We have been in NZ for two weeks and so much has happened. Since Mark has been so busy with boat repairs I guess I'll have to write up a blog for the first time in a really long time.
We have been busy getting lots of things back in shape. We had two sails repaired (the ballooner that blew out on the Pacific crossing and the Genoa that blew out on our way here to NZ) and a the main sail restitched since I (Dana) have been doing small repairs on that along the way. I also did a small repair on our mizzen staysail. We've also replaced our chain that was indeed stretched in Manihi. We now know that it was stretched 2mm (apparently that is a lot). Mark has been down in the engine room tinkering away a bunch of stuff. I have no idea what.
Our first week was relatively quiet. There were a few boats we knew so it was good to see a few people including Sula, who we haven't seen since Tahiti. I caught up on loads and loads of laundry and started a major reorganization of the inside of the boat. I started by building a new database in Bento (a filemaker program) so that I can catalog the contents of the boat and where to find them. I've been using excel but it just hasn't been working as well as I'd like. I know have input sheets for provisions that include quantity, purchase and expiration info, and where it's stored. I'll be building onto this and hopefully I'll be able to make a meal planning schedule that will produce a shopping list for me but that will take some time. To try it out and see how if the database works I cleaned out our front cabin (aka the garage) storing all of our remaining provisions and collecting the qty and expiration info. Finally we can see the births in the front again! I also built a database for our books and went through all of those sorting what we want to keep and get rid of. We now have a database that has our books categorized.
Last Saturday was a street fair but I didn't get to go because I woke up feeling like someone was scratching my eye out. So Mark got on the horn and found us a doctor in a town close by. He took a look and while he thought I would be okay sent us down to Whangarei to the hospital. The opthamologist said I had a small ulcer in my eye from over wearing my contacts. He gave me antibiotics to make sure that there was no infection but didn't think there was. In the meantime. A little girl with open sores all over her body was put in the same room as me. I could believe it. I was seeing the eye doctor and they were trying to determine what infectious disease she had. All I can say is that I'm really glad all my shots are up to date. On Monday's follow up visit. There was a man in the waiting room who passed out. When they finally got him to wake up they walked him in to get his eyes checked, after all that's what he was there for. The poor guy could hardly stand and they were walking him back and force trying to figure out which room he should be in. How about a wheelchair down to the ER to see what is wrong with the guy? As frustrating as the US health system can be I am so glad that that would never happen in the US. They actually checked his eyes and sent him home. Hope you don't pass out again in the car!
This last week we have continued to be busy with boat work but we have had some fun mixed in. The Opua cruising rally started on Sunday and we have had lots of fun since. Many more boats have arrived.hroughout the week we have had seminars on various different boating things, some attended by Mark and some by myself, they have included rigging, batteries, cruising, etc. Sunday night was a BBQ potluck. We met Jackster, another Amel couple. We learned that our boat owned by the previous owner was the boat that inspired them to by an Amel, good choice if you ask me. We've also met some other great people on the dock and at the rally. Monday was the official opening night. Monday was the trip back to the eye doctor. Tuesday we took the ferry over to Russell with the group and enjoyed a wine tasting and then BBQ potluck/comedy night. Our friends from Leu Cat, Mary Margaret and Dave, showed up which was so exciting. They are just a bundle of love and energy, seriously some of the nicest people I have ever met. After the comedy ended we walked back to our boats together and ended up standing in the parking lot for at least a half hour. I hadn't laughed so hard in a long time. I was so glad they arrived!!!
