We feel like a couple of mountain goats. We have walked up and down so many hills that everything I have is beginning to ache - just a little bit. I don't know about Stan but the sides of my lower legs are sore, my ankles ache, I feel my toes! And my back is a little out of whack from all this walking uphill! I am not a mountain goat by nature.

Before I get into today, I must say that it is impossible to comment on every sight, every observation and every impression. Truly impossible. But I simply won't do New Zealand justice until I mention how "Hobbit-like" it is, especially the areas we saw driving along the west side of the South Island where the mountains are steep and the land in between can show itself as a vast valley or a narrow winding canyon. The green of the mountains is deep, deep green and often at the base of the valley or canyon is a flowing stream. And, each stream is named and the bridge over it is numbered. We saw bridge Number 1 and we also saw bridge Number 5669, with many in between. While I took many photos, the beauty and the enormity of it all is impossible to capture - just picture it in your own mind, Hobbit-land.

I also need to add that folks down here have some very lovely sayings . . . "Haere Mai" - welcome! They use it everywhere! And instead of saying "no" they say "I'm sorry but I can't say that you can go that way", or "I can't say that I know about that." "Feeling peckish?" means are you a bit hungry? And virtually anyone we speak with always tells us very directly how happy they are that we are enjoying their country.

Today our focus was on experiencing Zealandia, a man-made nature sanctuary, just a good-walk away from the little apartment we have in Kilburn. Originally the area was a gold-mine operation in the 1860's. After three years of mining and finding little gold, miners abandoned the area. In about 1890 the City Council built a dam and converted the area into a recreational park and water reservoir for the City of Wellington. Later after discovering the reservoir was situated immediately atop the Wellington Fault, (big earth quakes occur here) the reservoir was retired and the space was dedicated totally to an eco-restoration project to preserve endangered native species.

Fenced-off to keep the good stuff in and the bad stuff out, this eco-preserve is home to plants, trees and at least 16 species of birds and lizards that are native to New Zealand. Most of which are endangered. The song birds were in full chorus. I wish I could share the whistles and melodies we heard. It was a lovely afternoon and a good physical work-out as well—many of the trails went straight-up for a long, long way and then back down, in a path so steep that I began to worry about slipping on the dry rocks and soil. We saw the old gold-mine and walked back into the darkened narrow, low-ceiling mine shaft - not a good experience for me. I am no lover of caves! They are just creepy.

Afterwards we had a lite lunch of the of salami-pesto wraps, white wine and an apricot slice at the Rata Café, inside Zealandia. Just look up a recipe for Apricot Slice on Google. It's like fudge, but better. Yummy!!! Rata Cafe is a very nice place to relax and eat! By then it was after 4 pm. Tired; just tired, we made our way back to our quite little space in Kelburn.

I must add that I'm beginning to get that nervous feeling. You know, that feeling you get when you know something wonderful is evaporating far too fast. Today is March 10 - we leave this area of the world on March 26 - far too soon.