Wearing Jeans Again

And here I am, taken this morning wearing jeans for the first time in 85 days. Things feel a little strange, like something is missing. But I won’t dwell upon it; there is much to keep me busy over the next 3 days, because on Saturday I fly to the US to see my long-lost brother Matty, something I’m looking forward to greatly.

-AC

Quiet Contemplation

I left Christchurch early yesterday morning (thanks to Brent and Chris, not just for dropping me off at the train station but for everything they’ve done for me – I am sincerely grateful) and embarked on a combined 12 hour rail-and-sail journey up the east coast and across Cook Straight back to Wellington.

I left with a heavy heart knowing soon I’ll be back in my IOM routine of cutting grass and hedges. I tried to occupy my mind with reading but the train carriage was too unsteady and noisy so I was glad for a five minute break at whale-watching-Mecca, Kaikoura where I could find some peace.

The ferry was much better – a nice calm sailing which made for better reading and relaxing. Wellington greeted me with a lovely calm day but felt cramped and a little claustrophobic compared to the wider avenues of Christchurch. Still I was welcomed warmly by Walter and Muriel and before I could unpack was whisked away for a pot-luck buffet style dinner with the Manx Society of NZ – a rather more sedate affair than it sounds!

-AC

The Five-Grand Total

Five thousand, one hundred and fifty-seven point six kilometres.

In New Zealand, that’s how far I’ve come.

-AC

The Giants Garden

In Akaroa I was delighted to be shown around local artist and horticulturalist Josie Martin’s “The Giant’s Garden”. It is an astonishing wooden colonial home and garden filled with huge wonderfully colourful and vivid ceramic mosaic sculptures that reflect Josie’s wild imagination. The planting is eclectic and colourful also, with natives and exotics that compliment and enhance the artworks on a tiered site with lots of levels that beg to be explored. I would recommend it highly to anyone who finds themselves in Akaroa: you should not miss it!

-AC

The last tour…

On Sunday afternoon I waved goodbye to my adopted family at Avon City Backpackers (L to R: Lenny, Me, Annett, Mattias and Mike; missing is Irinka and a hundred others that made my stay there brilliant) and headed south on Ali for one last tour. Having done over 20km in the morning cycling to Riccarton market it was another 84km to Brent & Chris’ Bach in Takamatua so I took it steady.

The weather was incredible; I thought 10 days ago that winter had set in, but with warm sunny days being the norm over the past week or so I have been proved wrong. My route took me onto Banks Peninsula over the Port Hills where I enjoyed panoramic views of Diamond Harbour to the east and the City and the fertile Canterbury Plains to the west.

4 hours and some fairly hard climbs later, I arrived in Takamatua in near-darkness, with sweat on my brow and fire in my belly – I made sure my last ride with Ali was memorable. I only stopped to take photos including this one on the way into Akaroa Harbour.

-AC

European Flavours

Last Friday I was treated to a lovely Austrian speciality called Kaiserschmarn which was very lecker (tasty). It was cooked by my new Deutsche-speaking friends and was essentially scrambled pancakes infused with sultanas and chopped apples served with plum compote to make it suss (sweet). Pictured here at Mattias, Annett and Mattias! Also there were Bastion, Andrea and Robert. They have inspired me to go to Deutschland to learn German, though it may have to wait a while so I can save some cash!

-AC

Irrigation…

…is big business in NZ.

-AC

The Birch Manor Team

Here are some of my work mates at Birch Manor nursery. Back row, Left to right: Chris (Boss A), Nelda, Dale, Irene (Gemma’s Mum), Brent (Boss 1), and of course Andy (stupid hat and grin). Front row: Gemma and Mondo the Ayreshire Terrier.

I will miss them all, along with the others not working that day: Fiona, Jacob, Tom and Sharon.

Look after yourselves folks, I’ll see you again someday!

-AC

When I grow up Dad, I want to be…

…a rock climber.

I remember this was my reply as a four-year-old to that all-important question a parent asks their kids at various stages in life. Well, last Wednesday accompanied by my friends Gemma, Mattias and Annett, I got a taste of my youthful ambition at a climbing wall in Christchurch.

It was great! I reckon if I wasn’t so wrapped up in triathlon I would be out there conquering El Capitan in the Yosemite National Park, US, and other such monsters of the geological world. Hard work, it really tests your shoulder strength and the best way to complete a climb is slow and steady. It would become meditative once you get into it. Definitely something I will do more of in future.

-AC

Akaroa again, a roof and my street.

It doesn't rain but it pours eh? I don't post for ages and then, boom! Three at once!

