Images of Napier

 

It has been a time of rest and relaxation.   We’re doing a lot of reading, enjoying family and some out and abouting.

We’ve been cycling in the park again (Anderson Park very close to Dave’s home).   This time we were armed with old bread to feed the ducks.

The plan was to feed the ducks and swans but there were some cheeky sea gulls who were able to catch the bread in mid air before the ducks even got there.

We took a walk along the beach.   It is a pebble beach and looks black.   I put my foot in the waves but it was too difficult to walk next to the sea on the pebbles so we walked along the concrete path along the beach front.

 

We saw children’s playground equipment which are different from what we have in South Africa.  Emma and Darren would love it.

Yesterday we went for a walk around the estuary at Penelope Pond.  Large areas of mud, mud crabs, birds.   It was about 3,5km and we managed it very well in just over an hour.

There was also a beach area closer to the sea where people were in kayaks or on windsurfers or just swimming.

There were also the ubiquitous sea gulls…

Tomorrow we head for Wellingto n where we will catch the ferry the following day to the South Island.   Here’s  hoping the weather is good.   Happy New Year to all our friends.   God has great plans in store for us all

Christmas in Kiwiland

Unlike Johannesburg, where Christmas carols occur mostly towards early December,  there were numerous opportunities to attend some kind of Carols in a park.   Dave’s church finished off their year with a bring and share dinner and a DVD on Sunday 23 Dec.   We couldn’t go because it clashed with Nathan’s schedule but we were able to attend a later Carols in the Park at the botanical gardens, accompanied by the Port of Napier brass band.  

Back home, Gayle had made beautiful quilted Christmas stockings and hung them near the Christmas tree.

On Christmas eve we went around to see the best Christmas lights.   People register on the web then decorate their houses and gardens.   visitors can download a map showing all the houses participating.   Some people really went to town and the effect was beautiful.

 

Last minute present wrapping and stocking filling took place as usual.

Christmas day was great.   Brian and I were on breakfast duty and under Gayle’s instruction we made French toast topped with Greek Yoghurt, mixed berries, bacon, bananas and maple syrup. (very international you see).

We missed going to church on Christmas day but we surprisingly couldn’t find a church that was having a Christmas day service.   There were some, I hear.   My cousin, Edward, who is a Roman Catholic went to midnight mass and my physiotherapist who is also a Catholic went to Church on Christmas day.

We spent the morning opening presents and unpacking stockings.

Nathan wore his Christmas outfit and got the most gifts!

Gayle made a yummy Christmas roast with roast vegetables and salad.   Pudding was brandy snaps and cream and/or ice cream.   As usual on these occasions we all felt we had over done it a bit.

The rest of the day we spent quietly, just enjoying being in New Zealand for Christmas, enjoying our presents and being together.

 

At the appropriate time we skyped the rest of our family and got to enjoy a bit of Christmas with them also.

“Oh come let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord.”

The journey back

 

We decided to take the scenic route back, following the coast line, probably no knowing exactly how much further it was.   The Surf Highway was beautiful, however, and Brian said it was his best driving stretch so far in New Zealand, not only for its lovely scenery but also the absence of big logging trucks pressuring him from behind.   We had the sea on one side and view of the mountain on the other.

We stopped at Oakura beach but weren’t very impressed.   Clay coloured sand and puny waves.   Near Opunake, Brian saw a sign saying “Nativity scene, St Paul’s church” so we went into Opunake and went looking for the church.   It was well worth while.   The whole church was turned into a nativity scene, starting from the foyer with the wise men and their camels.

Then we had to stoop through the little low door (the eye of the needle) and went into another room full of angels on white fluff and flying around with uv lighting to make the angels glow white.

Then we went through to the church sanctuary which had the large manger scene at the front and various shepherds at both sides.   From the ceiling were suspended four flying angels.

The Bethlehem buildings were 3 dimensional and some even had cats sleeping on the roof.

Members of the congregation (which was mixed Methodist, Anglican and Presbyterian) were on duty on a roster basis to escort visitors around and give them tea and Christmas cake.   we met Arthur, who was 76.

He insisted that we needed to see the beach where surfing competitions were held so we went down to the beach for ice cream.

At Patea we saw this interesting gateway.

It depicts the 9 Maori tribes coming to New Zealand in canoes.

On the way coming we had stopped at Palmerston North to break our journey but we didn’t get quite that far on the way back so we stopped at Wanganui   We had stopped here on the way down to take a bit of a break.   There we discovered an elevator to the top of a lookout hill.   So we walked into the tunnel into the hill and pushed the button to called the elevator (which was built in 1916 and I was already wondering if there was an accident and we were killed, would our family know where we were?).From the top we had a lovely view of the Wanganui river.

The Holiday Park in Wanganui was the first one I’ve seen that had a place for a wood fire place and logs in barrels to fuel it.   It wasn’t for cooking though, more like a heater.

Back on the road again the next day again, through the gorge, where we got to spot a train, and towards Palmerston North where there is a wind farm just outside town.

At the end of the journey we were back in Napier – home for the moment.

New Plymouth

The timing wasn’t the greatest!   My cousin, Edward, and his wife, Annita, were vacating their house in Waitara, near New Plymouth, and moving to the new one they bought in Masterton.   All their stuff to be moved the following morning was gathered together in one room, while Ian, their son, and his family were already in occupation in Waitara.

  Edward is very knowledgeable about the history of the area, the different tribes involved and how they interacted with the British.   He seems to have a bent for history, although he teaches Maths and Physics.   He also regaled us on the Walthew family history, including the sea captain that nobody used to talk about.  

It was great catching up with a cousin that I haven’t seen since we were both children – 45 – 50 years.

Cushla, Ian’s wife made us a delicious supper of Spaghetti Bolognaise.    We also got to meet Lydia, their daughter who is almost 2.

In New Plymouth we had the best campsite we’ve had so far – overlooking the sea with a view of the port.

After we had booked in, we went into New Plymouth to Pukekura Park to see the TSB Bank festival of lights..   Different coloured lights made everyday things look magical.

Then, back in the motor home, we fell asleep to the sounds of the sea.

Stratford

On Monday we left for our travels again, on our way to explore the Taranaki area.   We overnighted at Palmerston North and travelled onwards on Tuesday towards Stratford, where Stephen and Annette stay.   They are very good friends of David and Gayle who used to live in Hawkes Bay but now have moved to Stratford.   This staying with friends is so great.   We were treated to a wonderful dinner again and entertained with uplifting stories of God’s provision and answers to prayer.   We also met their son, Martin, and grandson, Alistair.

After a late dinner, we asked about the South Island because Stephen and Annette had done two weeks there a couple of years ago.   We ended up talking and watching pictures till 1am in the morning.

Next morning was disappointingly cloudy with a weather forecast of cloud possibly rain.   I was disappointed because I had wanted to see Mount Taranaki which had been obscured by cloud the previous evening when we arrived.   However, I saw a piece of blue sky the size of a man’s hand and refused to be despondent. .After Annette left for work soon after 11, we made our way to  the centre of town to try to find some vitamin B1 which apparently can help protect against sand flies if taken for a couple of weeks.   While we were there we waited till 1pm to see the Glockenspiel.

A sound track from Romeo and Juliette plays while windows open and figurines of the story come out.

Then we went to the Pioneer Village which reflects life in the late 1800’s / early 1900’s.

In the schoolroom were a copy of the Rules for teachers.   http://teacherworld.com/potrules.html

When we got out at 4 (before we had actually managed to go through all the exhibits), the clouds had lifted and we got our first glimpse of Mt Taranaki.