Palliser Bay before a storm
Rain had been falling all night and throughout the morning when we climbed into the trusty little Nissan Pulsar.
I threw four pairs of gumboots into the hatchback, started the engine, and headed for the coast.
I crossed my fingers that the road wouldn’t be washed out.
22 Comments | 
Family, New Zealand, River & sea, Roads | Tagged: seals bay sea rain storm Nissan | 
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Posted by Moon Over Martinborough
Huangarua river valley (click to enlarge)
It’s early on a Sunday morning as I put on my running shoes. It’s been a very, very long time, so the shoes feel a little unfamiliar. I stretch, then open the front door and go.
I head in the direction of Te Muna Road. The name is Maori for ‘secret place’.
When I get there, the blacktop surface angles up. This is the place where my body always starts saying it’s had enough, it wants to turn around and go home. The bed was so nice. The slope is too steep.
But a gentle breeze rushes though the pine trees on either side, and I keep running.
12 Comments | New Zealand, Paddocks, Roads, Wine & vineyards | Tagged: running, vineyards | Permalink
Posted by Moon Over Martinborough
Last week we were on the bus on the way home when Graham, the bus driver, called out to us. “Sign says the bridge is closed. Should we get closer and see?”
Image from freefoto.com
There were seven or eight Martinborough commuters in the back of the bus. (Although I admit referring to that little beige shuttle van as a ‘bus’ is a bit generous. You may as well refer to our tiny Nissan Pulsar as an off-road utility vehicle.)
Everyone nodded to Graham or called out a hearty “yes,” and we drove on toward the possibly washed out bridge.
Rick, who was sitting next to me, reached over and squeezed my knee.
13 Comments | Commute, New Zealand, River & sea, Roads | Tagged: flood, rimutaka hill road, rimutakas, River & sea, train, wellington | Permalink
Posted by Moon Over Martinborough
If I was going to live in paradise, I had to be able to drive there.
Rimutaka Hill Road
So it was that on a Saturday afternoon in September of 2006, I sat behind the wheel of our little Nissan Pulsar and drove toward the Rimutaka mountain range. Rick sat in the passenger seat as official navigator and voice of reason.
I’ve already told you how terrible the Rimutaka Hill Road is. Even Kiwis, who seem to downplay everything, admit that the road is less than ideal. Of course the locals will tell you that it’s better than it used to be, back when they were kids. It must have been a goat track.
15 Comments | Commute, New Zealand, Roads | Tagged: driving, fear, muldoon's corner, rimutaka hill road, rimutakas | Permalink
Posted by Moon Over Martinborough
It was early as Rick and I climbed into the car for a day trip to Martinborough.
Across Wellington's harbor lie the Rimutakas.
There were apples in the back seat to snack on later, and we had travel mugs full of hot coffee sitting in the cup holders between us. The morning light was pale blue as we pulled out of our driveway.
We’d been living in Wellington for two years by then. Somewhere along the course of our lives we’d accidentally become itinerant Americans, moving first from the North Side of Chicago together to northern Japan, then down to the bright lights of Tokyo, and most recently all the way to the bottom of the planet to New Zealand. In the two previous years alone, we’d lived in four different spots in Wellington.
Although this was just a day trip, there was something bigger behind our reason for the drive to Martinborough. We were going because Rick had proposed something radical.
He proposed we settle.
That day we were off to look at his Fantastic New Idea. I admit that I was skeptical.
8 Comments | Commute, New Zealand, Roads | Tagged: house, olive grove, rimutaka hill road, rimutakas, wellington | Permalink
Posted by Moon Over Martinborough
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