Over the hills and back again

Last week I was treated to Dora's choral concert, joined by Andrew and Trish and several over choir-groupies. While not a music buff, I was super-impressed by what even non-professional singers can do with their voices. I filmed some of the event, which will feature in a future blog. 

Dora, me, Matt and Phoebe pencilled in last weekend for some intense tramping. However, it was raining so we decided – after much deliberation fuelled by hourly-changeable Met Service forecast – to go wine tasting in Martinborough instead.

On Saturday morning we therefore fled the drizzle. Matt drove us over the Rimutakas and across the Wairarapa valley to Martinborough, where we’d booked into a cosy little AirBnB at the last minute. We deposited our bags and hired a tandem for Matt and Phoebe (Dora and I were on our cheapo trail bikes).

We started with reds and dessert wines at Muirlea Rise, then moved onto whites at generous Martinborough Vineyard. Cambridge Road provided a "naturalist" almost fizzy wine (Roger: "do you plan it all with the moon or some rubbish?" Hostess: "...yes"), which kick started our appetites for a lovely lunch outside at Luna Estate. Once we’d eaten Luna’s food and tasted some of their wine, it was on to Colombo where the friendly dog made up for the brief tasting explanations (“this is a white wine… very refreshing… grapes from over there *vague gesture* … good in summer ...enjoy”).

We finished the day with a final tasting and a bottle of champagne-style bubbly at Brodie Estate, where the intermittent rain finally cleared to let the sun slowly warm our glasses.

Back at base, we put on our glad rags and headed to the Matinborough Hotel for a pizza and the first half of All Blacks v Argentina. However, some Phatt Rob Doger and comfortable sofas were too tempting to resist for long, so we settled down to enjoy some of Dora’s brownie-cake and ‘In The Loop’.

We’d left our Sunday plans purposefully flexible, given the aforementioned fickleness of the weather and the temptation of blo-karting just up the coast. A planning brunch at The Village Café however sent us down to the south coast to see the Putangirua Pinnacles, where Matt stepped in some mud with his waterproof boots, and I stepped into a river with my highly-permeable trainers.

Cape Palliser lighthouse was next on the ad hoc agenda, via a a Ngawi fish and chips stand that was almost overwhelmed by a rush of eight customers. I ran up the 250+ stairs and regretted it, and then we got up close and personal with some seals.

The day was now getting on, so we sensibly headed home. However, en route I demanded we walk up the Rimutaka Trig, a gamble that rewarded us with some awesome views and chilblains.

We’re now back in the flat and getting neck-deep in logistics as we head back to the UK via South America.