Bucket List – Day 3

Last night’s motorhome park was reasonably quiet.  Probably aided by the fact I had removed my hearing aids.

The morning was spent with family catching up on everything that was not covered during dinner the previous evening.  Eldest grandson, Carlin and I had a meeting to discuss our plans for the ‘Round the Mountain’ walk. 

In the afternoon I drove north to Kaitaia where my uncle and cousin live.  I’d already been warned that the main road north (State Highway 1 [SH1]) was closed due to numerous landslides in the Mangamuka Gorge after recent heavy rain.  The alternate route was SH10 which takes the east coast route.  It’s only slightly longer and is more scenic.

Our daughter had already warned me NZ roads were in dire condition and whilst I didn’t find them as bad as she had suggested, there were some long delays caused by road works.

One of a number of long queues caused by road works.

Eventually I reached Kaitaia where I phoned my cousin Adrienne and asked for directions to her home.

My Uncle Arthur is 91 and the last of my parents generation.  My Aunt passed away several years ago.  My cousin, Adrienne and her husband, Selwyn have moved into Arthur’s house to keep an eye on him.

The last time I can recall seeing Adrienne was shortly after I had returned from the UK with my parents and brother.  I would have been 10 and Adrienne about 4 years old.  She is now a grandmother!

Both she and Selwyn still work, although they plan to return at the end of the year.  In anticipation they recently bought an Australian made luxury caravan and 4WD Ute. 

The caravan has everything you would need for self-contained extended travelling, including a washing machine and microwave oven.

Arthur’s house is a traditional Kiwi home sitting on a corner quarter acre block

 

My arrival coincided with Selwyn preparing the evening meal.  Apparently Selwyn does all the cooking and unlike me; he is very good at it.  We conversed into the evening before I had to beg to head to bed as the jetlag was kicking in.

Tomorrow I head back south.