Plimmerton

Kiwi food gets a little old after a while, specifically after about a week. Everything is some kind of bread pie. Today it was spinach and feta stuffed inside a sort of doughy roll. Yesterday, leek and chicken in a crust. Tonight, pizza. If I keep eating like this I’m going to turn into a dumpling myself.

Today was my day of driving. Just south of where we began in Turangi, on the Desert Road at Rangipo, we found the road closed due to snow, so we were diverted through Tongoriro National Park, for a jog that took us an hour-and-a-half or two out of our way. It was foggy and misty so the stunning views were obscured, until, suddenly, this…

Two days ago I’d had visions of the remote possibility of trekking the Tongoriro Crossing, but since it runs through these mountains (and since I’m in terrible shape), it was best that we didn’t try to enter this landscape on foot. I’d like to introduce you to Ruapehu.

The rest of the drive was thankfully uneventful. We hardly got lost at all. Syd and I are in disagreement about the GPS woman. I want her gone, because she keeps telling us to enter nonexistent roundabouts and make a left where there is no road. When I get irritated with her, Syd chides me. “Be nice to her. We need her.” Not only do I disagree about her utility, but she is a piece of plastic. I refuse to coddle her. It’s hard enough to be patient and kind to other humans without having to exercise restraint around a box of fecking wire, and one who can’t tell the truth, no less. Still, Syd coos to her, and thanks her, and reassures her in a maternal voice, and protects her from my wrath.

Our little car seems to gobble gas. We filled up again, and stopped for lunch (yes, a bready thing).

I bought some cool stripey long underwear on sale and then we wended our way to Plimmerton, 20 minutes north of Wellington, where our B&B room (Moana Lodge) has this view.

We walked along the waterfront in howling wind and rain. I turned back after a stretch but dauntless Syd continued on for another couple of hours while I returned to the B&B and ate a bready cookie.