Our week in Pohara, Golden Bay (from the archives)

We went to Pohara for Easter/ANZAC break, along with Donna and her two kids. We never wrote it up but here's what we were planning. 

When is it?

From Friday 18 April (Good Friday) through to Sunday 27 April (just after ANZAC Day).  The cunning amongst you will have noticed that if you take 3 days off work, you get 11 consecutive days' holiday, right when it's school holidays.  Joy!

Where are we going?

Pohara Top Ten Holiday Camp, right on Golden Bay.  They have a great selection of campsites, cabins and other accommodation options.  

Campsites are around $20-26/night for adults and $15-18/night for children.  Don't forget though that if you are a WTMC member then your FMC card gets you 10% off at Pohara and all Top Ten Holiday Camps, as well as on Interislander travel to get you there!

http://www.poharabeach.com/

It's located here: http://goo.gl/maps/PT52r

What are we doing?

We'll keep it pretty casual.  Turn up whenever, go off whenever, do whatever you want to do.

But this is a pretty special part of the world, so you have lots of options:

• Pupu springs
• Beach walks
• Heaphy Track - some of it, all of it, whatever you feel like
• Other Abel Tasman walks
• The famous Sans Souci restaurant is 2min walk away
• Penguin watching
• Farewell Spit
• Winery walks
• Cycle touring

The Wednesday with tramping club for me

Hi,

More of the sodden weather continues.  How much rain is left up there?  Yesterday I stayed in town and caught up with colleagues for a drink before I wandered over to the tramping club meeting.  It was a talk on a visit to the sub antarctic islands.  And it was just as good as I was hoping.  Great photos - the islands look so amazing.  This person was a botany nut and the plants were incredible.  She explained it all really well.

Mike arrived just as it was two thirds done.  He'd been home to have dinner with his Mum and Toby.  His mother looked after Toby yesterday (and today) before we're both on holiday.  Such a relief as we didn't know about Toby finishing school earlier than us until last week.  Mike caught up with people after the tramping club session and then we also went for a drink.  It did mean a late night for me.

This morning is wet, wet, wet.  My ride in didn't avoid any of the rain.  In fact, judging by the amount of water I wrung out of my socks, I think I may have contributed to soaking up a bit of the water that otherwise might be lying around Wellington.  Hahahah.  I bumped into Sally on the way to work and chatted for a while.  Then Aidan turned up and I chatted to her.  We bought a poppy each.  Aidan senses this is a good move given her job location and the fact she is presenting at her work today.  Nothing like a show of support for the armed services.

We have dinner at the Tabor house tonight - mainly so I can say hello to Susan (Aidan's mother - this is a short visit of hers and tonight is really the only night I can see her).  I'm looking forward to it.

Our deck is probably looking amazing but unfortunately it was dark when I got home and dark when I left this morning.  Maybe I'll see it tonight.  We're on the 8am ferry tomorrow - although the forecast gale force winds might have other ideas.  Sally rightly pointed out we should buy seasickness medicine.

Right.  Time for tea and loads of work.

Last blog for a while.  Two weeks off!  Yes!  Have a lovely Easter.

Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with a total lunar eclipse

Hi,

I rode home to collect the car and then nipped back to the library to collect Toby.  Apparently the last day of term means he has soooooo much gear he can't possibly walk home.

I had been looking at the mostly blue sky all day at work, sweltering inside with the unusual sunshine, and feeling smug that I would see the lunar eclipse.  But at 4pm, the cloud cover came over, thick and unbroken.  Shucks.  I obviously forgot to appease the weather godlet.

We have a new deck - almost done!

Slow cooker stew for tea - yum!  First one of the season.  Mike got home and I slowly convinced him we should go to a vantage point looking to the east, just in case the cloud cover broke.  Parted, miraculously, showing us a coppery red moon in the Earth's shadow.  He looked at me like I was mad.  But, oddly, both boys decided to come.

We drove to a lovely seat looking out over the harbour - watching the completely choked motorway (there had been a 5 car pile up just south of Petone).  The cloud cover never parted.  I was even in denial about the slowly oozing moisture from the clouds.

Mike has some photos of our adventures.  He might post them later.  Back home and off to bed.  What a lovely evening, despite not seeing any sign of the moon at all.

Up early to go for my run.  It was pouring with rain and I was unsure about running in such heavy rain.  But it stopped as I went out and I ran for thirty minutes without a drop of rain.  As I walked down the steps to the house, it started again!  And then I rode in, and got the only 15 minute dry spell then too.  That weather godlet that I failed last night in some way must have taken pity on me.

