair bit of cloud cover, so there was not a lot of view from the window. I read my book, about war brides from Australia who are sent by aircraft carrier to meet their husbands back in Britain. An interesting view of post wartime.
We land in LA at about 2:30 their time. This is after passing over the desert... must have been Nevada? So beautiful to see the lacy patterns that water forms in thin river formations after a rain. The mountains you cross after the desert, and there is LA in all it's glorious smog.
I got out in the same hideous terminal that I was in the last time I came through. Not a particularly large part of the terminal, you are trapped there till you leave on your flight. Otherwise you have to leave the secure area and come back into security. I hated how vehement they were the last time, so I just don't bother to try to go out this time. Here, I have a seven hour wait. Well, a little reading, sleep, writing, more sleep (now the time for me, just before we leave is after midnight) walk around and have something to eat, sleep some more and then... wait with two other groups of people in a very crowded area till they load us all into three different planes all pretty much at the same time. Talk about noisy!
One flight was Air France with a ton of people going home...noisy French going on here.
The next was Virgin airlines going to Heathrow London, different cacophony.
Then there was my flight, a mixed bag of people leaving for, going to or in transition to New Zealand.
Remember, it is winter in New Zealand, so it's not the same gang of tourists going down.
I saw a very (very) big Samoan man waiting and said to myself, He's going to end up sitting with me.
Sure enough, he did!
He was maybe six feet tall, but he also had to be about three hundred pound easily. He filled a seat and ahalf, had a seat belt extension to go around his belly, that touched the seat in front of him. His belly, that is.
He slept leaning his head on the back of the seat in front of him too.
He told me he was a cop in Salt Lake Springs, but I just could not imagine him doing any kind of "beat". Super nice man though, with a niece on board as one of the attendants.
This flight took 12 hours from LA to Auckland. Very uneventful as I read, ate, slept and watched "last chance Harvey" I really enjoyed that. Laugh out loud at a couple of the things. I got what I would call an okay enough sleep, disturbed only by trying to find the right place for the pillow, the blanket, my head, my feet or the bathroom. Getting up to stretch my legs meant I had to wait till the Samoan was awake, since I did not want to wake him up, as he had to get out of his seat so I could get through.
We land in Auckland at 5:20 in the morning. Still dark. After going through customs, you have to go through a bio security check (sniffing dogs etc) for bad things coming into the country. They are fairly serious about this. After all that, I walk over to the other terminal for domestic flights. How civilized is that? A walk (10 minutes) in a such a large city and there are birds singing away.
It was a short commuter flight to Wellington (one hour) and I am here! Nina is there with her husband Colin and we drive back to their place. A shower to put me to rights, a nice walk downtown with Nina, a bit of grocery shopping and a walk along the waterfront, home for dinner (I made a sponge fruit thing...cake like on top, stewed fruit underneath.
To bed by eight thirty and I slept like a top.
What a great first two days.
I have some great photos of walking from today that I have to shoe you. It shows the topography of a city, the way it is all vertical, the impossible configuration of the residential areas and the beauty of a real urban forest. AMAZING!
The flight was only for 12 noon, but they say you should be at the airport 3 hours ahead, so I don't fool around. The ride took just over half and hour, so now I have three hours and a bit to wait around.
I had an e-ticket and with only the slightest duh-ism, I got through that with a little help and (wow) had three boarding passes for my trip. Bag gone, I only have my backpack and a shoulder purse thingy with my books, camera and drawing stuff. A good coffee is in order at this point, since it's still early.
I sit around, write in my journal, watch planes unload, load and leave and generally relax during my wait. It sounds boring, but I quite like just watching. Yes, I do have some pictures, but haven't taken the time to try all the possible connection things yet. Scared I guess.
The first part of the flight is to LA. 5 hours over the mid United states. There was a fair bit of cloud cover, so there was not a lot of view from the window. I read my book, about war brides from Australia who are sent by aircraft carrier to meet their husbands back in Britain. An interesting view of post wartime.
We land in LA at about 2:30 their time. This is after passing over the desert... must have been Nevada? So beautiful to see the lacy patterns that water forms in thin river formations after a rain. The mountains you cross after the desert, and there is LA in all it's glorious smog.
I got out in the same hideous terminal that I was in the last time I came through. Not a particularly large part of the terminal, you are trapped there till you leave on your flight. Otherwise you have to leave the secure area and come back into security. I hated how vehement they were the last time, so I just don't bother to try to go out this time. Here, I have a seven hour wait. Well, a little reading, sleep, writing, more sleep (now the time for me, just before we leave is after midnight) walk around and have something to eat, sleep some more and then... wait with two other groups of people in a very crowded area till they load us all into three different planes all pretty much at the same time. Talk about noisy!
One flight was Air France with a ton of people going home...noisy French going on here.
The next was Virgin airlines going to Heathrow London, different cacophony.
Then there was my flight, a mixed bag of people leaving for, going to or in transition to New Zealand.
Remember, it is winter in New Zealand, so it's not the same gang of tourists going down.
I saw a very (very) big Samoan man waiting and said to myself, He's going to end up sitting with me.
Sure enough, he did!
He was maybe six feet tall, but he also had to be about three hundred pound easily. He filled a seat and ahalf, had a seat belt extension to go around his belly, that touched the seat in front of him. His belly, that is.
He slept leaning his head on the back of the seat in front of him too.
He told me he was a cop in Salt Lake Springs, but I just could not imagine him doing any kind of "beat". Super nice man though, with a niece on board as one of the attendants.
