So a week ago today, Ma and Pa arrived in Timaru. It’s been nice having someone I’ve known more than a couple of weeks around.
I picked them up at Timaru Airport (and contrary to Simon’s suspicions it is more than a grass airstrip. It’s concrete.) But Mum and Dad were laughing still. They had muddled up the boarding and departure times and had been called to the plane at Wellington airport (their stopover) over the loudspeaker.
I had a text the following day from Mum to pick her up from Couplands Bakery, which I did only to find her the brightest shade of red I think I have ever seen on her. She had asked for a ‘New Zealand Herald’ to which the lady looked blankly at her. That didn’t deter Mum. She kept asking: it was a New Zealand Herald so it went all round New Zealand, Mum informed her. It wasn’t until another lady interrupted and said they only sold them at bookshops down this far south.
Mum also had received a booklet thing from the Libeau’s (Dad’s French ancestry kicking in there) that I was looking at and said, “Look Mum, there’s a photo of you and Dad.” She hadn’t noticed when she looked at it because they were “two old people.”
I could keep going for ages with the things Mum has made Dad and I laugh at.
We went out to Mount Cook today, stopping at Lake Tekapo and Pukaki (I’ll post photos in a bit), and the whole way, if Dad and I talked, Mum would repeat anything Dad had said, but just as he finished. Dad and I would look at each other and smile.
Anywho….Mt Cook…since this is my first proper sojourn into the South of the country, I am trying to do the sights while I am here. Hence today, being Waitangi Day (a New Zealand public holiday), we went to see the biggest mountain in the country. Like me, Dad had never been, and Mum only went once as a teenager. We picked the best weather for the trip.
I was absolutely amazed and the hugeness of Mt Cook, part of the Remarkables, and was thinking about how minute it felt being at the foot of such a huge mountain, and I thought, “What is mere man that God is mindful of us?” Incredible. I was a little disappointed cos I thought we would get a lot closer, I didn’t realise it was different to Ruapehu, which you end up driving half up … unless you’re mountain climbing it, you pretty much stop at the foot of Mt Cook. However, it was absolutely fab.
The lakes (Tekapo and Pukaki) were simply wow. Tekapo lived up to every photo I’ve seen of the place … covered in tourists … busloads of them. I heard two little kids speaking French and told Mum who then went and introduced herself to their parents, using the lines of how Dad’s ancestors were French and how they were going to France in September.
I don’t think I have ever seen water the colour of Pukaki. Utterly incredible. Such an amazing shade of blue. Check the photos I’ll post and they were literally that colour, if not brighter. I have definitely seen nothing like that in the North Island – not even Karapiro or Taupo. And with Mt Cook in the background as well. Very cool.
Anyways, we are home in Timaru at last and I’m pondering doing a little study before crashing for the evening. Laters.
Above: Lake Aviemore.
Above: Spot me with Matthew (Jane and Greg's son) on the biscuit. We also had a Mantra Ray, which is kind of like a giant inflatable stingray that can get airborne. I had a go with Sarah, though we weighed enough to keep it mostly just on the surface of the water. It can go as high as the treetops when there is only one person on it. Pretty cool.
Above: Karen and Shaun share an icecream in the Central city and the next day at our Sessional Lunch, Kevin and Sue in deep discussions.
