Arrived at last

View of Snells Beach

View from Deck at Julie's

View from deck at Julie's

Greetings from Omaha river retreat!
Week Beginning 2nd January. We arrived in Auckland at 1pm on Sunday after an uneventful journey half way around the world. The 24 hour stopover at the hotel by the airport in Kuala Lumpur was a welcome break. We managed to stay awake until 10pm local time before crashing out for a full 12 hours. The rest of the stopover was spent mostly by or in the hotel pool. I felt as if I had died and gone to heaven!!Then it was back into the airport for the last leg of the flight. We were quickly through immigration, baggage reclaim and customs and found Rob waiting for us in arrivals. Nigel had wondered how we would find him in the crowd of people waiting in the arrivals hall but I knew exactly where he would be - at the back ready to make a quick getaway. I also knew what, after greeting us, his first words would be, "Come on let's get out of here"!Apparently Jill, our soon to be landlady had double booked so we were to spend the first night at with him and Julie at Snells Beach. It all looked very familiar as we took the motorway north until we got to the new stretch which goes through a tunnel at Puhoi before going back onto the old road. At Puhoi Rob decided to take a different route to the main road as, with it being the holiday season,he said that there would be a big traffic jam on the way into Warkworth.The next part of the journey was one of the high points of our holiday as far as Nigel was concerned. It was a drive of about 20kms on a twisty, hilly gravel road through thick bush. Rob threw the car around the corners and I was pleased that I was sitting in the back as they couldn't see when I closed my eyes!! At Warkworth we stopped at the New World supermarket and picked up some necessary supplies before going on to Snells Beach. The road looked oh so familiar. I had spoken to Julie on skype so had a good idea of what she was like so it wasn't like meeting a complete stranger. She made us very welcome and we sat out on the deck chatting and having a beer and admiring the view down to the beach. We were both pretty shattered but managed to stay awake and eat the BBQ that they prepared before going to bed at 9pm. Nigel woke very early the next day but I managed to sleep until about 7am. After breakfast we all went for a walk down to the beach and were amazed to find it so quiet despite the fact that it is the holiday season here. We went for lunch at a local pottery and restaurant before they brought us over to our home for the next 6 weeks. We are staying in the small cottage at the Omaha river retreat which is owned by Jill, a friend of Julie's. It is in a beautiful position overlooking the tidal river surrounded by 20 acres of bush. There is also a large house which is rented out but for the first few days we are on our own here.We have a bedroom and sitting room/kitchen with all that we need to be comfortable. We all sat out admiring the view, glass in hand, before Rob and Julie left and we unpacked our bags. Jill was very welcoming and said that we are almost family which I thought was very kind of her, she and Julie are very close friends. The bird life is fascinating, many strange birds that make wonderful sounds and a lot of herons roosting in the high trees surrounding the property. Jill and her daughter live in a nearby converted barn.
Next day,Tuesday, was shopping day. Rob had left me his car, a large, flash automatic Toyota which I managed to drive over to their place at Snells and we all then went to Albany mall on the outskirts of Auckland as I wanted to buy belated Christmas presents for Dannielle and Jonny. Thankfully Julie had a good idea of what they would like so I bought a Toy Story lego kit for Jonny and a pink handbag and wallet for Danni as well as the 2 dresses that I have brought her from home. Oh and we bought 2 bubble blowing kits for them as we too would like to blow bubbles!! Lunch at the Puhoi pub, a well known, old fashioned bikers pub on the way back.A rest period (!) at their place and then back to our little corner of heaven on earth. Each time that I come to NZ I am goggle eyed at the amazing vegetation, flowering shrubs such as bougainvillea and tree ferns.Tomorrow we go back to Rob's and Nigel will stay there with Julie whilst Rob and I go to pick up Danni and Jonny as well as the car that he has got for us for our stay here.

Chapter 2

Chapter two.

