One day to go..and one day I'll be back!!
After more rain overnight it was feeling chilly... mainly the effects of the cold wind!
The clouds cleared mostly by 11, I walked to town and gave been saying 'bye...and see you again....to a few people. Plus picking up some small items that I will use...and won't add much to case weight!!
Now to walk back and get the packing almost finished and re-weighed.....
It rained softly last night...and on past breakfast..
I managed to walk to the centre between showers....
As all five of us passengers boarded the boat it eased...and we were under a metal canopy anyway..
It has its propellor in a tube, higher than its bottom so is called a tunnel drive..so has a draft of less than half a metre.....
As it used to navigate rapids when it worked higher up the river... sometimes having to be winched..that was quite a good thing!
The MV Wairua was built in 1904, and worked until 1938 when it was used as a pontoon before she sank into mud for forty years!
It was then lifted and had a restoration by enthusiasts which took a while..and she has been used for these trips since 2006.
As we returned to land, so did the rain...
Through the afternoon I managed to be indoors every time there was a heavy shower!!
I had a look around Quartz, home gallery and workspace of Rick Rudd...he has a marvellous collection of NZ ceramics, plus others, and also the New Makers' exhibition which he sponsors.
And the day was rounded off by going to quiz night!!
Up and out bright and early yesterday, over to Johnston Park with friends for the Sunday racing...but only four turned up instead of the usual 20+... no-one could work out why, but they competed hard just the same!
It is a longer shallower track but still quite fast.
Old friend caught up with, new one made.
Still working on bag weights...I think I've got the small one spot on, the big one well under...hoping that the airport scales agree....
And supper with friends up the hill..Vic first met and stayed with them in 1999... myself, with Vic, in 2012....much chatting, discussing life, a good meal and a couple of glasses of good red wine...and back down the hill six hours later!!
A short ride this morning, up to the level crossing in Okoia.
Like many railway crossings in NZ....
No high wire fences.....
I've only seen level crossing gates where the tracks went through the city in Christchurch....
Just a quick leg stretch then down to the Yellow House café to meet those who had started at 7am and 8am....I started just after 9 am....and we all met at about 10am at the café.
Not everyone as one member of the group is a volunteer with the fire service and she was called out on a shout after turning back to home early...she'd had a puncture...lucky for the fire service!
I came back down the river side shared path to see if a friend was selling today at the Riverside Market...she wasn't at her stall.
It was great to see the market in full swing, with a jazz band playing at one end by the tram shed!!
Back for a rest , then out to see others having a session on the track at the velodrome...
And back to do washing and sorting and packing...
Working through things I need to do...post one of my prints to friends in Titirangi....
Choose cards to.post to grandies...two chosen, two to go...
Buy a sports bra in the Warehouse.... comfort!!!!
I walked to the shops early afternoon and had time for a long black and a brownie....the last one in the cabinet seemed to just be there for me!!
And why shouldn't a Waka have an outboard motor?!!
The base of that palm tree is not much higher than the riverbank....now that it sticks up higher it is being affected by the wind from the sea!!
Back to the Stayplace, just 20 minutes walk (today's exercise!) and off with friends..the intention had been to go out to another friend's house...but she is also on call with the fire service as a trained volunteer and there was a large chemical (ammonia apparently) spillage at a dry cleaning place so she ended up helping coordinate communication between teams...and organising food for them all.. over thirty firemen (and women) in the end including a specialist unit from Palmerston North over an hour away.
So back their house in Aramoho for a relaxing afternoon and supper together.
We get on so well...and I'm fitting in well.. its a shame I have to go back to Scotland!!
However there are plans to come again....
Alice through the looking glass?!
As it is still 18⁰C now at 10.30pm ( it was at least 28 this afternoon) I have started sorting things to pass on to others to use, and what I need to take back to Scotland...thinking of weight....
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