Month: February 2021

It’s an interesting question; when is Lockdown not a Lockdown?
Clearly our friend in Papatoetoe didn’t know the answer, or at least refused to acknowledge it as correct. Not that I want to use this platform to chastise his actions. Like everyone else I don’t know his reasoning for not following the guidelines. All I know is the results of his actions have lead to another Level 3 lockdown for Auckland and Level 2 for the rest of New Zealand. It’s a blow but nothing our team of 5 million can’t overcome.
So, back to the question; when is Lockdown not a Lockdown? Well for us it’s simple, early Saturday morning we escaped Auckland for the serene beauty of the South Island. Luck had a big part of our escape, that and my gorgeous wife’s birthday. So, while Auckland is waking up to a new dawning of Lockdown restrictions, I’m sat overlooking Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown.

Sure I’m certain the new restrictions will upset our plans a little. But for now we are happy to be out of Auckland and exploring.
Despite living in New Zealand for over three years now and aside an impromptu night in Christchurch as our plane couldn’t land in Auckland, we have never been to the South Island. Now we have ten days, maybe even more if we can’t get back to Auckland to explore.
Our itinerary is such that we have three days here in Queenstown, then off to Milford Sound for a couple of nights. Up to Wanaka for some tramping (that’s what kiwis call outdoor walks for all my International readers) then back for a last look at Queenstown before we fly home, lockdown permitting.
We are both very excited about our trip, both of our birthdays fall over the time we are away and both of us have little treats we have afforded ourselves during this time. The boss wanted a lake front view in Queenstown and a nice meal out, all of which was successfully completed. And now we have a few days to further explore the area before we head to my treat; Milford Sounds.
I’ve a very personal reason for wanting to visit the area and more importantly Fiordland. My late mother always dreamt of cruising the Norwegian Fiord and I’d promised to take her. Sadly her illness took her before we had the chance but I’ve always held onto the idea that one day I will make that trip. Norway is a very long way a way right now but I’m sure Mum would have enjoyed this trip just as much. That and it will almost certainly be raining, Milford is one of the wettest places on earth. Recording on average 183 rainfall days per year. Like my mother I love the rain. During storms we would take to the seafront, sensibly attired in shorts and T-shirts to watch the waves brake over the pebbled beach of Budleigh Salterton, arriving home soaked to the bone and always much to the dismay of my father. Every time it rains it reminds me of all the daft things we would do together and I know it will rain as we cruise the sounds on my birthday and my Mum will be with me.

Many of you have messaged me notes of support and asked what I am doing with myself now. More often than not asking about my Blog, so I guess its high time I answer all those questions and post a Blog at the same time.

For the most part I have been playing golf, I have shaved just over three shots off my handicap. Still not playing as well as I’d like but making progress and moving things in the right direction.
I have been lucky to be off over the Christmas holiday period, it’s meant a lot of my friends have been off work too. This has allowed us to travel about and play some of the other fine courses in New Zealand.
Omaha Beach Golf Club was until recently a personal favourite, it’s a links style course and reminded me a little of a course I used to play back in the UK. It also has the benefit for me, for the majority of the course at least; to be safe on the right-hand side. Those that have played with me will know that I can on occasion suffer with a bit of a slice! So, having the safety net of space out to the right is a real bonus for me. I was putting together a nice round until the seventeenth; this has a large lake to the right and despite being relatively straight off the tee all day, it was never going to last!
My new favourite however, is Waitangi Golf Club; its like two courses in one. The front nine is a parkland course and the back nine more approaching a links style. And the views, well they are something else. Right know if I could only play one golf course for the rest of my life this would have to be it, but I have a few more to check out so I will keep you updated.

Waitangi Golf Club

In my new found retirement I have been promoted to house husband! Not a position I have actively applied for, but it appears that despite my wife quite happy for me to take a break; its not all about the golf! So now I am chief cook and bottle washer. I am not to the Olympic style level of cleaning that my good lady can reach; but I appear to be holding my own with little complaint. I am fortunate that I can cook better than I can clean, so as long as the house looks respectable and dinner is on the table when she gets in, I can get away with it.

Lola is loving having Dad home, although she is getting older, she’s loving the extra walks. I do however think she is grateful sometimes when I go out to have a bit of quite time. As soon I as pulled the computer out, she has assumed the position by my feet, its like nothing has changed. Well for her at least. But this weekend she is on respite, one of our dear neighbours is looking after her and we are off for what I expect will be a very drunken weekend catching up with friends in Tauranga. We have enjoyed a couple of great weekends away exploring New Zealand and this weekend I am sure will be no exception.
I am hopping this will be the perfect warm up for our maiden voyage to the South Island. It’s amazing to think we have been here for well over three years now and our only trip down south was a flight back from Sydney that got diverted to Christchurch, as the weather made it too bad to land in Auckland. I will always remember this trip, not only for the hair-raising landing attempts in Auckland but the comradery and support of our fellow passengers. We had exited the plane at Christchurch Airport and despite repeated reassurances that we would all be put up in hotels; as we stood around awaiting further instruction the doubt that this was going to materialise became more apparent. We were clearly not the first plane to get diverted that day and looking around it was obvious that blankets were already beginning to be handed out to our fellow stranded passengers. The ground crew were repeating their reassurances that hotels would be found but the tone was clearly changing and the looks on the faces of the crew told the story all to clearly. This is where we got lucky, remember I am the nice guy who likes to talk to everyone. Behind me is an older couple who had clearly missed what had just been said and overhearing their concerns I turned around to reiterate what was said adding my concerns on the availability of hotel rooms and pointing out the blankets that were clearly being banded around. My wife was trying to find us accommodation but we don’t know one end of Christchurch from the other, fortunately our new friends do. Within moments this lovely couple had booked a two-bed unit and was whisking us away via taxi. Clearly saving us from a night on the airport floor. Judging by the next morning this was exactly where most of our fellow passengers had spent the night.
I will always be grateful to this couple. But most of all it underlines what I am about; be nice, talk to people. One day you will be surprised where it gets you.