Our move to Wellington yesterday went well, considering the number of difficulties we faced as it approached. I'll elaborate on that later, but I want to dedicate this post to our wonderful home in New Plymouth, Taranaki, which I believe is the most naturally beautiful place we've ever lived.
You'll notice that almost all of these pictures are from my bike ride to and from work. While this is a fairly narrow slide of the abounding beauty in Taranaki, it is the part that is closest to my heart, and the part that I am already missing, so it is appropriate for it to be massively overrepresented. Mount Taranaki is also prominently featured, but I'm not sure that it could ever be "overrepresented," because it is the pride and joy of Taranaki. I will miss my repeated feelings of surprise and awe whenever I looked up and saw it.
Note: I have posted more detailed accounts (and different pictures) of everything in this post, so if you want to see more, look back over past posts.
Mount Taranaki, with the Te Rewarewa Bridge in front of it. I don't think I'd ever photographed it from this far back, but I actually love the effect.
A fellow biker saw me taking pictures one morning and offered to take one of me in the amazing surroundings. I took some of her as well, and we had a lovely little conversation about how stunning Taranaki is.
Mount Taranaki over Lake Rotomanu.
This is on my way down to East End Beach, where I went walking with Rachel almost every weekend. I will so miss our walks and talks!
This is when I'm almost to work. It's this little swampy area that seems incongruous with the flax, beaches, rolling grassland, and ocean all around it. But it is beautiful, and I love it.
These two horses have been my good friends for over a year and a half. I said good morning and good afternoon to them each day. Also, they taught me the interesting lesson that horses can actually lay down to rest, if they want. (J says that American horses don't do that). I wish I could have captured the best part of this in the picture - the horse that is laying down is reaching out with her long lips and munching on grass. Lazy, but wonderful!
Another view of the Te Rewarewa Bridge over the verdant green grass.
Coming up to the bridge, there are beautiful rows of huge harakeke (flax) plants, and I love the view of the bridge peaking over them (on the right).
Looking down from the peak of Paritutu Rock, we discovered the Mermaid Lagoon from Peter Pan! Isn't it magical? And if you look closely, you can see that there is a waterfall on the far side, which is perfect.
Mount Taranaki from the peak of Paritutu Rock.
A fitting finale: From Paritutu Rock, you can take a picture of the snowcapped Mount Taranaki and the ocean. We are privileged to have lived in such a uniquely situated and beautiful place.
I know that this move to Wellington is a positive one for us, but I have learned to love New Plymouth, and am sad to leave. As always, when we move away from a place, it is very difficult to leave the people to whom we have become attached, and that is true now as well. But I think that this is the first time that I feel so sorrowful to leave the actual, physical place. Looking at these pictures, and those that I've posted in the last year and a half, I think you can understand why.
Fortunately, I have great things to look forward to in Wellington, which is also a beautiful place. And with that positivity in my future, I am able to be thankful for the time I did get to live in New Plymouth, rather than sad that I have now left it. And that's a good place to be.
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