Mike's mother is coming in to look after Toby today.  Not too sure if it will be dry enough for them to get out of the house.  There is a talk on the sub antarctic islands tonight at tramping club, so I'll go along to that.  Should be awesome.  I really want to visit them one day.

Have a fantastic day!
Love,
Angela

Chasing the bus with the neighbour

It was the little things this morning.  Helping Toby learn to tie a tie; sorting the rubbish out; going back for that last bag of rubbish; saying hello to the landscaper and showing amazement that we could see blue sky; getting the landscaper to move his truck.  All that used up a 5 minute chunk of time that turned out to be crucial.

Juliette, the neighbour was just leaving and she offered to run us to the bus stop.  I hesitated but thought, 'Sure!  Angela doesn't need the car this afternoon so we may's well.  And there's plenty of time.'  But alas, a minute after she parked on the street beside the library bus stop, the fateful white shape loomed on the road.  Toby's bus, free from the need to pick up senior students and running 5 minutes early itself.

We ran futilely down the hill to watch it pull away.  What to do now?  No car to chase the bus.  Yingjie was parking up and looked on helplessly.  But Juliette appeared.  'Jump in, let's chase it,' she said.  And off we hurtled.

Being less experienced at bus chasing than seasoned professionals like Yingjie and myself, Juliette stayed on the main road and didn't swerve and weave down the rat run that sometimes lets you get ahead of the bus for the next stop.  But she did well.  We pulled in behind it but missed it by seconds.  'That's ok, there's that stop where the minister's son gets on,' she said.  Seems she is well versed in the Scots bus route!  A bit of deft lane changes and we got in front of the bus just as it was pulling in.  Toby leapt out and onto his bus.  Crisis deftly averted!  And thankyou Juliette for all the driving around.

The deck & lawn are coming on

The first day when it's not bucketing down rain since the job began!  The lawn edging/retaining is in, and the posts for the deck are in.  We might even have a deck outside our bedroom doors by tonight.

The Monday with dinner out - twice!

Hi,

Benjamin came to look after Toby after school and Mike and I were heading out to a colleague's leaving dinner and dessert with Roz and Fran.  But, Mike got distracted by work and stayed back to get it done while I went to Caliente and had a great Mexican meal.  I shared chimichangas with Luke and I reckon I lost 5 years off my life with arterial hardening.  Imagine this:  a soft taco made into a cone and stuffed with cheesey badness and jalapenos.  Then deep fried.  That's how good it was!  My quesadilla was also great - but I could only eat half.

However, Mike arrived and managed to eat my leftovers perfectly.  From there we walked down to Capitol and caught up for the dessert course with Roz and Fran.  We chatted away and had a lovely chat.  They both looked relaxed and happy.

I have hauled the slow cooker out for its first run for the winter today.  Should be just right when we get home.  And it's Toby's last day of term today.  He looked rather excited when I saw him.

I can see patches of blue sky today.  Makes for a change.  I hope it clears a little because tonight is a total lunar eclipse.  I'd love to see it.

Have a wonderful day.

Love,
Angela

The weekend in Wellington

Hi,

Well, I have to say, I am getting a tad tired of the constant rain.  I think this morning marks a week of rain every day - some of it quite heavy.  But most is just a constant oozing from the thick clouds.  The forecast is for another week of it.  Could make our week camping at Easter a little damp.

Let's see...  What did we do this weekend?  Friday I took the bus home in a spell of laziness.  But, as Aidan pointed out, I did do my first big run in the morning and then a decent ride in from Petone.  So, if she can be magnanimous with my laziness, I guess I can too.  I collected Toby from the library and got him a burger from Burger Wisconsin.  He ate that and was as happy as anything.

Mike eventually got home, just in time for Josh and Ed to turn up to borrow Mike's backpack for the weekend.  We watched a movie after dinner and slept well.

Saturday saw Mike away early after getting us breakfast in bed.  He rode his bike for the first time in 2014!  Oooosssshhhh!  Go Mike!  He went out to Petone to collect the car.  Toby and I went into Joe's Garage to meet Hayley for lunch.

It's all about the iced coffee, Hayley!

It was great to catch up with Hayley - she is settling into Wellington very well.  They have a flatmate moving out and are interviewing for new flatmates.  Hope that goes well.

Toby asked to see a movie after lunch so we went to the Embassy and saw Captain America.  Great fun!  Nothing spectacular.  Just a good solid superhero movie.

Our landscaping is going well, despite the ankle deep mud the chap finds himself in.  It can't be too far off getting lawn laid.  We're getting a wee deck too.  Should look good.  Stay tuned, eh?

