It was finally time to leave Waiheke on Saturday, January 13th. As good a way to celebrate my birthday as any.

 

I didn’t want to wear out my welcome with Tom & Christiane. I’d seen most of our friends and acquaintances, I’d had my haircut by Brenda and all that was left was a trip to the Ostend Saturday market.

 

Since the morning started out showery, many of the normal outdoor vendors didn’t show up so the market was pretty sparse for a summer weekend. But the morning improved and there were crowds of customers for those vendors who decided to brave it. Pieter seemed to have crowds at his plant stand and Russell hardly had time to sit down between customers for his lawn ornaments and other doodads. After chatting with them, it was off to the ferry. The 12:30 ferry, that I’d hoped to be on, was cancelled due to the weather, so I had to wait until 2:30.

 

I had lists of bits and pieces to get to re-equip the Bongo. When we packed up we took most of the household things that we carried when we went touring. All that was left was a few forks and spoons, a knife, a corkscrew, a can opener, three pots, two mugs and my little espresso maker and foamer.

 

I was off to the shopping center at Botany Downs and Repco Auto Parts, the Plastic Box, Hedgehog Bikes and the Warehouse for the bits and pieces. Peter and Ann Robson had invited me to come by and it was 6 pm by the time I’d made the rounds of the stores and headed off to Peter’s.

 

Peter and I spent time discussing the future of Fulcrum Technology Group and the Safe@School service, the reason that we came to New Zealand in the first place. I’d talked with another colleague, Paul Ranford, earlier in the week and will be getting together with him and Peter after the 24th, when Paul returns from his summer cruise.

 

Ann made a great veggie stir-fry for dinner and, having several empty bedrooms, asked me to stay the night, since it had become wet and rainy as it got later and it would have been a bit of a drive to the nearest campground, I readily accepted.