Memorial Weekend Moments

Not my photos (still waiting for my laptop), but some good views of the Kapiti Coast. The Main Street view of shops is Paekakariki.

www.backpack-newzealand.com/ni-gallery/kapiti-coast

(click on slide show)


One would never know that it's Memorial Day Weekend although we've certainly got the weather for it. Sunny skies and lunch out on the deck overlooking the ocean. No snow on the ground here, mates, despite being the equivilant of late November on the calendar. of course there are no holiday picnics yet, but we are eagerly anticipating the Queen's Birthday Celebration next weekend - our first holiday in NZ this trip. We are, indeed, as far from the US and its holidays as we can be without coming back the other way. Surprisingly the US makes a very small footprint here on the Kapiti Coast. There are few products with a "made in the USA" label, but then, I guess that's the case in the States too. No California wines here......just New Zealand and Australian varieties. The other Grandfather tells me there are only 5 million people, and they produce all the wine they can drink. May be. Lots of goods made in Pakistan. Saw some American asparagus and some expensive California strawberries in the supermarket but not much else. California raisins, and Coca Cola made in Australia. Where is the Frito-Lay aisle??? Mostly local products......Kiwis eat what they grow. Kapiti Coast cheeses, grass-fed beef, lamb, lamb, lamb, and kumara (look that one up!). Fords are plentiful in the parking lots(in fact, we're driving one), but they're not made in Detroit.

Speaking of Detroit......the Pistons better play the Spurs......that's the only way we'll get to see any of the games! It's enough to force a mate to become a rugby fan. Don't get me started....however, ladies, the players do wear short shorts and no padding....hmmmm....well, must concentrate on my gazillion dollar view....with a glass of New Zealand sauvignon blanc, of course. Life is good.

News

Meeting our neighbors......many of whom are much more traveled than we. Everybody has been to the US....mostly LA and SF. I guess you must get wanderlust when you live on an island. They are very talkative and assure us how very much they like Americans.....even though they sometimes strain to comprehend our speech patterns. There's a lot of concern about us "softies" coping with the lack of central heating. Not so bad so far......it's the sand fleas that have feasted on my ankles that cause the most discomfort. However, one glance at the everchanging sea makes all seem right with the world. It is, isn't it?

http://encounter.kapiticoast.govt.nz/pdfs/map11.pdf

There's not much news about the good old USof A here. Is W still president? And what is up with the Pistons? Only the Suns and the Spurs play in primetime on SkyTV. The papers are full of Paris Hilton and her jail sentence, however.

Sunset from our New Deck

Hey! We're not in Ann Arbor anymore.

We spent the day walking up and down our own private beach. Very sunny and warm with no wind, very unusual for here where weathering the wind is a daily occurence. Sam (the world's cutest grandson) insisted on running headlong into the waves. These Kiwis are an adventurous lot. By the end of the afternoon, he was covered head to toe with sand and so exhausted that Grampa had to carry him back up the stairs! No complaints.

Adam is our resident chef and all-round source of info......definitely makes life easier in a strange land when you know someone who speaks the language.

Night comes quickly and is long and dark with lots of stars. Still looking for the southern cross. But every night the sunset is gorgeous.

Note: photos in blog are hand taken by us

On Three Engines and a Prayer

The fab views from every room of our castle by the sea almost make us forget the hellish journey. I'm sure you must have read about the Qantas 747 with the engine that caught fire:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/travel/vibration-issue-forces-qantas-jet-to-land/2007/05/03/1177788281378.html

That was us........trying to get to Paekakariki but heading back to LA and a 3AM check-in at LaQuinta (not on my radar). And hell yes, it was an emergency landing. Oh, and by the by, the only place a 747 can fly with one engine is straight into the ocean. And one last thought, what was that loud explosive noise?

Somehow we struggled on the next night and survived with all four engines humming along.........only to be fogged in for 8 hours in Auckland......and my big red suitcase still in LA. Surprising how easy-going one can be after circling offshore LA for an hour, dumping fuel.

Flying down the coast to Wellington and driving back up the coast to Paekakariki ..........it's what you need to visualize when your therapist tells you to think of the most beautiful place on earth. All the scenery is more vivid here, the food is fresher, and the wine is crisper..........and the locals think we talk funny!