This flight took 12 hours from LA to Auckland. Very uneventful as I read, ate, slept and watched "last chance Harvey" I really enjoyed that. Laugh out loud at a couple of the things. I got what I would call an okay enough sleep, disturbed only by trying to find the right place for the pillow, the blanket, my head, my feet or the bathroom. Getting up to stretch my legs meant I had to wait till the Samoan was awake, since I did not want to wake him up, as he had to get out of his seat so I could get through.
We land in Auckland at 5:20 in the morning. Still dark. After going through customs, you have to go through a bio security check (sniffing dogs etc) for bad things coming into the country. They are fairly serious about this. After all that, I walk over to the other terminal for domestic flights. How civilized is that? A walk (10 minutes) in a such a large city and there are birds singing away.
It was a short commuter flight to Wellington (one hour) and I am here! Nina is there with her husband Colin and we drive back to their place. A shower to put me to rights, a nice walk downtown with Nina, a bit of grocery shopping and a walk along the waterfront, home for dinner (I made a sponge fruit thing...cake like on top, stewed fruit underneath.
To bed by eight thirty and I slept like a top.
What a great first two days.
I have some great photos of walking from today that I have to shoe you. It shows the topography of a city, the way it is all vertical, the impossible configuration of the residential areas and the beauty of a real urban forest. AMAZING!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Enjoying the day
Sunday, a just right kind of day to enjoy celebrating Len's birthday. A wonderful brunch at a very nice place with a tasting menu of brunch items. Didn't eat too much, which is always good.
He is as excited for me and my big adventure as I am. How supportive is that? It means he will be able to work on a large messing the house up kind of project that he knows can go on for two months!
I will miss him, but we will be in touch every day via email, so it does not seem so apart.
Re-pack the bags tomorrow, to make sure I have not forgotten anything and I am set.
It won't be real till I am on the plane though, as I am a sort of skeptic about things like that.
This is a picture from the last trip, where I was in Auckland on a layover till my flight to Fiji. The airport itself wasn't particularly interesting, certainly not when compared to places like Minneapolis or Detroit airports. They had driver-less train shuttles (they are very large places and you need the shuttle to get from one end to the other) and or fantastic fountains. I must say that I was amused in all of them except for Los Angeles which was ugly, overused and depressing. It didn't help that I was tired when I was in LA, so I guess my opinion doesn't count.
Detroit was the best with fountain. Controlled jets of water doing a ballet, for all the world looking like dolphins jumping in and out of the water. Internet cafes will keep me busy when I have more than three hours. I am still trying to figure out turning pictures in my blog, or do I have to turn them in my camera first? I'll figure it out.
This is Detroit at about 7am. I had to wait till 2pm till my flight out, so I got to know it really well. They sell a lot of miniature cars in that place. Oh, by the way, the shops are open by 7am. Can you believe that? I just could not decide which was my favourite car to get, so I called my favorite man instead. He kept saying, "You'll be here soon, why call?" but at this point, I missed his voice and needed to hear it. I had also been on the road for about 40 hours at this point, so logical was not in the books.
So, this was the fountain that amused for hours. Sitting with an enormous coffee, glazed eyes, watching the fountain show me it's story every 10 minutes or so.I love people watching, and at my age, I experience what Germaine Greer calls "being invisible". This phenomenon is great because I can sit and watch a young couple practically make love in front of me and I am not there to them. The "no competition thing" I guess.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
TICKETS IN HAND!!!!!!!
The excitement mounts, the tension of waiting builds , or maybe I should just sit and enjoy a beer. The day of leaving will come whether I fret or not.
I went on a wonderful walk today.
Saw the distillery district. Really enjoyed the early morning quiet as the merchants were opening up, setting out their wares. A coffee sitting in a lane, looking at sculptures and reading a book by J.B. Priestly seemed the perfect moment to enjoy.
The "film" of life going on around me, aware of me being there or not, is fun to watch. I've always loved making up stories for the scenes I see. The couple at a table, talking together, a group looking in a window, contemplating something they see. A contretemps in a car as it passes by.
As I walked home, I passed the Queen St bridge. I love the saying written on it, but am not sure what it may mean.
Walks for me a long contemplative moments that I cherish. I go over the "tapes" in my head. Conversations from yesterday or from 10 years ago are not uncommon. The "Oh!, I see what he meant by that" moments come across me and solve long standing puzzles. These "time outs" are critical. I would never have thought so when I was young and hated being alone. All that noise around me kept out the thoughts that might have saved me some troubles. But then, I wouldn't be the me I am.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
BEAUTIFUL SUMMERY MORNING!
The Iris are beginning to flower! This one is a deep red brown and is just exquisite. I am glad that I got to see them before I left. They last just a short time, so I have to get out and look at them as often as possible.
The lilacs are pretty much done. A great display this year.
The spiderwort, a small purple flower, have just begun to flower also.
Because my garden is now mostly a shade garden, the poppies I used to have hardly flower any more. That is too bad, because I love the intensity of their tissue paper colours.
The main of the garden is full of garlic, making for a very "fragrant" grassland.I like the blousy look of the place. No grass, lots of ground cover, hostas and day lilies. Something is always doing something! The birds love it because there is a great food supply and the cats love it, for obvious reasons. The squirrels use the upper highways to get around and I use it for the shade.
It is my secret garden place, hiding from being in the city.
I wonder how the years will affect that feeling.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
The last stretch
Well, only a week to go! I get all my documents for travel tomorrow. I've been trotting around getting the bits and pieces one needs for a trip. It is sinking in, finally, that the trip will happen. I have been waiting a good long time...I think March, since I got going on it.
Of course, I have to put in the picture of my travelling companion again, since it is such a long time since the first publishing. Nina and I will trek our way around the North Island in New Zealand and Queensland in Australia.
The 9th of June is the day I take off and land there on the11th.
Coming back is long, but I get an extra day in there and seem to
travel for only a day!!!????
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