“Café au lait?” asked the square, solid waitress in our Paris pensionne. “No, my wife won’t be coming down this morning” replied the American, firmly, trying to convey he understood what he was being asked, when clearly he didn’t. “Pardon, monsieur, café au lait?” repeated the puzzled waitress. “Yes, she was the one wearing a … Continued
Groups of girls tittered and huddled together whispering. Middle-aged couples strolling arm in arm glanced then looked away. The agitation and flurry of interest seemed to be growing as someone in the ambulating crowd neared our table. Munching on paella and sipping sangria I glanced up to see what all the fuss was about. Down … Continued
My phone buzzing around 7.40am is the call to arms. The text comes through “walking this morning?” Whether I go or not, every morning at 8.00am a group of not-so-young women meet at the Khandallah Park swimming pool and begin their ascent. We are no Hillarys or Tenzings but the climb up Mt Kau Kau … Continued
“I don’t think I could eat our national emblem,” Lisa comments as I lift my fork to my mouth. I pause, think for a while and then pop my piece of kangaroo steak in. It has a delicious smokiness to it. As I chew I think briefly of the unfortunate kangaroo the train hit during … Continued
“I am the Queen” giggled the middle aged Japanese lady as we stopped for her to sweep past us, borne aloft by her two Sri Lankan guides. We watched with envy as, cool and calm, she ascended the steep metal staircase with her feet making walking motions while several centimetres above the steps. Firmly gripped … Continued
A pile of travel diaries sits on my desk. Most are mine, two are not. My grandfather’s 1937 and my mother’s 1951 diaries augment my stack. All New Zealanders of Scottish descent, it is 150 years since our ancestors emigrated but we have all felt the pull to Scotland. The cat jumps on my desk … Continued
Two bald headed men stood with their sisters on Bald Knob gazing out over the green New Zealand bush to the clear blue water of Lake Waikaremoana. Our family of four, all in our fifties, were holidaying together for the first time in 40 years while undertaking the four day three night Great Walk around … Continued