Well, on Wednesday Rob and I drove back down to Auckland to pick up Danni and Jonny. They rushed out of the house when we got there and gave us both a big hug. Danni even had a couple of little Christmas pressies for me. It was very emotional seeing them again after 5 long years.Jonny was a bit quiet at first but soon came round. We left and drove to Rob's place of work to pick up my transport for the next 6 weeks, a rather elderly Hundai Accent, but what the hell it's transport. Danni and I drove back in Robs car and she never shut up talking!! Back at Snells Beach they were eagerly anticipating their Christmas presents. Thankfully they were both pleased with the goodies.
  Thursday to Sunday the children slept here with us and during the day we met up with Rob and Julie and went to different beaches. So many beaches around here and most of them are child friendly. Both Danni and Jonny are confidant in the water and have taken to snorkeling like the proverbial ducks to water. On Monday we left for 5 days camping at Mangawhai forest reserve about 40kms north of here.It was quite some exercise packing up the 2 cars with us and all our belongings but we made it and got to camp late morning.The camp is very basic but has hot showers, toilets and a cookhouse. A real Kiwi, off the beaten track place, idyllic. We, N and I were honoured to have the big tent in which we could stand up which was great and Jonny and Danni had their own tent as did Rob and Julie. Jill, our "landlady" lent us a  comfortable blow up mattress so we were very comfortable. Rob did a very good  BBQ in the evening, steak, sausage and bacon and Julie provided the salad and once the children were in bed we sat around with a glass of wine and enjoyed the sunset.Jill came over Monday to Wednesday with her daughter and 2 of her friends so we were quite a crowd The next few days followed a similar pattern, beach, lake, BBQ in the evening. On Wednesday Rob and Julie had to work so I was left in charge and took the children to lake Tomarata which was very safe and where they spent a lot of time snorkelling whilst I was able to go in the deeper area and have a swim. On Thursday Danni and I went to Pakhiri beach and had a 2 hour horse ride along the beach and across the dunes. It was a 40 minute drive there along gravel roads and we hardly saw any other cars, I felt like a real Kiwi! We made the most of Friday, our last day, by going to the beach and taking a picnic. Rob gave Danni a lesson in boogie boarding and she soon got the hang of it and was thrilled. Jonny had a go at it too in shallower water, it won't be long before he gets the hang of it as well. Back to camp to pack up and come "home" after an amazing camping holiday. Rob is back at work now so I am in sole charge for the next few days. We are having a quiet weekend as there are still lots of holiday makers about. It is much quieter on the beaches during the week so we shall have beach days again from Monday onwards. I seem to have done many miles of driving on gravelled NZ roads, quite an experience compared to tarmac! Everyone that we have met has been so friendly. Tonight we were invited over to Jill, our landlady next door, and spent a very pleasant couple of hours sitting on her deck, overlooking the bush, with a glass or 2 of Sauvignon blanc and some nibbles. Not a bad way to spend the evening!As you can tell I am thoroughly enjoying my time in NZ with my gorgeous grandchildren who of course can be a bit naughty at times but they are so good most of the time. So strange being able to be a granny after not seeing them for 5 years. Every day is a memory that I shall cherish for ever. Off now to give them the hard word and tell them to jump into bed and go to sleep, a privilege indeed.
Next day. Another at home day although we did pop into Matakana this morning to pick up some provisions. Matakan is the centre of wine growing in this area and a very popular little village with some nice shops and cafes. Jodie, the childrens mother rang this evening and she is going to come and pick up the children on Tuesday and take them back home for a few days. Much as I love being with them it is quite exhausting and it will be nice to have a few days "off" and for Nigel and I to have some time on our own and to explore the area together.
Chapter 3. Well, on Monday the children were watching tv in the morning and I thought it best to let "viewing children lie"! They have barely watched any tv since they came so I didn't feel too guilty. Rob was going to come over after work and spend the night here before taking them back to Auckland to save Jodie having to drive up here. So after lunch I said that we would go into Matakana and get something for the evening meal and then go to the beach. After we had shopped I was getting back in the car when the door slammed on my finger, ouch and double ouch. Part of the knuckle was scraped off and bleeding profusely and the nail was black and bleeding. Not knowing of any local emergency departments I wrapped it up and drove back here for Nigel to dress it as best he could. I took a paracetamol and lay down to recover and of course no trip to the beach. Rob rang to say that plans had changed and that he wouldn't be coming over until 7.30 next morning to pick up the children. Danni got in a strop as I wouldn't let her watch a tv programme which was billed as having scenes of violence and refused to eat her meal. I banished her from the table as she was sitting scowling at us all! Sometimes grannies have to put their foot down!! We packed up their things ready for an early start the next morning. I waved them goodbye when Rob came, mixed feelings, a joy to have them but I do now feel that we need a bit of time to ourselves and to recharge our batteries! We went into the doc's in Matakana to get my finger dressed by the nurse, feel much happier now that I have had some medical attention, there is a chance that it can become infected but so far so good. Then N and I went to look around Warkworth, have lunch and do some shopping. On the way back we called at Matakana again to pick up tourist brochures and check out the cinema to see what is showing. Matakana, unusually for such a small town, has a brand new 3 cinema complex which is the talk of the area. We shall go there later in the week. Tuesday night was very wet and windy due to the remnants of a tropical cyclone, quite nice to have some cooler weather at last as it has been very humid.Today, Wednesday I had to go and have the finger dressed again and was told that it was healing very well, just have to go back for a final check up on Friday.

