Sun, sciatica, serendipity and moving house!

Good afternoon from a very hot Wanaka, it is nearly a month since we have experienced temperatures in the mid 20s. It is wonderful but does make sleep a bit difficult. We are in this lovely town in Central Otago for 3 days having travelled here yesterday from Dunedin. The journey was wonderful, through some very beautiful counrtyside, past fruit orchards and vinyards (wineries here). We were also driving through the area that experienced New Zealand's gold rush in the mid 19th century. Fogg will explain the sciatica; but I mention it here because it was while I was waiting for him that something very serendipitous happened which once again drew me to the wonderful poem of Robert Frost 'The Road not Taken' It was as I have said very hot and after exploring a while I decided to rest in the shade of a cafe umbrella. I chose the cafe for no other reason that it had a table in the shade. I ordered an iced coffee and settled down to catch up with my journal. I looked up as a man and woman on bikes stopped at the cafe and the woman came up to me and asked what it was that I was drinking. We struck up a conversation and to cut a long story short when Mike caught up with me we were invited to a meal with them at their house in the town. Heather and John Walker are typical of so many of the people that we have met here - generous and interested in people. We had a lovely meal at their beautiful house and met Mavis, John's mum. It is so important to both of us to meet and talk to people who live and work in the countries that we are visiting. It's through this sort of contact and reading the local paper and watching the news that we really feel as if we are developing an understanding of NZ and its people. It is also fantastic to meet new people and to add them to our e mail contacts and to encourage them to read our blog!

Now as our regular readers will know one of my favourite things is watching wildlife and I realised that I had not shown you the picture of the first penguin that we saw in NZ. Totally out of place, sitting on a piece of wood in the middle of a muddy creek in Oamaru.




Our regular readers will also know that we have seen a church that was moved across the road (the scene of Sir Ed's funeral) and have stayed in a school house that was moved up the road some 5km. What we hadn't seen was the process in action so we were delighted when we saw this on the road from Kaka Point to Dunedin.

I will close now and pass over to Fogg.

Best wishes to you all. Phileas

Fogg here. Actually Phileas is quite wrong about the house. We have bought this one and are having sent back to the UK. We love them so much. They are marvellous. Mostly with porches and decks. The decks are essential, unlike in England where they tend to be a fashion accessory, that is not to say I do not like them. We could be tempted when we get back to UK. Phileas also wants me to paint our 'Garden House' white to remind her of NZ.

Kate has mentioned our chance meeting with Heather and John Walker. I was going to say it has been a long time since I was picked up in a cafe but perhaps I should refrain. We had a wonderful evening with them and it was interesting to hear a Kiwi view of the English. Apparently one perception is that a large number of us have dogs. Also our accent is much liked, particularly the ones which might be described as 'home counties' John and Heather in turn tended to be a little critical of their own NZ accent. But vive la difference!!

Kate had met these people before me as I, Fogg was in the local physio surgery having massaging, crunching and acupuncture. For those of you who do not yet know I damaged myself whilst working on a farm owned by relatives of Phileases. I was helping feed calves and part of the job was to transfer large buckets of milk from the milking parlour to a truck. I twisted my back and trapped my sciatic nerve. I have done something similar in the past but this time it did not right itself. So, a lot of discomfort for Fogg who at one time a couple of weeks ago could barely walk it was so painful. But physio, drugs and alcohol seem to be helping and whilst I am not right I am able to get around a lot better but a little slower that I would like. The amazing thing is because the first physio I saw in Te Anau said it was an industrial injury I was eligible for free treatment and here in Wanaka the physio is only going to charge me for the acupuncture needles! Usually treatment costs about 45 dollars for half an hour.

So things are begining to look up again for Fogg who is determined to stay on track even if he does chunter along a little more slowly.

This is a marvellous part of the world. It is as I type on Thursday 7th Feb about 30 degrees and yet as I look over towards the mountains I can see great tracks of snow on the peaks. This area becomes a winter sports haven in May/June/July time and yet at the moment it is all water sports and para gliding in and around the mountains.

So, all continues to go well on our adventure.

Fogg signing out too with my love and very best wishes to you all.