Puhoi River Trip

Well it's been on lists, here, there and everywhere. Written in notebooks, scrappy bits of paper and mentioned every summer. It took one phone call and heh presto we're booked in.
It's a popular day to go, it's the 2nd January, in kiwi land, this is a public holiday, joy of joys, another two days off this week. The transition from shift work may be sinking in.
The sun is shinning, there is a light breeze and a few clouds in the sky, perfecto.
We go upstream first, tranquil and full of bird life. Heading back down we maneouvour around the just starting folks and make our way towards the sea. Kayaking under the main road is kind of fun as we're not in a car in traffic. The noise quietens and the river starts to widen. There are lots of extra books of the river to explore, but eventually we make it to Wenderholm. The very efficient staff are there, help you out of your kayak and then your transported back to the starting point.
Our plan was to return to Wenderholm but the place was seriously packed so we headed to the next regional park north. Blessed we are in this part of the world. Kiwis love the beach in the summer so this one was busy but not in the same league so we were in that water. Bliss. Then some serious soaking up the sun time, with picnic and book. Bliss.
So why did it take us do long, why do 'to do' lists stop you actually doing! I'm addicted to lists but I need to move to the action state. So we may even be painting those chairs soon.

Books, movies or walks

Well the lists of 'things' from birthdays past have to a certain extent inspired but I haven't done really well to be honest. On the eve if my birthday I thought maybe a theme challenge rather than a list of things that I may or may not do. Over a coffee in the city we discuss the options, 41 books, 41 movies or 41 walks. To be honest my money was on the 41 cakes idea but in the end we decided on 41 walks. I stepped up to the August break challenge so this is a step forward - in many ways. In seemed a healthier option. 41 walks in the coming year, but for now....its time for feijoa sparkling wine from the Lothlorien winery.

A belated number 9

Oh dear, put this one on the list of '39 Things'. But heh ho, all done. Have new glasses, will be able to see those numbers at work and page the right doctor! Turns out my eyesight hasn't got a lot worse - based on the prescription sunglasses I still had - now there's an idea I should have just worn to those to work. Anyway digressing in my mind and my typing. I have new glasses, my eyesight still isn't too bad.  Apparently my eyes (the technical bit of  them anyway) are different shapes - one is rugby ball shaped and one is soccer ball shaped and this is why I can't judge distance or park a car - hurrah and reason and now I'll just celebrate this and enjoy my bad parking. Choosing the glasses was very interesting, alone in a shop without the ability to decide or any confidence in what might actually look good on me. To the rescue - a box with the three I had narrowed it down to take away. So the next few days at work I gathered various opinions, over my choices, face shape, colour, some opinions bordering on personality descriptions, all in all, it helped, and I would't have chosen the winning pair, but I'm very happy.
So a week to go till the birthday I better take another look at those lists (things and things) and maybe just carry them over.

Number One

Number one of the list and a joy it was too. Though the drive up the mountain had me gripping the car seat, Adam was of course in his element, I am such a coward. A great place to ski - though we move so slowly is it really skiing - I say it's great control. So Cardrona is the place to go and we have already planned to go back next year, take some lessons, love it again already. No lessons this year, just enjoyed the wide open slopes and the fantastic scenery all around.

We also repeated some of the walks we did when we last here in April, this time with clear blue skies, sunshine and wonderful far reaching views. Yes perfect weather, we where blessed all week.

We stayed in Wanaka (typed at least three times to be sure) at the YHA backpackers, would highly recommend it, as we did when we camped here in April

We visted Arrowtown and Queenstown and took a drive to the ends of the earth which felt a little adventurous (to me anyway). 

Happy and delighted (well apart from when I put on my ski pants and realised the amount of weight I have clearly put on and struggled to do them up - they popped undone on the chair lift anyway), it was a great week.

Number 5

So given my list of 39 things that I have done very little about so far I was very very very excited when a sudden change of plan regarding a few days off lead me to Solscape and booking a few nights in a tipi. Solescpe is an eco resort and sounded wonderful offering various options in terms of accomadation. We were to stay in the tipi retreat.

