New Plymouth

 HI there

Well ...   Last week I decided I'd drive to the Porirua Mall which is probably about half an hour from Miramar, or maybe an hour if you get caught up in morning traffic along Cobham Drive.  

I almost got as far as Porirua when I suddenly thought, "Hey, why don't I go to Palmerston North for the day?"  Yeah, great idea...

I got as far as Sanson, my last turn-off before Palmerston North and over an hour's  drive from the Terrace Tunnel, at the edge of Wellington city.    "Um." I pondered ...  "Isn't New Plymouth up the road...?"

It was a good four hours away.

"Maybe I could spend a few days in New Plymouth...?"

...but I didn't have a change of of clothes, did I? . Except for what I was wearing.

Who cared?  I decided that I was off to New Plymouth for three days.

And revelation! - I did have an amazing stash in the boot of my car, in the form of my emergency swimming bag,_ 

In the bag, I had -

my swimming shorts, swimming tank top, a lycra t-shirt that I sometimes swam in during our cold winter months, three-quarter length trousers, a sarong, a pair of knickers, two Weight-Watchers food bars, sunblock, sunhat, and a cardigan.  Also in the car's boot were two umbrellas, another cardy, and one heavy rain-jacket.

And now that I think about it, I always used to worry that I never had a packed bag in case of a big earthquake.  Looking back now, I realise that my emergency swimming bag can definitely serve two purposes.

The only things I think I missed out on during my New Plymouth holiday were an extra bra, my nightly eyedrops, and my phone charger.  I had to buy toothpaste and a toothbrush.  And I did feel a bit uncomfortable when I had to wear my pink and black camo t-shirt to dinner at the Devon Hotel.  But I think I did carry off that fashion choice with elegance and aplomb.

above: me, at Belt Road, in my pink camo swimming t-shirt...  (My goodness, I do, indeed, possess some pink clothing.  See b!og of a few weeks back).

I walked sections of the Coastal Walkway which I always love doing. 

above: New Plymouth Coastal Walkway.  In front of Kawaroa Park children's playground.  There's the rock containing carved penguins.

above:  penguin claw-prints lead from the steps out of the children's playground down to this rock where there is a carving of a mother and baby penguin.  Penguins come in to New Plymouth.

My sore heel wouldn't allow me to walk the length of the walkway like I usually do.   I shopped Devon Street, and swam at my favourite beach in the Port area. 

Luckily the weather was fine and extremely warm.  I managed to book a cabin with bathroom, kitchenette, and housekeeping at The Belt Road Seaside Holiday Park, a favourite place, which is right on the edge of the Coastal Walkway with a terrific view of the ocean.

Newtown School, Wellington

 Hi there

My mother went to Newtown School in the early 1900s.  I went to Newtown School in the early 1950s.

Newtown School, for both of us, was next door to St Anne's primary school.

In my day, both schools got on well together.  But I could never understand why the lunchtimes and leaving times were different.

I understood the reason why the hours were changed when my mother told me about her days at Newtown School -

"The kids from Newtown School would sit on the fence between the two properties, swinging their legs, and chanting, "Catholic dogs jump like frogs ...

The kids from St Anne's would bellow back, "Newtown water rats......  Newtown water rats ...."

St Anne's changed their lunch and leaving times so as the two school's kids didn't clash at vulnerable times.  Apparently it was a joint decision by both schools.

above:  Newtown School.  Web photo, from about my time.  The primers were in the front building.  Standards 1, 2, 3, 4 in the newer building at the back.  Over on the right of the front building is where I got hit over the eye by a cricket bat when I was seven.  I yelled out, "Mummy!"   Thoughts do change, because at the age of thirteen when I got knocked down by a car on a crossing in front of the school, my immediate thought was "Oh, no, now I'll never be able to go to America and see Elvis.."

I've been to see "Six - the Musical" in Auckland

 Hi there

Last week I went up to Auckland to see "Six - The Musical".  It was great, loved it.  Got the "Six" tote bag.  

