We stayed with Bridget, her Mum, Coral and Corals partner Hek for a couple of nights and had a wonderful time. When I left for the UK it was Bridget who looked after Millie and our cat, Blondie. Blondie was a 'flat cat' when we were at university and, when everyone went to jobs in the real world outside of Palmie, I took the cat and had her for about four years. It worked out quite well as Bridget was one of the students living in the flat in the early 90's when Blondie 'arrived' and 'adopted' all who lived there. Blondie going back to live with Bridget in 2001 was almost like going home.
The views from their house are stunning, I don’t think they could get any better than this. This island in the photo is Whale Island, an extinct volcano not too far off shore.
I took this photo from the hill just behind the house.
Euan and I were talking about the amount of food we’ve eaten since being back in NZ that has been home produced. Whether it be vegetables grown in a home garden, venison that has been farmed at home or shot wild, fish or seafood that has been caught or beef or lamb that has been home-grown and killed. The dinner we had on the night we arrived was vegetables out of the garden and venison fillet from a stag that Hek had shot up on the cape and Bridget had butchered.
Bridget has about 12 horses (she either has lost count or wasn’t telling us the real number!) and we went riding on the beach the second night we were there. Euan rode Splash, Corals piebald mare, a real sweetie of a horse.
We headed onto the beach and had a wonderful ride – this is the view.
Euan was so good on a horse I nearly ate my hat. I couldn’t believe it. For someone who has had stuff all to do with animals and isn’t terribly fussed even on dogs, he handled horses like an old hand and when Splash went trotting past us, he just sat there and calmly brought her back to a walk. Most people new to riding tense up, bounce around everywhere and panic and the horses think “way-hey, game on!!” and take off or go stupid and freak the rider out even more.
In this photo you can see the shadow of East Cape stretching out behind us, along with the seemingly endless beach…. bliss bliss bliss.
Then we headed into the sea for a bit
Someone needs to remind me exactly why I went to London…..
On the way home we cut up through the paddocks and up a steep hill. I forgot Euan hadn’t been on a horse before as he was absolutely fine.
We stopped on the top of the hill for more photos (how could we not with a view like that!)
Then we headed down the steep hill to the house… and Euan was still fine on Splash. Amazing. I was truly stunned. We did stress that not many people get to ride a horse properly for the first time on beach without a lead rope or anything. I don't think Euan quite appreciated that and has now been ruined for life. No other riding experience will compare but he was starting to ask questions about hunting on horses.....
Brig and I got up early the next morning and went riding again on the beach but I rode Splash this time and she knew she had a different rider for sure. She was not a handful or anything but was snorting at silly things, turning letterboxes into monsters and tents into dragons in her mind. I really wonder what goes on in horses minds sometimes.
The views from their house are stunning, I don’t think they could get any better than this. This island in the photo is Whale Island, an extinct volcano not too far off shore.
I took this photo from the hill just behind the house.
Euan and I were talking about the amount of food we’ve eaten since being back in NZ that has been home produced. Whether it be vegetables grown in a home garden, venison that has been farmed at home or shot wild, fish or seafood that has been caught or beef or lamb that has been home-grown and killed. The dinner we had on the night we arrived was vegetables out of the garden and venison fillet from a stag that Hek had shot up on the cape and Bridget had butchered.
Bridget has about 12 horses (she either has lost count or wasn’t telling us the real number!) and we went riding on the beach the second night we were there. Euan rode Splash, Corals piebald mare, a real sweetie of a horse.
We headed onto the beach and had a wonderful ride – this is the view.
Euan was so good on a horse I nearly ate my hat. I couldn’t believe it. For someone who has had stuff all to do with animals and isn’t terribly fussed even on dogs, he handled horses like an old hand and when Splash went trotting past us, he just sat there and calmly brought her back to a walk. Most people new to riding tense up, bounce around everywhere and panic and the horses think “way-hey, game on!!” and take off or go stupid and freak the rider out even more.
In this photo you can see the shadow of East Cape stretching out behind us, along with the seemingly endless beach…. bliss bliss bliss.
Then we headed into the sea for a bit
Someone needs to remind me exactly why I went to London…..
On the way home we cut up through the paddocks and up a steep hill. I forgot Euan hadn’t been on a horse before as he was absolutely fine.
We stopped on the top of the hill for more photos (how could we not with a view like that!)
Then we headed down the steep hill to the house… and Euan was still fine on Splash. Amazing. I was truly stunned. We did stress that not many people get to ride a horse properly for the first time on beach without a lead rope or anything. I don't think Euan quite appreciated that and has now been ruined for life. No other riding experience will compare but he was starting to ask questions about hunting on horses.....
Brig and I got up early the next morning and went riding again on the beach but I rode Splash this time and she knew she had a different rider for sure. She was not a handful or anything but was snorting at silly things, turning letterboxes into monsters and tents into dragons in her mind. I really wonder what goes on in horses minds sometimes.
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