Highlights from the calm before the storm

Dearest followers,

We're sorry for the hiatus in news; hopefully the Clinton-Trump debate filled the gap for you, though probably more depressingly and with fewer visuals of New Zealand.

We had a relatively quiet weekend, with Wellington United AFC Awards the only excitement of note, where collectively we won no awards but enjoyed others' (especially my team's star striker). Roger left on Thursday night for the UK, on a flight through Shanghai that went through Hong Kong. I leave for Malaysia on Wednesday, to meet Becky halfway and explore Kuala Lumpur, Penang and the Cameron Highlands. So there will be another hiatus until Roger gets back and is over jetlag. We have a week or so back at work before our South Island adventure at the end of October followed by visitors til maybe April next year. The storm!

My football team at our team dinner

Highlights from the quiet period:

We had a great catch up with my cousin Chris and his wife Jill at Selwyn Terrace, chatting jobs and Wellington vs Auckland city living, and met their little girl Tilly and almost-toddler Henry, who was very pleased with himself and the extra adult attention when Tilly went up to bed!

We also had a delicious three course roast dinner at friends Rich and Lucy's, which raised the bar far above pizza-making hosted at ours. I'll be researching sorbets and petits fours ahead of the return match. 

We took the overflowing recycling to the tip and in the tip shop Second Treasures discovered the above tea set. Luckily for Roger and all future guests we didn't have any cash with us. Actually, Roger was secretly loving it too.

My choir is gearing up to perform on Sunday with full orchestra and soloists: Vesperae solennes de confessore - Mozart; Ave verum corpus - Mozart; Stabat Mater - d'Astorga. All three are beautiful and in Latin. We're hoping the audience outnumber the choir at this stage.

It was a stunningly sunny day in Wellington yesterday (Friday) so the waterfront was heaving with people and a seal. I went out with some colleagues for vitamin D at lunchtime, ate an enormous pulled pork burger and got sunburnt. While at lunch Roger reached Hong Kong. This is a photo of Roger looking for friend Nim who lives in HK ... as it turned out Nim was already in London.

Last night I went to Sweeney Todd the musical/opera at St James Theatre as part of a Young Friends of NZ Opera black tie event (they missed a trick as I'm still not a member). It was suitably dramatic and chilling and Mrs Lovett was a stand-out character, but I was disappointed by the lack of spurting blood. Although given that a different production of the story in Auckland led to the accidental actual cutting of someone's throat not long ago perhaps this was a good thing (the actor was fine in the end).

I leave you with treats from couture patisserie and salon de the Louis Sergeant - not to be missed when you visit Wellington.

So long for a couple of weeks!

A flying visit to Windwhistle

Last weekend we again forsook Friday work drinks for the joys of Jetstar airlines. This time we were headed to stay with Dora's family friends Dee and Gerald. The journey was smooth, despite losing the hire car behind a prefab.

Dee and Gerald's place was anything but prefab, set on the grounds of Gerald's (and son William's) farm, with double glazing, insulation and radiators! We were almost nostalgic for the UK. However, sunrise the next morning made us glad we were in New Zealand, as we climbed a nearby hill for stunning blue-sky views over Mt Hutt, down the braided Rakaia River and to the Southern Alps (more on those later).

Come Saturday afternoon, Dee whisked us to Lake Coleridge, a glacial, blue pool that was enlarged to (hydro)power Christchurch in the early 20th century (the project was started in 1907!). Scenery plus impressive infrastructure - what more could you ask for? A delicious lamb roast dinner with 'hokey pokey' ice cream, as it turns out.

A cloudy Sunday morning left us expecting a more sedate day. I watched with impotent interest as Gerald tagged the ears of some newly born calves.

But then... Gerald took us on a trip to 3000ft in his plane! The clouds cleared and revealed the Southern Alps in instagram-friendly detail. We soared past waterfalls shooting off the edge of mountains, past snow-clad peaks and over braided blue river beds. Gerald's Cessna (at one point coughing the feathers of an unfortunate bird out of the air conditioning unit) took us up the Rakaia River into the heart of the mountains, almost as far as the West Coast.  Thank you Gerald!