Lull

We have had a bit of a lull in activity this week as the children have been back home for a few days and we have had a couple of days of heavy rain and wind. The clouds are now breaking up and the sun is shining again, very timely as Danni and Jonny will be back this evening.

I would like to try and describe Omaha River Retreat, the beautiful place that is our home for the first 6 weeks of our stay. The property sits about a mile from the “main” road down a gravel road and is the last property on the road. Jill, the owner, and her daughter live in a converted barn with a deck overlooking a forest of Kauri trees, some as old as 300 years, plus other native trees that are full of birds. The main house which is let and can sleep up to 12 people looks out over the estuary of the Omaha river and across to Point Wells and the town of Omaha. There is a patio in front of the house where I can spend hours just watching the scenery and the incoming or outgoing tide.or reading my book.. Our self contained apartment is at the rear of the main house and has a small courtyard overhung by tall tree ferns. For most of our stay the main house has been empty so we have the run of the grounds and patio. As Jill is a good friend of Julie, Rob's partner, we were soon made to feel welcome and have spent several evenings on Jills deck with a glass (or two!) of wine and admiring the wonderful views.

 The ever present, in New Zealand, Agapanthus are now just beginning to go to seed after giving us a wonderful display of their blue and white flower heads. I was amazed to discover that for gardeners here they are a bit of a pest as they spread everywhere. I did manage to grow a couple of them when we were at Carol but they certainly didn't spread and cause me a problem there and I did have to nurse them through the winters. One of the indiginous birds is the Tui and I have to admit that I have been complaining about them as they start their call about 5am! However, now that the jet lag is a thing of the past, I  seem to be able to sleep through their dawn chorus.

On Wednesday  we went over to explore Omaha and Point Wells as, seeing them across the estuary every day , we were curious to see what they were like. The road leading into Omaha is lined spectacularly with tree ferns, palms and native trees which were planted, it would seem, as a windbreak as Omaha is really just a spit or small peninsula jutting out between the ocean and the harbour. One visit was enough!! Most of Omaha is covered in modern, architect designed houses and seems to be more for the well off, weekending Aucklander than permanent inhabitants. I am told that the prime minister has a house there. Bizzarely there were not many people around apart from on the rather splendid looking golf course. We walked on the beach at the harbour side of the town and there wasn't another soul to be seen. We then visited Point Wells which was slightly better than Omaha mainly because it had been developed earlier and everywhere looked more mature and in place than in Omaha.where all the development is so new. We parked at the point and looked across the estuary trying to locate our “lodgings” and saying how much happier we were to be staying over there.

