The bus left at 8 AM for Picton and arrived just after 10 AM. Very nice ride along winding hills through forrest and then farmland. The bus driver gave a nice commentary on the various kinds of trees we passed. One very long section (quite a few miles) was all pine trees in various stages of growth that are harvested and then replanted by timber companies. He described the process of harvesting trees which was quite interesting. We also saw lots of sheep and cows when we got down from the hills. The landscape is so beautiful with all the shades of green and brown in the forrests, hills and farms.
We also saw alot of vineyards during our ride. The driver said that a lot of land is being converted to vineyards because New Zealand wine is becoming very popular. He also explained why there is a rose bush planted at the end of a row of grapevines.
There is a particular aphid that attacks both rose bushes and grapevines, but it shows up on the rose bush first. When the owners see the asphids on the rose bushes they know they need to spray the grapevines. That way, they don't need to do unnecessary spraying which saves money and has less impact on the environment.
We passed a few trees with the leaves turning and it made me think of home. I know spring is just starting there, but it's early fall here. There isn't a lot of fall foliage, but you know it's fall by the early evening darkness and how cool it gets once the sun goes down.
I was also listening to Steve Tyrell on my MP3 player, and his kind of music coupled with the bit of foliage and knowing we are leaving the South Island made me kind of sad. Not unhappy sad really, just kind of thoughtful sad - thinking of home and leaving such a beautiful place, which I probably won't see again. I'm sure the North Island will also be lovely, but everyone who comes here says that the South island is by far the most beautiful of the two islands.
I would highly recommend the Steve Tyrell CD for anyone who likes the old standards kind of music. Many of the songs are the same as the new Rod Stewart CD that I like so much. Cathy and John Giberti gave me the Steve Tyrell CD (I think it's called "A New Standard" and it's one of my favorite sets of songs that I copied on to my MP3 player.
Shari and I are being met at the ferry terminal in Wellington by relatives of Monica Gross. Monica and Mike are members of the Pioneer Valley Hiking Club back home and Monica has relatives in 2 towns in New Zealand. Murry is Monica's cousin, and he and his wife Mary Anne live in the Wellington area. We will stay with them tonight. Monica also has relatives up north on the North Island in the Coromandel Region and we will also try to visit them before we leave New Zealand.
Murray and Mary Anne found us at the ferry terminal and took us for a tour around the city in their car. We also stopped at various points to do some sightseeing. We walked through the Botanical Gardens, rode on the cable car in the city, stopped for a Starbucks coffee, drove up to Mt. Victoria to the overlook to view the harbor and city, and then drove out to the Lower Hutt where they live.
We were definitely spoiled at their house (great food, good wine, music, interesting conversation and we each had our own bedroom). They have 3 sons and 1 daughter, and their son Ian joined us while we had drinks and then another son, Alistair, visited with us later in the evening and again in the morning. Very nice, personable, interesting young men. Both are musicians and Ian also attends cooking school, and Alistair attends university getting a degree in music. Altogether a lovely visit. It is so special to meet great people who so warmly opened their home to us.
I finally connected with Leslie about 10 PM and we made plans to meet her after work at 5:30 PM at the train station tomorrow.
4/07: After Murray left for work we visited with Mary Anne for a while and used their computer to check email. Mary Anne gave us a ride to the train station where we got the 11 AM train to Wellington. We checked our packs in a big locker, went to the post office and the went to check on cameras for Shari.
We didn't really have anything in mind for the day so we spent about 2.5 hours in a bookstore checking out information on Scotland and England. Very pleasant aftenoon. Now I'm sitting in Starbucks again, writing notes and postcards until it is time to go meet Leslie.
We met Leslie at the train station at 5:30 and we took a short bus ride to her apartment. It was pouring rain and we had all our belongings in our big and little packs so it was nice to ride on the bus vs. walking. Chris and Leslie have a great apartment. Chris is a geologist and is off doing some lab testing, and won't be home until later in the week. So it was just us "girls." Great evening - pizza, beer and lots of conversation.
4/08: Leslie went off to work and Shari and I went to get haircuts. I got mine done first and then went back to Leslie's to call Peter while Shari had her hair cut. It was great to talk to Peter. When Shari came back we looked at my pictures using Leslie's computer. It was fun to look at them and remember what we've done so far. We've been so many places and seen so many sights that Hong Kong seems a year ago instead of 5 weeks ago.
A very low key day. We just did some errands in the city, but no touristy things. I picked up the car at about 4:30 amd then Shari and I went to pick up Leslie after work. She wanted to cook us dinner so we went to the grocery store on the way home. She cooked a lovely sinner - baked vegetables and salmon with hoisin sauce on it. She and I shared a nice bottle of Chardonnay with dinner.
