New Zealand winding down

Although it feels as if the summer has just arrived with consistent temperatures over 20 degrees celsius and the past two weeks we've had blue sky and glorious sunshine ...the summer is actually ending and my time in New Zealand is nearly over. I have just over a week left and it pains me to even imagine leaving. How fast it has flown and how delightful my visit here has been.

Wood Pigeon - Kereru

We packed in our easter weekend and a few 'firsts' were accomplished. My sister took me across to Kapiti Island which has been a bird sanctuary and a marine reserve for sometime now. It is how New Zealand used to be. The bird song is like no other place and some species of native birds only exist on the Island. It is a treasure to visit. We hiked to the top to enjoy the wonderful views of the entire Kapiti Coast aswell as a clear view of the South Island.

The view from the top Kapiti Island - you can just make out the South Island on the horizon

It was warm enough to plunge into the ocean at the end of our hike before the boat took us back to the mainland. The entire day was stacked with classic bird encounters, including a Kaka who tried to hitch a ride on my sisters shoulder.

The cheeky Kaka - one of New Zealands large parrots.

The following day was spent in wine country. Greytown, Carterton and Martinborough are quaint towns in the Wairarapa only an hours drive from the Hutt Valley where my dad lives. It is beautiful country - farmland and dense forest lace the valley of towns that occupy this region. Over 20 wineries are scattered throughout this picturesque drive and we visited only three of them. We tasted the classic wines of the region, enjoying the scent of forest floor, the emulsion of plums and citrus flavors and the satisfying savory after-taste of the Pinot Noir. Hmmmmm.....yummy.

Fran, dad, Naomi and Hayley after a day of wine sampling

A bbq with old friends, a day with dad in the garden, as well as cleaning and painting my mums garage floor also made the easter weekend productive and fun. And the sun just kept on shining.

We are trying to squeeze in the last of the 'Things to Do while Hayley is here' but it won't be long before I board that plane North bound to Auckland leaving my family behind. Ahhh...I dread the day more than anything right now. I have one more presentation left to do which is for my sisters tramping club in the middle of the week. My mum is gearing up for a farewell BBQ on Saturday and if the weather holds I'll be sailing with my dad for the final time as well.
I had a classic sail with him last weekend and I have video footage which captured the adventure. We pulled out both the boats which he has made over the past 7 years. He sailed one of them, I sailed the other and how fun that was to be sailing alongside my dad in boats that he built. (Video footage to come shortly)

'Fandangle' is dads first boat in the foreground and 'Nighean Rhu' (pronounced - Neon Ru)

I even dread saying goodbye to the family pets - I have become completely attached to all my families animals, particularly Bella, my  mums dog who took weeks to take to me. She belongs to only one owner that's for sure, but she now follows me around and gets excited when I return after a day away. She could easily fit in my carry-on luggage but I'm sure my mum would notice her missing.

Wake up mum, I want FOOD! Meet 'Olive', My sisters cat.

'Porsha' - my mums princess

'Bella' - the lap dog, too darn cute to be pathetic ;)

I depart from Auckland on the April 18th at 8am in the morning and arrive into Port Hardy at 7.30pm that same evening. It looks as though it takes only 12 hours to fly home but of course there is an extra day not accountered for when you cross the date line and literally go back in time. The crazy world of travel.