Dee then took us for some excellent real New Zealand pies at a local cafe in Hororata well known for its crusty treats, after which we enjoyed afternoon tea with some of Dee and Gerald's friends and then met their son and his family (now living in the main farmhouse). Some steaks, a little more red wine and some 'lolly cake' (like a UK fridge cake, but sweeter) later, we got an early night before an early flight the next day. This one was at 27,000ft and much less fun, since it delivered us to the office in time for a Monday morning of work.

Next week: Something less exciting, expect some close-up photos of food.

But for now...

Biking off more than we could pedal

In hindsight ambitiously, we planned a last-minute weekend bike ride round Pencarrow Head and onto the end part of the Rimutaka Cycle Trail, with a night in a bach (translation for non-kiwis: rudimentary holiday house), shown by an X below in the map below. The idea was to go there (anti-clockwise) and back on the route shown on this map, more or less. Eastbourne is across the harbour from Wellington city.

In preparation we went out with our respective football teams for end-of-season meals on Friday night. The next morning we had to listen to the dulcet tones of Radio 4 to soothe our heads. Then we ate some eggs, loaded the bikes and set off. 

Pencarrow Lighthouse and ship

In a nutshell, we had a moderately pleasant, if head-windy ride from the parking spot, round Pencarrow Head and its lighthouse to Baring Head, where we actually took the (orange) road inland thru farmland and had late lunch on a windy hillside. Rejoining the gravel track at Orongorongo, where the Rimutaka Cycle Trail officially ends (it goes clockwise over the Rimutakas), we pushed on with only a short stop for Roger to climb a boulder. Barneys Hut (marked 'Hut' after Turakirae Head above) came and went.

Lunch just before Baring Head

Then we reached the 18km section of trail. We knew this would be tough, with 10% of it described online as "un-rideable" sections of rocks and soft sand. It didn't disappoint. We picked our way over the rocky shingle fields fanning out from damp, green mountains, hopping and wading through streams and around debris washed up by the southerlies of the previous few days. There were some fun downhills. Then we hit the soft sand, a bloated dead cow and a puncture.

Turakirae Head, before it got tough 

Whilst admiring the 'raised beaches' causes by tectonic plate movements, we puffed up and down sand dunes. Definitely at least 3km un-rideable. Shortly after the stench of a ballooning dead cow has spurred us on, Roger's tyre went flat. A slow puncture meant we got to a campsite and signs of civilisation (empty houses), but were still over 10km from our bach. Trying to replace the inner tube, we discovered the back wheel was not quick-release and required a spanner we didn't have. Too late for the punctured inner to be resurrected, so Roger jogged and I rode until we reached the road at Ocean Beach and were able to call for back-up - the friendly bach owners. 

Feeling Scotland

The bach itself was a classic: log burner and cosy, decorated with 'African art' including parachuting tribesmen. Carrying an extensive meal became worth it, and we toasted/set alight to marshmallows in the log burner.

The next morning, though we acquired a spanner from a friendly neighbour and replaced the tyre, it had become too late to go back the way we came at the necessary saddle-sore pace, and in time to prep for some dinner guests. We called in further back-up in the form of Dave, owner of The Bike Shed, Pencarrow, his van and his fruit-and-nut chocolate. Dave kindly (and for a reasonable rate) picked us up near Featherston. We'd enjoyed a hill-walk and leisurely cycle north while he drove over the Rimutakas.

Barrow Hill view over farmland

An hour in the car with Dave and we were all old friends. He dropped us back at our little car - a welcome sight - and utilitising the most efficient 1% of battery Roger's iPhone has ever produced we got ourselves to Pak 'n' Save, then Bike Barn (bikes were booked in for a much-needed service) and home.

Pudding pizza!

We hosted my choir friends Renata and Erica for homemade pizza (including chocolate and marshmallow pizza!) and too much brilliant girly chat - Roger had to retire to Skype in our room.

Next time - we venture south again, to Windwhistle near Mt Hutt.

Weekend Escape: Gisborne Getaway

After a tiring week at work we decided it would be nice to spend the weekend on the East Cape with Dora's cousin Nic, his wife Jo and their children Jasper and Freddy*.

                                                                                                        We shot straight to the airport from work, boarding a toy plane for a flight up to Gisborne. Only hours before our arrival the city had been written off as a tsunami-devastated wasteland by international media. However, we found that they'd exaggerated somewhat - Nic hadn't let the 7.1 earthquake interrupt his morning shower.