Our nearest village is Matakana which is about 8 miles away. Over the last decade or so Matakana has developed from what I suspect was a sleepy little place into a bustling  small tourist centre thanks to investment by a couple of local entrepreneurs and the local wine industry. There are several small vineyards in the area all producing top class wines and they have become part of the Matakana wine trail. The Saturday farmers market has become well known in the region and attracts locals and visitors alike. There are several cafes, a local store, a very good bakers and the butcher. The butcher deserves praise as his meat must be the best around. In the middle of his shop there is a huge chopping block which must have seen many decades of use and I am told that he hangs and butchers all the meat that he sells. To top it all there is now a cinema complex, 3 cinemas, which show newly released films. On Thursday we went to see The Kings Speech which I believe has only just been released in the UK. The Vintry, a wine bar in the complex, sells local wine by the glass which can be taken into the cinema to complete the whole experience!!

Friday was the night of the full moon and Jill held a party, as she does on every full moon, to drum it in!! I had watched the moon rise over the estuary on Thursday and it was a wonderful sight in a clear sky. Sadly, Friday was cloudy and the moon was nowhere to be seen but that didn't stop the proceedings. The party was held in the house as there are no guests there at the present and there were 11 of us including Rob and Julie who came over and a Maori friend of Jill's. Everyone took something to eat and we all sat round the dining table chatting and eating. Then to the drumming. Three people on drums, the Maori was the best drummer of course, the rest of us shaking maracas and other varied “instruments” Quite an evening and very enjoyable.

Week beginning 22nd January

Scotts Landing

Mathesons Bay

River at Warkworth after the rain.

Week beginning 22^nd January.

We should have gone over to Helensville on the West Coast to attend the wedding party of Julie's niece on Saturday evening but a night of wind and rain was forecast. As we were supposed to be camping we all decided that it wasn't an option so just Julie drove over. It was indeed a very wet and windy night and when we woke on Sunday morning we were amazed to see that the windows were fogged up on the outside of the house as it was so hot and humid outside. The rain had stopped and we braved the wind and went into Warkworth to meet up with Rob and Julie for lunch. Rob brought Danni and Jonny back on Monday evening, so good to see them again. On Tuesday I took them over to Martins Bay which is perhaps my favourite beach in the area. It is edged with Pohutakawa  trees which are known as the New Zealand Christmas trees due to the bright red flowers that they produce at Christmas time and is a very safe swimming beach. After a walk along the beach we decided that it was perhaps a bit chilly for a swim so after a picnic lunch we went a couple of miles down the road to a small reserve where there are several donkeys that the children love to visit. A walk for me and a run for the children around the beautiful reserve and we decided that it was warm enough to go back for a swim. We were in the water for about an hour and I discovered the art of “noodling” !! A noodle is really a safety aid for children learning to swim, a long, thin piece of strong foam, but is great fun for adults too. I found that by leaning back on it and wrapping it under my arms I could just lie back in the water and float and keep an eye on the children at the same time.

Wednesday was Rob's day off so we went over there mid morning. Julie was working but her niece and 3 daughters who were visiting the area were there, a great delight for Danni to have someone her own age to play with! Jonny was a bit shy at first but soon joined in the fun and games. After lunch we all went to the beach at Scotts Landing, another safe beach for the children. It was very relaxing for me with other adults there to keep an eye on them all and other children for “my” two to play with. After a swim we waded over to a nearby island, a great adventure! Jonny was too small to wade over so Rob carried him over. By the time we came back the tide had gone down a bit so Jonny too was able to wade and he was so thrilled!! Back at Julie's the children raced around the garden and Rob cooked a meal on the BBQ. By the time we got back “home” it was almost 9pm and we had 2 very tired children who were more than happy to go straight to bed.

They were both still pretty shattered on Thursday and as it was another hot day and we had all had so much sun the day before we had a quiet morning before going off to Matakana and the cinema in the afternoon to see Yogi Bear!!

