And then to Invercargill

Two flights from Nelson to Invercargill.    On turbo prop aeroplanes with propellers.     Very cute planes and great to fly in, and fast too.    However, flying over the mountains, was a little daunting as I felt that I could put my hand out of the window and touch the mountains.    They appeared to be very close, and it was good to know that the sky was clear so the pilot/s knew to keep out of the way of those peaks.

Once in Invercargill I hired a cute little car, a Hyundai Getz, which was quite buzzy and I managed to climb into the driver's seat without bending my body and legs too much.

I stayed with David and Catherine, and visited my brother Eric most days.   After not visiting for five years there was plenty to catch up on.    I also caught up with nieces and nephews so altogether it was a lovely family time.  

Covid was there too, and David tested positive the day after I arrived.    He had had a very busy and social weekend organising the Central Pirates, a country rugby club, 75th Anniversary celebrations.   No doubt he picked the lurgy up there.

Eric was one of the founding members of the club, so there were lots of stories around people and games.

It was very cold, and wet, with the temperature not rising above 14 degrees during the day.   This was to be expected considering I was in a city that was in the far south of the island.

I also built up my fitness after the Covid infection,    Every day I went for a very long, and fast walk with either Catherine and David.    This was most appreciated.

I had a few trips out in my little car.

I visited my favourite, shop, E. Hayes & Sons, in Dee Street.   It was a very quirky hardware store, with an amazing collection of old cars and motorbikes, including the 1920 Indian Scout, which Burt Munro set his world speed record of 184.087 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats, USA on the 26th August, 1967.   Burt was a whizz when it came to modifying bikes, which was something he would not be able to do now, if he was still alive of course.   

 One of the old motor bikes in the shop.    Sadly I did not take a photograph of the Indian Scout.

More bikes.

The display of tools along the walls was very impressive.   All lined up according to height.

A visit to Invercargill must include a visit to the local beach, Oreti Beach, fantastic surf, and beautiful sand, but mostly very cold.    Burt Munro spent a fair bit of time racing his bike on this beach.

Eric and I went on a little tour of Ryal Bush and Tussock Creek, where we lived and where many of our extended family lived.    We were amazed at how small the houses were, which we thought were huge when we were young.    Of course houses are generally so much bigger these days.    

Ryal Bush Primary school, no more sadly, except for the new classroom to the left which is now used as a community hall.     The view to the right was towards the tennis courts and back hedge.   When I attended the two roomed school, there were about 50/60 pupils aged from 5 to 13 years.  We had a tennis court, football field, swimming pool, climbing bars, and what seemed like huge lawns to play on.   Life was pretty good, especially for outdoors play and learning how to play tennis, rugby, netball, rounders, how to grow plants in our large gardens, how to swim and how to do folk dancing.    So many fun activities.   In between the activities we learnt basic academic skills!    

My mother lived in this small house for the last few years of her life.   Before that there was a large shed, which my father initially used as a business, as a smithy, and to make concrete posts and repair cars.    

Our old wooden home, badly in need of painting but still going strong.

Another visit that is always on the list, is Bluff, where the next stop is Stewart Island and then various small islands after that.    Sadly Bluff township was looking even more dilapidated than the last time I visited.   Also our favourite ice cream shop has closed, although the day was a bit chilly for ice cream.

As well as the signpost, there are beautiful bush walks around the edge.  

    David and Catherine have two small birds in a cage.   They were very sociable birds who loved to whistle along with us.   Fascinating.

David, in the blue coat, took me for a walk through Thompson's Bush.    Some of the last vestiges of native scrub in the area.    

Once the whole of Southland was covered in similar bush.   My father, in his younger days, worked as a sawmiller, as did his father and some of his brothers.   One of the local roads was named after the family, namely Collinson's Road.    Sadly there are no more trees to cut down, in Ryal Bush or Tussock Creek, even the manuka scrub growing on peaty land has gone.  

The new shopping centre in Invercargill, which was built in the middle of the town.    Old buildings were demolished and the shopping centre was built in the centre.   Quite a number of the street facades were kept so it was not possible to see the shopping centre until you drive into the car park or go through an entrance.    

It was built in a square with shops around the perimeter and within the central square.   The food hall has been divided into smaller alcoves rather than one large food court, which can be very noisy.   

