Heavenly…Comfortable living spoiling us…Interior photos of our new temporary home…

This modern kitchen has everything we need including a dishwasher, food processor, stainless steel appliances and pots and pans, convection oven, microwave and quality dinnerware.

The bed is outrageously comfortable.  It has a mattress and a box spring.  The duvet cover, comforter and pillows are luxurious and inviting.  With the fan Neil (Trish’s hubby) brought over last night (along with a laundry basket, extension cord and power strip), we slept like babies.

Awakening refreshed to the cool air in the house from the mild temperature overnight and the possibility of a sunny day, we couldn’t be more comfortable or more content. 

We were thrilled when we spotted these two fluffy robes in the master bedroom closet.

There were two fluffy robes as shown above in the master bedroom closet we’re both wearing now as I write this.  We haven’t been able to travel with robes for the bulk they take in the luggage.  I can’t express how comfortable it feels wearing a fluffy robe until soon we’ll dress for the day.  The robes on the ship were flimsy at best and seemingly made for “munchkins.”  These are lush and roomy.

Today, after posting and finishing our final two loads of laundry, we’ll head to New Plymouth to further explore the town, the beach and restaurants with a quick trip to the market for a few items I’d forgotten to put on the list.

The master bed is a treat.  We haven’t slept in such a comfortable bed since we spent four months in Kauai, one year ago.

Yesterday was a glorious day, although the clouds and light rain remained throughout the day.  We walked on the beautiful road with one breathtaking scene after another, flowers blooming along the road, with the sounds of an occasional mooing cow, sheep baaing or the gentle humming/chirping sounds made by the alpacas as they interact with their babies and one another.

A baby was born a day ago in the pregnant mom’s paddock which we saw lying in the grass near her, not moving.  We worried it hadn’t survived the birth when we watched it for some time noticing it wasn’t moving. 

There are two bathrooms with showers, one on each floor.

Finally, a tiny ear flickered and we sighed with relief.  A few hours later we returned to see the precious white baby alpaca attempt to stand on its wobbly legs.  This is farm living.  We love it.

No, we won’t make the next three months all about the alpacas.  We’ve discovered many of our readers may not be interested in animals as much as we tend to be.  We’ll continue to present a wide array of stories about life in this uncomplicated area, rich in its beauty and simplicity.

We sit at this table when dining as opposed to the kitchen counter with barstools as shown on the right.  We can see the alpacas from this view.

New Zealand has so much to offer that we’ll be able to share many scenic photos of the country, the city and the sea along with a variety of tourist venues we’ll visit from time to time.

It would be easy to stay close to our new home and not explore the island when we’re so content, so comfortable.  After all, this is temporarily our home and when we lived “at home” we never went sightseeing, per se, to many of the tourist attractions in Minnesota which instead on occasion, by chance, presented themselves through a variety of social activities with family and friends. 


The living room is bigger than it appears in this photo with a newer flat screen TV on the wall and a gas fireplace.

If we were to live in this area long enough, a similar scenario would prevail as we made friends and attended a variety of venues over the years.  But, we don’t have years to wait for such activities and relationships.  Its the nature of our lives, a life on the move, a life of exploration of a way of life, outside the confines of a life we knew so long ago.

As time has marched on, we’ve come to realize and more clearly define what we really want out of our worldwide travels.  It’s not about seeing every popular tourist attraction as we’ve mentioned many times in the past. 

An additional seating are we’re unlikely to use.

Its about immersing ourselves into the life of the locals, experiencing their familiar activities, reveling in the unique beauty of the surroundings, embracing their wildlife and capturing their scenery.

Eventually we leave with a taste of their homeland, understanding their dedication, commitment and loyalty to that which has become familiar and comfortable often over a lifetime. 

Photo taken from the en suite master bath window on the second floor.  Both bedrooms are upstairs.  Tom is using one to store his clothing and our luggage and we’re sleeping in the less cluttered master bedroom.

We always detect a sense of pride, one which we respect with a deep compassion, to ensure we embrace every aspect of their lives, however foreign it may seem to us when we’ve first arrive.

And yet, when its time to go, we carry the experience with us in our hearts and minds forever, grateful for the experience, grateful that we’re in the unique position to be able to continue on.  We have no doubt, as early on as it is in this visit, that we’ll leave New Zealand with memories we’ll treasure forever.

Photos from one year ago today, January 21. 2015:

Tom was rounding out his tan lying on his stomach on the chaise lounge by the pool at the golf club we joined one year ago today.  For more details, please click here.