Up the Mount

I took advantage of some relatively fine weather today. I decided to climb Mauao, something I haven't done in a long time. According to my blog, it’s been 15 years since I last summited The Mount. You can read about it here.  The summit, 232 metres high, offers a spectacular view over Mount Maunganui and the surrounding coastline. Climbing it was once a regular childhood ritual. 

I set out from Valley Road shortly after noon and walked the new coastal boardwalk to the base of the summit track. I climbed Mauao (slowly!) and then returned via Pilot Bay. The entire walk from start to finish took about three hours, and I clocked up 14,400 steps along the way. 

I subsequently learned that the Waikorire track I took to the top was the most challenging option. This eastern route involves more than 500 timber-framed steps, compared to the less taxing Oruahine track, an inclined trail with only a handful of steps. Not surprisingly, more experienced hikers recommend descending the mountain via the Waikorire track.

While I was admiring the view from the top of The Mount, Air New Zealand called and asked if I'd be willing to bring forward my domestic flight time. It was concerned about the tight connection I had in Auckland (approx 1:20 hours).  I agreed to change my flight. How ironic. My flight across the Tasman was subsequently delayed 20 minutes, thus leaving me with ample time to dine in the Strata Lounge before boarding my flight. We landed back in Sydney shortly before 10:00pm.  Along the way, I clocked up another 5000 steps, bringing my daily total to 20,272.

Moving on (again)

After our EO event in Auckland, Garry and I flew down to Tauranga for the weekend to join my family for Mum’s 79th Birthday. It was also an opportunity to visit Mum’s new rest home. Avid readers of my blog will recall that Mum moved into Copper Crest in early June. Unfortunately, this facility ultimately proved unsuitable for reasons I won't bother to rehash here. After several incredibly stressful and traumatic weeks in August, we eventually found Mum a new place to live.

In early September she moved into Avida Bethlehem Views in northern Tauranga. This has proven to be a godsend. The home is closer to the Mount and easier to get to (it’s just a block off the main highway out of town). I’m delighted to report that Mum seems more settled and contented with herself.

Her new room looks and feels like a cozy studio apartment. It’s a lot more spacious and homely than Copper Crest with windows on two sides that give it a wonderfully light and airy presence. One bank of windows looks out over a park filled with mature trees. The surrounding common areas inside and out are also more spacious than Copper Crest and feel more like a regular home (or an upmarket hotel). I feel so much more at peace with where she’s living now.

For Mum's birthday, the family organized a picnic in the park next door. We set up tables and chairs and spent a couple of hours eating, drinking, and laughing in the Spring sunshine. Mum seemed to enjoy the day. We’ll be back again in December to join everyone for Christmas. It’ll be the first time we’ve all come together over the festive season since 2018.

UPDATE: 12 October

Mum's home has finally been sold. It's the end of an era. Matt and Shelley's new neighbour is a semi-retired man from Auckland with family who live in the neighbourhood. They're both grateful that their new neighbour is unlikely to be hosting wild parties any time soon.

A family Christmas

Six years ago Garry and I flew to New Zealand to join my family for a final reunion before my father died.  At the time we knew Dad's days were numbered.  He'd been moved to a hospice a few weeks before our arrival.  However, at the time he still appeared to be in reasonable health but his strength and agility varied greatly from one day to the next. 

We arrived in New Zealand hoping to bring Dad back home for a final Christmas Day with everyone together.  Sadly it wasn't to be.  On December 25 we found Dad weak and barely coherent.  It was clear he couldn't travel.  As a result, we never did get to have that final Christmas reunion and Dad died 12 days later. 

Garry and I returned to New Zealand this month for our first McGregor family Christmas since those final sad days. We began our vacation in Auckland where we hired a car and drove south via the Kiamais to Mum's house.  We planned to spend five nights with the family before embarking on a ten-day road trip through the central North Island and flying home from Wellington. 

Our transfer to the Mount didn't quite unfold without a hitch.  At the airport we battled with Hertz to ensure it properly document significant damage on the vehicle we rented. Then, soon after we left the airport, we discovered the glove box housing an empty wine bottle.  However, this shaky start was soon forgotten as we soaked in a stunning view from the Kiamai summit a few hours later.

Christmas Day was a fabulous day filled with fun and laughter.  The weather also played its part.  Our first four days in New Zealand had been dogged by clouds and rain.  However, our dose of decent sunshine appeared early in the afternoon capping off a perfect day of family festivities.  Garry also prepared one of his perpetually Instagram-worthy pavlovas.

While in town we also spent a productive afternoon on the beach conducting a professional photo shoot. Shelley won the shoot after entering a social media competition.  The photographer took superb photos of Matt and his family, plus a truly awesome image of Mum and us boys. Thanks to some pre-planning we boys were dressed in matching light blue shirts and royal blue shorts, while Mum wore an eye-catching crimson blouse.  No doubt it'll become the defining image of some ancestral photo album in decades to come.

Back in the Mount

Garry and I recently appointed a part-time office manager. Sue is proving to be a godsend. As she's come up to speed we've suddenly found ourselves with time to spare at the weekend - and even better - greater flexibility to take time off or plan a vacation.

