At 6 am it was still dark and very wet - raining hard. I thought leaving Raumati at 7.00 to get to the airport at 8.30 was reasonably safe. Not so, the rain kept on and it seemed as though everyone had decided to take their car to work. We progressed the 55 kms to town at mostly 20 kilometres an hour. I arrived at the airport long-term parking yard at 8.55 - in pouring rain and unfamiliar with how the clicky thing works on my key set about locking the 3 car doors. The back one seemed dodgy but still hoping to catch the plane - leaving at 9.05 (ever the optimist), I dashed off - missed the plane. Caught the next one - at a cost.
Fran, my friend I spent the week with, stayed at Nelson Airport until it (the plane) arrived - she discovered her 'bonus' parking card doesn't work at the airport and got a ticket for $40. Already we are $100 and an hour and a half down. All was forgiven, by me at least, by the beautiful view as I got off the plane. I stopped on the tarmac to take some shots.
We continued out to Fran's brother's house 31 kms from Nelson. Not the warmest day, first thing was to light the fire. The house has wonderful views of the Mt Arthur ranges and is surrounded by olive groves and apple orchards and the odd deer and a couple of bulls. But it wasn't presenting its best face this first day, although light snow on the tops was very pretty.But it was great to be staying in such a well appointed house - except that the showers weren't working above a piddle. The plumber arrived on Monday and fixed it the pressure and we both (Fran & I separately) washed thoroughly.
Fran took me all over Nelson. It is very picturesque.
Her partner kept us supplied with wonderful 'just out of the garden' vegetables - we ate well. We had fish'n chips at the Mahuna Pub - bit disappointing. Fish overcooked and scallops out of a packet.
On Monday we went to the WOW Museum. They had changed the exhibition only two weeks beforehand and there was Catherine's 'bunny' looking magnificent in his own special possie. Taking photos of the WOW entries is not allowed, but because I'm Catherine's mother the receptionist took some on my camera. Any resemblence between bunny and me here is purely coincedental. It is the best shot of bunny that she took however.
The museum also houses some wonderful old cars.
I always believed that these little 3 wheeled cars (actually 4 with back ones coupled) were Fiats, but this is a BMW.
On Wednesday we went to the New York Metropolitan Opera. Armida by Rossini was showing. Apparently they film the performances and sell them all around the world to raise money for the Met. It was all very enjoyable - apart from the lack of icecreams. I bought a new purple cardigan in an up-market second hand shop, then we went for a walk in a cemetry with huge redwoods in it.
On Thursday we picked apples in glorious weather. Cleaned the house and packed to go home.
Fran, who has a horror of being late for anything, pronounced that we would be leaving for the airport at 3.30pm to catch my 5.05pm plane.We were there just after 4.00. The plane was 45 minutes late. Nelson Airport is particularly boring for an hour and a half - you can't even spend money on anything.
In Wellington the long term parking shuttle dropped me off at my little car - in a cold southerly also trying to rain. Little car was shivering and refused to go - flat battery. I'd missed something in the lock up 6 days earlier. A young AA man came (they're usually around 40 at least) and very cheerfully got it charged. He was most impressed with little car's style. It fortunately didn't stall all the way home. I had McDonalds for tea.
So it was re-edited, sent to the proof-reader and went to the printer this morning. Delia Small is giving the proof the last gasp check.
More huts, this time with a special edge. These huts were built, or acquired for the specific task of rescuing at risk species
