New Plymouth Again

Hi there

Last week I went to New Plymouth for five days.  It's about five hours drive away from Wellington.  I went up there to walk the Coastal Walkway.  I intended to walk it every day...

It rained every day. 

The first day it rained lightly, so I walked a few kms in the rain, umbrella up.  And there was no wind.  So eerie, I'm used to windy weather; I live in Wellington, after all.

The next day I managed to cram half of the walkway into the few hours where the sky was cloudy but there was no rain. The very next day I finished the walkway.  In the rain, again.

The next day .... under the orange rain alert, I stayed in the hotel.  I tried to leave.  Twice.  Once in my car, but my little blue baby wouldnt start.  She'd gulped down too much rain, I figured.

So, I donned my rain jacket, and my hiking shoes, grabbed my umbrella and set out the two blocks from the Devon Hotel to the town shops.

I didn't even make it the one block.  Every driveway had turned into a waterfall.  My shoes were saturated before I even exited the hotel's premises.  I was soaaked.

I gave up.  And spent the day in the hotel, eating Weight Watcher apple crumble bars and watching tv.

The good thing about the Devon Hotel is they have breakfast and evening (magnificent) buffets, and a pretty good room service menu.  Oh, and a swimming pool.

above:  on the coastal walkway.

***

I belong to a Voice Arts class for seniors.  Impromptu stuff, talking about the past, having fun. Our instructor is Hilary Norris.  At present she is playing one of the three elderly witches in "The Coven on Grey Street", at Circa Theatre, here in Wellington.  I went on Sunday, with a bunch from our class.  What a lovely, funny, enjoyable play.

above: Hilary is the actress on the left in the poster outside Circa Theatre, Wellington.