The South Island: Part I

From North to South

on Saturday morning we boarded a plane for our journey to the South Island, where we're visit some of the most beautiful land imaginable.  We'll be on the road for six days, traveling in a twelve passenger van, just enough room for the 'tribe" & ... 

Meet the Tribe

Out of respect for the privacy of my fellow travelers, I'll add only necessary/important info.

There are twelve of us making the trip.  For refreshers, this includes: son David; daughter-in-law Dineli, Dineli's mother, Kamini, two of Kamini's brothers, three of her sisters, one cousin and one American wife and one Sri Lankan husband.  They hail from as far away as Sri Lanka and as close as Austrailia, with Califormia, Seattle and Baltimore.  (D & d are the only New Zealand residents.)  

This motly crew, as I call them, range from medical doctor to physicist, from theologian to those in retail, from travel agent to corporate lawyer, two retired teachers, one successful private business owner and a director of a large corp. The age range, minus D & d, is between the early sixties to the mid seventies!

A few more details

• Sri Lankans only know one speed - slow.  

• Sri Lankans NEVER go anywhere alone.

• Sri Lankans love to eat.  The 'tribe plans lunch as they finish their morning coffee or tea.  At lunch, they begin to plan dinner at which they plan the next days breakfast.  

 Day One

An hour after our 11:00 a.m. departure from the Wellington International Airport,11:15 a.m. we were safely landed in Christ Church on on the South Island. (A note of interest: The Wellington International Airport is limited to domestic flights and flights to Austrailia:  Its runway is too short and the winds too strong to accomodate other airlines.)

But back to the trip.  You know the phrase, keep it simple.  We'll just chuck it out the window.  For Sri Lankans, there is no simple.   To reach the airport took trips in Bubbles, whose dog space had been replaced by its third seat and friend Ekta to ferry the driver and his immediate family to join up with the others.  By 10:40 a.m. we were all present, just in time for our flight.   Our journey to Christ Church was gratefully uneventful - planes had been having difficulty taking off and landing in Wellington for the past weeks with some having to make more than one attempt.   

In Christ Church we picked the van, as yet unnamed, which seats twelve, and we kept moving. Or planned to.  BUT we stopped to fill the chilly bin (cooler) with food and drinks for the next few days.  You don't ever want to do this. All the men and all but two of the women went traipsing through the grocery store together sans list. An hour later the tribe exited the grocery with fruit; ginger beer; a local favorite; "L&P, the World Wide Famous in New Zealand Soft Drink;"  some cheeses amd a bit of lunch meat. 

Dinner, at 10:30 p.m., was simple. After eleven hours in the sky and on the road, all agreed to order pizze, seven of them with four different toppings!

Day Two Tomorrow  - - Or as soon as I find another computerand the quiet time to sit and write.

I hope all are well! 

  

A reprieve from the wind, Leonard Cohen, Route 1

Going North & Other Tidbits

By noon on Monday, January 4th and a local holiday, we had packed ourselves, the dogs and some snacks into Bubbles and were heading north! The skies were blue, the air pleasantly crisp and the winds non existent. With Leonard Cohen playing through the radio, we headed up Route 1, the main route north, toward new places.

Initially the sights were typical - residential and commercial centers with houses built into thickly forested hillsides. Then, within the hour, my vision was blasted open by the sight of sheep and cows grazing on acre after acre of green pasture. This is not to say that the views from David and Dineli's home aren't lovely; they are. There is a certain delight in the clutter of corrugated roof tops that greet us from the windows and decks - orange, line green, brown and grey, red and sky blue, baby blue, marine blue andmore! However, the green hills functioned as a natural tranquilizer and fed places in my spirit that craves openness. I breathed more deeply and my body sank into the seat as we trudged northward.

We drove, much like many of our families did when we were young and gas was about $.19 per gallon. Driving then stopping at interesting places. Our first stop was at a lazy old town that had become a store front outlet center and where I bought a paua shell ring. (Paua is a blue/green shell found only in New Zealand.) Next stop was a neighborhood bar where a sign invited us to join the local darts club - a big match was coming up and they needed to add to their team. Here we had tea and L & P ( a New Zealand soda). Lastly, as the winds began to whip, we stopped at McDonald's and stuffed ourselves with french fries on the ride homeward. (they are stilled called french fries at the Golden Arches - not chips.)