We were all up and away by 9am on Friday for a short car ride to Goat Island which is a marine reserve and great for snorkelling. I have wonderful memories of previous visits there and was looking forward to Nigel finally getting in the water and seeing the many fish that are in the water there. Danni did remember, vaguely, her last visit there when I was  here 5 years ago but she had not been brave enough to snorkel then and was really looking forward to it this time. We had to get there reasonably early as there isn't a lot of shade on the beach and we wanted to grab a good spot. Sadly, when we got there, the sea was rough and there were angry clouds on the horizon. A handful of brave souls were on the beach and in the water but it was certainly not suitable for my 2 little ones to take to the sea. As we were deciding what to do Rob called me, on my mobile, and told me that there was a cyclone on the way with heavy rain and wind forecast!! So off we went and did some shopping before coming back home just before the rain started. By 7pm the rain was torrential and continued to be so for most of the night. The wind howled and the rain battered the windows but miraculously Danni and Jonny slept through it all! We were up at 7am as Rob was picking the children up at 7.30 to take them back to Auckland for a few days and the worst of the rain and wind was over but we were without electric. Thankfully Jill lent us a gas stove so I was able to have my morning cup of coffee after they had gone. I don't think that I have ever experienced so much rain in such a short time. Jill said that it was worst she had seen in the 17 years that she has been here.

As I write the sun is back again and the wind is dying down and we now have a few quiet days before Danni and Jonny are back again, next Tuesday, for their last visit before starting back at school on the 7^th.

Week beginning 30th January

The Hollies. Ascension Vineyard.

Danni at Warkworth Museum

Danni and Black Beauty.

On Sunday we went to Martins Bay in the afternoon. It was Nigel's first visit there and I had been looking forward to taking him  as it is one of my favourite beaches, perhaps because I have spent quite a lot of time there on my previous visits. It was a bit busier than usual as it was a public holiday but there was still plenty of space. We set up “camp” in the shade of a Pohutakawa tree and spent the afternoon happily reading and of course having a dip in the sea. The sea there is relatively shallow but it is still possible to swim if one wades out far enough. We then went to Rob and Julie's for a meal – they are only a few miles away from Martins Bay- and stayed on to watch the first couple of sets of the Australian Mens Open final before leaving at 11pm, late for us! All the sea air is quite tiring and we are usually ready for bed by 10pm.

Monday was a big day as we had tickets to see the Hollies in concert at the Ascension Vineyard. We went with Jill, John and Martin,from where we are staying, and met up with Rob and Julie there. Gates were open at 5 and we had taken seats and a picnic. There is a sloping natural area between the vines and we found a good place in the middle of the amphiheatre surrounded by many other people looking forward to the evening. We purchased a bottle of good Ascension red wine, the 12 Apostles, and sat back and relaxed, glass in hand and watched people arriving. The concert started at 7pm with a well known local group the “Conrays” who got the evening off to a very good start.. Then it was the turn of the Hollies to come on stage and entertain us with their well known hits. We eventually moved to the side of the seating area and started jigging away before eventually Julie led Martin and I down right to the front where we carried on dancing. We were only a few yards from the Hollies and it was an amazing experience! The music was good, the ambiance was good but we all felt that they could have performed for a longer period.of time. They were billed to be on stage for a couple of hours but in face they only did an hour and a half. Nevertheless it was an exceptional evening.

On Tuesday Rob had the day off but Julie had to go into Auckland to work. She works as an interpreter/signer for the deaf and goes into different areas of Auckland 5 day a week. We hitched a lift in with her and spent the morning in Parnell before she picked us up and dropped us at a huge shopping mall for the afternoon. Auckland is very spread out and densely populated, the only densely populated part of this country and the traffic is horrendous! We were all pleased to get back to Snells Beach at the end of the day and find that Rob was preparing the evening BBQ!

A friend of mine who used to live near here had asked me if, whilst we were here, we could trace the daughter of a friend of hers who died a few years ago. A couple of phone calls and I found Rachael and explained why I was calling and she asked us round for coffee on Wednesday morning. By chance she lives only a few miles from Rob and Julie!! She lives with her son and daughter on a smallholding and we immediately got on like a house on fire. Her daughter was at school but in chatting we discovered that Danni and her daughter had been at school together when Danni lived in Snells Beach and went to the local school – what a small world it is! We had a tour of her property and admired the livestock, hens, sheep, cattle and goat as well as 6 horses . The property is on the market and if I was 10 years younger and had £450,000 I would buy it!

