Maranui surf club

Olivers first day at school, his birthday and an early start - I slept through his special birthday breakfast and just about surfaced in time to look after Pippa and Stan, They enjoy each others company now and - mostly - he treats her with the respect she deserves.

Sasha and I headed out to another new (to me) suburb for some temple food in an awesome setting. The top floor of the existing surf and life savers club on the major surfing beach has been converted into a trendy cafe with fantastic food, so healthy, fresh and delicious you could almost feel it doing you good with every mouthful! We sat in the bay window looking out to sea and over the airport, views of the planes landing, you could imagine coming for lunch there before you met someone off the plane and timing it so you could see them taxi in then whizzing round to get them. It's striking that although the airport is so central you just don't hear the planes or get disturbed by them. I remember noting when I landed that one control tower nestles in amongst the houses! Lyall Bay itself has golden sand and a gently arching bay but it was too windy today for playing on the beach!

After lunch a drive to the highest residential street in Wellington where some of the UGLIEST houses are and beyond to the top of the hill where a solitary wind turbine is. Fantastic views over the city from a new angle. Next door somehting akin to the Great Wall of China - a possum proof fence protecting a reserve from which they have been eradicated and are no longer welcome! Then off to pick up O from his first day at school, full of excitment and home for the rest of his presents.