An Orongorongo Christmas

Christmas in Wellington, for those few who stick around, allows one to experience a bit of still and quiet in this usually-bustling city.

But this year, like many Kiwis, we took advantage of the generous statutory holidays and a stretch of unusually settled weather to head out into the bush.

We snapped this photo of the city as we took the ferry across to Days Bay. Of note, our new digs are in the very last building on the left (and on the far right, you can also see Parliament, affectionately known as the "Beehive." (click photo to enlarge)

So, after a mere 10 hours on foot, 20k and two mountain ranges (including Mt McKerrow 706m) later, we finally made our way to the Orongorongo River, where the Rata bloomed Christmas red-- and everything else was green.

Because we are slaves to luxury, we booked a 5 star room at the prestigious Boar Inn . . .

 . . . which, as you can see, was worth every penny of the $35 rate. We especially appreciated the "al fresco" loo arrangements.

In actuality, we spent both nights in our little tent. Amidst the dense bush, you run into these little stands of beech groves, where the undergrowth is more sparse and the leaf litter is beautifully soft. A perfect spot to enjoy a lullaby of Brown Kiwi, Kereru and Morepork.

Of course, we partook of the traditional Christmas traditions, such as roasting chestnuts on an open fire, with Jack Frost nipping at our toes.

Okay, maybe not, and maybe we didn't have a belt-stretching feast; but we enjoyed our kai and raise a spoon to to all our friends and family this Holiday Season.

 For each of our long hikes, Kristen composes a Tanka (a Japanese poem). This Tanka, and the lovely photo below, are hers:

Orongorongo

Rolls off the tongue, roils off stone

Into the remnant

Ancient green fabric

A kiwi Christmas carol

Kia Ora Kotou, A Te Marie Whanau