Wellington – Kiwi Travel Writer talks food, travel, and tips

Despite the Covid-19 lockdown, I refuse to stop travelling!

Despite coronavirus in cities and countries being locked down, I refuse to be locked in – just as all my ancestors did in the mid-1800s – fleeing Scottish clearances, Cornish tin mine closures and the Irish potato famine.

And despite my trip to China – a river cruise on the Yangtze River -being cancelled, and the fabulous Rainforest World Music Festival -in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, being postponed until further notice, I refuse to be locked in despite the virus and, despite being compromised by age, nothing will stop me, travelling. I remember a song from my parent’s era “don’t fence me in.”

Travel writers have an affliction which, means they, I, we, are doomed to travel and as I said despite COVID-19 and the lockdowns all around the world I am going to keep on travelling.

Yesterday I was in Oman, today I’m in Dubai with my parasol and a few days ago I was back in my home city Christchurch,

Peacock Fountain, Christchurch Botanic Gardens

I’ve also been down on the Wellington waterfront I’ve seen some birds that I saw in India yet again and I’ve even been upright on a paddleboard in Fiji.

Gujarat, India

Navratri festival .. longest dance festival in the world

Ernakulm, Kerala, India

Drummer boy, Ernakulam, Kerala

Florida well caught

So, take that coronavirus you’re not going to stop me – my memories are too well embedded for me to be isolated in my lockdown bubble, I can, and will travel the world with my wonderful memories.

What a privilege, it’s been to have travelled so extensively and I’m grateful for the example my parents set of not wasting money, saving, and living frugally as required. they also left me a small inheritance which, after a lot of earlier travel, enabled me to do even more.

I recall being on a plane -in 1995 – petrified that at age 50 I still wasn’t old enough to travel the world by myself (with no bookings).

If I run out of memories, I could be jogged by just some of my clippings or books.

a few of my clippings

and just a few more!

So where are you travelling to while in lockdown? I’ve been to Alaska in bwZimbabwe I’ve been to London, Wales, and Borneo. I’ve been to the USA, Mongolia, Zimbabwe and had a river cruise in Europe – to name but a few.

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Riding pink flamingo electric scooters – fear on the streets for some

A pink Flamingo electric scooter – not parked quite safe! Parallel to the road is best 🙂

Many of my peers are afraid of electric scooters on our city streets – or rather, the footpaths. As someone who lives in the inner city, in fact, at the top of Cuba Street, Wellington, or as I call it the funky part of town, I’m used to skateboards, rollerblades, electric skateboards and many others sharing the footpath with me – as well as on Cuba Street itself.

For me the rule is very simple, if they are behind me, ignore the noise of a skateboard or such like speeding towards me – I just stay on my trajectory and trust that they will avoid me. So far, that’s what’s happened. I’ve had no near misses, I just stay on the left as I know if I try and get out of their way they will have no idea where the or which way I (or YOU) are going to move and you are likely to be hit or have a near miss.

As my daughter reminded me, it’s like skiing, it’s the skier that is behind you that has to avoid you, not the other way round. E scooters are the same. You just keep going about your business, staying on the left – as we always should – not walking 3 abreast, and all will be well.

Will there be accidents? Of course, there will be but if you adhere to staying on your own trajectory chances are you will not be involved.

Will the E scooter riders obey all the rules – of course not! Only yesterday I saw 2 teenage girls riding, wobbling, one of the orange uber ones (Jump) does everybody parked them considerately – hell no! Common sense is not very common and many scooters are parked at a 45° angle or more from the curb -creating a real hazard for those who are sight impaired. If you are a scooter rider reading this, please think of those people who are likely to trip over your toy.