Wednesday was probably one of the funner days. We drove (oh yes, I forgot to say that we got a car!) to Whangarei (same place as the hospital about an hour away) where our friend Frank and Karen on Tahina came into. We got lunch and headed back north but not without a few stops on the way. First was the Whangarei waterfall which was surprisingly nice. Next was a stop at the Ruapekapeka Pa Historic Reserve. They describe this site as the first place site of modern trench warfare. After the Maori people signed the treaty with the British they weren't so happy (apparently the English and Maori versions are different) so they kept chopping down the flagpole with the British flag and it eventually ended up in a war on this site. After this we stopped in KawaKawa to see some famous toilets, yes toilets, by artist Freidensreich Hundertwasswer. Someone had told us about these the day before so we added them to our "must see" list. Can't say I was all that impressed but compared to some public toilets later in the week I now have to say they were pretty nice, at least they didn't smell. Wednesday night was the highlight for me. We say a cultural show at the treaty grounds. It was done very well. A bus picked us all up at the Marina and the man onboard was the writer of the show and very knowledgable. He gave us some Maori history on the way and explained much more when we got there. He chose three men to help reenact how the the Maori people responded to the new people. The warriors outside the building did a show of weaponry and Maori shouting. The idea was that they would scare new visitors. The men from our group had to confront them and accept a gift but never look away or the warriors would assume weakness. The men were actually a little scary sticking out their tongues even scaring some of the children. Next was a call into the building by the women. We had to remove our shoes for the show as it is considered a sacred place, so no drinking or eating either. The show took us through the history of the Maori people and the signing of the treaty with lots of song and dance. The building we were in was a carved building that told the story of all the different tribes.
On Thursday Frank, Karen, and I had to leave Mark behind for boat work and did a bus trip with the group. I survived the day without Mark thanks to having
Tahina and
Leu Cat with me (FYI - both have great blogs if you are looking to read other blogs). We made a bunch of stops. First was a Body Shop type of store with all organic good, then a chocolate shop (I couldn't resist getting a treat for Mark), next to the town of KeriKeri for a little lunch (I have discovered my favorite NZ drink - Frank's Ruby Red) and Karen and I found a quilting shop (I couldn't resist I bought some fabric). Next was a trip to the first stone house (a new tea cup for me). After that a Winery (yes, I bought a bottle - Mark had to have something since he wasn't with us). And last we went to Warehouse, a Walmart type store, where I got some new storage containers. By the time we returned we were all super tired. Karen took a nap and Frank and I went to the grocery. I left with only two things on my list steaks and beer - I only returned with one. Frank and I got to the counter with our good, including our entire list plus more. The woman asked if Frank and I had our IDs on us. We pulled out our US drivers licenses. The woman said that we needed to have a NZ license or our passport. They said if we looked under 30 they needed it. Frank looked at them like "um hello do I look 30?" but they wouldn't sell us the beer. In the meantime we saw someone from another boat one person behind us and asked if he, Tim, had his proper ID and could buy it for us but he said he didn't. Tim asked us for a ride back so we waited. While we were there the guy behind us, who looked about 16 but must have been 18 because he had his passport, offered to go back through the line and buy the beer for us. We said no we didn't want him getting in trouble. Then Tim gets up to the counter and they didn't even ask for any ID. WTF? So just cause I am under 30 they card both Frank and I and then deny us even though Frank is enough over 30 not to be carded. That night was another BBQ potluck and talent show but the four of us snuck out early because we had
Bananagrams, Ananas (our last carton from French Polynesia), and a bottle of the Captain waiting for us. Ananas and Captain is our favorite drink we discovered in Tonga - we also discovered that is the only way to beat Karen at Bananagrams. We stayed up way to late playing but had a great time.
Friday was return day for Frank and Karen. After dragging ourselves out of bed we had a quick pancake breakfast (or should we call it first lunch). Mark stayed behind on work again and I drove Frank and Karen back. We stopped in KawaKawa again for a quick lunch and then back to their boat. There was an accident on the way down so I didn't want to come straight home. I went to downtown Wangarei for about a half hour but shopping alone sucks (I'm not used to being alone anymore). So I decided I'd take the coastal road back and look for a letterbox on the way. I went out to the Tutukaka coast. It would have been a great ride if it wasn't suck an overcast day! I found the beach for my letterbox but never found the sign that was included in the directions. Since it was so foggy and I was late to get back I decided that I'd give up on the box. I drove up the hill a bit and saw a sign for another part of the clue so I thought maybe I could backtrack a little. I got out there and decided it was a little to creepy by myself. If was so foggy I couldn't even see the water below and I could hear a helicopter but not see it and once again since I was running so late I decided it was better to get home. It was a long ride back and got home an hour later than I wanted to. We missed the BBQ for the night so Mark and I had a drink and dinner at the Cruising Club here (our first yacht club membership and really good food).
Today, Saturday, is a work day for Mark - computer stuff not boat stuff, and I'm trying to figure out our agenda for this week and where we will go in Auckland (our next stop). Tonight is the closing for the Rally and then we will be free to do some more exploring.
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