Danni and Jonny came back on Wednesday evening and on Thursday morning we took them to the museum in Warkworth.. Danni particularly was interested in seeing the many exhibits of how people had lived in the early 1900's in this part of the world, Jonny was more interested in pushing buttons and making the mobile exhibits work! After spending an hour or so in the museum we then went on the bush walk through the native forest. An awe inspiring experience and the noise made by the cicadas was almost deafening. At the start of the bushwalk is a towering kauri tree that is 800 years old, if only it could talk. A great number of kauris were cut down for ship building when the English discovered this part of the world, thankfully there are areas where these trees have now been preserved.

In the afternoon I took Danni for a horse ride in nearby Warkworth. We were the only 2 paying riders for the 3.30 ride and we were able to trot and canter up the hills surrounding the stables. Danni was thrilled to have her first real canter and she is now able to rise at the trot. By the time that we got back home granny Dee was pretty shattered to say the least! Jonny can be very dependent on Danni and follows her everywhere, she can be pretty bossy with him and tells him what he can and can't do. He was very upset when we left him here, with Nigel, and was almost in tears. Thankfully when we got back he was fine. I asked him if Nigel had been Nasty Nigel or Nice Nigel and he replied Nice Nigel so that was a relief!

On Friday morning I took them to the Matakana country park where they played, for a while in the playground. There are some stables there and there were  a few horses about as well as one horse being worked in the school so we were able to sit and watch them for a while, Danni of course would have stayed for much longer but Jonny was soon itching to go. A quick trip into Matakan for an ice cream and some shopping and then back home for lunch. In the afternoon we all went to Goat Island which is actually a marine reserve off the Island itself. Sadly the snorkelling wasn't brilliant but they had great fun playing around in the shallows and walking on the rocks.

Rob picked up Danni and Jonny at 7.30a,m on Saturday to take them back home as they start school on Monday. I was pretty shattered but sad to think that I shan't be spending much more time with them. The house next door was rented out for the weekend to a Scottish couple, Jackie and Graham who were getting married. Jill, our “landlady” is certified to conduct marriages and married them at a local vineyard/restaurant on Saturday. We didn't have much contact with them but wished them well as they left for the wedding. Nigel and I spent the afternoon at Mathesons Bay, just up the road from here. Good weather, warm water, relaxing with a book and watching the world go by. When we got back the wedding party, about a dozen of them, were celebrating and asked us to join them. What a night we had!! Sitting or dancing under the stars, glass in hand looking out over the estuary.

A late start next morning as we both felt rather fragile! Drove over to Snells Beach in the afternoon and then to Martins Bay for a walk on the beach before going to Rob and Julies for an evening meal.

Monday was Rob's day off and we went over there in the morning and he took us over to the Tawharanui regional park which is stunning. The whole park is fenced off to create and maintain an open sanctuary free of plant and animal pests where native plants, birds and animals can breed successfully. There are some amazing beaches there and fishing is prohibited as it is also a marine reserve. Back to Robs for a lazy afternoon and evening meal before coming back here,

Tuesday morning we met Rob, Julie and Jill  for breakfast at the Matakana country kitchen before Julie had to drive down to Auckland for her first appointment at 1pm, another day off for Rob. Back home for a while before spending the afternoon at Mathesons Bay again which is becoming a favourite spot of ours to relax and swim.

Last night at Omaha River Retreat

Brick Bay Sculpture Trail

It's our last night at the Omaha River Retreat. We have had a wonderful 6 weeks here and although I am looking forward to exploring pastures new I feel sad at leaving here. It is such a beautiful place and Jill has made us so welcome. Jill went off, earlier this afternoon, so we are here on our own. It is dusk and I have just been out to look at the estuary and watch the tide going out. Nothing goes as planned, being our last day I had hoped to go to the beach and have a swim but after a glorious day yesterday the weather has put paid to those plans. It is warm enough but the sky is grey and there is a brisk breeze blowing. I went into Matakana this morning, being Saturday the day of the farmers market, the place was packed jammed with visitors and parking was at a premium. My first stop was at Wiri the old butchers (that is what he describes himself as) where I have been a frequent visitor over the last 6 weeks. After the customary “Good day how are you” I bought a couple of good steaks for tonight before saying goodbye to him. I then managed to find a parking space up in the village and browsed around the market before going to the chemist to stock up on insect repellent and insect bite cream for our trip down south where sand flies can be quite a problem. There are quite a few mosquitoes around here but thankfully their bites are not as bad as the ones back home.

