Kia orana, Rarotonga!

Kia orana! May you live a long and fulfilling life.

I have recently returned from nine glorious days in a tropical paradise. What's not to love about the Cook Islands? It's small and easy to get around, warm and friendly with plenty of things to do - or you can just enjoy some precious time out. The pristine beach scenes from the postcards are real. So is island time. Add a large whānau wedding to the equation and we had a first class experience of island hospitality.

I'm going to post some pictures and highlights of my holiday in the coming days. They're something I'll look forward to returning to during the long winter months ahead, when my feet are no longer criss-crossed by the tan lines left by my sandals and summer seems like an impossibly distant memory. Kia orana, Rarotonga.

February snapshot

At the risk of sounding like a giant cliche ... time is going so fast and I can't believe February is all but over. We haven't had much of a summer this year but have still been really busy with summery events - and that's Wellington for you. We can't plan on good weather so just get on with it anyway. Here's a snapshot of a few things I've been up to this month.

February snapshot

I've started Zumba again! I was worried about starting from scratch after 5 (may 6) year break, but it turns out that my muscle memory has stored lots of the moves for me and it's just a case of linking them together in different combinations. There are a few moves I'm struggling to unlearn and relearn but most others also have arms and legs flying in random directions with huge grins plastered on their faces, so I'm in good company.

Guns N' Roses came to town for their Not In This Lifetime tour. The rain cleared just enough for us to make our way to a stadium filled with 31,500 other wet bogans. I know I predicted that the tour would be a tragic, train wreck of an event, but still bought tickets ... and I'm so glad I did. The concert was better than I could have imagined and a full-on Slash show, who I now respect far more as a musician than I thought possible. Appetite for Destruction survives another decade.

Despite the best of intentions for Round the Bays last weekend, I ended up too sick to get out of bed on Sunday, let alone walk 10km. So that event will go back on my list for next year.

We enjoyed our annual camping trip at Himatangi Beach with around 20 friends. It was fine enough to pitch our tent overnight for what is likely to be our only camping trip this summer.

I read the novel Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. And then I watched the movie of the same name. Wow. As always, the book is far more detailed and nuanced than the movie, which rushed through the suspense and made it far too easy for viewers to guess what was going on. But, I repeat: wow! No clues or spoilers from me, just a recommendation to read the book (essential) and then watch the movie (if you feel the need).

It's actually been quite a musical month. I took my dad to see The Hollies Highway of Hits concert on Friday night. Core members of the group have been touring almost continuously since forming in 1962, which is an impressive feat. I'd seen The Hollies when they toured in 2011 and this show was pretty much the same as that one, but this time I had Dad in tow to enjoy a stroll down musical memory lane.

I ordered a present for myself: The Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days recipe book. The original Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook is one of my favourites and now has a sister publication. I christened the book by making chocolate chip whoopie pies for Good Bitches Baking this weekend. I'm pleased to report that my first ever batch of whoopie pies passed the Weka household's quality controls with flying colours.

Chocolate chip whoopie pies

Kayaking to Cathedral Cove

Visitors to the Coromandel are spoilt for great scenery with lovely coves, bays and beaches interspersed with hilly landscapes and farmland. Having done most of our exploring on land, we took to the water to visit one of the region's most famous attractions, Cathedral Cove. Cathedral Cove Kayak Tours organises guided tours to the cove, which is only accessible by foot, boat or kayak.

Sea kayaks

Leaving from the beach at Hahei and paddling through the marine reserve at Mercury Bay on tandem sea kayaks, the tour is about three hours long. It took us an hour to kayak around to Cathedral Bay (at a leisurely pace - and with breaks to admire the scenery and learn about the landscape). We came ashore for morning tea at adjoining Mare's Leg Cove and walked through the beautiful, naturally formed archway.

Cathedral Cove

Cathedral Cove from Mare's Leg Cove

The Cathedral Cove Kayak Tours website boasts world famous cappuccino for morning tea. We certainly were impressed with the range of barista-standard coffees prepared on the beach by our guide while we explored the cove. You're seeing hot chocolates, lattes and a flat white in this picture.

Beach barista

The return journey took about 45 minutes, aided by rafting the kayaks together and putting up a pirate sail that pulled us along for a bit. The tour is quite expensive but still a great way even for beginner kayakers to experience this part of the Coromandel.

Hot Water Beach

Happy New Year! 2017 is going to be epic.

