By Judy Barnet
It rained all the way to Brisbane during the first trip I made in the “dream machine” LandCruiser, back on the road after 10 months. The needle in the fuel gauge was going down faster than green grass through a goose and, for some unknown reason, the satnav on my fancy big screen sound system would not speak to me so I had to keep pulling over to check directions.
It was not exactly ideal in peak hour Brisbane traffic and I was slightly frazzled when I arrived at my friends’ house in Rochedale. I was staying with Andrew and Clynt, the cottage guests whose children Bo and Sadie I had promised to visit in order to stop the tears and tantrums when it came time to leave the cottage after their holiday in September.
I said I was going to travel light and take only a backpack but I just couldn’t make it work, even with the best of intentions! I spent the first night with my niece in Wellington and then headed over to the South Island to catch up with Aunty and Uncle.
Catching the ferry across the Cook Strait to Picton, I chanced to sit opposite a young backpacker who introduced himself as Sebastian and told me he was from Argentina. He was an analyst and said he had saved for three years in order to spend three weeks in New Zealand.
I asked out of curiosity what made him choose New Zealand instead of Australia and his answer surprised me somewhat – Australia had been in the news with fires and he was concerned that travel may be difficult. Sebastian was nearing the end of his journey and I asked if what he had experienced in his travels would have any influence on his future.
He replied that the trip was life-changing and that he had never dreamt of such wide-open and sparsely inhabited places and beauty. He lives in a tiny one room apartment in a busy city and would be giving his future a lot of thought when he returned. I gave him a business card and said I would be happy to provide free accommodation should he ever visit Australia!
I enjoyed the weekend with Aunty and Uncle (Mum’s brother) who at 80 years of age still keep a beautiful garden and grow most of their fruit and vegetables. We went for a drive around Blenheim, the town where I was born, and I was amazed by the number of people who had vegetable gardens. This theme was to continue for the rest of my holiday as I took walks around the neighbourhood.
Everyone I visited had a veggie garden and also berries – blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries featured in both of my sisters’ gardens as well as those of other people we visited.
I thought Australia and the US were the masters of the Big tourist attraction, however, I spotted The Big Peanut Butter Jar, an attraction at Peanut Butter World in sunny Nelson!
On my return from the South Island my sister Paula picked me up and we headed off to her lifestyle block in the Waiarapa. To get their we had to cross the Rematukas, a mountain range that makes Cunningham’s Gap look like a small hill. Paula had become conservative and, with the price of fuel and possibly also the fact that she is turning 65 next year, had bought herself a little hybrid Honda Jazz. However, this did not stop her from behaving as though she were related to racing driver Jack Brabham.
Indeed, this theme seems to run in the family and the only inkling I got before heading up the 30km of steep, winding and hairpin bended road was when she mentioned that her husband Neil had felt a bit sick when she drove him home following a medical procedure and that I was just to tell her if I didn’t feel well.
Sick I did feel, sick with terror, and I couldn’t even open my mouth. I was amazed that the little car stuck to the road like glue even when I was convinced it was going to go straight over the edge! My only thought was that if I survived this leg of the trip I would face the whole thing in reverse in a week’s time when I went home!
I managed to fit in only three fish and chip meals during my travels and, at $140/kg whitebait fritters, my all-time favourite, were not going to be on the menu.
If I was to pick one thing that I really enjoyed on my holiday (after catching up with family) it would be the relaxation. It was a luxury just to take time over my morning shower. Strangely enough, I did not adjust to New Zealand time which is three hours ahead of us and I ended up going to bed at
11 pm and rising at 8 am.
On the trip back to the airport I had a call from Richie who was concerned that Shorthorn Tess was having trouble calving. It had become my worst fear when I became aware that the calvings would coincide with my trip away. I was able to call Anne and Peter Ryan and they headed over just in time to see a snow white bull calf being born, so all was well.
Back home
I was surprised at how dry it was when I returned home. Luckily, we received 23ml of rain a couple of days ago. We are still losing the odd lamb, despite worming them, and it is very frustrating. This weekend we are going to wean the lambs and send all of the sheep up into the scrub block that hasn’t been grazed on for a couple of months.
At the same time, we are going to fence off about five acres to stop the sheep hanging around the house, chook pens and sheds. It is either that or sell the thirty sheep that spend all day hanging around the house. It is the combination of the shelter from sun and rain provided by the sheds, carport, etc and being fed by guests that has encouraged an increasing number of sheep to spend their days chewing their cud and pooing around the house and cottage.
Fencing is going to be an expensive option, not to mention a pain in the posterior, as it will mean having to open another set of gates to enter the house yard. Of course I can well imagine they will loiter near the gate waiting for people to let them back into what they consider to be their rightful home!
Vale Wild Bill
Warwick will be a quieter place following the loss of the legendary Wild Bill on Tuesday, 6 December. Not only was Bill a likeable larrikin, an excellent cattleman, pig hunter, fisherman, boxer and horseman – many things to celebrate, but there was something far more important about him that not everybody knew about. Bill was a man that helped many people in times of need – people down on their luck, people with mental illness. If you needed a helping hand Bill was always available night or day.
If you were a friend of his you were a friend for life. Bill worked hard and also liked to party hard! There weren’t a lot of people that could drink him under the table. Everyone who knew Bill would have a funny story to remember him by. He was the life and the soul of every party he attended. They say that behind every good man there is a good woman. Well, I can vouch for that in relation to Bill. His widow, Jan, is a beautiful woman who supported and helped Bill in everything he chose to do in life and worked equally as hard as him. I am proud to have been able to call Bill my friend. Rest in peace, Billy.
Well, by the time you read this, Christmas will be upon us and I wish each and every one of you a safe and wonderful festive season.