Landscaping is coming along

Yes - it is very muddy!

After the movie we came home and I read for a bit before heading out to see Aidan.  She had decided that the weather was far too yucky for venturing beyond her letterbox and when I got to her place, she was in pyjamas.  Yes.  I also wonder if she had been in them all day.  But don't tell her that's what I suspect.  Ssshhhh.

She made me a lovely dinner.  She had threatened leftovers consisting of beans.  But she relented and found pasta and pesto.  And made a yummy salad.  She did show me the beans and they were really just beans.  It might have been tricky eating them and pretending to be happy about it.  We then painted our toes, but for some reason, I have no photo of them.  Shame!

Back home and off to bed.  Mike put on the new Cosmos episode and I was asleep in record time.  I think I heard (yes, my eyes were already shut when it started) the opening sentence before I was in a coma.

Next morning Mike was up and pottering around while Toby and I read.  Breakfast in bed again.  Nice!  I eventually got up and tidied.  I did the laundry mountain (ironing) while watching Cosmos.  I can't say again, because I never saw it the first time.  That was very apparent.  Mike handed over the webmaster job for tramping club to some chap.  I spent the day tidying and reading and Mike went into work.

Cooked dinner for Toby and Mike came home so we chatted away.  Then off to bed.  Up early this morning to run in the rain.  And Mike says he is riding in.  We shall see.

Have a lovely week.  Toby has his last day of term tomorrow.  I think Karen has her girls off and up with Ma and Dad already.

Love,
Angela

The Thursday with Toby in the evening

Hi,

I left work a little early and drove to Scots College to drop off Toby's science project and pick him up and take him out for a treat.  As I walked in, his science teacher walked out and so she let us in and she marked his project there and then.  It was perfect timing.  Thanks Pip!  We even got to take it home again.

Toby's choice of a treat out was for Indian takeaway and go home to do homework.  Not too sure if he's feeling quite himself really.  Anyhow, we got food and Mike came home and ate with us.  Mike headed back to work for a while.  Toby and I chilled out (after I luxed because the boys seem to have left multiple lights on during the day and ripped up bits of paper to scatter everywhere) and I absolutely slept like a log.

Got up for my run and was surprised to have no wind and no rain.  My run programme had me run the whole way this morning without a break.  I did it!  Now to get more distance.

I showered and got changed into bike gear.  I left the boys to sort out lunches and drove out to Petone to drop the car off.  Hopped on my bike and rode back into town.  What a mess the Esplanade is in the morning.  Cycling is a dangerous pastime out there.

The weekend looks relaxed.  Thank goodness.  Before the school holiday madness!  Well, I have the two weeks off with Toby.  Camping in Golden Bay and then Sunshine Coast for a week.  Bring it on!

Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with user group and tramping club AGM

Hi,

Possibly the highlight of yesterday was finally catching up with Aidan for lunch.  She has been flat out all over the country (well, at least flat out and over some of the country) and thought Wednesday felt about right - if it was actually Friday!  I know the feeling.

Benjamin came to look after Toby and Mike and I went to the user group session.  It went really well and we left there and drove to tramping club.  Mike got a park right outside the door.  How does he do that?  It was my first AGM and Mike got voted into his role as Promotions Officer on the committee.  I thought about standing up to refuse that nomination, but figured Mike knows what he is doing.  He can always say no to them, right?

Back home and I dropped Benjamin home.  Collapsed into bed and knew nothing until just before the alarm.  The day is wet again.  My dizzy thing has dissipated so I rode in.  But it hasn't completely gone - some of the head turns were a bit disconcerting.  But all manageable.  I'm here, in one piece.  Just a little wet, is all.

I'm leaving a wee bit early to go to Toby's school.  I'm dropping off his science project and taking him out to a cafe for dinner.  If I can find one open.

Have a lovely day!
Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with nothing

Hi,

I rode home and got quite wet again, however, not as wet as the ride in!  I collected Toby from the library (who made sure to ask if we were driving home or walking - given I was standing there dripping) and we went home.  Toby did about 3 hours of maths homework and is now done!  Woot!  It is due on Thursday!  I cooked him some dinner and Mike got home and we all ate.

I went grocery shopping and there is nothing like a late Tuesday evening with pouring rain for keeping people away from the supermarket.  Too easy!  Back home and I went to bed.  My head started spinning as I lay down and sure enough - I have that dizzy thing again.  Weird.

