Hi everyone, it’s strange how things seem to fall apart at the moment. US elections, NZ earthquakes, only a fool would see a connection! I’m sitting here fixing my vagrant installation via a CLI, and at the same time checking earthquake updates on RNZ and GeoNet. Feeling a bit weird. A bit torn, like the … Continue reading Te Awanga
The distance to family is one big drawback of living down here, so I was very grateful to be able to partly reconcile this fact when my mum, sister and niece came for a visit eight months ago. Talking, writing, skyping is never enough to truly explain your life down here. We went for a … Continue reading Family family family and Tora Tora Tora
A quick update: We were just having a little one week holiday, in Ohiwa. With a beautiful setting next to Ohiwa Domain, and an ocean beach and a huge tidal inlet right outside the door, this must be one of the nicest campgrounds we’ve been to. But maybe it was just that we actually took … Continue reading Ohiwa holiday
I have been having this internal debate for the last few months about which of the two bays I prefer: Tasman Bay or Golden Bay. They both mean beach, the elements, tides, and now summer, to me. Our summer started a week before Christmas and has not stopped yet. I think I can get used to … Continue reading Summer to behold
I have never lived here, but getting to Punakaiki always feels a bit like coming home. We’re in and around Punakaiki for almost four weeks now and upon reflection there’ve been new insights. Today I thought about all those people passing through this most amazing of all places, staying for a night, glimpsing its beauty, … Continue reading I have never lived here
I made a knife today, and I liked it! From a strip of steel to an actual, friggin’ knife! A little course in Barrytown, with forging, cutting, grinding and polishing. Awesome. Half of the Westcoast must have one by now, and if not, do check out these nice guys from Barrytown Knifemaking.
We’ve had the most blissful few days. Four days ago (really only four?), we drove north out of Wanaka, heading towards the Haast Pass to cross over to the West Coast. At the top of Lake Wanaka, we pulled into a Department of Conservation campsite to spend the night. Having stayed in well-groomed Holiday Parks … Continue reading Four nights in the wild
Ironically, I’ve often found travelling quite hard work. I find myself disappointed as a tourist because I am an outsider – I don’t have a local pub (no matter what Lonely Planet recommends), I can’t meet a good friend for a chat at my favorite cafe and I don’t know where to find people doing … Continue reading Becoming Arrowtown locals
A lovely book I’ve owned for a while, The Creative Family, recommends making gratitude a regular part of our days as a way to fill our creative cups. Although I totally agree with the concept (in fact, there’s more than enough research linking happiness and gratitude – this guy reckons sending 5 emails will do … Continue reading Weekly Gratitudes