The Landing

We are here in Timaru, settling into the Airbnb that will be our home for the next 2 months.

Not a staged photo

Yesterday we had a lovely break in the rain, enabling us to explore Aoraki/Mt. Cook National Park and walk across the 1st swinging bridge of the iconic Hooker Valley Track. The mountains played peek-a-boo, intermittently emerging from a cloudy veil and revealing themselves in breathtaking ways each time.

Tasman River

The kids climbed rocks, as they tend to do, and we finished the day with a delicious Thai meal in Twizel.

Today we drive through endless rain, stopping for world famous pies at Fairlie Bakehouse. Big Brother bravely tried a new food item and discovered that he enjoys mince pie! Those of us from the PNW didn’t blink at continuous windshield wiper activity, but everyone in Timaru has been grumbling about the unusual weather. That’s a good sign for us! 👍

We are marveling at what “settling in” means for each of us. The boys excitedly laid claim to “their” bedrooms, asked for the wifi password, and have been content ever since. Mom was keen to eliminate evidence of traveling, unpacking each bag so we are no longer living out of luggage. She also needed to go to the grocery store immediately because a house is not a home without coffee and food. Dad, meanwhile, focused on what we didn’t yet have and preferred to spend our first few hours finding storage solutions for our clothing. He has also been scrolling the internet for vehicles and housing options since we arrived in this country.

In other good news, Mom finally got behind the right-hand steering wheel and drove on the left side of the road today… not a single swerve, honk or bump to report! (It helps to start in a small town with 2 lane roads.) 🙃