Who knew there was a paradise left in this world where open arms awaited you at the end of the air bridge when you exited the airplane? Emily was standing there for me, right when I got off the plane in Wellington. She hugged me and welcomed me and was quick to take me over to the airport Fuel for a New Zealand morning cappucino, a welcome treat after 24 hours of travel. It was warm in my hands as she took me out into the winter morning and loaded me up into the BMW station wagon with the steering wheel on the wrong side. Our drive through Wellington proved it to be a lovely city through car windows, with buildings remniscient of New York but winding streets and climbing hills more similar to crawling Italian cities. All of it simply foreign and delightful, good that I was preoccupied with the landscape so my hands would cease from reaching for my invisible steering wheel with which I mentally attempted to direct us to the right side of the road, directly into oncoming traffic.
We crossed the train tracks and climbed the hills into Plimmerton where Emily and Stephe have their home. The Track winds up and before heading down into the trees we were presented with glorious green rolling hills speckled in little white sheep. The ratio of sheep to humans here is 4 to 1. We rolled up to #67 and unloaded my bags. Emily directed me to my bedroom where I settled my things while she cooked me eggs and an english muffin. I was introduced to the family dogs, Dakota and Iorek, who sniffed and approved of me. The blinds were opened, and as we ate, we gazed over the sparkling waters of the Cook Strait to Mana Island. Mana Island is a preservation island where there are many different birds, but no people and no sheep. As we were eating, dark clouds rolled in from the south and the winds brought sideways hail bouncing upon the deck. However, the sun continued to shine in the north and a rainbow appeared over in the west.
Emily and I, following some romping with Dakota and Iorek and the observation of this crazy New Zealand winter weather, ventured in her snazzy little sports car (a red BMW Z3) to the northern part of the island to seek out lunch. We actually took the first part of the trip with the top down ... Emily with her crazy curls whipping about in the wind, and me in my borrowed hat and coat, clutching my arms about myself to keep warm. Once the rain started to fall, though, we had to pul over and put up the top so as not to damage her leopard spootted leather interior! We traveled to CoBar for a late lunch, but found it, and every other restaurant in the general vicinity, to have a closed kitchen, we were directed to Eastbourne, about a 4 minute drive further north, where we were able to find a shop that would serve us. Emily had a spinach artichoke quiche while I feasted upon a delectable New Zealand chicken pesto red pepper ciabatta panini. We followed our meal with a drive to a windy, rocky beach that offered us a smorgasboard of spectacular shells and ocean washed stones, which quickly filled our pockets. They are likely the products of some wild storms that have crossed the islands in the past week or so. We walked and talked and talked and walked and returned to the car just in time for a spectacular setting sun over the Cook Strait.
Upon returning home, we showed off our treasures to Stephe, who was quite impressed with our finds. We lounged and chatted and decided that dinner would at some point be in order, and worked towards that. Stephe and Emily chatted me up and eventually fed me and made me laugh despite my drooping eyelids. They have finally allowed me the option to climb inside these cosy sheets and prepare myself for my coming weeks of adventure.
I have a corner room on the main level of the house. There is an attached bathroom just for me with blue tiles and a small glass walled shower. The window of both the bathroom and the bedroom overlook the deck, facing the bay and Mana Island. There is a beautiful king size bed, with clean white sheets and chocolate truffles on the mounts of pillows. Stephe turned on the bed warmer for me so that it will be fit for sleeping when I climb in. I have been advised by Em to keep half the bed cold and half the bed warm so that if I awake in in the night and am too warm for comfort, then I can roll over to the cool side, and return to the warmth if I awake again too cold. There is also a computer right here at my side so that I can send notes and update my blog whenever I see fit.
I hear the wind howling outside and am very happy to be right here, where I am. I am looking forward to the coming weeks, and the adventures and relaxing I will partake in!
More to come.
Love,
Leacey
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