#2 The adventure starts

I remember a pack of crayons I had as a child; canary yellow, bright blue, bright red, and two greens; grass and tree. Joyful, simple colours with little choice, but plenty of vibrancy.

Having left Wales with its very late autumn colour palette of many shades of brown and orange the primary, crayon colours of New Zealand are startling. The blue crayon has been used for various flowers, and carried over into a few trees as well. Yellow has been used for a range of stylised flowers - chunky daisies, tiny bells, huge trumpets hanging from branches, and for knobbly lemons left to fall. The same yellow has been used to carefully draw a line down the middle of the startlingly windy roads, and to colour in the signs restricting speed to 65, and sometimes 25 kmph. Dots of red, like the blotch of an old felt tip pen are seen in the sea; tiny jelly fish. The same was used generously to put spiky blossoms on trees and round petals onto climbing flowers. What the trees and foliage lack in shades and nuances of green they make up for in their shapes; huge palms with leaves like blankets, others tall and spiky; high, triangular conifers and trees that are like green clouds on sticks. All fabulously exuberant.

After my long journey here (arriving at 8pm on Friday instead of 2pm on Thursday) I seem to have managed to avoid jet lag. I'm not sure what did the trick; it could have been the 8am Saturday parkrun followed by the 1200 surf lesson ("Average Joe's Surf Coach" is a strong recommendation if you're in the area). Alternatively the noise cancelling headphones may have helped, or possibly the ability to sleep soundly on a plane - being tiny has many advantages, including being able to entirely curl up on a single seat - even easier with my window seats.

So far I've only managed to surf three times (a bit lumpy with an off-shore wind), so I'm looking forward to getting in some more. I've swum three times, including at a waterfall quite similar to Sgwd Yr Eira, except you can't walk behind it, and it's not quite as chilly - or crowded! Two hikes are also under my belt; the first one at the waterfalls, the second up Mount Maunganui; 4km and 232m ascent. I also spent some peaceful moments at a little nature reserve with tern's nests and dune grasses next to a small camp site at the beach at the base of the Mount. This is new, as are the large hotels which look down on the beach. I know this because I camped here just under 20 years ago. An earlier, shorter, adventure, with a campervan. We camped where the grasses are now, within the calming sound of the waves, and we sat on the rocks for breakfast one morning (Anna's initiative). Jed remembers seeing fish in the waves, they both remember the beach with its soft white sand scattered with pretty shells. During my swim before breakfast this morning I saw fish through the waves and time looped around.

Well, time to leave this peaceful AirBnB with it's three little dogs. I will miss having my toes licked. Onto the next lovely place with more surfing and colours and light.

things I have learnt;

• It's easier to take a big leap if you have seen others doing it, and you do it alongside them.

• Jumping into a waterfall pool isn't as fun as surfing.

• Cold to a German isn't cold to a Welshwoman.

  
  

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Average Joe

Maunganui

Kaiate Falls