Big Trip

The wind really got up during the night, so this morning, so-called Windy Wellington really lived up to its name. You couldn't see very much except thick cloud and the sea whipping up along the beach. We headed off to Paraparaumu to see relatives Trevor & Muriel. It was a great journey, especially the bits along the shore, with the waves often splashing up onto the road. Trevor & Muriel live just over the sand dunes from the beach, and there was a fair bit of sand being blown over onto the house. Sarah & the children tried walking over onto the beach, but had to turn back with eyes stinging. We went out for lunch, had a honey tasting (I don't recommend the wild thyme honey - smelled like a farmyard, but didn't taste that nice), watched bees coming in & out of a glass hive, and then went on to a motor museum, where there were some fabulous cars. One of my favourites was a gangster's Cadillac, complete with 2-inch thick bulletproof windows and bullet marks in the windscreen.
Back to Wellington in vastly different weather - hot & sunny, with the wind coming from the opposite direction entirely.
We'll be sad to leave Sheila & Johnny's in the morning - it's a beautiful house, in a beautiful location, and we've had a fabulous, relaxing time - the hospitality has been second to none.