I took advantage of this change in the business to fly back to New Zealand for Easter. Sue's appointment meant that I could fly on dates with cheaper airfares and not worry about leaving Garry to fend for himself in the office.

The Mount put on a spectacular display of warm weather. Mum and I took advantage of this one afternoon with a leisurely walk around the Mount. We also walked out to the headlands of Moturiki Island, a small island located off Mount Maunganui's main beach. The island has gone through several transformations since the first humans arrived.

It began life as a Maori Pa. European settlers then opened a quarry on its western flank before the abandoned pit was transformed into a small marine park housing penguins, seals and dolphins. I recall spending many fun afternoons here as a child watching the animals perform tricks for an appreciative audience. Today, Marineland is gone and the area has been restored as a nature reserve with bush walks and grassy picnic spots.

We also took my niece and nephew for a walk out to the Moturiki headlands one afternoon. Once again, despite the season, the Mount delivered perfect weather for a fun afternoon outing.

Sunshine in the Bay

I dropped in to see my Mum last weekend.  I had three days in Wellington on business at the start of the week.  It seemed silly not to fly early and spend time in Tauranga.  As result, I departed Sydney mid-morning on Saturday, arriving shortly after 8pm in the Bay of Plenty.  Frustratingly, my domestic flight was delayed leaving Auckland which all but wrote off the evening. 

Sunday morning dawned bright and sunny.  Mum and I took ourselves down to the café strip along the Mount's main beach for a leisurely brunch.  Hamish and his family then joined us for a walk around the Mount.  It was glorious afternoon with scattered clouds helping to keep temperatures comfortable.

Mum and I also finalized plans for a trip to Southern Africa in January 2015.  We'll be spending two weeks travelling through South Africa experiencing many of the sights that Garry and I have enjoyed over the years.  Our proposed itinerary includes Cape Town, Johannesburg/Pretoria, Victoria Falls and a few days on safari.

I was also thrilled to finally see the giant eagle that's currently suspended from the terminal roof at Wellington airport.  It's a promotional display for the latest Hobbit movie.  The eagle made headlines last month when it came crashing down during a 6.2 magnitude earthquake.  The quake caused minor damage but no serious injuries. 

It was the region's third jolt above 6.0 since July last year.  On July 21, the city was rocked by a 6.5 magnitude quake, followed a month later by a 6.6 on August 16. Click on the image below to see just how active things have been. Wellington seems to be on the move again after decades of relatively little tectonic action. 

Waveboard weekend

 

My brother’s built a new house. His family moved in three weeks ago. They now live a new, booming sub-division at Papamoa, 12km south of Tauranga. Last week I was in Wellington on business. I took advantage of the relative proximity to fly north for the weekend.

I couldn’t have picked a better time to visit family. While Sydney was inundated by cold, wet and windy weather, both Wellington and the Bay of Plenty were enjoying gentle winds and lots of sunshine. While in Tauranga I enjoyed a walk around the base of Mount Maunganui and a BBQ at my brother’s new digs.

My nieces also took great delight in teaching me to wave board. In fact, I showed my age by professing complete ignorance as what a wave board was. I’ve certainly seen them around but had no idea what they were called. For the record, they’re a type of skateboard with a single wheel mounted front and back on a deck with a central pivot. Rhythmically wiggling the around its pivot deck propels the rider forward while maintaining their balance. It’s a lot like rollerblading while standing on one leg.

Going green

Sea lettuce is a naturally-occurring green algae that grows in coastal regions around the world. It grows in sheets that sometime resemble the leaves of butter lettuce. At least one rather stringy species is native to New Zealand where seasonal blooms can clog harbours and deposit thick, rotting mounds along pristine beaches.

Last weekend, while visiting my mother in Mount Maunganui, I found the main beach carpeted by fresh deposits of sea lettuce. I’d never seen such an extensive bloom before. At least a hundred metres of beach front had been inundated by a sea of green. Mum says these blooms have become more frequent in recent years. I vaguely recall small deposits along the shore as a child, but nothing as extensive as the sight the greeted me in the weekend.

Critics claim nutrient rich run-off from surrounding farmland is to blame. However, research reveals a surprisingly strong correlation between blooms and El Nino weather patterns. During an El Nino winds blow predominantly from the west. Persistent winds push warm coastal water along New Zealand’s east coast away from the land. Cooler, nutrient rich, deep ocean water rises in its place and blooms swiftly follow. These verdant reproductive bursts go unnoticed until stormy weather washes tones of green deposits along the shore and into sheltered bays.

Debate currently focuses on the impact of global warming on the frequency and strength of El Nino weather patterns. The phenomenon is a result of extensive warming of the Pacific Ocean’s surface along the South American coast. This heat sink draws the planet’s atmosphere away from Australia and New Zealand, creating warmers temperatures and drought conditions in these nations.

It’s shame to see the beauty of Mount Maunganui’s beaches desecrated by these blooms. Even more so as the Summer cruise ship season gets underway. Tourism is a regional growth industry and the city’s stunning beaches constantly surprise and delight visitors.