I headed out for a morning run, taking in sand dunes, hills and a soft sandy beach before I realised my ambition exceeded my fitness levels. We breakfasted in the sunshine and played a variety of games with the kids (2.5yrs and 8 months), such as 'hide the (toy) lawnmower with Jasper' and 'stop Freddy eating leaves'. A picnic on the beach beckoned us all for lunch, where Nic taught me 'Kubb', a Scandinavian stick-throwing game. In return, I taught Nic how poor my hand-eye coordination was. Dora and Jo diplomatically called a draw in their game [so we could spend more time cuddling Freddy! - Dora].

Dora and I walked back along the coastline, taking in the surf, surfers and scenery. It was surprisingly warm in sun, which we enjoyed into the evening on Nic and Jo's new front deck. Whilst building towers out of blocks for Freddy to knock down and admiring Jasper's tool kit and workbench.

That evening we watched 'Boy', an iconic kiwi film that uses dark humour to convey the difficulty of life in some parts of the East Cape. 

  

On Sunday we awoke to Nic blowing up an inflatable kayak. Dora was taken on a tour of the garden and chickens by Jasper and we visited the idyllic Wainui Beach School, where Nic and Jo teach. Nic, Jasper, Dora and I then headed up a nearby creek in the aforementioned vessel, found a sword embedded in a stone in a field, a long-dead cow and lots of mud, and returned home. Bacon-and-egg pie, then a pleasant afternoon stroll up to a farm, with goats Nancy and Charlie whom Freddy was very excited about. After dinner we screened 'In the Loop', an iconic British film that uses dark humour to convey the ludicrous incompetence of  the political decision-making process.

Jasper susses the surf

The next morning, back to work via an early flight. Thank you caffeine, but an even bigger thank you to Nic and Jo for being as good at hosting as they are at parenting (i.e. incredible). We wish we had a photo of us all, but we were having too much fun!

Next week we'll tell you about our football socials and a cycle around the Rimutakas. The week after that you'll be treated to Weekend Escape 2: Whisked to Windwhistle. 

*this laissez faire statement is purely for literary effect - our weekends are actually worryingly well planned out from now until late April 2017 (no joke)

From winter to spring

The promised ski video

I'm distracted by salmon as I write today. I'm trying to make less of a smell cooking it than Roger did with his bit yesterday, and failing so far. Normally I would be on the bus to football, but the season finished last week with a dramatic game where we needed to win by 9 goals to 'clinch' the league title. We were up on goal difference against our rivals until their last game, which they paid the opposition to win 12-0. We won our last game 6-1.

A few of us had a good moan about the rival's oppo over beers and pizza with some of the Diamonds (women's 1st team), whilst watching the All Blacks take down the Wallabies again on Saturday in Wellington. Some lucky friends and relatives were at the game!

On Sunday we rose early to walk the 10k Paekakariki escarpment track before a date with the newest member of my extended family, Sylvie. 

The track climbs and traverses the steep hillside of the Kapiti coast, which used to be un-passable cliffs before the railway and road were built. With advice from Trish and Andrew we parked at Pukerua Bay and headed north. The track follows the railway out of the town then snakes up steeply, with each craggy corner bringing a new view of misty Kapiti Island and the coast one way or the other.

Roger scared an escaped sheep and lamb, we crossed two swing-bridges, climbed a seemingly never-ending zig-zag of stairs, and then later enjoyed the downhill as others walking the opposite way sweated up it, in running gear (vs our cold-start tramping gear). 

The yellow gorse matches Roger's backpack

We pose for a wholesome German hiking magazine

The last 200m of the track, along the railway in Paekakariki, is also along State Highway 1, so we were relieved to reach the cafes near the station, basking in sunshine. Excellent choices of halloumi bagel / feijoa juice and salami brioche / fresh orange juice were polished off as we gave up looking for a ticket machine and waited for the train.

We made it to Selwyn Terrace and were treated to a cuddle with gorgeous Sylvie (my baby-holding skills need improving!) and chocolate macarons over tea with Sophie and my uncle Douglas.

Future visitors, note the walk as a great day walk option from Wellington!

Next time: more news about little family members as tomorrow we fly to Gisborne.