Most E scooter riders are considerate and value being able to get around the city speedily. sometimes on footpaths sometimes on the road. sadly many do not use a helmet – this may change, just as skiers have. We do have to get the cars off the roads, and scooters are part of the solution AND we do need more people on public transport and we will just have to be considerate of each other

Have I ridden an E scooter – no – but who knows, it could be one of the ‘yets’ in my life. I’m very aware I’m way more risk-averse since I broke my arm on a walk out to Red Rocks in the seal colony in Wellington. ( if I did I would use the pink Flamingo as it’s a New Zealand company)

So, watch this space, but don’t hold your breath :):)

safety suggestions from the flamingo guys

Wall of love on my Monday morning walk

Today our regular U3A Monday morning walk continued on the terrorism and grief path when we visited a wall of love at Victoria University. these photos are in order of being taken, the bulk are of the students’ messages of love and support.

My walk photos started with a poster on Cuba Street, we met at the wharewaka, walked to the cable car, past some autumn colour then along to Vic Uni, where we also saw their tuatara, before heading back to the city and the National library where some of us signed the Book of Memories for the victims of the white supremacist terrorist murders of 50 people – innocently praying – of course, another 48 were injured and are mostly still in hospital. a coffee and food and there are my 13,000 steps done by lunchtime 🙂

Cuba Street message

Autumn is well in season

yes .. clever sign

Ti Kouka or ‘cabbage tree’

Vic Uni

wall of love (my name for it)

tuatara thru dirty window!

NZ flag at half mast

time for coffee at Home cafe

Terrorism and white supremacy – signs of the times

The #worldsweakestman #cowardly #whiteSupremacist kills fifty innocent people -these 50 in New Zealand (pop. 4,792,409) are the equivalent about 3500 people dying in a country with the population of the USA (329,093,110). Puts it into perspective!

I’m proud to be a kiwi and our current Prime Minister who has ensured only 6 days later New Zealand gun laws are changed

Terrorism, death and love on a Monday morning walk

Terrorism will not defeat New Zealanders – we Kiwi will resist it all. Proud of our Prime Minister, Jacinda Adern, this speech will become the benchmark for other leaders to follow – no autocue, just straight from the heart.

My Monday morning walk today was to visit the local Wellington Masjid – three days after the terrible terrorism in Christchurch at the Al Noor Mosjid resulting in fifty deaths – and still, people, all over New Zealand, Kiwi are coming to pay respects, to offer help and leave flowers.

Al Noor, Christchurch

Masjid Al Noor

My Monday morning walk was to visit the local Wellington Masjid – three days after the terrible

terrorism in Christchurch – and still, people are coming to pay respects, to offer help and flowers. As we arrived a local boys’ school was performing a haka.

I’ll let the photos do the talking of the Wellington Islamic Centre, Kilbirnie Mosque

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To put this into some numeric perspective – with a population of under 5 million, these fifty deaths in New Zealand is the equivalent of 3500 people dying in a country the size of the USA.

Donate here https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/christchurch-shooting-victims-fund

Another Monday morning walk in Wellington

We, a U3A social walking group took a bus up to Victoria University and then headed downhill via some city tracks. I believe the dog sign says ‘have a great day’.

Kapa haka festival and competition in Wellington

The world’s largest celebration of Māori traditional performing arts is in the capital.

Held every two years, Te Matatini is a whānau-friendly, alcohol-free and smoke-free event and I’m one of the thousands to watch kapa haka’s finest 46 teams (out of 163 contenders this time) competing for the ultimate prize: as well as pride, the title of te toa whakaihuwaka.

I just heard a kaumatua say, on RNZ National, that matatini is for all, ‘from two to toothless’ 🙂

Here is a glimpse of the prizes they want to win;

And some action from the powhiri at Waitangi Park on Wednesday … more to follow on Instagram and other social media tomorrow – from inside the Westpac Stadium here in Wellington.

Wellington photos: A monday morning walk

Every Monday I join a U3A group ( University of the third age) for a walk in Wellington. Sometimes we bus to one of the outer suburbs or beaches but often we prefer to wander the inner city and learn some of our history, go to the botanic gardens, see artworks, or just enjoy the sights.

These photos were taken yesterday – from the Wharewaka beside the lagoon to the National Art gallery café – coffee is the high point of our walks

Changing ourselves

The power of Gandhi’s words – despite him apparently having feet of clay, at times, like us – can still inspire us to change the world by changing ourselves.