The town of New Plymouth is a little quirky and at the same time majestically scenic. The people as a whole are very active. I passed several “seniors” on razor scooters and bikes on the coastal walkway today. Kiwis really say “Good day Mate!” and “Cheers” and we are getting accustomed to their accents. Substitute an “I” for “e” and turn left becomes turn “lift” and so on. Yes, everything is backwards or flipped: light switches flip down to turn on, you drive and ride bikes on the left side of the road or path, bike brakes are reversed, swimmers loop clockwise, and you even walk down a sidewalk on the left side! It takes concentration to do simple tasks.

The sun was intense yesterday so we took full advantage of the long day. We strolled along the coastal walkway and through downtown. An unusual attraction is The Wind Wand. It’s a 48 meter (160 foot) fiberglass rod that functions as a zephyrometer but mostly provides us with a helpful point of reference along the coastline. Of note, it was stuck by lightening during a thunderstorm last September! Here’s the story if interested: https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/96937428/winds-pick-up-speed-and-cut-power-to-south-taranaki-homesAt the west end of town is the famous Paritutu rock. Des and Kai hiked to the top and back. ” I didn’t think it was gonna be this hairball “, said Kai along the way. The black sand beach on the other side is quite idyllic. It’s protected by the Sugar Loaf islands and a safe place to swim and play.