My trip to the Antipodes

An eventful week you might say. Tuesday travelling up the coast from Auckland called in at Waipu Cove and watched the boys surfing and took a stroll along the warm sand around the bay. Lovely spot with a surfers clubhouse but no beer! Lots of piccies. Then on to Pahia in the heart of the bay of Islands. The setting is wonderful with rugged promentories and islands some covered in dense woodland. Great for boating and fishing.

Sense of direction!! took me on an adventurous trip past Waitangi onto a dirt road that wound up the hillside and eventually dropped down to some waterfalls at Haruru. More piccies.

Rejoined the main road and made it to Glenfalloch GH at KeriKeri right on 6pm. There was a note on the doorstep, "Out for 10 mins picking up some other guests make yourself at home" Lovely house and 5 acres of sloping gardens densly planted with all kind of trees and flowering srubs. Great views across the KeriKeri river valley and the constant background rumble of the lower waterfalls. Keith arrived back with Beth and Suzanne, two ladies from Arizona who had been on a day trip up the 90 mile beach. My room is spacious and leads out to the terrace and swimming pool. The hot-tub is up on a veranda with that valley view.

Wednesday.  Keith suggested that I go back to Pahia, take the ferry over to the pretty town across the bay, Russell, and have lunch in the old pub on the waterfront, The Duke of Marlborough, would you believe! At the ferry ticket office there was a scrawled notice offering limited places on an ocean racing yacht, Swift, in a yacht racing event that evening. Went for it. Had lunch in Russell and joined the yacht out on moorings and introduced to Rob, the skipper and Paul, mate. Also joining the boat was Jo a trim young lady from London. We motored down the bay, Jo on the wheel, to Opua where the collection of club yachts were all getting ready for the Wednesday race, WAGS "wednesday, away gone sailing". 3 classes. Swift was one of the larger yachts with the highest handicap. Skipper and crew were very proffessional trimming and changing sails, all action. Jo and I were working equally hard bringing up the beers, which seemed to be just as important to the crew as the sailing. Back at the modern sailing clubhouse there was a great atmosphere, good banter, cheap and good nosh and of course more beer. Had to control my intake as I had a half hour drive back to KK. Jo and I and Rob motored back to Pahia in the moonlight, I was on the wheel this time. Both Jo and I had taken lots of piccies and swapped e-mail addresses to pass them on later. Arrived back at home 11:20. Place in darkness but a pot of tea with cup and milk was waiting for me on the table. Keith is a great host. 

Thursday. Mixed fortunes. Planned to drive around the coast but stopped off at Matauri Bay and stayed put. The surf was up and the sun was shining so in I went. Great. Dolphins arrived in the bay thanks to a motor yacht, and gave us a terrific display. Leaps and splashes. A few times you would get a great view of one or two swimming at speed just under but within the crest of a breaking wave as if looking through a glass wall at them. Time to move on but couldn't find car keys.... could they have been in my swimming trunk pockets... yes! 

Some time later, Don the semi-retired locksmith arrived and although he was able to get into the car using a slightly modified version of the old coathanger trick, would be unable to provide a new key, transponders and things. There was no option but to leave the car, take everything out, and return to KK and  wait for a replacement to be flown in the next day hopefully. To arrange all that needed a landline phone as the bay was not good for reception so Don, who lived between the Katauri and KK, kindly took me home where Susan made me a cup of tea with fruitcake whilst Don and I did the ringing round. Eventuially sorted and Susan suggested to Don that he should take her out for a meal in KK. I said that I would love to join them and that I would pay for that privilage. Called in at Glenfalloch where Keith offered them liquid refreshment whilst I cleaned myself up. Keith then was able to accept my invitation to supper also.

Over a lovely Thia meal I though how lucky I had been to lose my keys. I had made new friends and enjoyed their company. Don had alteady refused to charge me for the call-out and to top my good fortune suggested that if we were to play golf at his club, KeriKeri, the following afternoon that there would be a good chance that the replacement key would have arrived and then he could takle me back to the car. What good fortune. Better to be born lucky.

Black Friday.

In the morning go onto Keiths comuter to try to download my pics. Problems couldn't find them. Perhaps they were automatically downloaded. Looked everywhere in the PC but no sign. Checked in another guests laptop, all gone! Bugger !

The courier delivered the key.

2:30 Don arrives and off to the golf club. Lovely course. fairways like axminster, well trimmed fast greens and delightfull setting. 5 down after 6 but back to 2 down at the turn. Finished losing 3 and 2 but great game.  Now off to Matauri Bay. We saw the car from way up above the bay but I thought it a little odd that there was no reflection of sun from the rear window. Sure enough back window and drivers door windows smashed. The laminated front screen had had a rock smashed into it and the wing mirror also. At least the key fitted and the car would start. Started clearing up the broken glass when a patrol car arrived. Out stepped a well built but friendly looking Plod who walked toweards me hand outstreached, "Hi Terence, where have you been we were all very worried for", "Golfing" I replied. The damage had been reported early in the morning. The police had already spoken with Europcar who had set in motion plans for repairs in KK. He suggested that the car was OK to drive. "But what if I am stopped for damaged screen" "Here's my card, tell em to get in touch if they really need to".

Back at the autoglass folks in KK they said that they wouldn't be able to get the screen until sometime Tuesday As I'm due to leave  early that day I have now arranged to change cars back at Auckland. Until then I have and air-conditioned car with a new spiders web design windscreen. I'm just paraying that it's not raining on Tuesday.

Spent saturday walking the valley up to the Lower Falls and then up to Rainbow Falls. I have more piccies! Just hope that I can get them into the blog at least!

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