Bits and Pieces

Shortly after Kamini and I arrived, we set out for a walk in the neighborhood - to get our bearings. And after a few short blocks we ended up at the Wellington Zoo. We decided that it would be a good way to spent the next few hours and paid the price of admission

( $13.00 for seniors, ugh!) and headed off with a zoo map.

Like the Baltimore Zoo, there were no real cages; all exhibits have been naturalized. The zoo was very clean, inviting, informative and enchanting - mainly due to Tanya, at left, a zoo volunteer who became our personal guide.

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We attended a talk on the resident Kiwi and animal medical car, which broke our hearts and at the same time cheered our spirits! He or she had been caught in a trap and as a result, needed to have one leg amputated.

The Zoo's mission statement includes: "What can we do to make each animals life better?" (paraphrased) Hence they enlisted the help of protheses specialist and over the next three months, they created the perfect match. But nature had a different mind. By the time the device was created and tinkered with to make perfect, the Kiwi had adapted to hopping on one leg, wholly rejecting the new one.

The Mercat! (pictured at left) particularly caught my attention. These charming little critters live in packs comprised of male, female and offspring. Initially I noticed the animals, maybe twice the size of a squirrel, moving the containment engaged in various degrees of activity - eating, playing, or sleeping. However it takes only a minute or two to sight a lone male "on duty," This is a rotated duty among the males. This delighted me! Sometimes I think I'd be perfect for communal living where we would embrace the notion that it does take a village!

The Reading Theatre

New Year's Eve took us to the Reading Theatre, a multiplex, in the heart of Wellington. Here we separated and saw different movies. Kamini and I, not science fiction fans, chose The Lovely Bones and David and d (Dineli prefers the use of the lower case) took in Avatar, complete with 'three d' glasses. Afterwards we strolled through the quaint town center, moving between small bands of local musicians and Kiwis celebrating the coming year - at outdoor tables - until we found a small Indian restaurant where we shared delicious food - indoors!

While Walking

New Zealand is known for its friendliness and this is easily evident when shopping or asking directions. During my visit sales clerks have suggested other stores where I could find a specific item that they didn't offer, and everyone, no exceptions, eagerly provides extensive directions. But don't expect a casual hello when you're out for a walk. You won't get it. Other walkers consistently avoid eye contact and do not respond to a a simple hello.

And while walking you will note the dog friendliness of Wellington. Here you'll find water fountains especially equipped for pets, dog parks and dog beaches like the one picture below. Sky and Emma, D & d's pets, (along with Shady Cat) never want for a place where Sky can run or swim. Emma, a beagle, must be on the lease at all times. She'd chased down any place where food might be had!

Enough for now.

Hope you're enjoying your warm home during the current freeze. Here space heaters take the place of central heating and these are used sparingly since energy costs are high.

The New Year

January 3, 2010

A view from the 'deek.'

One Down and Two to Go!

My German great-grandmother spent her days in the basement kitchen of her son-in-law's home raising the youngest three of her daughter's children. Her daughter, my grandmother, had died of cancer at age of forty-eight, at that time an unspeakable disease.

Gram, a stern sort, all of 4'10", lived a simple life, cooking, ironing and riding herd over her grandchildren. She seemed to talk little. I remember her as a no fuss woman with only a few adages that she lived by. One of them was, "Bad things come in threes." Well, if Gram's adages are true, Kamini only has two more to go.

Friday, New Year's Day here, was blustery, so we decided to take a ride through the forest to Cook's Straight, a beautiful tributary to the Pacific Ocean. Of we went in Bubbles, D & d's silver blue van, with the dogs in tow to pick up Ekta and head towards a lovely beach nearly an hour away.