The street which runs alongside the mall has had a revamp too, with plenty of seating areas.   The new mall has brought life back into a very dilapidated and little used town centre.    There is more building work taking place by the old railway station, and the old shops in Dee Street are also getting a face lift too.   

Sadly the week went by far too quickly and it was time to say goodbye to the family and return to Adelaide.    But I will certainly not wait another five years before I visit again. 

I am fairly up on rugby after two and half weeks in New Zealand!

A quick trip to New Zealand

In mid April I made a quick trip to New Zealand, in order to visit my family.   it was a long overdue trip due to my reluctance to fly anywhere.   I am not sure about the reason, but the lack of travel during the epidemic probably had something to do with it.

Anyway, I finally made a decision in March and booked flights to New Zealand.   

And guess what, I developed Covid symptoms the night before I left Adelaide, although I thought it was an allergic reaction to the dust from the road works close to Aldinga Beach.   However, by the time I arrived at the hotel in Auckland I was feverish and achy.   

To think I have been Covid free, also mostly cold and flu free, since 2020.    Then when I finally decided to fly somewhere I get a Covid infection.    There must be message here somewhere.

When I arrived in Nelson, the extra line on the Covid test showed up very clearly.    Margaret and Gordon also developed symptoms, either they caught it from me or from another source.   We are not sure.    Se we three spent the next few days in isolation and comparing symptoms.

Thank goodness we have all recovered!

Our view from the lounge room, which looks out over trees, the bay and the mountains in the background. Thank goodness the weather was sunny and warm.

We went through quite a few masks!

The garden was beautiful, and brilliantly landscaped with succulents and flowers.    I spent a lot of time lying on the lounger in the sunshine.

A beautiful corner of the garden.

After a couple of days we ventured into Isel Park, which was a few minutes walk from the house, and also contained an outdoor cafe.    I bought a take away coffee there every morning, keeping a distance from everyone else of course.    Excellent coffee.

                                         
Margaret standing in front of some of the deciduous trees in the park.   I think it was a bit late in the season for the best colours.    The park is well known for its collection of large trees and rhododendrons. 

Margaret took me for a drive to Monaco, a low lying suburb, which often gets flooded, and not really where I would like to live.    However it is a very pretty place, especially at low tide, and on a beautiful sunny day.

In Nelson they pronounce Monaco with the emphasis on the 'a', which is interesting.   It is also not at all similar to the glamorous Monaco in the Mediterranean.    It could be the connection with boats.    

I love the way places were named in Australia and New Zealand, as often there was no similarity between the original place and the new place.      Too late to understand the explorers' minds now. 

The birds on the tree beside the house, waiting for Gordon to feed them in the morning.   And they appeared to have their order of who eats first and who has to wait.

We also went on a trip to Rabbit Island.   There are no rabbits there, but it is a beautiful reserve with many native birds, namely the Weka, a flightless bird.  It was difficult to get a photograph of the Weka, as they walk very fast.     Dogs are not allowed on the island, which closes from dusk to dawn.   

As it was school holidays there were plenty of little wooden structures on the beaches, made by the children.   And beautiful safe beaches too.

At the end of my time in Nelson we drove to Brightwater, and ate a lovely lunch in the cafe there.   We presumed we were no longer infectious.

I loved the photo of this old church.

Isel House, now a restored building, is in the middle of a 4 ha tree filled park.   It was the home of very early settlers, Thomas and Mary Marsden.     Isel park and house was named after Isel, a small village in Cumbria, England.

Thomas Marsden was not related to the infamous Rev Samuel Marsden (1765-1838), who was known as the 'flogging parson' in Sydney, during his time as a magistrate there.     As he was a missionary he also travelled to New Zealand, where he was seen in a better light, I think.   However, it was good to see these two men were not related!

 

I read an interesting book, written by Gordon's cousin.    His great grandparents, who were among the first settlers in Nelson,  also lived in the area, and were connected with many of the buildings and places around Stoke.   Sadly his great grandfather was killed when he fell out of a buggy as it was crossing the creek behind Isel House.    Thomas Marsden was called to help but it was too late.

The Marsden Anglican Church, on the land given by Thomas Marsden.    It contains many very old gravestones.

I spent an extra five days in Nelson with Margaret and Gordon, which was a lovely bonus, as I changed the flights to Invercargill and then back to Adelaide.   Despite the Covid infections it was great to spend the time with them.   Always very special. 

Margaret and I at the airport, looking very peaky, but mostly recovered by then.