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Dear All,
After a far too early start of the day, I
have made it without any problems to Wellington.
However, for a while I wasnt too sure about a safe arrival. Whilst the flight
was an uneventful one, the landing didnt really classify as such. Or better said: the descending towards the airport could be
described as different. At some stage, it felt as if we were all seated in a huge
rocking chair: moving from left to right. As far as I am concerned, this was
the strongest turbulence, I have ever experienced. Great fun, since I am
convinced that the pilots would like to get home safely. In other words: they
will do whatever they can to bring us safely to our destination. The actual
landing was one for the textbooks: we barely sensed the plane hitting the
tarmac. The pilots of Air New Zealand have proven to be worth of their wings!
A new
city, a new contact and a completely new environment:
all ingredients for a fascinating day. I was being collected by my host for the
next couple of days, who very courteously offered me a breakfast (the biscuit
I had been given on the plane was just about adequate to keep me alive).
I have no idea whether the weather gods are trying their very best to remind me
of Belgium
but fact is that rain has been following me since days. On top of that, Wellington lives up to its nickname: Windy Wellington
from now on, I
dont doubt for a split second whether this name is justified. Considering the
fact that it is not particularly fun to walk in the rain, I was being offered a
guided tour by car. The start of the
tour took me to Mount Victoria (the name Victoria is prominent
everywhere in the English speaking world). Whilst I declared that Belgians are
used to something when it comes to dealing with strong winds, I can openly say that I will not be so
convincing next time! Reaching the top of the hill, I was just short of being
blown off. An ice-cold Southern wind was
blowing more fiercely than anything I have ever experienced
leaving my opinion
on Flemish winds to be reviewed!
Nevertheless, it was more than worth the effort to come this way: the
view on Wellington
from here is just phenomenal. Unlike Auckland,
this city is of a much compacter lay-out. Water has been an always present
feature during my trip in the Southern hemisphere, so here too, the ocean is to
be seen at all times. Where as the airport (which has the reputation being one
of the most difficult ones to land throughout the world, due to the high winds)
stretches out on one side, the harbour and the city are neatly encapsulated in
front of us. Our journey continues with a
guided tour in the city centre in order to head towards Eastbourne,
where one gets to see Wellington
from a completely different perspective.
The day comes to an end with a delicious
dinner and a very long chat with my new hosts: Zane and Penny.
Yesterday morning, I was expected for an
informal chat with a number of historians. No doubt about it that their
knowledge on the involvement of
New-Zealand forces is much larger than mine. However, I have practical
knowledge on the Salient, linked to the past we share.
A gab of one hour and a half before my next
meeting, just allows me to have a stroll to the old St-Pauls cathedral, the
very first one I have ever seen, which has completely been built of wood. The
building dates from 1860 but has been extended several times throughout time.
The craftsmanship which has been invested here is simply stunning: it must
impress every visitor, taking the time to explore this jewel of architecture.
Being talkative as I am, I doesnt take me long to establish contact with the
conservator of this cathedral (which is no longer being used as such): a
private guided tour is the icing on the cake!
On to the next meeting: the National Archives,
where I will be guided by one of the 10 historians, currently working there.
Graham explains to me the kind of information, that can be obtained from the
archives and how they can play an essential part for families, searching for
information on their relatives, who fought in the Great War. At present, it
proves to be a bit of a maze since all the files of soldiers, who fought in the
second world war as well, are stored elsewhere. On top of that they are facing
a tremendous challenge: all battalion diaries are still to be catalogued: a
task, which will keep them occupied for many more months to come!
A quick stop at the residence of my hosts
gives me the opportunity to freshen up a bit, before heading back to town. A
lecture for the Wellington RSA branch is on my schedule. My talk is running
very smoothly despite the fact that my remote control, decides to give up on me
that very moment. Having faced all kinds of problems on my journey, this
set-back is not going to stop me. More than an hour and a half later, I am
being approached by several people, expressing their gratitude. Several of them
are in the stage of planning a trip to the Western Front: my talk has only
increased their appetite even more.
On our return: Penny surprises us with a
lovely dinner: the ideal moment of the day to catch up. Asking my host for
honest feedback on my presentation, he tells me that I have a spelling error in
my power point (shame on me!): one which I should have noticed myself, a long
time ago. Added to that, he tells me that he was impressed by the unique
viewpoint of my talk and
the passion
with which I bring the story. He advices me to pick up a pen and to get started
writing the book, I have in mind
This chat makes me doubt where I will
eventually find a new future: should I decide to retire into a room to write or
should I pick up the job on the cruise ship, sharing my knowledge with that
many people? In all honesty
I havent decided yet, which path to choose.
An early start today, since my host has to
attend a meeting. We enjoy our breakfast in a local coffee shop, after which I
tend to my mail (at long last I have found a place that offers WIFI, one does stand
a bigger chance to find a clover, I believe!) At 11 am, I have a meeting with a group of
historians, focussing on the commemoration events for 2014-2018. Many questions
are coming my way but since I was not properly informed, what this meeting was
about beforehand, there are a number of questions I can not provide an answer
for.
A couple of hours later... I have just
visited the Beehive, the new parliaments house: an example of modern architecture,
which doesnt impress me too much though. The round shape makes me reflect that
efficiency wasnt really a priority in the 1960 s. The guided tour, which I
can heartily recommend to everyone, was being spiced by a New-Zealand lady, who
was testing the patience and the knowledge of the guide continuously. A test he
passed with flying colours!
Right now, I am sitting in the railway
station and guess what
no WIFI here either. So I continue to write this blog
in a word document, hoping to be able to upload it later on tonight.
Wellington has left a very positive impression on me: a very clean and easy to
navigate city. The compact size of the city results in the fact that basically
everything is within walking distance. In this cosy beehive, one sees a large
diversity of people walking by. It does catch my attention that Maoris are very
well integrated in society.
As you can see, I didnt manage to up-date
my blog yesterday. Neil, whom I met at the railway station in Masterton, took
me directly to the archives, where my audience was already waiting for me. To
my very pleasant surprise, I catch up with some of my former guests at Varlet
Farm, some of them having driven for more than one and a half hours to meet me.
I renders me quiet
After some confusion about where I will
spend the night, I end up with a young couple, that welcomes me in a very warm
way into their family. Day after day, newspapers are reporting on whatever goes
wrong in this world. The warmth, friendship, hospitality that people offer to
each other doesnt make it in the written press. If I were a journalist, this
is the message, I would like to share: believe in the good of human beings!
Warm wishes
Charlotte
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