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November 10, 2005Purakanui Inlet, 20 kms outside of Dunedin, New Zealand
8:43am
Many tribulations are bound to occur when traveling with someone, for this long, this intimately, no matter how much love is involved. Travel days are the worst for Steph and I, because both of us suffer anxieties regarding the drive and what the next accommodation has in store. Steph’s anxieties are generally milder and more internalized, where mine are severe and bouncing all over the place for the whole world to see. This causes strife between us and can explode in quite nasty bursts of vitriol and venom, sadly not always hidden from our son. But like most things that burn so hot, it does not last and before one of us has a chance to grab the big butcher knife, we are cajoling and power hugging once again.
I love her. She is my best friend. I hate her. She is my best friend.
Such was the case on our drive from the spectacular city of Christchurch, down Highway 1; to the exit for the cottage we are presently staying for a week. I loved Christchurch. My favourite city so far. It had everything you could want in a city. Massive downtown park, with a gentle, thin river running through it. A huge square, about three city blocks, serving as a meeting place, with a giant chess game you could sit and watch, various greasy food trailers, cafés, jugglers, information centre, internet hot spots, with all the cool streets branching out from all sides. If I were to design a city, this is where I would begin. It was clean, hip and historic.
Our last day in the city, I got my hair cut and we did some banking for our glam stay coming up in a week or so. In the afternoon we drove to the Christchurch beaches, about ten minutes from the square I just described, another boon for this great city. The tide was out, so all the rocks and caves were exposed, with thousands of mussels attached to them, in various stages of growth.
We drove around for a long time, just checking out the supporting suburbs of Christchurch, which look nothing like the cookie cutter jobs back home. But we don’t have the sprawling vista of the aquamarine ocean, or the gigantic hills where all the houses sit either. That night we had a coconut, chili and lime chicken stir fry with accompanying full glasses of pinot. We packed as much as we could and all went to sleep in one room, leaving the other full queen bedroom barely touched. There is something nice about Hud having his own bed in the room with us, and maybe portent of the studio apartment we’ll have to get back home.
The next morning, after both Steph and I’s 5k walk, I tetrised the luggage in the car and we were off at around 10am. This drive meandered along the coast and through the hinterland and was neither spectacular, nor that boring. Steph was at the wheel, giving me a chance to soak in the sights, and take pictures of various road signs.
Including this real estate gem
Location, location, location. Yes I am 36 years old.
We stopped a couple of times for gas and leg stretches, and eventually made it to our exit around 4pm. This is when Steph and I start the little bickers and jabs because we know we are close to our destination.
This cottage was booked online, just like all the others, but we took a chance by not seeing any pictures of the inside. In fact, the only picture on the website, was one of people in a rowboat, rowing away from the cottage. They were smiling in the picture and we were unsure if they were happy, or happy to be rowing away from the place. We also read some of the comments of previous renters and they all glowed and raved about what a little oasis the cottage was, so comfy and quiet, it was basically what sold us, even though we are perfectly aware it could be the owners writing the comments or eliminating all the bad ones. Whatever, the price was totally right for a week, and we wanted to be right on the water, which this place boasted.
(I know it sounds like I am setting this place up to be a disaster, but in fact, it is pretty delightful. It just took me awhile to get used to it, so I am going with my first mood.)
It was about 20 minutes off the main highway, with various twists and turns until finally we drive along water’s edge and reach the mailbox described in the e-mail. We have to park the car here and carry our luggage down a path. The owner’s e-mail actually said, “if you have a lot of luggage, you may want to use the pull cart”. If we have a lot of luggage. I feel like Jennifer Lopez we have so much luggage. They probably do not get yearlong travelers so let the unpacking begin. The cottage is about 400 metres from the road, along a narrow, but too narrow path. After thirty or forty trips we finally got all our stuff to the property. Steph located the hidden key after we originally thought to be locked out, causing us to yell at each other for very little reason. It was time to investigate the cottage.
First thing you notice, obviously, is the water. The cottage sits on Parukanui Inlet, off of Parukanui Bay, off of the South Pacific Ocean, very close to Otago Harbour, which leads to Dunedin, the South Island’s second biggest city. The Inlet is tidal, so when we arrived at low tide, it was three quarters wet sand. Behind the sand is a mountain; with yellow goldenrod mixed with coniferous trees and the familiar New Zealand green we already take for granted. Very beautiful, and even more spectacular was the howling train that began snaking across the mountain within moments after we arrived. Hud thought this was pretty damn cool. Steph and I thought it was pretty damn beautiful. I love the sound of the occasional train. No matter the hour.
The cottage itself is old, but refurbished. It has one bedroom attached to the kitchen attached to the living/dining area. It is all told about 700 square feet, so pretty small compared to huge Christchurch apartment. This turned me off at first, because my grand novel writing plan needs alternative quiet space. I have since decided to put the novel on hold until December 1st, when we are in one place for 8 weeks. It’s just simpler and I will have more time to focus. There are two other bedrooms, but they are not attached to the cottage, bunkies basically, and not something we can put Hud in overnight. The bathroom is also not attached to the main cottage, but it is a full bathroom, with a smart heater and a shower. All in all, it is rustic, but very quant and cute.
Steph of course loves it. It has all the little country home knick-knacks, including a wallpaper history book dating back to 1870. It also has a fully operating iron stove. It’s not the only stove, but one they bought and had inserted into the fireplace. I made a black pepper beef stir fry with broccoli, red pepper and carrots in the cast iron pot on the stove last night, which I have to admit, was pretty cool.
There is also a small rowboat available for use, so Hud and I went for a quick row yesterday morning, at high tide, when the almost the entire inlet fills with water. I also had to retrieve a neighbour’s boat that came unhooked yesterday afternoon. The tide was going out so it took me awhile to row back to the boathouse, against the surprisingly strong tidal current.
I have now saved a cow and a rowboat on this trip. Karma dude, karma.
Yesterday we just drove around, checking out the area, visiting more playgrounds, seeing more beauty. Today we are driving to Dunedin, poke around, and take care of some business.
Steph and I are still questioning our future and remain perplexed with what we want to do with the rest of our lives. It is difficult to always focus on the present and appreciate what you are experiencing. It sometimes it gets clouded with the darkness of future uncertainty.
We have 18 weeks left of this trip, so much left to see and do.
Love to all,
J.
posted by Jason @ 4:00 PM
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