Back from the Far Side

Radio silence since the last posting was unavoidable during the transit phase from LA to Wellington.  But now back to almost normal service. 

Last day in LA was packed full of clichés.  Trip to see the HOLLYWOOD sign took us through downtown Hollywood and BelAir and of course we gawped at the mansions on the way.  Then down the Sunset Strip and Sunset Boulevard to Pacific Highway 1 which took us in to Venice Beach.  Disappointingly no torsoes to ogle at Muscle Beach, so late lunch at a very cool and reasonable fish bar in Santa Monica before heading out to the airport fully loaded with new golf kit and baggage carefully weighed to avoid check in hitches.

It was a long long flight to Auckland but we landed feeling pretty good and more than a little excited. The plane was late landing due to late take off and headwinds but thanks to user friendly super efficient and secure NZ immigration (Obama take note and learn) we just made our connection to Wellington. Picked up the hire car and headed for our house in Waikanae Beach - a lovely drive into beautiful Wellington - wow it really is summer - mountains and sun glistening on water everywhere - and the scenery was even better than we remembered.

What can we say. Our house is very modest in size but beautifully kept and decorated by Sue and David the previous owners who now live round the corner with their 3 kids in a bigger house. Sue greets us with the keys and gives us the guided tour - it is just as we remembered it but better. In fact it’s just perfect for us. We have nothing - the house is completely empty. Fast forward 4 days - we are members of the golf club, we have a bed and two more to be delivered next week, even plates, saucepans, knifes and forks, sheets and towels and a car - we have all we need and who cares if we are sitting on the floor until the settee arrives. This is fantastic - we are 300 metres from the beach and that’s where we spent this afternoon. We walk or run on it every day and we love it.

Of course the best was seeing Pat and Olenka. They came down on Tuesday evening when we arrived and we had fun toasting the house in champagne given to us by Sue and David and then off to the local beach bistro where Pat demolished a T-bone the size of a house. They are both in great form - Pat is in his first week as a cub journalist for the Wanganui Chronicle - 4 articles published with his byline - and Olenka is Ms Bachelor of Teaching straight As student - what more can you want?

Actually, since you ask - golf.  And that too is sublime.  We’ve started slowly and badly as we are both acclimatising to new clubs and strange course.  But progress is steady and Nick might be ready for the Mid-week men on Tuesday morning......

We’ll let you know how he gets on.

Oh and by the way we have wonderful neighbours. They bring us a home made flower arrangement, they lend us a table and chairs until ours arrive, and they are taking us to a jazz concert in a decommissioned cathedral in Wellington next Friday - compare and contrast with Chassors where the lady next door can’t even make eye contact - it’s partly the luck of the draw but it’s also NZ - it’s so open, optimistic and friendly you just wouldn’t believe it - lush, really lush, and so much occurring!!