One of the delights of living in New Zealand is that the way to recover from Christmas and the New Year is to take to the beach. It being the 8th January Rupert has today returned to work, to find most of his colleagues still somewhat mellow, and some still extending their holiday. Rather like August in Paris, a lot of businesses in Hamilton will remain closed for another week, so life here has a slightly lazy feel…and it has been a lot warmer of late.
The coast is never far away on these islands, and many folk are lucky enough to have a beach bach, so ‘off to the beach’ is a much repeated phrase just now. We had a brief foray this weekend when we returned to the beautiful Coromandel peninsula, which was looking even more luscious than in September. The sea was warm, the ferns resplendent, the majestic kauri trees in their prime, and the pohukatawas in rich red-blossomed attire all along the coast.
If my photos seem repetitive it is hardly surprising. When brother Derek travelled in the South Island he remarked that at each turn there was yet more and more spectacular mountain scenery, and that there were just not enough superlatives. It is the same here in the north, with the coast line ever more entrancing at each turn.
Having time to simply be in such an environment is the most restorative medicine I know. By British standards Hamilton is not a busy city, yet even this pace felt rushed after time in such unspoiled nature. I heard on Radio New Zealand today that New Zealanders are considered to be some of the lesser stressed people in the world. I do not wonder why! The medicine certainly worked for me.
Our first Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere will certainly not easily be forgotten. From being a couple living quietly in a stylish house 'built for two', on December 2nd we became a family of six. Given the Kiwi love of the outdoors the majority of homes are designed for so-called inflow/outflow. This house 'flows' everywhere. The award which the architect won for this property was not for being toddler-friendly; toys and children flowed in, out, through, along, up, down, round and round. We retreated upstairs, only to recognise that a lovely hallway which has lots or light and air also has no sound-proofing.
Most families with comfortable incomes lead linked but essentially separate lives for most of the year. At Christmas the tradition is to come out of these comfort zones and live together, maybe for just one day, maybe for longer, and, with the expectation that this is a special time, it is not always easy. Lucy, Jeff and the children are currently living out of their suitcases and managing the first weeks of emigration to a new country, with no home, initially with no job and with a residency application pending completion. We are in a temporary home with a bit more than the contents of suitcases, though very little of our home about us, and uncertainty as to how our decision to stay here for another year or so will manifest in the coming months. We have also just begun the process of purchasing a house.
The fact that we are all still speaking to each other, despite being somewhat frayed at the edges, must be cause for celebration and congratulations. We are blessed that just down the road is a delightful old homestead set in the lovely gardens of a retreat centre on the edge of the city. It is free at the moment, and Lucy and family have been able to move in there temporarily. They are off to Auckland tomorrow to look for a home to buy and somewhere to rent temporarily. Jeff starts work in Auckland on 15th January and their residency application is approved…just the final paperwork to do. What an achievement in just over 2 weeks of arriving in the country!
After Christmas we enjoyed a couple of days in our favourite spot south of Lake Taupo. Jeff was frustrated by the weather in his attempt to do the Tongariro crossing. Rupert and I were more lucky on the next day, and, despite setting off too late to do the whole track, did get further this time.
Our luck was out on our return journey to Hamilton, when, during a beautiful walk along the Waihaha river, our parked car was broken into and several bags stolen. 24 hours later, fate intervened again. Someone (who coincidentally lives just minutes away from us in Hamilton) was camping in the area and discovered the jetissoned bags in the bush, together with names and phone numbers. Almost all of our belongings were retrieved, including a much loved backgammon set which has seen many games with much loved friends over the past 30 years!
And Spike celebrated his second birthday on Sunday with fresh strawberry gateau!
We hope to explore the Hawkes Bay area later this week , before Rupert returns to work on Monday.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!