Driving up, down and around hillsides and hilltops, curling round the greenbelt that surrounds Newtown, we finally we reached our destination at about 4-30 in the afternoon. And it was lovely! The beach, rock strewn, extended about 100 yards before us. Then the blue/green water interrupted the view. We headed towards it, the strong winds at our back.

As usual, David, Dineli and Ekta had about a thirty foot lead over Kamini and me as we struggled forward - the white caps, lovelier than any I've ever seen, beckoning us. Slowly we picked our way over the rocks, the wind at our backs. Then Kaminio, who had been at my side, was suddenly rushing, running past me, her feet in constant motion in a futile attempt to ground herself. I reached out to catch her, and she was beyond my grasp. Her motion was faster than I could walk, and I knew that to run would place me in the same predicament. Hoping that the back winds would carry my voice, I shouted to the others, but my calls went unheard. Then within minutes that passed in slow motion, she fell forward onto the rocks, hitting hard her knees, chest, face, nose, and forehead. By the time we all reached her - she was easily twenty-five feet ahead of me - blood was pulsating from her mouth; I was sure her teeth were broken. Large 'eggs' began to show on her forehead, face and nose; her chest was tight with pain. And she was stunned - as we all were.

We 'spectators' felt that she should be seen in the ER immediately, but Kamini, a medical doctor, refused saying in her British English, "It will be alright." Then she put her hand and felt the rising lumps near her frontal lobe and she agreed.

Within an hour, at 6:00 p.m., we were situated in the Wellington Hospital ER. There Kamini was examined and exrayed and the news was good: nothing was broken, she would just be sore for a few days. And her teeth were intact. The bad news was that we'd have to wait until the following day for the special Sri Lankaan New Year's Day dinner that she and Dinli had planned to prepare. Instead, we gathered about the table at about 10:30 that night for a delicious pasta and salmon dish that Dineli quickly prepared - and a prayer of thanks for Kamini's good fortune!

Now I need to close. Though I promised to 'discuss' Central Park, I need to shut down; the winds are so great that I'm fading in and out of connection.

Till the next time -

B

Still more

Still Catching Up!

If every day was like yesterday, I'd move here in a blink. The weather was perfect, blue skies, no wind, no rain and sun - all at the same time on the same day!

Since we don't get started early, we left the house after a light lunch and drove to the CBD - Central Business District. Here the buildings are tall, and the apartments plenty - with both a generous number of privately owned or rented units and a large number of well kept government subsidized ones. For a number of reasons this last fact was a real surprise: the subsidized units occupied prime real estate facing Central Park; the upkeep of the units defied what we come to expect in the US; and its location provides work-place housing, which we do poorly in the States. (My years in government taught me that the response to siting anything new, different or less' than is: "It's a great idea, but put it someplace else.")

Tramping

Tramping in NZ is akin to hiking in the US, and on Sunday, Kamini and I adamantly refused to tramp. (rain, wind, chill) Still we needed to get out of the house. So, believing that movie theatres would be crowded due to the holiday, our offspring drove us to the closest mall, nearly forty minutes away, in Bubbles - their van with Dineli practicing for her driving test. (Remember: the NZers drive on the wrong side of the road. LOL)

In contrast to Newtown, which is populated with lots of small shops, including the artsty, the vintage and consignment, the mall provided an opportunity to see lots of both pricey and affordable stuff! Lots of Body Works, kitchen goods, jewelery stores. Stopping only for a sushi lunch, we 'tramped' a good third of the mall.

Though not looking to, I bought a lovely leather bag that had been $164.00 in Kiwi $ and was on sale for 50% of that. However, when converted to US $= $61.00. Not bad when you base currency is US, but still quite expensive if your base is Kiwi.

We had received a dinner invitation for that evening from Ekta, also a physicist at Wellington Hospital. And I was a bit awkward: Immediately I needed to adjust my ear to add Indian English and the native language that her parents spoke - and I had neglected to remove my shoes upon entering the house.

