Opua: a walk away from madness
Opua: a walk away from madness
Sunday afternoon in the U.S. is Monday morning in New Zealand.
After watching the last half of the Virginia Commonwealth upset of Kansas, sunshine caused me to forgo North Carolina/Kentucky for a walk to Pahia. I fly back to Evanston a week from tomorrow and am running out of time.
A predicted south wind began to blow as I rowed ashore and I was cold in t-shirt and shorts, but when I started walking and was out of the wind, the day was comfortable.
As always the walk was beautiful exercise. I always wonder if I’m going to make it up the second hill, which is longer then the Opua hill, without stopping; but thus far I always have. In fact today it was all easier than I expected.
I know the way well, and as I noted in the article I just wrote about my mooring, I can tell from the sweet and spicy smells of the fern forest where I am with my eyes closed.
A less pleasant smell came from the corpse of a recently killed opossum at nearly the exact spot where I photographed one last year. That stretch of road is between the Opua hill and the middle one where cars accelerate and has mangroves on one side. I have no knowledge of the habits of opossums, but perhaps they have reason to cross the road there.
For the first time since, I think, before I left on the last circumnavigation, the tide was far enough out for me to follow my preferred route along the shore around the hill closest to Pahia. That way is more interesting, over exposed lava and around tide pools.
In Pahia, I got cash from an ATM--there are none in Opua--and bought blueberries, hummus, paper towels, a bottle of gin and one of Laphroaig, before having lunch at 35 South. Cash and Laphroaig were the real reasons for the walk, other than that I enjoy the walk. The food at the marina cafe is better than 35 South and cheaper.
March Madness is not a big deal in New Zealand, so I found this somewhat surprising.
Most Americans are not aware that the One Day Cricket World Cup is also presently being held.
Although cricket is bigger here than basketball, it is not New Zealand’s sport. Unexpectedly, in an upset at least as great as any in this year’s Madness, New Zealand beat the favorites South Africa and are in the semi-finals.
Even if they were to win, there is only one World Cup that really matters in New Zealand, and that is the rugby World Cup which will be held here in September. In recent times, New Zealand has been the dominant side in the world in the year before the cup and then underperformed in the competition itself. If that happens this year at home...well, I don't even want to think about it.
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Last night after watching two Sopranos episodes, I stepped on deck into sudden beauty.
I know I’ve said this before, but that is one of the joys of living on a boat, particularly on a mooring or at anchor or at sea where you have space around you.
The sky had cleared for the first time in several days and nights. Stars were shining. The harbor was flat and polished. The wind, which I have said is “more essential than blood,” was pleasantly cool against my skin. It was calm and peaceful.
Wind, of course, is not as essential as blood or oxygen or a few other things. But for some of us, almost.
Monday, March 28, 2011