Chirping away happily in the morning and at dusk both earlier and later.
Spring has arrived here more as an explosion than a gradual dawn. At the moment we are in Moeraki, a picturesque fishing village on the Canterbury coast where gentian violets, honeysuckle plants and blossom abounds.
The hills are covered with swathes of yellow from gorse growing prodigiously on the slopes which, when brushed by, offer up a sweet coconut aroma. Birds are nesting in the eaves of this small bach, or holiday cottage. Blackbirds scurry in the undergrowth and bellbirds offer their distinctive call high in the trees. For us it is quite difficult to believe that on our last visit down this coast, sleet was lashing at the windscreen of the car as we made slow progress behind ubiquitous camper vans with Lions regalia draped from each window, over the hills to Ranfurly in a bitter cold with snow on the ground. It's like saying that from mid-November back home, you would be wearing sunnys and a t-shirt, wandering down a beach by mid-January. Hurrah!
The White Hot Heat of Technology sometimes goes a bit lukewarm down these parts. After the Great Storm of early August when winds hit 100mph and snowstorms battered the Southern Alps and particularly Canterbury, we have been without wifi. Man, how that rules our lives nowadays! So no internet, which meant no video calls as the UK is tucked up in bed by the time we can get to the local cafes and (er-hum), bars, to hit a hotspot. No weather watching, no SkyTV (and we think our Cooncil Telly is bad!) and of course, no blog.
So we sit and discuss what has been happening. Well, August was more like a UK winter month, often with grey skies and rain, a damp cold. The nights had been fair drawing in since June, so with the turnaround in the season, sunsets after 6.00pm are now more than welcome. We had a few really lovely days down in Wanaka though the remainder of the country was suffering gales and heavy rain particularly in the North Island. But rain does mean more skiing at the higher altitudes. D has continued her progression down the slopes (sometimes more quickly than she would have wished) and is now quite the proficient skier.
We enjoyed an expedition to Snow Farm on a clear Saturday morning with Gill, Oli and Otis. Nordic, cross-country skiing or Langlauf is quite a cardio challenge.
The basics are not hard to understand – a cross between ice-skating and walking on regular skis. With a fishtail pattern on the underside, you can move forward by applying downward pressure on the snow, anchoring one ski whilst sliding forward on the other. The poles, longer than those downhill versions, allow you to propel forward at the same time. Simples??!? Erm, no. Going along the flat, or even uphill is fine as long as you follow these principles – at either a leisurely walking pace, or faster for a more aerobic workout. But downhill? The beginner routes at the Farm have tracks, groooves cut in to the snow which guide you, rather like a train on a railtrack. So by keeping the weight over the front of the skis, bend zee knees and off you go, until running out of steam on the flat, or up a gradient. Get out of these rails, or going round a corner is like Paddy's Market. There's no edge as with conventional equipment, to turn on and the skis are super-lightweight, so any change in your centre of gravity means oops, up in the air and on your backside. Again.
The youngsters were far more able than the old guys and even progressed to taking Otis out in a purpose-built papoose sled for a turn round the track.
I think a few days practice would help our technique immeasurably and would recommend anyone to try this out, it's really good fun. Perhaps one day we could follow some of the club skiers out into the hills on a trek to an overnight stay in a local mountain hut (bothy). The upcoming Audi Winter Games and Olympic Qualifyers meant that a number of national teams were practising on the field whilst we were there. Graham giving advice on race technique to a (bored) member of the Norwegian squad.
The other major fun day (all days are fun days! - Ed) was had up at Treble Cone when we completed our first via ferrata. The term originates from WWI when the Dolomite mountains formed the front line between Italian and Austrian troops, at high altitude. The via ferrata (trans. "iron road") formed supply links for the armies, with steel cables and foot support periodically drilled into the rock face and allowing the movement of food and arms. Nowadays they have been revitalised for high-octane adventure climbs - the concept being embraced by the Kiwi adrenaline junkies. And us? A surprise ("surprise!") birthday experience for G when the two of us are - at least - uncomfortable with heights??
700 metres of vertical climb up that waterfall above. You clip in with special harnesses (2 of 3 connected at any one time) and by using the rungs, "pigs' tails" and natural rock crevices, climb your way up the face.
Actually it's a fantastic experience once you appreciate that the harness and cables will not allow you to fall - leaning back from the cable bridge with a drop of 200m was a tad challenging!
And you know what? we got up there, right to the top and loved it. Recommend it to anyone to have a go if you get the opportunity. Beers were taken after the return journey!
Otis continues to thrive and is becoming a real boy. Dogs continue to be crazy and fun is to be had with family and friends.
....and as they might say in the Dolomites after another hard day at the rock face (haha);
"Grazie a tutti e ti vedi presto."