It's all so quiet....

So, the last couple of weeks….

It’s been quiet, there’s been a lot of vegging out in the sun, on the days we’ve had glorious weather. There’s been helping a friend with a lot of legal matters he has going on at the moment, especially on the days where the weather has tried to throw everything at us.

I’ve been out to the coast quite a lot, just to sit, to commune with the sea, to think, to relax.

From the calm waters of Lake Ferry to the expanse of black grit beach that separates the lake from the sea. The short, by local standards, drive there back over the Rimutakas, and along the lake side through thin country roads and single lane bridges.

Back to Paraparaumu, to watch the local small fishing boats being dragged back onto shore after family fishing trips.

To the shore at Petone, and a walk on the pier with Wellington City opposite us, across a sunlit blue bay. Watching the families fishing.

(Couldn't see why......)

Lyall Bay, lying alongside the airport runway. Which gave interesting views of the planes coming into land below the top of the hills.

The rocks of Island bay, clambering over them, jumping from rock to rock like a child exploring, and sitting on the tallest, gazing at the snow capped mountains behind Clifford Bay on the South Island across from us, over the Cook Strait.

Add to that a little soaking up of the sun on Marc’s balcony, by Titahi bay, and alongside Porirua Harbour. An evening drinking and chatting with a rather lovely young lady, a meal with friends, and it’s been a quiet, but enjoyable couple of weeks.

The next big trip is probably the biggest of them all while I am here. The South Island awaits. We’ve gone through and budgeted for various possibilities, from camper vans, flights or ferries, rental 4X4’s, motel/hotels… Until we just thought sod it, we’ve a car, a tent, and list of the Department of Conservation campsites.

It also means that I get to do the ferry crossing to the South Island. I want to sail through the mountains, the bays and the splendour of the approach into Picton that I’ve seen in so many photos.

I want that to be the opening chapter in exploring Te Wai Pounamu, the South Island.