Peace and Quiet

My Dear Princess and Dear Friends,

Today started much as it had ended yesterday...

WEEEEE-OOOOOO-WEEEEEE-OOOOOO-WEEEEEE-OOOOOOOO!!!

Yes. It was Harrison. He was full of enthusiasm for the day. 

Mo, Caro and I were not in the mood. We'd had a nice quiet morning. Well, I say that. We got up around 7am and had tea out on the deck while watching the sun rise over Waiorua Bay. It was very pleasant until we went to have - 

COLD SHOWERS! COLD SHOWERS! OH MY GOD THAT'S EFFING FUH-REEEEEZING!!

I told Shenée the water made my willy go back inside like a frightened mole and she was very sympathetic. She expressed her sympathy in the form of hysterical laughter, but I know she cares really.

Caro was also in the bathrooms with me when she took her cold shower. She summed it up much better than I could. 

"MOTHERF***ER!!!" she wailed.

And yet, "Adventure Caro" still looked as glamorous as ever. Honestly, Caro is looking so good these days. It is like she has somehow managed to wipe 10 years off. I'm not sure if it is the new job or the fact that she has managed to bag herself such an amazing husband or what. 

Definitely that second one.

But anyway, after those cold showers we were given a hot breakfast of toast and scrambled eggs and lots of hot drinks - 

WEEEEE-OOOOOO-WEEEEEE-OOOOOO-WEEEEEE-OOOOOOOO!!!

"Let's go," said Shenée.

The five of us headed off down a more gentle slope to a lookout point. Along the way we saw a lot more birds including the popokotea, a beautiful delicate little bird, and what we think was a North Island Robin or toutouwai. Inspired by Bo from last night, every time we heard a rustling in the bushes, we stopped to listen in case it was a takahē or a kōkako.

"Or it might be Harrison," I whispered.

"It is NOT effing Harrison," replied Shenée, sourly.

We also saw heaps more cheeky wekas.

"Do we know if they ARE all different wekas?" I asked. "Maybe it's the same one following us about."

The other (fitter) three decided to go on a beach walk after this while Caro and I went straight back to the lodge for a cup of tea and - 

WEEEEE-OOOOOO-WEEEEEE-OOOOOO-WEEEEEE-OOOOOOOO!!!

So when Mo and Craig and Shenée arrived, looking very hot and tired from their coastal walk (the sun was beating down) they were IN NO MOOD. We sat and ate our lunch but everyone was a little cranky. I could tell. 

"I might sit outside," Shenée announced after finishing her plate. 

"I was just thinking that!" I added.

And Caro came too. And so did Craig and Mo. And the two random Germans from last night. 

WEEEEE-OOOOOO-WEEEEEE-OOOOOO-WEEEEEE-OOOOOOOO!!!

We could still HEAR him.

Shenée and the Random German Lady closed the doors and windows. It helped a little bit. But Shenée and the Germans were discussing him and Caro was sunbathing so I decided to go for a walk. I could still hear him, in the distance. 

The walk was lovely. Being out on my own seemed to encourage the birds and I saw a few more,. Most of them were tūīs which are not exactly uncommon on the mainland but I rarely get to see them up close. But by this time I was aware the boat was about to come and take us back so I turned around to re-join the group.

It turns out I had missed some drama. It began when Harrison and his family had decided to join everyone else on the deck. 

WEEEEE-OOOOOO-WEEEEEE-OOOOOO-WEEEEEE-OOOOOOOO!!!

He said, by way of greeting.

And it was at this point that Project Manager Shenée came out. 

"Would you mind?" she asked. "We'd like a bit of peace and quiet please."

So his family scuttled back inside again. Shenée was like a HERO by the time I got back! Oh, except to a mother and daughter who had been stuck inside with him this whole time. They were just breathing a sigh of relief and then had to suck it back up when Harrison came back again.

(We found this out from them later).

But there was no time for hero-worship. By now the boat had arrived and we all gathered sadly on the beach for some last photos and got ready to embark the Sore Bum Boat. It was just as bouncy a ride this time and Craig apologised for nearly ending up in my lap. 

"This trip has been a bonding experience for all of us," I said. 

And it really HAD been an amazing trip. As Mo said, it was just the right group of people. I wished him Happy 50th Birthday and he said he had loved the whole experience. Between Caro's down-to-earth humour and Shenée's exuberance, he'd had the best time. And it really IS a beautiful, magical place. We all plan to return one day.

Also it was nice to be on a trip somewhere that ends with us nearly back at our home right away. We said goodbye to Shenée and Craig and then Mo dropped us off back at home. 

And now I'm on the couch listening to birds and cicadas. Maybe they're not as exotic as the creatures I've just seen (mostly blackbirds and sparrows). But they make me just as happy as wekas and kiwi pukupukus. As do Punky and Jasper who are sitting beside me right now. 

In fact I should stop typing this and attend to them. 

And enjoy the peace and quiet.

S.