I’m staying in a rather lovely Airbnb house, which I have all to myself. It was lovely to wake up to the special sounds of New Zealand birds. Nowhere else that I have ever been has birdsongs like New Zealand birds. At the bottom of the garden there is a little stream and on the other side bush, which in English is forest, but somehow New Zealand’s bush is very different with the density and the native trees.
New Plymouth now has a coastal pathway and I was very keen to walk part of this. Peter decided he would join me on this and the friend that they were staying with drove us to the Te Rewa Rewa Bridge, which crosses the Waiwakaiho River at Fitzroy.
This was a great starting point for our walk to a cafe, The Bach, at Ngamotu Beach. Although the day had started grey and overcast the sun broke through and it became quite hot. We passed some beautiful New Zealand Flax on the way. As a child I used to make Palm Crosses out of this for Palm Sunday at St Marys.
In the distance we could see the rock formation Paritutu and passed the modern Wind Wand by Len Lye.
Peter retired from the walk near Kawaroa and I continued on my on to The Bach where I arrived just as my friends drove up in the car.
I was most surprised to see a cruise ship in the harbour and our friend informed us that there are only about four a year.
What an emotional journey – to childhood, then back to the wonders around you in the present. Why are you wearing a bandage on your knee?!!
I hurt my knee just before I left