One step

 First hurdles cleared, pre op tests all ok. Pirate needs to lower his blood pressure a little...he does stress over things....but they are all happy, and to top a good if lengthy hospital visit, the anaesthetist we saw is from NZ...her father's family was from the far North of Scotland. 

As she said herself, she isn't over here for the weather! One of her best mates is the daughter of friends in Whanganui...and although coming from a running and rowing background, she now runs and cycles....and knows all our friends in the local Ayr Burners Cycling Club !!

We said Kia ora to her...her reply was Kia kaha...stay strong.

Return journey to Scotland

 

The Long White Clouds from above

That was our liftoff from Christchurch....

We didn't want to leave....but you can't overstay then return, so we had to.

Next stop Brisbane airport for a four hour wait.

Beautifully airy..not oppressive atall

I am not sure what the sculptures represent exactly..must ask our Brisbane friends...Pirate was gutted that having a stopover there wasn't possible

These are lovely!!

Glad we weren't there initially when it was busy

The sunset colours were fabulous....but the only way to capture that anywhere near closely was to photograph the side wall!..Imagine the sky that darker sandy orange...

Then, luckily with a seat at the front of a block..so more legroom...over 13 hours to Dubai...no photos from then on as no window seat and / or daylight!

We arrived in Glasgow to a dreich welcome....cold and wet....but at least the three bus rides were done with little waiting and over by mid afternoon.

24 hours total in the air. 8 hours waiting around before and during. ½ hour car journey before. 1 hour queuing to get out through security, then at last fresh air and 2½ hours bus home. 

Total 36 hours to get 24 hours ahead!!.....time travel!!!

Taking the Nojetlag tablets really worked.   Within two days my body clock had synchronised... Pirate's took a little longer...

Now we have to sort his medical problems.....it might not be very good news, but with past treatment he has had ten years of life that he wouldn't have had and we have had ten good years extra together.

Our house sitter has stayed on to help with sorting workshop and garden, thankfully and we are giving them a chance to finish fitting out their van conversion here. Self designed and constructed.

We had decent weather yesterday and much shuffling of wood happened, and I cleared the site for the pallet constructed compost bins. 

It isn't getting on with gardening weather..more wind rain and cold forecast for a week at least..but it is all looking in the right direction.

Okains Bay Museum

 This is a marvellous invaluable resource, a collection not just of European settlers' history and artefacts, like other museums, but of Māori history and culture too.

It is sited in an old cheese factory and is helping bring people back to the valley after the closure of the factory and other businesses.

It is heartening to see a community grow, still with a school and shop and other thriving business carrying on.

The valley has been hit by three tidal waves over the centuries, the worst of them basically picked up the contents of the bay and dumped it, blocking the navigable river. 

At one time ships could tie up by the bridge where the road goes up and over to Little Akaloa in the next bay westwards.  Now it is just small boats, and the annual trip out for the 60+ foot Waka.

There have been piers for ships to land and collect goods too...but the last of the three went when the roads department used the wood from its deck to mend the road bridge damaged in the 1960s tidal wave.....the upright supports were damaged and that was the end of it.

First though, the photos and history on display by the entry to the campsite behind the beach

Then to the museum

Set out like a village, with the two bigger buildings of the old cheese factory, one for Māori history, the other for European settler history.

This is the person behind the museum's existence.

Thanks be for people like him!

A store shed

Taonga are the expressions of culture. whare is house

There are so many things to see...and the work on them so skilful, weaving, carving, painting...

Then the other hall..

A cobbler's workshop...and others too, blacksmith, an old kitchen, first and second world war memories, the Country Women's Institute

Old small cottages, some built of slabs of wood.

Wind and water power made by the blacksmith

A carved figure ...blowing an instrument..and standing on a gatepost!

Over the road from the museum is a boatshed which normally houses two Waka.

One was over in Akaloa ready to be paddled at a weekend of boats.

That is a copy of this original which came from the Whanganui river...and was broken during transport and painstakingly restored over many years. It is over 60 feet long....and is breathtaking to see!

Then back over the steep and winding road...this is the view from the top...

And down to Wairewa (Little River) for a late lunch at the café and gallery there...and just by there...

I suppose you can make a place to stay out of almost anything?!