Wellington Sun

I am back in the North Island. Windy Wellington has transformed into sunkissed paradise.

Working in Picton for the last 10 days was great. It included a 2 night trip away to the marine farm on the other side of the Cook Strait. We crossed the channel in the 8.2m workboat. I took some Sea Legs pills. We left at 5.30am in 35knot winds and 2 metre swell, following behind the ferry Arotere. Large vessels flatten the water which improves the sea conditions for smaller following craft. I hate to think what it would have been like without the shielding of the ex P&O cruiser. I wasn't sick and I wasn't scared, but we were thrown around a bit. I thought that lying down would help me avoid banging my head again as the boat crested the waves and slammed down into the watery bowl. It was not a good idea, I concluded, after about 4 large falls from high water which created a weightlessness in my body as I left the matress for a split second, only to be slammed down like I had been dropped on the canvas by Giant Haystacks


The only option was to stand on the bridge and hold on, letting the knees act as suspension as I rode the waves like a surfboard. A white knuckle ride - literally. I've never experienced anything like it.

We arrived and began two days work of replacing the backbone to a marine farm installation. We spent the night onboard in the Marina amongst some of the most expensive yachts and cruisers in the south island. With full use of the marina facilities it was a bizarre aqua-motorhome camping experience with posher than usuall clientele. The Royal Signals yacht ADVENTURE was berthed opposite us, being prepared for the next leg of her round the world trip which went Plymouth - Las Palmas - Rio De Janeiro - Cape Town - Perth - Sydney - Hobart - Wellington continuing on to Buenos Aires, Antigua and back to Portsmouth. I hope they had a good supply of Sea Legs. [any 'yotties' can follow the progress at http://www.mercurychallenge.mod.uk/]



Anyway, our trip home was calmer. After a couple more days work in Marlborough Sounds and a birthday party for 10 year old Philip, I departed Picton for the last time this morning on the 8am Bluebridge ferry.



Travel plan update: Everything has yet to come together. Since my last post, I have determined that the ride across central Asia will have to be postponed owing to time constraints and bike export problems. As a compromise, I hope to spend a month just in India, before heading back to the UK. Exact dates to be confirmed. I have already acquired 2 contacts in Chennai (formerly Madras) and despite an initially cool reaction from World Vision UK I still hope to see some development work there somehow (there are no British supported projects in the Chennai region so my offer to report back on project activity has little value for them).

Still going to see the northernmost cape next week. It might be possible to see some of Australia before I get to India. So watch this space. Do you have any contacts in southern India? - drop me a line.