February 11 - 15
Paraparaumu
February 11
Paraparaumu
After a pretty good night's sleep, I awoke to a quiet domestic morning. We left the house at about 11.00 and drove to Coastlands, the instantly forgettable but useful shopping mall.
I achieved quite a lot, managed to make some purchases, add money to my phone, have a coffee, use the mall's free wi fi and so on. We even found Valerie a cheap flight to Australia.
From there, we crossed the road to the train station and travelled into Porirua, about 35 minutes away, for more shopping, free wi fi use etc.
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The return trip to Paraparaumu was successfully achieved, we completed the purchase of the flight ticket and drove down the road to the local garden centre for lunch - a very late lunch - in front of the flowers.
Valerie went to the chiropractors, I had a coffee in another café and we met up again in another food shop where I stocked up with muesli ingredients.
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We returned home, did the washing and rested until early evening. Just before 19.00, we walked a kilometre down the almost deserted main road in the evening sun to The Jolly, formerly The Jolly Roger. Recently done up, the pub is beside one of the local drainage channels and overlooks an extensive area of grass, complete with geese. We had a very respectable meal, walked home and relaxed for the rest of the evening. |
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February 12
Paraparaumu
Another good night's sleep followed by a quiet start to the morning. We walked one and a half kilometres to visit a friend, passing one of the huge new churches which are becoming increasingly common in New Zealand.
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Judith lives opposite a grassy area with a couple of lakes and lots of geese. We spent an hour and a half there before setting off home.
After lunch, we took the car on a few shopping errands then rested with the ironing and other small chores. We had an early tea, after which Valerie ran me to the other end of town, where she stopped at the Bowls Club for an evening’s entertainment and I set off to walk along the beach.
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It was sunny and still reasonably warm so there were lots of both people and dogs around. There was also some work under way on the sea wall, a constant problem on this stretch of coast. After almost two and a half kilometres, I reached Raumati and The Boundary. There, I had a beer - not cheap at $13 - a packet of crisps and a play on their wi fi. I returned to the Bowls Club, along the road rather than the beach, watched the end of proceedings and had a brief sojourn in the bar - I didn’t drink! We drove home. |
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February 13
Paraparaumu
It started dull and breezy. I took a taxi to Raumati, adjacent to the pub I walked to last night, for a meeting with a lawyer. This went well and I emerged an hour later to find that the weather hadn't improved at all.
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I set off to walk to Coastlands, the large mall which dominates the town, just under three kilometres away. After a short trek up the road, the route follows a path alongside the new expressway and then a small stream.
There were lots of bikes and there was lots of wind. This blew into my face most of the way, making a gentle stroll seem quite hard work. It was warm enough but very cloudy.
Once at Coastlands, I did a little shopping, visited the bank and had a coffee. A few more chores followed, then another coffee and then I crossed the road to Valerie's charity shop, where she had spent the morning serving the customers.
Right: Coastlands. Ugly as ever |
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We leapt aboard the train and made a quick trip to Porirua, to the mall, to collect something which we had ordered by phone, and then returned home.
The afternoon and evening were quiet, some domestic chores, garden watering, eating and watching a DVD.
February 14
Paraparaumu
A beautiful morning, which morphed into an increasingly beautiful day. Sunny, blue and still. Valerie drove me to the station and a train took me to Porirua, the third day in a row. I used the free wi fi in the mall to process some emails and then ventured outside.
The area to the rear, which was occupied for years by large "umbrellas" has now grown some rather fine playground equipment. This is obviously new and the colours look excellent in the sunshine.
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The small park was quiet but still reasonably green as I crossed it. Pataka is an unexciting building but contains the library, art gallery, museum and an excellent café. I met a couple of old friends, Geoff and Michael. We sat, drank coffee and chatted for an hour and a half.
We parted and I returned to the station via the mall. I caught the train back to Paraparaumu, realised that I had misread the bus timetable, and decided to walk home.
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At three kilometres, this was a good walk in the afternoon sun, taking me along the main road, then the cycle path & finally, along some suburban streets until I reached the house. Had I been trying to drive along the expressway, it might have taken me just as long. Only a year old, it is already breaking up & the repair works are causing major delays.
Barbara and Terry arrived for tea and us two chaps, both of us heart attack victims in the not too distant past, were put to work doing heavy duties in the garden. Not a good idea!
The evening took us down to the beach for a very acceptable meal at a Thai restaurant, followed by a drive up to Valerie's Brother's for nibbles and conversation.
February 15
Paraparaumu
More cloud this morning but it will probably burn off. We drove into Paraparaumu Beach to the Saturday market, now partially housed on a closed street as part of the empty site that it used to occupy is now being used for parking, prior to being developed.
I realised that I had gashed my leg on Valerie's bike whilst getting into the car and that I had two semi-flat camera batteries, the fully charged one being in my other bag which was back at the house. Not a good start to the morning.
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We finished shopping, the usual mix of fruit and veg, I made a new friend and we drove to Raumati, where Valerie dropped me outside the pub. I sat on the wall, hacked into their wi fi and processed some emails.
Opposite is a café, where I had a coffee. I decided to save my remaining battery power for more important photos.
The path runs over the miniature railway - I may take a photo on the return journey - and then down to the beach. This was pretty quiet and stretches miles in each direction.
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I followed my nose for over two kilometres until I reached Raumati South, where I turned off the beach and onto the road through the village and the café. Having walked about two and a half kilometres by now, I felt entitled to another coffee and a savoury scone. The café was buzzing, with lots of people and fairly loud music.
I walked back along the beach, which was starting to become damp in the oncoming tide. There were lots of oyster catchers, very elegant birds, their orange legs and bills showing up brightly against their black plumage.
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Back at Raumati, I had enough power left in my camera battery to take a photo of the little train. I then walked the last few hundred metres to the Arts & Crafts building, where Valerie was on duty. I had completed about six kilometres. A pleasant walk.
We had lunch in the village, OK but not brilliant, and did a little shopping. Once back at home, we both relaxed and I organised my pills, my packing and my photographs. The evening must have been quiet as I didn't record what we did nor did I take any photos.