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House Sitting – Feilding
Well another year is here and another birthday has been and gone.
Today we are going on a road trip to Feilding. This is not just for fun but also a new job, for today we are going house sitting.
Jo and I have signed up on a house sitting website and are traveling around looking after other peoples hoses and pets. We haven’t met these people yet but they have a dog and 2 kittens. The dog has a bad back and can’t be taken for walks so hopefully it won’t be too bad.
The car has been loaded up, just enough room for us in the front seats, even the roof is in use carrying our bikes. Hopefully when we are there we will be able to get some bike rides in. I received a new Garmin Edge for my birthday so I will be able to track any rides we do.
Off to the supermarket
We’re now back with Jean & Bryce and needing to keep up our exercise regime. It’s been lacking just lately.
As we need to get some shopping we have decided to walk there instead of driving, after all it only takes a few minutes in the car.
Well as we walk along there are too many distractions along the way.
We manage to walk past three motorbike shops managing not to stop and browse. However we failed to pass the car shops without stopping and taking a look. They’re still far too expensive even if ours keeps on breaking down.
After an hour we finally arrive at the supermarket.
Funny how the return trip only took 30 minutes.
Pencarrow Light House
Today was a lovely winters day, bright and sunny, a few clouds but not too cold. Jo and I decided that today would be a good day to try a new bike ride so we headed off to Eastbourne.
That’s Eastbourne, Wellington not Eastbourne in the UK. We drove to the end of the road and then unloaded the bikes to head off towards Pencarrow Lighthouse.
With the wind behind us we were soon at the light house and decided to carry on a little further around the coast. We ended up cycling past Lake Kohangatera.
After about an hour cycling we decided to turn around and make our way back.
We stopped near Pencarrow lighthouse for our afternoon tea of lamb sandwich.
Just as I finished I looked up to see a plume of water rising just beyond some rocks.
I asked Jo to take a look.
As we both peered into the distance another plume appeared followed by the sight of a whale’s tail as it started to make its dive.
Jo was up in a shot, saying ‘let’s get a closer look’ as she jumped onto her bike and disappeared off down the track.
I was left to pack up and follow.
We managed to see them again a few minutes later. What an amazing sight and all it cost us was an afternoon cycle trip.
Easter weekend
Well it’s easter already and like in the uk it’s a busy time in the garden.
Here, however, we are preparing for winter.
But just as in the uk both on Good Friday and Easter Sunday all the shops are closed.
Well that will give us more time to sort out the weeds.
We still don’t have a clue what to do but we’re sure a plan will come together eventually.
Half way there.
Now sat in the lounge at LAX. Even after sitting for 12 hours on the plane it’s still good to sit in a comfortable arm Chair at the terminal.
And although my body clock says it’s breakfast time the local time is beer o’clock and they have Corona.
We’re leaving on a jet plane
Today we’re heading back to the UK. Our first flight from Wellington to Auckland is in 9hrs time at 6:30 this evening.
I’ve been packed for 2 days now, but I’m sure I’ll have time to repack at least another 6 times before we leave.
Just the final few items to remember. Camera, phone, e-reader, tablet, laptop and a zillion different chargers to power all of them.
Curtains
We’ve finally changed the cutains in our lounge. For weeks now we couldn’t fathom out whatwas wrong with the room.
Was it all down to the placing of the chairs, was it the fire or god forbid the over educated tv.
What was it?
Today we have the answer .
A trip to the shop where everyone gets a bargain and there’s our answer. Black curtains.
Several sets bought and hung and our dilemna is solved.
The curtains are hung and shouting out ‘WE ARE HERE AND YOU CAN’T SEE THROUGH US’
Unlike the previous ones that said ‘sorry we might be blocking your view but you put us here.’
Raining in godzone
It’s saturday morning and it’s raining here in godzone. The drought is wdll and truely broken.
What do we do?
Well i’m sat here trying to work my new toy (a samsung tablet) while watching ‘Come dine with me’ . Unfortunately we’ve already seen it. So we’ll have to find something else to do.
Walkies
This is the first week-end in Mana for some time that we have actually got time to go out for a walk. Previous week-ends we have either been busy, Jo has been working or we have been back in Hamilton.
But now we have time on our hands where do we go? There are so many choices it becomes too difficult for us to decide. Should we go for a little drive and explore a new area, perhaps around Porirua or over in the Hutt Valley.
In the end we decide to go for a track we have seen while out cycling, it is called ‘The Track’ It’s only 30 minutes each way but at least it will get us out.
The walk starts on sealed road, but then changes to a grass walkway. We can see out over to SH1 and the cycle track we have used on previous excursions. We both thought we would have views out the other way towards the sea, but unfortunately there is another hill in the way.
To also help us with this walk there are a few geocaches along the way, which we decide to do on the way back.
The first according to our Garmin is close to a stile, but neither of us can see it. The next one near a trig point Jo quickly finds, as she does the final two. Still I log them as my finds.
Here’s the route for today’s walk.