The other reason for my blog's inertia (apart from serious toilet issues) is because I've been busy at work cleaning the roof on some fibreglass hot houses that my boss is leasing. Trouble is, they're not very hot, rather they're covered in thick lichen which keeps them cool and means hours of scraping and water-blasting to remove it. Not a great deal of fun but we're getting there.

Public Health Warning - do not attempt to shoo flies away with jet-sprayer at close quarters: contact with skin will remove layers and cause intense pain!

Was at Akaroa again weekend before this just gone. Cycled there from work - 76km with a lovely 7km all-or-nothing twisty hill climb after about 60km. The weather was beautiful and I loved it: 28-30kph average, 76kph max (into headwind) on the downhill into Akaroa Harbour through some lovely bends. Just had bike fixed - rear wheel trued, new tyres, brakes fixed (by me!) - so she's running well.

This is going to make it difficult to sell it next week which is what is going to happen. I can't believe it, Ali (as it's affectionately known) has been with me through thick and thin and as we speak the ODO rests around 4,860km - that's over 3,000 miles! Going to be a shame to see her go but she's got a good home - a young lad from work called Jacob is going to buy her off me. Sentiment aside I need the cash anyway!

Here's a final pic' for now. It's of Worcester Street taken last night as the sun was going down. You can just about make out the famous cathedral tower in the background. On the right of the picture is where my backpackers/home is located.

My My Christchurch adventure is almost over but I've still a few things up my sleeve. Watch this space: eventually, I'll get it posted!

-AC

Unwell...

I've actually been unwell the past week or so which is the real reason I've been slack on the blog front. Picked up some food poisoning and it's still affecting me, hopefully another week or so and my toilet habits will be back to normal again! Remember kids, when your Mum tells to you to wash you hands before eating, make sure you bloody well do it! Also cook eggs and poulty extremely well before consumption...

-AC

Long time no speak...

Once again I remain guilty of neglecting my blog. So, just to show I care, here's a pic' I took of a barn on the way to work the other day. Don't ask me why!

-AC

Akaroa

My Apologies for the lack of interest I've shown in the blog over the last fortnight. I have been busy at work and last weekend I was out of town in the wonderfully varied landscape that is Banks Peninsula (eastwards of Christchurch). I stayed at my boss' (Brent) Bach there and enjoyed some stunning weather and stunning scenery. Arriving there on Sunday evening and being treated to a tremendous cajun-grilled monkfish meal, before sleeping for the first time in a bed for ages, really helped to get me off to a great start with Akaroa and Banks Peninsula.

Interestingly - and I digress - upon arrival in NZ, Captain Cook charted Banks Peninsula as an Island and Stewart Island as a peninsula (despite a divisive 30km wide stretch of salty water). Perhaps he was blind or just plain lazy?

Anyway, by Monday morning I had ventured up the picturesque Takamatua Valley (where the Bach is - 3km north of Akaroa) on a 90 minute fell-run to arrive back at 10:30am with the temperature already at a rather warm 36 deg celcius in the shade! By 2pm the temp was up around 42 deg C and I had to postpone a planned cycle into the hills to partake in some ice-cream eating. In the meantime I took this picture of Akaroa looking from the jetty where the sight-seeing boats depart.

After an ace two-scoop cone of choc chip orange and cookies and cream, I did manage to get up into the hills and on to the Summit Road which essentially skirts atop the vast steeply-sided (and very deep) basin that makes up Akaroa Harbour. It was a long and twisting climb and it felt great compared to the flat terrain of my daily commute to work; it was fantastic to be in amongst the scenery and in such appealing conditions!

The view of the harbour (pic' below) greeted me at the top and made me think, 'yup I could live here quite happily'. Perhaps the heat was getting to my head, because no one place in NZ (despite the wonders I have thus far seen) has captured my attention so readily. I was inspired, on a rocky bluff overlooking this vista, to capture the place with one of my rudimentary pencil sketchings and was quite pleased with the result despite not finishing it. The weather was changing rather rapidly as vast swathes of dark clouds began rolling in on an increasing SE'ly wind so I had to head back to base quick.

And so I did! Driven by the drama of the changing weather, on the descent from the Summit Rd I attained the fastest speed on a bicycle I have ever been - a crackling 84kmph (1kph faster than my sweet-as carbon racing bike back home). That's over 52mph and man did it make me feel alive! Though ironically at one point I could have been easily killed when I mis-judged a tightening right-hand corner! We left Akaroa on Tuesday morning under a veil of low cloud that left me contemplating my return to this enchanting place...

Since arriving back in Christchurch my time has been taken up by yet more work (which I'm still enjoying by the way!) and by a certain someone special that will, without doubt, make my returning home all the more difficult than it already is, given the wonderfully inspiring things that New Zealand has opened my eyes to.