March 2 - 5
Sydney to Paraparaumu
March 2
Sydney to Paraparaumu
As ever, I awoke before my alarms and was in the hotel foyer ten minutes earlier than the shuttle's scheduled arrival. This was fortunate as a scruffy white van arrived ten minutes early. We spent half an hour touring the back streets and, when we had collected half a dozen people we headed towards the airport. The traffic on the motorway was solid and we finally encountered an accident. Once this was passed, we made fair progress and I was deposited at the International Terminal at 07.30, only a few minutes late. My peace of mind, however, had taken a severe battering. Memo to self. Use the train in future.
There was a fair queue at check-in but it moved reasonably quickly. Immigration and Security were also reasonably quick and I was through with an hour to spare before boarding. I had a wrap and a coffee and sat in the gate lounge with lots of others.
We boarded on time but then sat around for a while so that it was 25 minutes after time that we actually left the ground. In spite of this, we were still scheduled to land on time.
We landed five minutes late but Immigration and Customs didn't cause any delays and I was soon able to find a shuttle. This took a circuitous route into the city, avoiding some road works but getting caught in others. The central city is in the grip of a large number of construction projects, mainly repairing very inadequate work done by previous generations or tackling a build up of deferred (avoided) maintenance.
I did make it to the station in time to catch the Waikanae Express. Packed and standing room only, as ever. My bags didn't help. I was able to grab a seat after Porirua, the first stop, but the train was still 90% full by the time we reached Paraparaumu. Valerie collected me and we drove home.
I was introduced to Milo, the new member of the family. Photos will follow (although the actuality was that most of them were poor. He is very difficult to photograph.) We had a quiet evening of dinner, dvds and clothes washing.
March 3
Paraparaumu
Milo woke me at 08.00 with a loud meow. He is not happy as he has only recently been re-homed and is still confined to barracks. He really, really, really wants to play outside.
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Valerie drove me towards the centre, dropping me by her hair dresser's, and I walked a couple of kilometres to Coastlands.
Once there, I did a few chores and had a coffee and a chocolate at the chocolate café. As the chocolate was free, it would have been rude to say no.
Valerie arrived, we had more coffee and, this time, I was rude enough to spurn the chocolate. Once we had finished, we drove home and had lunch.
Around 13.00, we set off for a walk, firstly along the road and then into the conservation area around the Waikanae Estuary. Lots of walkways, lots of water and lots of good scenery. We made our way home again passing houses and the pub, completing about five kilometres in a little over an hour. It was dull but cool, ideal walking conditions.
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After a quick change, we drove down to Raumati, completed some business, visited a friend on the way home and then collapsed. Encouragingly, Milo emerged from under the spare bed and stretched out on the lounge carpet. Perhaps he is starting to feel at home.
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We spent the evening at Sopranos, the best local Italian restaurant, having a good meal.
March 4
Paraparaumu
Lots of rain overnight and my sleep disturbed by Milo arriving on bed in the night. He is not to be encouraged as I won't be here long and it would be wrong to confuse him.
After breakfast, I caught the bus to the station and then the train to Paremata, where I alighted, took photos from the platform and climbed the 213 steps up the side of my old house. I went to visit Cath, my old neighbour, who lives two doors away. I spent a long time there before crossing the road to collect Gary & Judi, also over from the UK, from another old neighbour.
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We walked down the steps and along the main road, to the local pub. Wayne was already there and we settled into lunch and several drinks.
In mid afternoon, I caught the train back to Paraparaumu, followed by the bus. In the evening, we drove down to the beach for an Indian takeaway, after which I wrote my diary and Valerie baked.
March 5
Paraparaumu
A quiet but stressful day. After setting the alarm for 06.20 so that Eli could be welcomed and then taken to nursery school, it took me a long time to recover.
In mid morning, Valerie drove me to Judith's, from where we continued to Coastlands so that I could help her to choose some new computer gear. With me restraining myself from punching the very enthusiastic salesman, we purchased a couple of large boxes and some smaller bits. We then left them there to be collected later in the day.
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The good part of the day was Judith taking me for coffee and then lunch as payment for my efforts. Valerie collected both of us and the boxes and we returned to Judith's, where I proceeded to install the software, configure everything and make it work. Four hours was nowhere near sufficient for the task but I got most things functioning. It was a stressful experience. Right: No such thing as a free lunch |
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Valerie collected me and we drove over to Nick's, not a long journey, for a fish and chip Birthday supper.
Once home again, I packed my bag and went to bed. I was exhausted.