The Unknown

One of the many reasons we wanted to spend more than a vacation's amount of time here, is to have the opportunity to face the unknown. For myself, the unknown is an acceptable grey area. I don't necessarily need to know the exact location we are going next, or where we are going to rest our heads at night. It provides some excitement for me. I can relate it to being in the backcountry. I have a general idea of where I am going, but deviations and side journeys to a view or a waterfall, or a large grove of trees are regular. Sleeping? My bag, pad, and a relatively flat space are all I need.

For Caroline, the unknown is a looming stressors. It can be suffocating, frustrating, and frankly quite annoying. She feels more comfortable with a plan with clarity and structure. So how do we move forward? We embrace the moments of tears and fear, while reveling in the butterflies that a new location and new sights will reveal. Simply stated, the unknown is okay. Just, okay. We need plans with flexibility, and we are okay with that.

This week has provided us with a beautiful bike ride Sunday morning in Ruder's Regional Park. We elected to take the farm path, which rides up and over a multitude of grass covered, sheep eating paddocks. The blue sky was all the fuel we needed to ride for two hours without thinking and getting ourselves covered in mud.

The path went right through the sheep pasture, as in the sheep scurrying off the path as we rode through. Definitely a unique ride!

 

View from the top of our ride

 

 This was by far the best weather we've had so far, so we headed off for a picnic lunch to Hanua Falls with Eric and Robyn. To top it off, Sunday was Father's Day in New Zealand, so two of Robyn's sisters Rosie and Carolyn, and their husbands Graham and Ian came by for a potluck. It was refreshing to be around family, sharing stories and good food.

Hanua Falls

 

Monday and Tuesday we took the ferry from Pine Harbour into the central city of Auckland. We spent plenty of time walking through  the streets, from the viaduct to the hills of Parnell and the Domain, we found the city welcoming yet quiet. We stayed in a hostel for the night, the first as such for either of us. Though affordable, we have learned that independently owned hostels may be the better choice in the future. One of the highlights was when we stumbled across a Korean stand called Number One Pancake. For only $4 we each got a delicious grilled dough filled with chicken, cheese and veggies.

Caroline found a huge tree!

Along the waterfront with the sky tower in the background

We made it back to Maraetai and decided that the best way to continue on in our adventure is via car. So that has been the order of the last week. Our mission: find a car. Successful? Not yet, but as Eric and Robyn are in Wellington for the weekend, they may find us a nugget. So that's where we are now, watching a New Zealand television show called The Block whilst eating hokey pokey ice cream and watching over the cats.

No planning allowed tonight.

 

Added bonus: sunset from tonight

 

 

 

-Blake