Meeting rellies, Faye and Jayne

Yet another good night’s sleep and a perfect sunny morning. I was due to return to Auckland on the Kiwi bus this afternoon but was still hoping to meet up with long lost cousin Faye. Although we had emailed each other, we hadn’t really managed to firm up on meeting this weekend.

Anyway, this morning I took myself off to the little Anglican church of St Pauls, which was just a stone’s throw from the hostel. I had noted the day before that the service was at 10 and I always like to check out the local church services whenever I can.

It was All Saints Day and I knew all the hymns well so sang out. It was good to sing again and to give thanks for the opportunity of enjoying this wonderful country and all the interesting people I was meeting. The lady vicar and members of the congregation were very welcoming as always.

I wandered down to the beach afterwards to just sit and enjoy the scenery when a text came through from Faye. Great, we planned to meet up later that day, not only Faye and her partner from Wangarai but also Faye’s sister Jayne and Dan, who live near to Paihia. I was so pleased to be meeting them at last. Lynda my cousin in Ireland had found them while working on our family tree and had visited them herself some years previously. It would seem that we share a great grandmother on my mother’s side of the family. It is so good to know that I have family in New Zealand.
At 4 o’clock I met my newly found cousins for the first time. They picked me up at the hostel, Pipi Patch where I had been staying for the last 4 nights.

I thought Faye looked very much like my Irish cousin Lynda. Her partner is from England and moved to NZ 16 years ago. The five of us decided to go over to Russell on the ferry. This is one of the must dos which I hadn’t managed to fit in as yet…. so perfect! It was a beautiful late afternoon, gentle breeze and warm sun shimmering over the bay.

It was so easy chatting as we got to know each other on the crossing and the boat eventually drew up alongside the jetty in Russell.

Dan, Jayne’s other half was particularly informative about the history of Russell….. such a pretty little settlement and so peaceful. It is quite an arty sort of place with several galleries and I imagined myself retiring here quite comfortably.

As we sat on the boat waiting to return to Paiha, Dan suddenly pointed out hundreds of whitebait swimming from side to side on the surface of the water, darting about and some leaping out of the water. Dan is a keen fisherman. He said they were probably being chased by Kingfish, but there were also diving cormorants which might also be causing the comotion – quite an amazing sight!

We still had a little time to spare before dinner so they took me up to Haruru Falls, not far outside town. Wow, they were pretty impressive, a mini Niagra complete with spray and looked wonderful in the evening light.

We then took a walk through a little forest alongside the Waitangi River, which ran from the Falls. There was so much to see here, lots of different ferns, including Pungas, mangroves, flame trees, plentiful Arum Lilies and the bird life too!

I saw my first New Zealand pigeon in the wild. He was perched high up in a Tea Tree. These are not like our common pigeons, so much prettier, bigger and grey with a wide white band. There were Fantails flitting in the trees, nesting Pied Cormorants (or shags as they are known here), and I even saw a Tui enjoying the sticky nectar from a Flame Tree.

Time for dinner and I was taken to a Hotel along the seafront . First a glass of Pinot Gris and then oh what a treat, a buffet meal where you can choose from a huge variety…. one of those places where your eyes become bigger than your stomach and mine indeed were! I chose a plate of Oysters which I believe I have never eaten before – quite a delicate taste, I thought.

But I think the swordfish with Hollandaise sauce was my favourite. Somehow I managed to fit in roast lamb and pork with vegetables and then…. bread and butter pudding with cream and ice cream…. How big were my eyes!!!

Thank you so much Faye, Jules, Jayne and Dan for a great afternoon/evening and it was so good to meet you. Don’t forget to call when you’re in the UK!