G & J away from home

Sunday, 17 July 2016

We were both wide awake by 4.30am which meant that, although we didn't rush the Lexus was heading down the drive in Panmure by 7am.  It was pouring with rain but as I was returning the keys I had the opportunity to get a photo of the car nosing its way out the drive:

Leaving for home: 7am and raining

It's convenient for us to drive to Auckland as we have the cat sitters' garage in which to store the car (and stay overnight before and after the trip) which also frees up a space in our garage for the cat sitter's car.  The other option is that we fly from and back to Palmerston North, but I really do prefer the drive home.  It's nice to see all the familiar roads and places and I'm always seem to see things I haven't really paid any attention to before.  This time it was power lines - they seemed to be everywhere which makes me wonder if they weren't so much in evidence in the places we travelled to on this trip.

Once the sun was up we were driving along with clouds and rain off to one side and clear skies and sunshine off to the other which created rainbow after rainbow all down the island.

Rainbows and power lines

With breakfast having been so early (and goodness knows what time our body clocks were on) we were forced to make a morning tea stop on the outskirts of Taupo and so took the opportunity to visit Robyn and Ian Kennedy at Acacia Bay.  It was great to catch up with them and, as usual, their dog Ruby was a star:

Robyn and Ruby

After we left Robyn and Ian's we really were on the homeward leg.  I took a few successful photos and many unsuccessful ones of the Desert Road as we drive across it - despite the rain on the windscreen:

Desert Road

Desert Road

(Pete told us about a timelapse app for a dashboard mounted iPhone that sounds like a lot of fun for driving-Gary.  We'll have to look into it when we get a moment.)

Then we turned off State Highway 1 onto the back road through Colyton and Kimbolton, which took us through Fielding on our way home:

A bit of a winding road

With some up and down bits

Before eventually flattening out

There was a short stop at Fielding to drop off Beth's gear and then buy some groceries before driving the 20 minutes home to Palmie.


The cats were polite enough to take an interest in our arrival home (at least, they demanded food) and I had a strange moment of feeling as if I didn't recognise Mocha.  I knew who he was, certainly, but his winter coat is so markedly different to the summer one he was wearing when we left that my brain kept telling me I didn't know this cat.

Dad called in on his way around to Blair's place for tea and these two early birds with the mixed up body clocks are likely to be in bed before 8pm.

As always it was a wonderful trip but we are very happy to be home again.


Reading:
The Cherrys by the Sea by Will Scott
The Cherrys and the Pringles by Will Scott
The Cherrys and the Galleon by Will Scott

Borrowed from Anne

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