"Six" is about the six wives of Henry the 8th.  Each one sings about how they had a worst time than each of the other wives.

I went up to Auckland, from Wellington by bus...  Usually I fly, but this time I liked the idea of a bus adventure.  Turned out to be a 13 hour adventure

Oh dear...  There were so many detours, diversions, closures, stoppages, road cones, workmen with stop signs, and emergency traffic lights, that I swear my Intercity bus was off Highway No 1 (that historically leads straight up to Auckland from Wellington) more times than we were on it.  Because of the delays and then the rush to not be too overly-late for arrival in the City of Sails we hadnt even stopped for dinner,.  Lunch had been at noon.  We arrived Auckland at 10.15 pm.  We had stopped at some toilet stops but were chastised with "Be back in five minutes.  Repeat, five minutes.  Or.....?"

But because of the road diversions we did see magnificent backblocks* scenery, especially around the Ohakune area.  

I flew home from Auckland last Thursday, the day before it was announced that The Desert Road was now open for Highway No 1 traffic.  The Desert Road detour had been the worst and longest traffic detour, taking us through the National Park area, weaving our way up the mountain for a long way.

Anyway....

You know how a friend told me years ago that I always get injured just before a holiday or when I'm actually on holiday?   Well, a week before I left, plantar fascitiis returned to my heel.  I had to take a collapsible walking stick with me. I took one pair of shoes and one pair of sandals.  The shoes kiilled me, but the Skecher sandals with their thicker, softer soles and just a thin strap at the back, were my saviours.  I wish I'd realised that the last time I had plantar fascitiis, instead of stocking up on innersoles, expensive thick socks, and brand new trainers.

above:  I went to Giraffe restaurant at the Viaduct Harbour.  This is the view from my table.  Lots of superyachts berth at Viaduct Harbour.  Its a nice walk on the Viaduct Harbour walkways.  Many restaurants.  The main street in the city is Queen Street.  At the bottom of Queen Street is the ferry terminal (take Devonport and/or Waiheke ferries! - I always do one or the other, or both, when I'm in Auckland). Also turn left at bottom of Queen Street to have a nice amble to Viaduct Harbour.

above:  Viaduct Harbour Auckland.  Wellington spiffed up their wharf including a high-diving platform for swimmers, but Auckland had to go one better with a whole pool, complete with swimming lanes.

above: remember how I growl that I always seem to have the tallest person in an audience sitting in front of me?  Here's the guy in front of me at the show "Six - the Musical".  We were standing up for the curtain call but he felt just as tall when we were seated...

   *backblocks" equals "right out in the country".

Those Gidget Movies

 Hi there

When I was a young teen I saw the movie "Gidget".  It starred Sandra Dee in the title role.  She fell in love with surfer Moondoggie.  I fell in love with Moondoggie too.  He was played by James Darren.  Oh, didn't my heart beat happily over the guy?

above: Sandra Dee and James Darren in "Gidget"        Stock photo

I so wanted to be Gidget.  Not just because she was cute, pretty, and tiny, but mainly because she was lucky enough to be loved by Moondoggie.

About thirty years later when I was a typist-in-charge in the government, there was a typist in the pool named Gidget.  I wondered why her parents had decided to call her that name?  I've now met several other Gidgets and I'm still wondering.

In the movie, 'Gidget' was a made-up name for our tiny heroine.  It was short for Girl- Midget. ... G-midget...  Gidget.    I would never call a child by that name.  Maybe the parents of these Gidgets never realised what a millstone it might be around the necks of their daughters?   Especially if they grew to be tall.

About ten years ago I met James Darren when I was in Las Vegas.  He'd stuck to his singing skills (surely original fans have never forgotten "Goodbye Cruel World"") and, now, had turned into a bit of a Vegas crooner.  Because of his crooner skills, he'd had a big continuing role in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" as a lounge singer hologram.  I sighed all over again when he started warbling.  James Darren certainly stood up to my expectations!

 

James Darren passed away recently.  