But the evening was very pleasant. Ecta, in her early thirties, is very bright and her mind seems to work like a magnet gathering all sorts of interesting things.* Her family was truly hospitable and while conversation with Ekta's mother was difficult, we managed to 'converse' by way of smiles and nods. Her father, who sports shoulder length white/grey hair, spoke a bit more English. From him I learned that he had been a cinematographer in India. Ekta's nephew, Arian, was a such a beautiful child that my fingers ached for my camera! And he was equally charming and rambunctious, easing the first minutes of our visit with his antics. His mother was warm and also very charming. Moreover, the food, a traditional Indian meal, was delicious, and included dahl, rice, curry, vegetables, and a wheat pudding for dessert. We arrived at 7:30 and left near midnight.

* Did you know that there are more than 250 private cable cars in NZ - constructed by those who have no road access to their homes in the hills?

Moving backwards

Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, was spent mostly at home, venturing out only to New World, the local large grocery, to pick up the usual daily grocery needs.

A true Kiwi holiday, Boxing Day was begun long ago when lower level employees, those who always worked Christmas day, would be given the 26th off, and provided with boxes of food by their employers. Today this is extended to those in public service: police, fire, etc., Ironically, many shops still close while others offer special after Christmas bargains.

Christmas

Nearly two years ago David and Dineli decided to move to this island in order to live a simple life. In doing so, they traded a large and beautiful home in Beaver, PA - just outside Pittsburg, and greater salaries for a far more humble house and a significantly lower income in a less magnificent part of town. Out of respect for their choice, I determined that I would knit each a Christmas gift for each, rather than shop. For David, I made a scarf and hat, for Kamini, beautiful sari-colored shaw, and for Dineli a vest. However, there was one glitch: I decided to leave Dineli's till last believing that I could knit on the plane and then finish in Newtown while she was at work. Well, sleep overcame my good intentions and I knitted little in the air and even had to start, rip and restart the project more than once! Hence I was behind on my work and thought I'd have to wrap my gift - needles and all. But I didn't. By working nearly every available minute, I managed to complete the vest - but not piece it together! Dineli gratefully accepted the back, left front and right with glee and goodness, asking only that I complete the construction in by Tuesday so that she could wear it when she returned to work. (Monday was a legal holiday.) And I did.

Hope you're enjoying the break that the holidays provide!

Note: There has been some difficulty adding pictures to the blog. David and I are still trying and hope to have more for next time: Central Park!

Catching Up

Good Evening, your time,

Well, yesterday was the 22nd of December, and New Zealand is becoming familiar.

Kamini (pronounced K, with a short A and equal stress on all three syllables), David and I spent most of the day shopping and gathering Christmas decorations for the house. Last year, their first year here, was spend in Sri Lanka where Dineli's (equal stress on all syllables) father had recently gone on to Larger Life, as it is said in the Anglican church.

Weather wise it was the loveliest day since my arrival. It was warm, though not hot, with bright, healing sun and clouds reminiscent of puff pastry - and gratefully no wind! In between our stops at too many stores to list, David, Kamini and I , along with Sky and Emma, the resident dogs, trekked up a local mile high mountain, where we are pictured. (It was really a hill, but nearly mile high as it wove higher and higher to its precipice, where Kamini and I are pictured.)

Our goal was to view a memorial placed there by the Turkish government after WWII. The memorial honors the New Zealanders and Aussies who lost their lives as they charged Turkish boundaries. You see, the British (smartly?) sent in NZers and Aussies first in order to reduce the enemy troops before they charged. Huge, huge numbers of NZers and Aussies died in this manner and here they are memorialized. In part the wording of the large brass plague reads:

Mothers who send your sons to fight this war, know that they now rest on welcoming soil." (very paraphrased)

After the strenuous and the emotional impact of the memorial, we lingered to take in the beauty of Cook's Straight and the houses peppering the hillsides. Gradually we collected our energy while a myriad of birds chirped away, only gently breaking the peace filled silence.

Decorating for Christmas

The decorations we've purchased are both simple and quirky: a camellia bush to decorate for indoors and later plant outside, small red and green tinsel strips, small twinkling white lights and a golden star, woven of metal, for the tree's top. We also purchased a long string of bold white, lighted stars that will hang on the three palm trees bordering the deck and some quirky lights to string in the kitchen. Our 'tree' will occupy the hearth in my room, which is actually the lounge - or living room where we'll spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. (We spend far more time in the kitchen than other rooms.)

