Back to the Stone Age

Moving on

Yesterday was military exercise time as I decamped from Waiwera (where the hot pools look pretty perma-closed, incidentally) and headed for my favourite camp ground in Red Beach.  My "tent" is a well-equipped 1000 square foot cottage on top of a cliff overlooking  the Pacific.  Two nice bedrooms (one of which has a closet that gives George the creeps), a big living room, a small but functional and well equipped kitchen and similar bathroom.  Also a garage which is a bit of a luxury, even if I do have to choose which wing mirror I can live without when I back in.  The military exercise came in the shape of help from Nonie & George who packed my stuff (except the clothes) at Waiwera and unpacked it all this end.  Made for a very smooth move especially as I was able to get in here earlier than the allotted 2 p,m.

We have, of course, christened the cove below

which was relatively packed yesterday.  Someone has done some work on the foot and hand holds on the rocks that make it very easy to get out of the water - no problem getting in as the water at the foot of the rocks is 6' deep if you time it right.
I'm in a bit of technological backwater here - my PC won't connect to the internet as I am too far from the site's numerous access points.  My cellphone will but life's too short to do anything on a cellphone beyond brief texts, calls and navigation. And (my fault) Nonx has walked off with my good camera - my GoPro clone appears to have packed up, too.  You read it here first - I think people with their noses stuck in their cellphones are spending most of their time saying "What the #$%^& is up with this thing?"  I had a nice chat with the folks at Spark yesterday evening - despite my having lashed out $29 for a month's service, I got a message saying I had less than a dollar credit left.  Turns out I have more than that.  Goodness knows how a non-English speaker would get on: probably better than I did.
The place I'm staying has no internet hardware so I lashed out the princely sum of $5 to get a gig of connectivity on the campground's router, only to find that this bach is out of range.  Hard to explain how sad that doesn't make me.  I'll schlepp my laptop over to the office once a day to send and receive mail, most of which will be junk mail from various places I've shopped.  Now there's a cool app for someone to write - automatically unsubscribe from any site whose emails you haven't clicked on for a month.
Ah!  The sun is out and roasting my right cheek gently (it's 9.15 a.m so I don't think sunburn is imminent).  In fact, it's so bright I can't really see the screen any more so I am looking at the sea while I type.  Better spell check before I hit "Post".
There's a bach up the way from here that is very nice and well appointed - I looked at it last year and was appalled at the price (which I can't recall).  I was somewhat pleased to see it still has a now very faded "for sale" notice in the window.  I have yet to see if the real cheap one (which is in danger of falling off the cliff next time the waves are big) is still there and still for sale.  Yes, we could afford it and no, I wouldn't take it as a gift.  I certainly won't buy it with my Lotto winnings from last night as I didn't buy a ticket.  More seriously, I am out of beer and should probably buy a bottle of wine for the neighbours (and I just might be persuaded).  My total booze consumption over the last 2 weeks is 7 beers, partly because I don't like kiwi beer as much as I like Asheville beer.  There - I've said it.
I think some of my old bird friends are still here - I'll be cooking some bacon soon and it will be interesting to see if my old tame blackbird turns up to help me out with the rind (she didn't).  I can hear someone having difficulty parking out front (these baches are pretty crammed together) - I hope it's not Nonie (who's coming over with brekkie) who has already infuriated someone by breaking the 10 kph speed limit.  Maniac.
It is now many hours later and I haven't bestirred myself to go and find a working internet hotspot.  I've bestirred myself for plenty of other stuff including a couple of dips in the briny, a game of beach cricket and a single sit-up that made my back go "groinch".  So much for keeping fit.  Granddaughter Siouxzan and her better half Alex are on their way over for dinner.  I've bought steak and chops to eat with a salad though I do regret reading the list of ingredients on the bottled salad dressing I bought (didn't feel like paying nearly $20 for olive oil and balsamic vinegar).  I suspect I will glow in the dark after eating it.  And it's made in Australia.  I suppose you have to regret something on every holiday.  The barbecue here lights a lot easier than the one at Waiwera - please don't let that be famous last words.
Perhaps I can watch a few more minutes of The Da Vinci Code before Sooz and Alex get here - I am having to watch it with sub-titles as the TV has even tinnier speakers than my laptop.  A bit like a cellphone in a tin can.