Seniors in tv advertisements

 Hi there

I have a senior friend who, a few years back, was the main 'star' in an NZ tv commercial for a retirement village.  She didn't live in the village.  She's an actor.

My friend - let's call her 'Lola - arrived all spiffed up, ready for her day's work.

"Oh, no," the boss of the advert shoot tut-tutted.  "Your jacket won't do.  It's the wrong colour."

"Um..."  Lola asked,  "What colour should I be in?"

"Pink!" 

"Pink?"

With a flourish the boss brought out a pink hoodie.  "Here you are.  Seniors love to wear pink.  Oh, and you can keep it."

Lola was extremely happy to have a new (free) hoodie.  And when the advertisement finally came out, she looked wonderful.  She's a pretty good actor.

But I can't stop thinking about this pink thing.  I don't know any seniors who wear pink. I have seen a few cruise ship passengers arriving in the capital wearing pink.  American cruise ship passengers especially love to wear pastels, pale colours.   It's how we spot these women travellers walking down Lambton Quay: crisply pressed white trousers, linen blouses, designer hoodies, often pink.  With a Coach bag under an arm.

Maybe Lola will start a trend amongst kiwi oldies, making pink The New Thing.  She could be a trend-starter...

PS: I spotted a new retirement village advert on tv the other day.  The woman in it is wearing pink......

I'm Back from a week at Lake Wanaka, South Island

 Hi there

I was so excited anticipating my week in Wanaka.  You may remember that in February 2024, I was going to do all sorts of wonderful things when I went down south, but a couple of days before leaving I pulled a muscle in my leg, though I still insisted on going.  It was to my detriment.  I could hardly hobble a metre, let alone go ziplining which I wanted definitely to do.

So this year, I was determined to, at least, do some of my 'wants' that I hadnt been able to do last year.  For the whole year I was most looking forward to those eight Glenorchy Paradise Ziplines that were just out of Queenstown. But the night before I left Wellington, I got an email to say it was a no-go because of the now lack of the to and fro transport Queenstown/Glenorchy.  I was staying in Wanaka, about two and a half hours away from Glenorchy, and I just couldnt get the new times to fit...  So disappointed.

I did manage to fulfil my wish of kayaking on Lake Wanaka.  However, it was windy and a bit of a chore using the paddle, seeing I had a painful wrist -

Wait, what - ?  A painful wrist, you ask?

Well ....... 

 (promise not to laugh?)

On one day, I went over to Lake Hawea, my favourite swimming lake.  I had a gorgeous swim, then got into the driving seat of my rental car.  I leaned sideways to grope under the front passenger seat for my wallet... with my left hand.

My left hand got STUCK between two iron bars!!  

above photos.  Of course, you already know what a brilliant photographer I am.  As a photographer/influencer I am surely number 1.....  Yeah, Right.  

And ...hey, didn't You promise not to laugh?  Shame on you..   Tee-hee.

You can see one iron bar in the photos of the under-seat.  The other iron bar was enclosed in felt.

Anyway....

I was petrified.  What-to-do?-What-to-do?  I was sitting in a shut-in car with a 30c temperature outside-

I'm gong to end up like those dogs-in-cars-on-hot-days.  They die.

I managed to open my door.  "Help," I called out. the beach was down a short slope in front of my car. "Help!" I bellowed.  All the beach-goers were enjoying themselves doing beachy things, they werent on the alert for shouts of anguish.

 I yelled some more.  Louder. My phone was in the car boot (trunk, if you're American) so that was of no help.  My wrist was at a weird angle under the seat and I couldnt budge it no matter how hard I tried.

With my right hand, I beeped the car horn ever so delicately.

There...  That should do it.  Everyone down there on the beach will come running...

Nobody so much as dawdled up the slope to answer my summons, let alone come running.

I beeped the horn a little bit louder.  Then a bit louder again.  I was so stressed out and in so much pain, I wanted to just give up...

Oh, to heck with it...

I beeped that horn non-stop.

