Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Whoa! It's been a long time now....

More than a year since I was here last!

Lots has happened in that time.  And not happened. Life has held some unexpected twists and curves, some challenges that I've not known quite how to meet.  Of course, there's been some good stuff too which is great because we need that.  Or at least, I need that otherwise I get too bogged down in everything else that is going on.

Alas, feeling stuck is where I've been for a little while now.  So I've taken some ever so precious time out to rest, try and get my head together a little and have that time and space that is so important to me and my well being.

I'm in my beloved Wanaka (NZ).. that healing place for me and I really don't want to come home yet.  However, I have less than 48 hours left and I will be returning to Australia again until the next time I can come over.

This trip I also took a peek at the North Island of NZ.  I've not been there before and as I often tend to do, I jammed way too much into a short space of time.

Staying a night in a different place for 8 nights and travelling or driving every day is tiring.  It served two purposes though - I saw more beautiful countryside.  I think I was running from everything my life has become and this kept me busy and occupied and I would fall into bed each night exhausted which was crazy because I was exhausted when I came over here.  So it's had it's good points and not so good points.

My highlights in the North Island were Waiheke Island where I wished I'd had another night and a vehicle to explore, Te Awamutu where I stayed in at the old School House in a rural type of setting - it was peaceful here and another night at least would have been wonderful, Wellington where I again only stayed a night and got to see the Te Papa Museum and have dinner with a former work colleague that I'd not seen for 4 years.  Wellington looks to be a beautiful city and I'd have liked more time to explore there too.  

My favourite place in the north would have to be the Redwood Forest in Rotorua.  I didn't plan to go to Rotorua.  I actually planned to go to Matamata and do a tour of Hobbiton, but when I arrived at the Matamata i-SITE and saw how many tourists were waiting for the bus to go to Hobbiton, I changed my mind because it was just too people-y out there for me that day.

So I decided to go via Rotorua and see the Buried Village.  That turned out to be a very emotional type of experience for me and thankfully, it was very quiet that day!  

As I was coming back into Rotorua, I stopped at the Redwoods Forest and was awestruck at the majestic trees.  I enjoyed a brief walk, took lots of pics that didn't do them justice nor capture the colour or feel of the forest, then as I was about to leave I found out they had a tree tops walk that took around 40 minutes to do.

I was already tired and had over an hour's drive ahead of me to Taupo, so I made the decision to not do the tree tops walk... and it's been my one regret of this trip.

A few days later, I'd made my way to Wanaka.  This place always feels like home and I seem to have grown quite an emotional attachment to the place.

The best $20 I've spent was doing a Scenic Chairlift ride up the top of Treble Cone Ski area.  The views were amazing!  My $20 included a hot chocolate at the top of the lift area and I lashed out and bought a slice of pizza to go with it.  It is something I could do again and again and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

After I came back, I spent the afternoon around the lake front... walking, sitting, walking, contemplating, walking, soaking it all up, walking... I think you get the picture!

I've not found any answers to what's happening my life yet, however, I do know that the respite from my everyday life has been very welcome even though I don't feel anywhere near ready to go back.

Tonight I took myself to the movies at Cinema Paradiso.  If you're ever in Wanaka, go along... it's a real treat.  It's a quirky little theatre with a mix of lounge chairs and seats where you can take your food or a glass of wine in with you.  

They have a half time where you can have freshly baked biscuits that have been baking during the first half of the movie.  If you've ordered some dinner from their cafe, it is ready when you come out and they also sell home made ice cream that is also made on site.  It's an awesome little place and you would never guess what's inside when you're looking at the outside of the building.

The pics I've added are from my chairlift ride yesterday.  Not the best pics but the ones I could easily access to share.



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