I got up for my run this morning.  Found my cap and jacket and started.  But given I could hardly walk straight, it didn't bode well for my run.  I tried.  But it wasn't entirely comfortable.  So I gave up and walked back home.  Decided it would be just as foolish to ride my bike and and so I caught the bus.  For the first time in absolute ages.

Weird dizzy thing.  Hoping it'll go by the end of today.  I have the user group tonight and Mike is also coming.  Mike has got Benjamin sorted for popping around.  Mike is off to the tramping club annual general meeting tonight after user group.

Hope you're all super well and staying dry.  A little bit impossible in Wellington, I have to say.

Love,
Angela

The Monday with drinks after work for me

Hi,

The weather has changed and I got really rather soaked riding in this morning (Tuesday).  The sort of soaking where I wring my socks out when I take them off.  The sort of soaking that means I have put my bike shoes on the heater in a futile attempt to dry them out before I need to ride home.  My bike shorts are there too.  Pretty sure they won't be able to stay there very long.  I'll have to hide them under my desk.  But they might get a good head start on the drying process.  I really don't like pulling on wet bike gear at the other end of the day.  Hahahah.

Still, it was great fun!

Last night I drove home (Mike had the car in town) cooked tea for Toby and then drove back to swap with Mike.  I had some drinks after work with colleagues.  We chatted away at the pub over the road for ages.  Then Ange took me home, so Mike didn't even need to come out in the rain.  Perfect.

I think tonight is straight forward.  I'll ride home, collect Toby, cook tea and watch Toby do homework.  He's doing well with his homework at the moment.

But right now, what I really need is a cup of tea.  And I guess I am rather grateful I am not driving to Waiouru like Aidan is today for her work.  It's not a pleasant driving day.  3.5 hours each way for a 1 hour meeting.  Interesting way to spend your day at work.  Be alright in the wee green car on a gorgeous day!

Have a wonderful day!
Love,
Angela

The weekend at Ruapehu

Hi,

Well, knock me down with a feather.  I have never ever had such beautiful weather up at Ruapehu.  Blue skies, no wind at all.  It felt like I was up in Northland rather than on the volcanic plateau.  Weird.

Ilkse and I drove up in the wee green car with Mike in the Corolla with Toby, Isaac and two other women from the Meetup group.  Poor Ilske - I sang loudly the whole way.  Hahahah.  The drive was lovely - top down the entire time and plenty of stars to look at.  I showed Ilske the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds.  You only see them away from the city lights.

Sunset on the drive up!

Into bed rather late - maybe after midnight.  It made it hard to get out of bed early.  I achieved this by remaining in bed until denial was extremely difficult.  We got away for our walk by about 10.30am.  Off to see Taranaki Falls - which are nowhere near Taranaki.  Just in case you're wondering.

Mt Taranaki in the morning from the lodge- in the far, far distance!

Selfie showing not a shred of snow on the skifield

Toby and Isaac begin the walk

Mike - why are you taking a photo of me that close?

Are you completely mad?

Nice spot for a rest

Ngaurahoe looking amazing!

Selfies with Ngaurahoe in the background

Toby got himself some new sunglasses.  He chose some aviators and loves them to bits.  Funny wee chap.  He does look cool in them!

I can see myself, Toby!

Sunset Saturday night

We went to the pub across from the chateau for Saturday night dinner.  Very nice - although a bit slow with the service.  My steak was good though.

Back up to the lodge and Ilske and I lay out on the deck and watched the stars for about 45 minutes.  I saw a couple of satellites overhead and two shooting stars.  Jupiter and Saturn looked good too.  Off to bed and I managed to finished my book.  Definitely a great weekend's achievement.

Up to have breakfast and cleanup the lodge.  We got an extra hour sleep in because daylight savings finished. A walk on the way home was discarded in favour of a cafe lunch!  Oh yeah!  Mountain Rocks in Ohakune.  I like that place!

On the way home in Ohakune

Iced coffee at Mountain Rocks cafe.  8.5

Ilske had to endure another 4.5 hours of me singing nearly the whole way home.  She has a lot of fortitude.  Wellington had the worst weather of the entire trip.  I had to put the roof up at Ilske's house.  Pesky drizzly rain.

Got home and did a mountain of laundry, tidying, ironing and generally fussing around getting things ready for the week ahead.  Mike had to drop people off around Wellington.  We were both quite shattered and I slept the sleep of the dead.

My run this morning was inside a cloud.  No rain, I don't think.  Just inside the cloud!  Funny place, Wellington.  Prince William arrives today - he'll hardly see the place!

