Melbourne has embraced me again. This evening I sat outside in the warm balmy air with a lone cricket chirping away.
It had been almost a year since I was last in NZ and I thought my first impression on arriving could be interesting – given the time lag. However Wellington was the same – completely familiar and I fitted back like a foot into a worn and out of shape slipper.
The only remarkable thing about this trip was the weather. It was fine and windless.
The lack of wind made people uncomfortable. One of my mother’s careers announced, “Something is going to happen. It is all too still! It’s very weird and you can tell it’s not natural. Something will happen. I can just feel it.” Nothing happened while I was there except everyone smiled and was more friendly than usual. The weather was warm and hazy for days and I agree ‘weird for Wellington”.
I have posted photos of the Raumati Beach where I walked in the morning and then again in the late afternoon. The first photo is of the early morning. The horse appeared lame and the handler spoke soothingly as they wandered along. The photo with the dog and the one with two oyster catchers fosssicking about for food is late evening. The haze over the sun took colour from the sea and the evening was as silvery as the morning.
The one change I did notice was the number and the variety of birds. The locals put this down to the Karori Sanctuary (http://www.sanctuary.org.nz/). Even if the sanctuary is miles from where they live they still believe it has a positive influence on the birds around their homes. In Wellington itself a sighting of a tui, a native bird, is now common. Once seeing a tui was remarked upon. The birds are especially loved by NZers. Check out the photos on these sites. (http://www.treknature.com/gallery/Oceania/New_Zealand/photo143709.htm) (http://www.birdingnz.co.nz/directory.php?op=17)
It had been almost a year since I was last in NZ and I thought my first impression on arriving could be interesting – given the time lag. However Wellington was the same – completely familiar and I fitted back like a foot into a worn and out of shape slipper.
The only remarkable thing about this trip was the weather. It was fine and windless.
The lack of wind made people uncomfortable. One of my mother’s careers announced, “Something is going to happen. It is all too still! It’s very weird and you can tell it’s not natural. Something will happen. I can just feel it.” Nothing happened while I was there except everyone smiled and was more friendly than usual. The weather was warm and hazy for days and I agree ‘weird for Wellington”.
I have posted photos of the Raumati Beach where I walked in the morning and then again in the late afternoon. The first photo is of the early morning. The horse appeared lame and the handler spoke soothingly as they wandered along. The photo with the dog and the one with two oyster catchers fosssicking about for food is late evening. The haze over the sun took colour from the sea and the evening was as silvery as the morning.
The one change I did notice was the number and the variety of birds. The locals put this down to the Karori Sanctuary (http://www.sanctuary.org.nz/). Even if the sanctuary is miles from where they live they still believe it has a positive influence on the birds around their homes. In Wellington itself a sighting of a tui, a native bird, is now common. Once seeing a tui was remarked upon. The birds are especially loved by NZers. Check out the photos on these sites. (http://www.treknature.com/gallery/Oceania/New_Zealand/photo143709.htm) (http://www.birdingnz.co.nz/directory.php?op=17)
Now the birds are in everyone’s gardens.
The ‘sweet sound of bird song’ is very much part of everyday life in Wellington. This is a change from my back yard here in Melbourne, where the soft cooing of the pigeons and the raucous sound of the crows and the rosellas indicate that birds are around. The rosellas are prettier than anything you will find in Wellington.
It’s always good to be home.
The ‘sweet sound of bird song’ is very much part of everyday life in Wellington. This is a change from my back yard here in Melbourne, where the soft cooing of the pigeons and the raucous sound of the crows and the rosellas indicate that birds are around. The rosellas are prettier than anything you will find in Wellington.
It’s always good to be home.
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