Wonderful weekend in the Wairarapa for Ed and kristen's beautiful wedding

We had Friday off work to go to some friends' wedding.  Taking place in Washpool, in the Wairarapa, by Cape Palliser.

The wedding was beautiful, incredibly intimate with only about 30 people there, the weather held out for the day and we had a fantastic time.


Mangatoetoe Settlement beach - just passed Ngawi.

Ed and Kristen's wonderful wedding on the beach.  Come on England get with the out door wedding theme. It is so ridiculous and antiquated that you cannot do this there.

Sun sets outside our bach.

Dramatic scenery. Folly is fascinated by the seals!

Lunch spot, sun has come out, and we try and fail to find some Paua!

By Featherston,  we head into the Tararua Forest Park to take the dog for a walk.  Before the standard steep half and hour uphill and back down again we find a gorgeous meadow covered in a blanket of butter cups and forget me nots to run around in.

We went for lots of walks, put the 4x4 to good use, saw some stunning countryside, a Lord of the Rings set, soaked up some sun and enjoyed a great weekend in the Wairarapa. We love it there.

Incidentally, Washpool, and Ngawi are thought to be one of the first places Maori arrived at, we visited Kupe's rock, which is enshrined in Maori history.

http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/kupes-sail/1

Weekends in spring time wellington and about...

I arrived back from Holland (thanks to Air NZ for another lovely flight) just in time to have a quick walk up in Wadestown before the RWC.  What a tense 80 minutes. 

Monday was Labour day and we drove up to Waikanae to give Folly a good run on the beach. 

The following weekend, we did a lovely walk behind Day's Bay (note to visitors: walking up 350m from sea level is quite normal and frequent so start walking up some hills!).  We had our first BBQ, steak and Eduardo made Bearnaise. Delicious.  Began to feel like Spring has arrived. 

View from house. 

Eduardo and I enjoying the sun outside before our BBQ.

The garden at the back of house is a wonderfully enticing sun trap.  

Folly doing some of her crazy vizsla circles.   This is in the green belt, a few minutes from our house, where we run every day after work. 

Then this weekend.  

We had thought we'd go camping but a southerly cold front appeared and the temperature plummeted.  The decision not to go might have also had something to do with the fact that I was at a Red Cross do all day and so wrote a list and sent it to Eduardo asking him to pack a number of (ok, so the list was quite long!) items.  

It was also  fireworks night so we decided to stay for that.  Our road was packed.   People, cars everywhere.  We felt guilty we did not have a party, every one of our neighbours certainly did!  Folly was not scared in the slightest; maybe we'll make a gun dog out of her after all, intrigued but not frightened. 

Great atmosphere and stunning display.  Thanks Wellie. Hope they do it again for NYE when parents are all out.  

After work and before fireworks, we parked at the bottom of Thorndon and walked up to the Ridgeway walk in the town belt.  Good few hours up there wandering about and only saw one other person with their little dog.   

Up behind Wadestown.

View from our door step, easiest fireworks night I've ever had and by far the best view. 

 Today we decided our vizsla needed to cover some miles. We went to Cafe Lafare for breakfast and met a three year old vizsla called Sophie and her owners (nameless of course), he had been accosted by one of Linda's friends Roland on Mount Vic asking whether Sophie was Folly so they knew all about the Vizsla from Nelson who used to run away with her brother!  We actually met Roland last week when up running about Mount Vic.  We drove to the old Rimutaka railway track with our bikes and covered approx 20k round trip, Folly running all the time along side. She was not tired at all!   And since we got home she has been full of enthusiasm, trying to eat flies and could not sit still.  More of that then! 

Clear Sunday evening in Wellie, beautiful. 

Fishing with Folly

Alice was away at a conference and I decided that it was time Folly and I went fishing. We went up to the beach at Otaki, and then drove up into the Taratruas up to Otaki forks. There's an awesome swing-bridge for cars over the gorge, and so we stopped just before there, and clambered down to the river. As usual, no-one to be seen for miles, so it was amazing. Folly couldn't cross the rivers, so we were a bit hampered, but quite glad as the river was quite high.

I took Folly back to the car after a while, as she wasn't too keen on me lashing my fly rod at the water. After this I went back to the river to try some over spots, but was defeated by the water - too much, too fast.

saturday still september - equivalent to uk feb

an amazing saturday, sunny day, long walks at peka peka beach, up the kapiti coast, near otaki. Fish and chips for lunch, lovely.    Folly is shattered after lots of cone chasing and is fast asleep on the sofa dreaming of chasing rabbits or possums or whatever kiwi dogs dream of. 

Ed and I are slightly pink faced from the  strong sun, full of delicious seafood and white wine and tired after hours of running along beaches and up mountains.  

then we drive into otaki gorge and walked there

Random stuff

Roadworks on State Highway Two.  One lane, dirt track, 20 miles or so out of Wellington on the Rimutaka Pass. Makes us smile every time when we think of roadworks on the M25...

I worked at this brewery in my gap year and they sell it in my local supermarket!

Go Wales!!

Scrabble letters on the fridge, depicting, well, it's obvious, eh?! 

She might look a little bit like Jah Jah Binks but we think she looks more like Santa's Little Helper from the Simpson's! 

Mid September - Wairarapa

Went over the Rimutaka range this weekend to go to one of our favourite places – the Wairarapa –  we stayed at the Far Pavilion; owned by Dave and Maggie Jeffries. It is gorgeous, so welcoming and warm, with stunning views over the Tararuas. It is the only bach we’ve been to twice and we’ll definitely return. It is also doggy friendly, which is a bonus.

We went for long walks with Folly, watched rugby (go All Blacks, poor Japan!), ate lamb and cheese, drank nice wine; went to Moore Wilsons more times than we should (is that why it is called Mo-re Wilsons?!).  Addictive that place.

Ed’s work is getting very busy and he is working on a difficult project so weekends like this - utter relaxation – are needed.

Loving returning to Wellington.  Only enthusiasm at entering the Hutt valley, passing Petone, as the sun sets over Soames Island and the unusually still harbor sea glints.   Arriving home to watch the sun set, it’s a good life here.

Monkfish for dinner, a lovely bottle of  the 3^rd man Sauv Sem; Folly is asleep again and seems a very happy doggy. 

We bought a car!   A jeep. 

More pics of Folly the dog with her ears in the air!

And an intrepid Eduardo and Folly cross a river in the Taurauas!

Inside of our bach

lamb, lentils and spinach. mmmm.

View from the bach 

  We know that Folly loves open spaces so drove down the west side of Lake ferry, I expected to see people sailing, fishing, jet skis but nothing.... no paths.... nothing.   Stunning empty - few sheep of course - countryside.  We continued along the road to the 'Ocean beach', where we spent a good few hours running along the beach.

Folly with a stick in her mouth; yes, a stick.   This is not a dog that usually enjoys fruitless human provoked games but with a little encouragement she happily chased and retrieved a stick, once.  She also found enough confidence to chase after a small song bird and a number of bumble bees.