Yesterday didn't go as planned either. Jonny will be 7 on Monday and we had arranged that Rob would pick him up on Thursday and that he would have Friday off school to go to the zoo in Auckland. He is mad on giraffes  and his one request,when he knew that we were coming over, was to go to the zoo. Thwarted again!! Rob had to work and Jonny had stubbed his toe which had become infected so that he had a problem walking. Not surprising as he, like many children over here, goes without shoes most of the time. Rob dropped him off here on Thursday evening and he was soon in bed and fast asleep, in fact he slept for a full 12 hours! We went over to Rob and Julies and let ourselves into the house late morning and had some difficulty keeping Jonny entertained seeing that he was virtually immobile! Nigel and I took turns at playing board games with him for several hours until Rob and Julie got back from work. Several people, including Jill and her daughter Jess, came over in the evening for a BBQ and Jonny had a chocolate cake with 7 candles to end the evening.. Jonny stayed there and Rob took him back home next morning.

On Thursday we went to the cinema in Matakana, so novel for us to have a cinema so close. It was the first showing of the French film “Gainsbourg” a drama/documentary about Serge Gainsbourg. There were only 5 of us at the afternoon showing and we took reclining seats on the front row – so comfortable. We both thought the film amazing and well worth watching.

On Wednesday we had spent the afternoon at the Brick Bay winery and Sculpture Trail which is at Snells Beach. The owners bought the farm in 1986 and have since developed a vineyard as well as an area of natural bush and pasture where sculptures are displayed. They have landscaped the area to fit in with the natural contours of the land and have created lakes. The walk around the trail took a couple of hours and was well worth the visit. Certainly something that we shall remember as one of the highlights of our time here.

Tomorrow we have to pack up and work out what we need to take with us for our trip South. We are staying with Rob and Julie tomorrow night and Rob will take us to the airport on Monday for our flight to Christchurch at 12.30pm. We have 3 days in Christchurch before we pick up our camper van and start our exploration of South Island. Not sure yet where we shall go  -  wherever the wind takes us!!

Monday 14th February. Snells Beach to Christchurch.

We were up at 7.30 as Julie had to go to work and as we had been sleeping in her room she needed to come in and get ready for work. We sorted out our belongings as we weren't taking all our things to Christchurch, N was booked on the plane with just hand baggage and I had booked to take a suitcase.  Rob took us to the airport and although we had checked in online there was still quite a long wait at the luggage drop. I said goodbye to Rob and we went through security only to find that there were no cafes/restaurants there. We settled down to wait the half hour or so until our flight would be ready to board but soon heard that there would be a delay of at least half an hour due to the late take-off of the plane from Christchurch. We were flying with Jet Star, New Zealands equivalent of Ryanair, and I had booked the flight many months ago and got a very good price for our return flights. I took a suitcase and Nigel just took hand baggage as we didn't want to be encumbered with too much stuff on our trip. We landed in Christchurch just a half hour later than scheduled and caught the shuttle bus to our “home” for the next three days, the Riccarton Village Inn. The accommodation was good, a ground floor room with plenty of space and an adjoining bathroom. The staff were mainly Chinese and were efficient and very friendly. After sorting ourselves out we set off to walk to the town centre via Hagley Park which is, apparently, the third largest park in the world after Hyde Park and Central Park being 10kms in circumference. A fact of which we had been unaware! So after quite a walk we decided to retrace our steps and find somewhere to eat on the way back to the Inn. We decided on an Indian Restaurant  the quaintly named Arjee Bhajee! It had a nice dining room as well as a take away. They were very busy and it took quite some time before our order was taken and even longer before we got our food but it was well worth the wait.