The long Christmas (wind-turbine-themed) lead up...Meri Kirihimete!

Merry Christmas, or Meri Kirihimete to you all! Hope you are having a wonderful time with family and friends wherever you are in the world.

It felt like it was forever coming. On the 12th December I attended the launch of Mevo, NZ's first electric-hybrid car sharing service. Beautiful morning, not a cloud in the sky. Summer? Christmas! By lunchtime the wind had turned and a southerly rolled in. Check out the photo below taken by one of the wind technicians at the top of a turbine at West Wind farm:

Another gorgeous sunny period saw Roger and his work colleagues celebrate Christmas beach-style out at Island Bay. Roger was buried in the sand in an over-enthusiastic sandcastle-building competition, which we've been hoovering up from the flat for the past week.

The sunny spell lasted long enough for us to help charitable organisation Sustainable Coastlines in their annual Makara Beach clean up (3000 litres of rubbish), and for me to overheat singing carols at the Rita Angus retirement home. And then in the cooler and wonderfully accoustic-ed Railway Station. A day of giving back. Now Christmas was only a week away!

Roger contemplates his good work, and wind energy

On Sunday the wind was back. Or rather, it was significantly windier than usual. Red Rocks was not a good choice of walk (blinded by sand and debris), but we followed a little path up a stream gully long enough to feel like it was a cool, rock-climbing adventure. 

After testing Roger's new phone's slow-mo setting by throwing a rock into the waterfall pool (only one, conservationists), we rambled back for roast beef and to prepare for the arrival of...

Meridian's Brooklyn Turbine, and foxglove

Abi and Rich, straight off the flights from London. We let them rest for a little with some beers and chats in the sunshine next to the lagoon (the sun was back) before driving them up Mt Vic and to the Brooklyn Turbine. Their second day was a stunner too, and relaxing over lunch in the sun under the Pohutukawas you could almost feel Christmas...

In fact, we joined a couple of new friends for a Christmas-themed pub quiz that night. Our main "learnings" were that 2016 was quite depressing, politically, and Rich knew a lot about sport. Too soon, we had to say goodbye to Abi and Rich, as they headed off on the Interislander ferry for their own epic South Island Adventure.

The Bucket Fountain - a key highlight in the Wellington whistle-stop tour

And now two or three busy days at work, with numbers dwindling, out-of-office replies piling up and people smugly tidying their desks and exclaiming many times that yes it is their last day today.

Wednesday was deceptive. It was very sunny. It was also so windy a set of traffic lights was blown over right outside my office.

On Thursday evening we had mini-Christmas in the flat, with a Skype to my parents and brother. And later on we met Becky and Greg off the Interislander, fresh from their South Island Adventure. On Friday we escaped work at lunchtime and after kir royales at Louis Sargeant with Becky (me) and a hilly run with Greg (Roger) flew to Auckland. A short drive away Piha and Christmas awaited..

More on that next time!

South Island Adventure: The Movie

Welcome to the launch of our South Island Adventure movie. Several hours in the making, we've overcome differences in the production team to bring you a block-busting thriller like no other. Click on the play button below to start three minutes of epic-ness.

In other news, we've had a low-key weekend of cleaning, Christmas shopping and moderate mountain marching. 

Top of Belmont Trig, in Belmont Regional Park

Greg and Becky are now landed in the South Island. We'll be catching up with them soon, once they've had an explore. Then a Piha Christmas and Sydney New Year awaits.

An engaging party

Dora's boss' small Wairarapa vineyard

Luckily we didn’t have long to mourn Tom’s departure, as Dora’s choir friend Renata soon arrived us to regale us with tales of North Island adventures, and make us (amazing) Canadian pancakes.

Some Dora baking, thanks to Renata for for the baking tray

This weekend saw us head down to Christchurch for the engagement party of Dora’s cousin Mark and Katie. We’d originally booked flights together, but Dora subsequently remembered she had her work Christmas party so left me to travel out alone (cue violin music).

I spent the evening at an Airbnb, where Chinese was the first language, and English didn’t really appear on the language league table. An evening and morning of my MA kept me entertained, whilst a breakfast of 110% authentic dumplings and vinegar kept me fed.

Dora and work colleagues,
not sure if they're in fancy dress

Dora, meanwhile, had spent the week at a gruelling work team day involving surviving in the subartic together, cycling round the open wineries (1) in Martinborough and brunch. She then dressed up as Jane Austen to go to a ‘Dead Famous’-themed fancy dress Christmas party; unfortunately all the New Zealander’s thought she was just wearing her usual English attire…

Breakfast

Come morning a slightly tired Dora was greeted by a dumpling-filled Roger, and we were given a lift to the party venue courtesy of Andrew and Trish. Mark and Katie had spent a good deal of time and energy planning the party, and it showed. Drinks were plentiful and chilled, food was delicious and served regularly, and the company was excellent.

View from top of quarry, from which many of Christchurch's buildings were built

Come evening we headed back to Katie’s parents' lovely home, and come morning were impressed and rejuvenated by their plumbed barista set. I popped out for a run around a quarry, and upon my return Skyped some friends having Christmas dinner in the UK, on what would have been their Saturday evening.

Once recovered, we visited Mark and Katie’s wedding venue, which was a hillock overlooking the aforementioned quarry and Christchurch. A suitably relaxed afternoon was spent discussing haberdashery and Greedy Santa tactics. Mark and Katie’s parents kindly hosted us for a second night, and on Monday a Jetstar flight deposited us in Wellington for a week of work.

Dora from top of Town Belt on recent weekday trail run

Next week, we bring the long-awaited video highlights from our South Island adventure, and little else (we’re having a low-key weekend).