my summer holiday(s) Jan/Feb 2012

Well, I've had a week at Ohope, 5 nights in Eketahuna, a week in Nelson, a week in Taupo, a week in Mt Maunganui, 5 nights in Raumati, and a week in Queenstown! I am such a traveller...

But, funny thing, I was homesick most of the time. I just wanted to be home to my beach friends, and Hataitai Beach. I wanted to wear all my nice summer clothes, instead of the few chiffony-easy wash stuff I took with me I missed my house, my library, my suburb. Silly, eh?

Having said all that, I truly enjoyed Ohope Beach. Next summer, I'm not going to be so greedy. Just one (or two) destinations, yes?

I was boogie boarding at Mt Maunganui. There was a truly ferocious double wave, I got tossed under water, and my leg went to a weird angle. I thought "oh, no I've broken my leg". But when I surfaced, my leg seemed okay. But within days, my left knee got really bad. Same symptoms exactly as a few years' earlier when I tore a cartilage in my right knee. Yep, doctor at home confirmed it. Darn!

I went over to Kapiti Island for the day, climbed to the very top (see photo, view from the topmost point), very tiring and my body sort of gave up as I was climbing down afterwards. I took double the length of time getting down than I did climbing up. Saw lots of beautiful birds. Here's a photo of a weka that haunted me as I was eating my lunch (we were told that wekas can hear the zip of a backpack at 2kms away). And what is it with Raumati? When swimming, you're in amongst loads of twigs and sticks. Hopeless.

In Queenstown I went down four ziptreks (flying foxes). They were set out in zigzag style with a tree platform between each trek. Quite fun...and scary. In Q'town I also went up the gondola and had a lovely buffet lunch. I swan in the lake at Q'town. Only one in water. All the scaredy-cats sit on the shore, sunbathing.

In total, I saw sun for about 5 hours during the entire 5 weeks holiday. I am positive I am the goddess of thunder clouds. It only rained two days but those damn clouds!