Tuesday 15 September 2020

Keep right, right?


Today yet another story was published about the kayak/tramping trip the Baby and I took a couple of years ago along a bit of the coast of Abel Tasman NP in Te Wai Pounamu (it's Maori Language Week) aka the South Island. Today is also the day she and her husband have set off on their epic self-built campervan trip across the US, from the bottom right-hand corner to the upper left, and then down a bit. (Yes, I did geography at school - why do you ask?) In between lie six weeks, five and a half thousand miles, lots of tarmac and scenery, hiking, and hopefully - oh, how hopefully! - no virus, riots, forest fires, nutters with guns, or bears. 

It's a long time to keep my fingers crossed, but I'm sort of used to it, after her solo bike rides through France, Japan, Korea and Mexico. Plus her sister's equally solo exploration of South America, which I (thankfully) learned only later, included a bike ride down Bolivia's Death Road. Marginally less scarily, there was also her drive with a friend, and briefly also the Baby, right across Canada, that included random poorly-planned hikes along trails that turned out longer and more challenging than expected. And probably had bears lurking, too.

I'm proud that they're both so adventurous, and I'm envious of what they've done; but my goodness, it's a worry. I'm going to be so relieved when Baby and H are finally safely boarded on their Air NZ flight home to be tucked away for two weeks' isolation in a city hotel. In the meantime, though, I hope she'll keep in touch and post tantalising photos of the amazing sights en route.

At the very least, it's all taking my mind off the fact that on Thursday I should have been starting a Viking cruise around Japan, where I've never been. Almost taking my mind off.

Thursday 10 September 2020

Mind over matter

With all overseas travel off the table for the foreseeable, sigh, everybody is digging deep into the domestic - and it doesn't get much more domestic than your own suburb-cum-island. It's very easy to write about the nice things to do, see, eat and drink on Waiheke. The hard thing is to do it differently. After many, many years of being off the radar, Waiheke has these days been well and truly discovered (including internationally) to the extent that it's starting to be regarded as a bit ho-hum by Aucklanders. Lots of them still haven't actually been here, to discover that error, though, so that was the angle for this story.

I was mildly surprised that, once the story was up online, that it sparked only two comments - but they were classics of their type. First there was this OWM (writing, significantly, under the moniker 'Caveman'): Got there ONCE, back in the late 1990s - GREAT DAY!...Yes, 20 plus years ago - could not have asked for a better day, great weather, great food, great wine all over the island!!! Her Indoors wants to go back again but it seems to me it's another NICE place (20 years ago) that's no longer the laid-back, casual, "GREAT DAY OUT from Auckland" that it was.

So, he was here 20 years ago, had a lovely time but never bothered to come again, and won't now because he knows it will be spoilt. 

Similarly, the other commenter reckons: Waiheke is now just another suburb of Auckland... instead, check out Auckland's west coast where the natural beauty of our coastline still exists and tourist numbers not excessive.

Yes, I mentioned things like tours, shops, galleries, zipline and kayaks - but also beaches, bush, birds... Even in the height of summer when Oneroa is humming, it's very easy to get away to find peace and quiet - and now, especially, that's pretty much all there is. For proof, I submit the photo I took while on my walk to the dairy to buy the paper the story above appeared in:t there ONCE, back in the late 1990's - a GREAT DAY  - first boat (f cc

Case closed.YES 20 plus years ago - could not have asked for a better day - great weather, great food and great WINE all over the island !!!

"Her in doors" wants to go back again, but it seems to me that it's another NICE place (20 years ago), that is no longer the laid back casual "GREAT DAY OUT from Auckland", that it was....     OH and our visit was one of those mystery weekends with AIR NZ..YES 20 plus years ago - could not have asked for a better day - great weather, great food and great WINE all over the island !!!


"Her in doors" wants to go back again, but it seems to me that it's another NICE place (20 years ago), that is no longer the laid back casual "GREAT DAY OUT from Auckland", that it was....     OH and our visit was one of those mystery weekends with AIR NZ..YES 20 plus years ago - could not have asked for a better day - great weather, great food and great WINE all over the island !!!


"Her in doors" wants to go back again, but it seems to me that it's another NICE place (20 years ago), that is no longer the laid back casual "GREAT DAY OUT from Auckland", that it was....     OH and our visit was one o

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