To the top of Paekakariki Hill and Beyond

Since the last post, in which David and Becky lost their teeth, my big excitement has been exploring high places. On Thursday, my friend, Melissa, suggested a bike ride up to the top of Paekakariki Hill, which looks pretty darned long and steep from where we live.....but David said the first day we were here that he wanted to climb it, so I figured I'd better do a reconnaissance mission to check it out. So for two days in a row, I chugged and huffed on my bike up the 3km road from down here to the top of the hill. 25 minutes of solid up, up, up...and I figure...not bad for an old lady. The view is well worth the effort. Most of the way, you're riding along the edge of a hill paralleling the ocean, and it's impossibly beautiful. Coming down is even more surreal....flying down effortlessly staring straight ahead at the blue, blue water. The first picture is of Melissa at the top (by the way, she claims she's out of shape, but seriously kicked my butt).

Today, after two kidless trips up the hill, I took the kids for a drive to the top, where the second picture is taken. Nice view, huh? After much ooh-ing and ahhh-ing, we continued on another 7 km to Battle Hill Farm Forest Regional Park, a working sheep farm that has a number of tramping trails. Because of David's obsession with climbing to the top of something, we chose the Battle Hill Summit Trail, a trail that begins as a leisurely walk through the sheep dung and then climbs up very steeply through a dense, dark forest that is an interesting mix of things temperate (ferns, something oak-like) and tropical (palm-like trees!). Just when you think you can't climb anymore, you come out onto a wind-swept hilltop surrounded again by sheep! The third picture is just below the summit. The kids really enjoyed it, with very little complaining and lots of squeals and laughter. The whole thing took about two hours.

As if that weren't enough adventuring for one day, we continued on down to a town about half way between Paekakariki and Wellington, called Porirua, to check out their very cool Aquatic Center---recommended to us, of course, by none other than the Bergers! For a family total of about $US10, we all went swimming in this huge aquatic center that has two pools (including a wave pool), 3 hot tubs and a hydraulic slide...the best I've ever been on. We felt like real locals. The adventure was topped off when we returned to the car, soaking wet from the rain, to find I'd left the lights on in our old borrowed car and the battery was dead. Luckily, we were right next to an auto parts store, and I once again used my incredible powers of persuasion (read...pleeeeeaaaase!) to get one of the sales people to come jump start the car.

Day topped off with my daring to cook a vegetarian meal for the likes of Jennifer and Michael (who have fed me repeatedly and deliciously for the past two weeks). Now we're all tired and happy. I'm thinking I can't imagine what could happen between now and June to make me actually want to leave this place. Except of course, family and friends.

Six days and counting till Jim's arrival. I was so happy to see the picture of him and the Harris boys with their Dad (Feb 29th blog). I am so sad not to be there with him, but the kids and I have called him a few times in his hospital room, which seems to cheer him up.

My next post, I swear, will include pictures of our wonderful friends and hosts, Jennifer and Michael. I'm ashamed we've come this far without giving them visual coverage!