Was I Away Somewhere?

I've been back in my Napier home for 96 hours as I start this post.  During those hours I've slotted back into my New Zealand life as if I'd never been away.  There was a time when I walked back into the Croquet Club, for example, and people welcomed me back as though I'd been away for half a lifetime.  Having been back to play my first game this afternoon there were some "welcome back, stranger" comments but it was almost as if I'd not been away during the previous 6 months.  It was the same when I had my hair cut.  Then there is the television: the same programmes; the same adverts.  

What is different is the centre of Napier.  Many buildings have been torn down and are being re-built.  The new Farmers has opened and the old shop has, fortunately, been taken over by another company and is not lying vacant.  A lot of shops have closed and a few new ones opened.  Like everywhere though the signs of the recession in the retail trade seem to be showing.  How so much change can take place in 6 months is amazing.

Friday afternoon was special.  I collected Catriona from Woodford House where she is a weekly boarder.  She had no idea that I had returned or that I was collecting her.  Her welcome was to drop all her books (carefully!) and rush up to give me a huge hug.  We then stopped off at The Strawberry Patch for an ice cream which we ate sitting in the sun.  I took her back to school early this evening (Sunday).

It's 124 hours as I end this post and time for bed (said Zebedee).  Ermintrude would have been very happy with the last few days.

Cloud mass in the deep low over the North Island that greeted my return

First priority: make cornflake crunch

A rally of several hundred motorcyclists this morning at Ahuriri where I was having coffee with a friend

I'm not sure what it was in aid of but most of the riders had teddy bears with them

The Ahuriri boardwalk forms part of many kilometres of foot/cycle path around Napier

Lots and lots of these wild flowers made a wonderful contrast with the azure waters of the Bay

Kiwis doing what Kiwis do

Modern mixes with traditional on Bluff Hill.

All overlooking a friend's house (in the foreground) down on the waterfront

And in front of The Cottage the wonderful scent of Honeysuckle

in full bloom

Views from Bluff Hill

One day in February I made one of my frequent trips with visitors up Napier or Bluff Hill to the Bluff Hill Lookout from which one has views over most of Napier except the main city centre which is hidden behind the Hill. These are a few:

Looking South to Havelock North and Te Mata Peak

A closer view of Marine Parade and Hastings Street to its left

Given the fact that we live in an earthquake zone I'm not sure I'd be happy with this!