Nothing pleases Kamini more than shopping, so we've done our share, gauging the quality of the item or that and comparing its cost in Kiwi with the American dollar and the Sri Lankaan rupee. We look more than buy. But Monday was the exception. In the morning Kamini connected with Rowan, her son in Indiana, on Skype and learned that her new grandchild, expected in May, would be a boy. Her smile was joyful and contagious: we headed off to the yarn store where she, an eager knitting novice, purchased materials for a baby blanket. As for me, in yarn stores and garden stores I have no monetary limits. Passing one's fingers over possum yarn*, cashmere and merino can be likened to visiting heaven with an angel as guide! I purchased enough for three projects!

* Possum is a new commodity indigenous to NZ and rightfully gaining popularity.

New Zealand

Since arriving, I've needed to put the patches of life here together. I'd flown many miles over the course of two days, yet there was no immediate culture shock. Quite the contrary, there was no foreign feeling to the city. My last major trip, to Sri Lanka, was one where the air pulsated with third world differences. Three languages dominated the airport and I was confronted immediately with cows, chickens and uniformed school children moving about the 7:00 a.m. sidewalks and streets. There horns beeped incessantly as cars, buses, motorcycles and tuk tuks all vied for space on the small overcrowded streets. (Son David calls this beeping 'The Sri Lankaan Anthem.')

Here Kiwi English was not only familiar, but signaled Sri Lanka and GB. Only rather friendly, open-faced light skinned Kiwis peopled the shops and streets. The terrain resembled San Francisco where I had just spent 10 hours. The patching together comes slowly, but I can share a few observations.

First, people seem to move about life not slowly, but in a rather undetermined fashion. Shops are closed at unusual hours. Christmas vacations are sometime a month long. (The health club all but closes down from December 20 until January 5) and there is no sense of urgency or enterprise in the air.

Second, there seems to be no need to know on the part of the many Kiwis I've met; no desire for accuracy. I mentioned this in an earlier post, and it was highlighted with the comfort I felt when it was juxtaposed with our visit to the yarn store. There the female clerks knew their stock, and were clear on the exchanges between US knitting terms and those used here. Moreover, though they were quite busy, a clerk was always available to answer a question - with surety and accuracy. It was so refreshing after more than a week of receiving kind but frustrating guidance.

In following these thoughts through, I dug out a piece of another trip, which I took in the mid-eighties. This one was to Tortola in the BVIs. On my first day there, I thought I'd loose my mind to impatience with the slow pace of movement. However by day two, my own pace easily mirrored that of residents. I gauged this quick absorption of the culture to need to accomodate the tropic climate, which certainly does not prevail here. (As I write the winds gust at 40 - 50 mph) Then I wondered, are these transitions, too, just a bit slower to take hold as the calendar years of one's life increases?

The geography of New Zealand is beautiful! Wellington, on the north island, is nestled in a series of lush hills and deep valleys. For the most part, the houses are built into little and large hillsides. Cook's Straight flows into the Tasmanian Sea and then the Pacific Ocean. It takes your breath away - and yet since it is so pervasive, it can become mundane.

Last night was a perfect time to be swaddled in the island's atmosphere. As we finished the last of our shopping, we stopped at New World, a grocery, where Kamini and I picked up some makings for an easy dinner: curried hard boiled eggs, timbouli, marinated artichoke hearts and prawns, which Dineli, a natural chef, allowed me to prepare. (I'm trying to be very observant of the old adage that two cooks in the kitchen can spoil the pot - and sometimes the evening!) Later we had fresh, delicious ice cream for dessert. But though the food was delicious, the real delight was the company and the fact that it was shared on a table set on the front deck overlooking Newtown. (not to mention the lovely local wines!)

Today is a day at home with time to work on Christmas gifts and a good walk with the dogs. Tonight when Dineli and David return have dinner and do the decorating!