We're in the Coromandel for new year. It's my first visit to this part of the country and one that's long overdue. It's a great place to relax with friends. We're enjoying the beautiful weather and a range of activities within an hour of our accommodation, but more about that later.

Yesterday, we drove out to Hot Water Beach, famous for its ... well, hot water pools on the beach. Considered one of New Zealand's premium destinations, visitors flock to this tiny town armed with spades to dig their own little spa pools in the sand. And the water certainly is hot.

It's hot in there!

The water is heated by a reservoir of hot water and heated rocks two kilometres beneath the surface. It is a remnant of volcanic activity that occurred in the Coromandel region 5 to 9 million years ago. There are two springs that are accessible for two hours either side of low tide.

This is the tranquil view you'll meet when you first arrive at Hot Water Beach. It really is beautiful.

Hot Water Beach

This is the view of the side where the hot water pools are. Zoom in and you'll see hundreds of people clambering over each other in a relatively small patch of sand. Some are digging and damming sand dunes while others are enjoying the fruits of their labour. A few pools that have cooled down are left abandoned as the tide rushes in and their patrons have jumped into another in search of hot water.

Hot water pools

We stayed for an hour, jumping between holes and soaking our feet in various hot pools. It's a beach like no other. Imagine my surprise to read this article about Hot Water Beach etiquette on the very day we were visiting. Sure, it's crazy and hectic but it's also a wonderfully unique experience in a beautiful part of the world. I don't think beach goers would expect to find a deserted attraction, especially during the busy summer holidays.

Don't let the busyness put you off. Hot Water Beach is definitely one to tick off your travel bucket list.

Dravuni Island

Just south of Suva in south east Fiji is the tiny tropical paradise that is Dravuni Island. This is the Fiji you see in postcards: coconut trees along the shoreline, white sand beach, crystal blue sea and endless sunshine. Our cruise ship had to anchor at sea and tenders brought us ashore to the centre of the island where the school is located. The island is tiny; you can cover it on foot with just a fifteen minute walk in one direction and ten in another. There is a small hill from where I’m assured the view is superb. Various snorkelling spots surround the main beach area and locals will take you out on scenic boat rides for a small cost.

Dravuni Island

Despite all my mixed feelings about Fiji and tourism endorsing its status as a military dictatorship, along with my general aversion to lying around on beaches, I thoroughly enjoyed the clichéd tourist experience of a few hours on Dravuni. After a quick look around the village and a wander along one of the main trails, we settled at a semi-shaded spot under a coconut tree and let the cathartic tropical air work its magic.

Dravuni Beach

The tiny village at Dravuni

Dravuni School

Colourful shirts and sulus on sale were flapping flamboyantly in the warm breeze from makeshift outdoor stalls. They were accompanied by the usual range of pendants, carved kava bowls and turtle memorabilia that you'll find anywhere else in Fiji. An offer of a ten minute head and shoulder massage for just $FJD10 was too good to turn down and I now have yet another sulu to add to my colourful collection of beautiful yet rarely used sarongs.

Beach side stalls

Then it was into the shallow water, crystal clear save for a few beach floaty bits that were easily swept away. As someone who is averse to cold water, I haven’t dipped more than an occasional toe in the sea in more years than I care to remember. The salt water's healing properties coupled with a relaxing massage did wonders for my tired, aching body and mind.

A sandy paradise

Vinaka, Fiji.

Water fight!

Given that we live half a block from the beach we rarely visit (perhaps once a year, if we're lucky), it would seem ironic that we have just come back from a weekend with friends involving a two hour drive to reach our destination, another beach. Himatangi Beach is the location for an annual weekend away with friends from Wellington during summer each year. Previous trips have involved plenty of relaxation and a thwarted attempt at a bonfire. With a somewhat diminished group this year (14 instead of the usual 40ish) and a total fire ban, we had to come up with another form of entertainment. Bring on the water fight!

Water guns of all sizes were dug out and purchased in anticipation of the big event. A few got carried away planning the ultimate water fight strategy and water balloons were also bought, but most of us settled on one really big gun each. 4.30 arrived and the battle began.

Apparently we were meant to have been divided into two teams. Those who were aware of the teams kept quiet and the rest of us just fired furiously at any human target we could reach; it seemed to work just fine. Then, we realised a couple of people were noticeably dryer than the rest of us, who were already totally drenched. Something would have to be done about that.