Have a fantastic week!
Love,
Angela

The Thursday with packing for Ruapehu

Hi,

I rode home in the most glorious evening imaginable for Wellington.  Blue skies, no wind.  It was lovely.  Collected Toby from the library and started dinner.  Toby did his homework and Mike got home.  Lovely evening.

At work though, we went to Bordeaux Bakery and bought a croinut each (me and my team).  This is a combination of a croissant and a donut.  And it was sooooo good you just know it took 3 years off my life!

Most decadent thing known to humankind - a croinut!

Putting the XR200 back in place

We packed for the weekend, fluffing around with the car and the rooftop box and overnight bags.  I got to move the XR200 around and realised I haven't been on a motorcycle for ages!  That needs to be rectified!  We're taking Toby's friend Isaac with us to Ruapehu.  Isaac's mother (Sally) will collect them from school and drop them at the train station.  Perfect!  We'll leave from there at 4.30pm.

I am taking the wee green car up with Ilske.  Isaac and Toby are with Mike and two other people in the Corolla.

I think the Saturday weather is looking ok.  But not too sure about Sunday.  Might be a day walk off the mountain on the way home?  And I personally am hoping for reading and eating!  Hahahah.

Have a lovely weekend!
Love,
Angela

The Wednesday with tramping club for Mike

Hi,

Happy graduation, Michelle.  What a wonderful achievement.  Very proud aunty.

I enjoyed my ride home although if I didn't know better I might assume I had a touch of a cold.  My chest is a little wheezy.  But I do know better and I was just sick a few weeks back so it is impossible.

Toby and I had a good evening, ploughing through homework and making dinner.  Mike went to meetings after work and then the photography night at tramping club.  He got home late and I was a bit asleep.  Managed to let him in though!  Hahahah.

Landscapers come  this morning.  Oooooooo.  Very exciting.

We need to pack for the weekend tonight.  All three of us are off to Ruapehu for the weekend.  Should be nice.  I intend to load up my Kindle and read.

Have a wonderful day!
Love,
Angela

The Tuesday with the fig feijoa fisaco

Hi,

Happy birthday to Mike's Dad, today!

I had a lovely ride home yesterday.  Well, to the library at any rate.  This evening I get to ride there and collect Toby and walk home with him.  Mike will drive in so he can do the tramping club run easily tonight.

Managed an iced coffee at Thunderbird yesterday with my colleagues.  Mmmmm.  Their iced coffee is quite good.

Thunderbirds are go!  I give it an 8.

We got home last night and I tried to cook tea but I wasn't really up for it.  But I did manage to drive down and collect Mike with Toby in the car and get some groceries on the way home.  Put them away (thanks for putting away the chops I left out, Mike!) and went to bed.  Mike had work to do.  He's a bit busy at work.

I forgot the fig feijoa fiasco.  Mike had his lunch bag with him when I collected him.  We chatted to Juliet and he mentioned he liked the lunch but never ate the fig because he knows nothing about how to eat figs.  "What fig?" I asked?  "This fig", he said, holding up a feijoa.  "That's a feijoa", I said.  "Oh", he said.  "I don't know how to eat feijoas either.  I have never eaten one".  Turns out the hundreds of feijoas that have come into our house over the last 7 years have all been consumed by me.  Yum!

I got up early for my run and enjoyed that.  Done four weeks on the programme now.  Yay.  I must be running about 2 km in my 30 min sessions now.  Apparently the aim is by 9 weeks I will be running a full 5 km in my 30 min session.  But I am actually enjoying it at the moment.

Yes, tramping club night.  I will go and collect Ed (Aidan's stepfather) and take him to tramping club.  It's the photography competition tonight.  Vivienne likes that one too!

Have a fantastic day!
Love,
Angela

The Monday with nothing much on

Hi,

What a lovely Monday - it was nice to finally see Mike.  I rode to the library and collected Toby.  We went back home and I cooked tea and Toby did a load of homework.  Like lots of it.  I was very happy with that.

Mike eventually got home and I ate my dinner with him.  Mike and Toby went out for a run and then I read to Toby as he went to bed.  Nice evening.  Mike had some work to do that meant I fell asleep while he worked on the computer.  I think work turned into "read the whole internet" and he stayed up late.  Oddly, this always turns into something that is my fault.  I should "make" him to go sleep.  Bit hard when I am comatose.  Hahahah.

My breakfast date was cancelled this morning.  Oh well.  I ate my Weetbix and enjoyed my ride in.  A warm morning out there, but overcast at the moment.

Have a lovely day.  Mike's Dad's birthday tomorrow.  Woot!

Love,
Angela