It all started to go wrong with The Big Day Out. Obviously allergic to festivals (really a repeat of Glastonbury), I wake with a puffy blotchy face and feel terrible. Adam drives to Raglan and I sleep so I feel a bit better on arrival. It's a nice 2-3 hour drive. The scenery is great, more mountains than I expected, rolling greens and natives trees and a huge huge beach.

The tipi retreat is a good 5 minute (uphill) walk from the main area and is secluded, lush, quiet, lovely. There are 6 tipis, and ours (of course) is further uphill. We have packed fairly light but I have of course brought plenty of food. Fully equiped kitchen is not quite how I would cover it, the main problem being no cold storage and it is very very hot!

I had booked a shiatsu massage for that afternoon, which was without doubt one of the best preplanning I'd done in a long time. The treatment are is in a secluded area of the site and is a small room built into the landscape and looks out onto the glorious views. So listening to the orchestra of birds and animals I succumb to bliss.
A quick exploration of Raglan and it's back to try out the wood fire oven and make pizza. Much more difficult than Jamie makes out but it tastes great.
We are bitten a few times by the prevelant mozzies - the composting toilets may be eco friendly but they are very mozzie friendly! The next morning after smiling at the thought of actaully sleeping n a tipi, I wake so swollen in the face I don't recognise myself. I have been bitten alive and really reacted well to most of them.

I survive another night and then we move. I tried. It was beautiful. I loved the outdoor kitchen (if only it had a fridge). The main area was more backpackers and the kitchen there was possibly the worst designed and equipped I've yet to come across at a NZ backpackers. The vibe was good though and our last night we were treated to some surreal entertainment and tried our hands at walking on a tightrope - takes muscle as well as balance so I was useless.

We loved loved loved Raglan. I was down and depressed as I felt so terrible but I persevered and played in the sea, managed to get my hair cut and brought a very expensive pair of trousers. We had lazy days and really relaxed. I finished my book in two days. We came away rested, more tanned but we still haven't tried surfing. I was possibly slighty dissappointed by the tipis, nit helped by feeling so ill. I think I need to find the full on live in tipi, these had your bed in and that was it. I want the fire and the whole mallarky. So the search continues, but I can at last cross one item off my list.

39 Things

My wonderful friend Em, who keeps me sane and insane at the same time has propelled me into several computer related hobbies - well flickr and blogs. So in my travels of these I have come across lovely pictures and stories. One such blog has inspired me to commence making more lists (I make enough I know so any format or excuse will do). The idea is that on your birthday you make a list of 'things' to do in your year. Now the blog of inspiration uses the number of her birthday, but Em has always maintained that, OK we're 38 years old, but we are entering our 39th year on the planet and so the list should have 39 things on in the lead up to being 39 - have I lost you all yet. To add to confusion, both my friend and the author of the blog where I borrowed this idea are called Emma! Anyway...the list.....

1. Go skiing in the south island
2. Have a surfing lesson
3. Canoe the Puhoi River
4. Sell something
5. Stay in a tipi
6. Get better at jogging and be able to jog all the way around Cornwall Park
7. Get Adam on a horse
8. Find a dentist
9. Admit to myself that I've lost my glasses, get over it and get some new ones
10. Write more letters to folks and friends
11. Do the local kayak course
12. Get a poster made of our Rome photos
13. Plant more
14. Have a big BBQ
15. Toast marshmellows
16. Sleep in the VW van
17. Plan an exciting winter holiday abroad
18. Do more that scares me
19. Join a book club
20. Have more balloons in my life
21. Make postcards
22. Create a scrapbook for Lizzie and Jane
23. Get my own scallops from the sea, cook them on the beach and then eat them
24. Climb a tree
25. Lay in a hammock
26. Sleep on a beach
27. Get a tatoo (have had a long chat about this and may strike it from the list)
28. Create some homemade pickles
29. Get stronger arms
30. Keep a diary/journal to start on my birthday for a whole year
31. Print more photos
32. Create a canvas print
33. Send joy in the post
34. Watch the clouds
35. Find a hairdresser I can talk to and knows how to cut curly hair
36. Make a will
37. Watch an international cricket match (Duncans picture on canvas an optional extra)
38. Read more
39. Smile