Goodness,, what was that?  A woman?  A woman in her twenties had stood up and was looking toward my car-

I waved my free hand, yelled, and beeped the horn frantically.  "Over here.  Please help me!  Help-help-HELP!"

She leaned into the car - "I thought it was children playing with the car horn".  But she understood almost instantly what was wrong and said, "I'll get you free."  She hurried over to the passenger door, threw it open and crouched down in the gravel,

"Can you slide over to the passenger seat?"

No, the movement would break my wrist.

"Can we slide the seat back?"

No, the movement would break my wrist.

"Perhaps you could lubricate my hand with sunblock to make it easier to slide free?" I offered.  "Or call the fire brigade."  I believed the fire brigade were well-trained in getting children to pull their heads out from between fence railings.  Or was that just an urban myth?

"I can do it."  My angel was puffing though her efforts.  My watch was so hampering those efforts.

The woman's cousin arrived on the scene.  They both got down to work on my (by now) extremely painful wrist. And shoulder.  The angle of my arm was causing the problem.

"Bingo!"  The woman had somehow managed to unlock my swimming watch from my wrist. The watch had been impeding the rescue.  I  had no idea how she got the watch catch to open just by feel as it usually took me a while under normal circumstances to work out how to undo the complicated catch.

But five minutes later, with a lot of pulling and twisting from her and her cousin, my hand came free....Whooppee!!!!

My shoulder felt better immediately.  Not so, my wrist.  I nursed it.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you".  I didn't have enough thank-yous in my body to express how grateful I was to my two rescuers....

above:  Lake Hawea.  there is a slope that drops down to the water that's out of view in this picture.  Down the bottom of the slope is where people sunbathe and picnic.  Photo was taken as I was standing by my car.  Lake Hawea is a 20 minute drive from Wanaka.

above:  Me sitting on edge of Lake Wanaka.

above:  Hotel Edgewater Cafe, Wanaka  I discovered this wonderful place as I was walking along the track on the far left side of the lake.  It's only about ten minutes' pleasant amble after you pass the dozens of tourists photographing the famous 'tree growing in the lake' - a magnificent stunt originally created by Wanaka public relations people to get tourists to see who can come up with the best photo of the tree and put it on a Wanaka website. About five minutes further up the track from this tree there are two -repeat, two - trees growing together in the lake but, how sad, they get no publicity.

Wanaka is always crowded, so difficult to get into restaurants and cafes, but at the Edgewater Cafe, it was peaceful and quiet, with a great view.  It was nice to walk there, but a car would only take a few minutes from the township.  I would love to stay in the hotel, but there didnt appear to be a swimming beach out front. 

PS: 3 March: a beach friend has just returned from Wanaka this week where - surprise! " she stayed at Edgewater Resort.  And she did swim in the lake right opposite the hotel.

British designer, the late Vivienne Westwood. Exhibition at Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand

 Hi there

I went to see the Vivienne Westwood Exhibition at Te Papa this week.  Jewellery and fashion. She came to fame from about the 1970s, in the punk era.  

Her papier mâché tiara.  Stock photo

I am a friend of Te Papa, so I chose to listen to the curator's talk.  I was surprised to discover that 80% of the accessories on display were only worn on the runway, and never for sale.  They were put together probably at last minute out of papier mâché, and any other sort of stuff that was on hand, like elastic, buttons, paint, glass, sequins ...   Up close it was noticeable that some of the accessories were made hurriedly, but it would have been spectacular watching models sashaying down a runway, wearing the  Westwood makeshift jewellery

We saw a papier mâché tiara that Vivienne appropriated for herself after it had been worn on the runway.  She was invited to a posh affair where titled people were wearing genuine tiaras.  She proudly wore this fake tiara to the do.  It did look tacky at Te Papa.

above:  That's a picture of Westwood in the background

above:  Westwood originally tried making bustiers as seen in old masterpieces, but customers complained they were too tight.  She solved the problem by being the first designer of bustiers to put in elastic sides.

.

Westwood strongly believed that designers should look to the past for ideas.  She haunted art galleries searching for designs that she could change to a more modern concept.