Wandelen is een werkwoord. Dat heeft Ingrid vier dagen aan den lijve ondervonden. Ze beslist om de volgende dagen de eerste persoon enkelvoud ervan niet meer te gebruiken. Daarom rijden we met de auto naar Takaka in het Abel Tasman National Park.
We have an appointment with Charles and Pam. Underestimating the distances in that hilly part of the southisland, we arrive a bit late. At 9 pm we drive our car up Paradise Way. Who doesn't want to live in this street?! The first thing we hear through the open front door is this beautiful singing. This must be the right adress, because from the Servas printout we already knew that Charles and Pam have a special interest in choir music. The couple are having friends over and they are all singing like angels. Luckily Pam mistook our arrival by one day, so we didn't have to feel bad about our arrival time. Pam welcomed us, introduced us and made us some delicious sandwishes while the others continued their singing. After 3 sleeping nights on hard matresses in the bush, we slept like roses in the comfy soft beds. Next morning we have breakfast - we join Charles habit to start the day with porridge - on the terrace, with nice views of the sea. Pam and Charles are very warm and interesting people. Charles is in his early eighties, Pam in her early seventies. But they are still in perfect shape! They share a lot of their interests with us. They joined this wonderfull religion group called the Quakers. It seems to us like a very liberal and open thing, which focuses on friendship, values and silence and no so much on the sacraments. Then there is Bach of course. Charles is really into Bach and has been giving lectures on this worldfamous composer.
Pam and Charles are both retired ministers, but still very active. She gets asked to do weddings, while Charles still does some funerals. And they sing of course in a choir. Charles once could have chosen for a professional career in the opera, but chose not to and give priority to his family and the church community. Pam is in the board of the Abbeyfield House in Takaka where 10 elderly people are offered a warm home, meals and friendship.
We couldn't help but go and do some of the Abel Tasman walking track. So we went to Totaranui and did a 3 hours walking track. We spend some time on the Anapai golden beach and had a swim in the Tasman sea. When we got back, Pam prepared us a lovely meal and we spend a delightful evening together. We even threw in a little salsa demonstration. Thanks Pam and Charles!
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten