Camping

We have made plans several times to go camping since moving to New Zealand, but had not gotten closer than glamping until this weekend. And so we dug up the old tent, borrowed a few essentials, and set off for Gisborne for two nights of roughing it. Roughing it is relative I suppose, as we would be staying in a Holiday Park which promised bathrooms/showers, a kitchen, and unobstructed ocean views.

Sunrise from the tent

Just a note about unobstructed ocean views: they sound better than they are. When it's windy, there are no obstructions to block the wind. If you haven't used your tent in 15 years, you start trying to remember how much wind it can withstand. When the sand is blowing around, a whole lot of it gets in your tent. And the sound of the waves can be less than soothing at 3 in the morning. Complaints aside, the view will be hard to beat. East Coast sunrises still look like sunsets to me.

In case I ever want to publish a coffee table book on Kiwiana, I have started photographing the most Kiwi things I see. Launching your boat with a tractor is high on the list. The picture came out surprisingly bright; I took it just before sunrise.

My girls at the Gisborne Saturday Market. 

Since the weather was not quite perfect for playing on the beach, and even if it had been, the water temperature is less than ideal we headed into town a couple of times for a walk around.

The grapes at Wrights Winery look good enough to eat.