There is much more to say, but work to do. I hope this finds all well and in the spirit of joy and celebration! We need it so these days!

Please always feel free to comment on this site or by email.

LOL,

B

If there's one more thing...

If there's one more thing that is to be said about New Zealand it is this: the winds are more than horrific - if that can be. And if there is even one more thing it is: summer time here is a state of mind, not at all reflective of temperature.

As I sit here in the lounge - living room - writing this the winds are topping 75 mph, and it is daunting and continuos. Outside the large window that overlooks the street pictured in my last post, trees sway almost to the point of breaking. It is very unsettling. Fortunately the trees, most with very small diameter, bend with a natural ease Walking is nearly impossible particularly given the very hilly terraine.

Now the temperature: After nearly a week of observation, it can honestly be said that summer here is strictly a state of mind that is reflected in clothing choices not temperature. Today, I moved about Wellington wearing sweat pants, knee socks, a hooded sweatshirt and a long sleeve tee shirt, and I felt no excess warmth whatsoever. Notably different are the Kiwis donned in light weight clothing, flip flops or sandals with sweaters or jackets. They're nuts! (Here I will note that summer colors do not abound. Most clothing is black or dark grey.) And I think I know why.

You see, New Zealand, despite it proported changes in climate never looses its greenery. As Kamini and I walk to the shops and stores, we observe Geranium, roses, daisies and more in full bloom on very woody branches. Nearly everything winters over! So I guess the locals depend on the calendar for seasonal changes, because you surely can't find it in the weather! If it is December in New Zealand, it must be summer! Regardless.

Walking is a major source of transportation. That and a wonderful bus transit system. Take today: David dropped me off at the pool at 9:45 in time for a one hour water aerobic class, (More about classes later), After the class, I changed out of my suit and I headed for the #3 bus - about a ten minute walk. The bus arrived on schedule and the ride took only ten minutes. Following this was another five minute walk before I arrived at 12:00 at the friends of my friend Lois who had suggested that I visit with them. The overall trip was short, inexpensive - maybe a dollar - I'm not sure of the coin denominations yet - and interesting. I had the opportunity to Kiwi watch!

Kiwis are an interesting lot. They are friendly, very un-style conscious, yet it is nearly impossible to obtain accurate info from them. Take my inquiry into water classes at the local pools. On the day after my arrival David drive me to two pools he had previously located for my use during my visit - both government operated and affiliated with each other. With me I had the pools' schedules, which I had printed out in November on my home printer. Almost none of the info was accurate.

Pool #1: Here we appealed to the information desk clerks. Clerk one: There are no more classes until after the first of the year. Clerk two: There are no classes in the therapeutic pool, warm water, but there are classes in the large pool. Of course, no one thought to mention that there was no therapeutic pool at this location. When I referred to the schedule printed from the internet, I was assured that if it were online, it would be up to date.

Pool #2: Here I am assured that there is a therapeutic pool, but it will be closed down from December 21 till January 15 for cleaning and repair with no classes before then. However there will be classes in the regular pool. After leaving the pool I asked David to phone and recheck the info. (I have difficulty understanding the Kiwi accent on the phone.) He phoned, left a message and the call was returned with promptness. Yes there would be two classes at 9:00 and 10:00 on Saturdays in the deep pool.

I decided on the 10:00 a.m. one and put the schedule aside. Then yesterday, while I was moving it into my file folder, I noted a 12:00 noon class in therapeutic pool. Of course, it was 11:55. So okay, I stuck today's 10:00 a.m. after which the instructor announces that this is the last class of 2009.

But there was a silver lining. I decided to observe the class rather than participate, thus avoiding the back cramping that results from cold water. Moreover my position on the deck, from which the instructor taught, would allow me to take notes and observe the instructor's moves. And I again learned that the world is small; our exercises, including their titles, were nearly identical. Additionally, I noted that my warm-ups were more effective! At the end of the class we had the opportunity to share info and discuss the class a bit.

Enough for now. Please feel free to comment -

LOL,

B

Newtown