After an hour or so, the troops were tiring and thoroughly drenched but we had acquired quite a group of spectators. Little kids from surrounding cabins and big kids (their dads) were searching around the campsite for tools to join in the fight. Some emerged with water bottles before a few of us nobly handed over our guns for them to play with. We ended up trying to avoid being shot by our own guns as a second battle took over from the original one. Amazing fun!

We had originally intended regifting one of our monster water guns to my sweetie's nephew for his sixth birthday this week. After this weekend, I suspect he may be out of luck. Both our guns are going into storage before the next big battle, probably when we go away again next year but hopefully sooner. Bring it on!

Sunset

A beautiful evening + my sweetie + Christmas Eve + beach + sunset = 101 in 1001 #36 - Watch the sun set with someone special.

Cloud gazing

Life's little pleasures pass us by every day if we let them. My 101 list was a way to help me appreciate some of the wonderful things around me all the time, as long as I make myself aware of them. This weekend, about forty of us headed to Himatangi Beach to celebrate a couple of birthdays. Although we only joined the group on Saturday night, it was a great chance to get out of town with friends and escape life for a while.

We arrived at Himatangi Beach Holiday Park after lunch to find an assortment of individuals in various positions of relaxation: sitting around chatting, munching treats, lying on blankets reading books, etc. I grabbed my book, blanket, and a sunhat, found a sheltered spot and joined them.

Although it was quite windy all weekend, and we were at the beach one month earlier than last year's Himatangi trip, it was wonderful to have some time in the sun during what is currently a very temperamental spring. After a chapter or so, the rays were beating me into a gentle submission and my book was casually abandoned. I lay back looking up at the sky. The wind was rearranging the clouds into several different formations right before my eyes. It was both fascinating and relaxing to watch, orchestrated with the hum of the chatter going on around me. It was then that I realised that this was one of my more spontaneous goals: #57 - Lie on the grass and watch the clouds go by. Seize the moment! (Although, as soon as I reached for the camera, the sky miraculously cleared into a perfect shade of blue - not that I'm complaining!)

The rest of the weekend involved a barbeque dinner, wrapping up in warm clothes and wandering to the beach to let off some fireworks after sunset (no bonfire this time), then heading back to the campsite to toast marshmallows over two open braziers. A somewhat more subdued barbeque breakfast wrapped up the weekend before a leisurely drive home.

Once again, a change of scenery with friends and some sunshine has been so wonderfully refreshing. Here's hoping the Insomnia Fairy will stay away tonight!

Summer days and nights

This is my favourite time of the year. Summer has officially started now, and we have been promised a good one this year. The silly season coincides with warm weather here in New Zealand, and there are Christmas parties and gatherings gradually filling up my diary. It has started well; we went away with a group of about 20 friends to Himatangi Beach, two hours north of Wellington, for the weekend. The weather was scorching hot and the sky was clear; perfect conditions for a relaxing time away.

We got into a bit of mischief on Saturday night. We had lots of marshmallows to toast after our barbeque at the campsite finished, so headed to the beach and climbed over the sand dunes, stopping on the way to collect large bits of driftwood. Yes: a bonfire! The driftwood was really dry and we quickly had a roaring fire for our marshmallows. Bliss.

It turns out that lighting open fires in the area is illegal, though. We knew there is a fire ban in cities, but this beach area is out of the way and no real risk. Well, that's what we explained when the volunteer fire brigade traipsed over the sand dunes saying that they were going to put our fire out along with the four they'd already done further up the beach that night. Apparently we needed a permit, and then could have lit one right on the beach at the high tide mark. Bureaucracy, geez! So, like going down with the Titanic, we stayed sitting on our deck chairs and watched our bonfire being put out by a grumpy firewoman (not even a hot fireman to keep us happy!). More than a little naughty, and even more than a little fun while it lasted. :-P

Last night, we had a girls' pamper night at a friend's place. Ok, so it was a Nutrimetics demonstration, and we all bought a few bits and pieces in time for Christmas, but the highlight of the evening was the girl talk which followed. Three of us finally said goodnight around 11pm (on a school night!), after solving the problems of the world. (Kind of.) Evenings like this are always so good for the soul. And what did we talk about? It's girl talk, sweetie, so don't bother asking!

Oh, and I saw the first of the new Goodnight Kiwi ads on tv tonight. For us over-25s, nothing will ever really beat the original Goodnight Kiwi, but it was great to see our old friend back in action on the small screen once again. I'm also looking forward to the other two ads in the series, one to be played between Christmas and New Year, and the other in January 2009.

All is good on summer days and nights like these. :-)