sumner beach excursion.

i didn't have classes today. 

score!

so i wandered over to campus and sorted out my schedule... 

and then decided i wanted to disappear for the afternoon.

as i was heading back to the flat to collect my things i ran into my friend shona who lives above me and she agreed to get on a bus and just see where we ended up.

oh man.

what a great plan. 

we took a bus way way out of the city to this little town called sumner.

we had lunch at a yummy little beachside cafe.

we had delicious coffees.

our friend tom came and met us for lunch and we all headed down to the beach.

before we went home we had to stop at this tiny ice cream shop right on the beach...

what's a day at the beach without ice cream?

even if it is 40 degrees outside.

we all got this ice cream called hokey pokey that you can only get in new zealand.

it is vanilla with these tiny, round bits of brickle. 

they are impossible to explain but it is like a crunchy, almost honeycomb or aerated toffee bit with a gooey outside that seeps into the vanilla.

it's incredible. 

the day at the beach was exactly what we all needed.

we got off campus and out of the city.

we got to see a little more of our home town.

we spent six hours running in the wet sand, climbing up cliffs and lighthouses and rock piles and exploring huge caves by the sea.

it was foggy and hazy and chilly and wonderful.

we were tired and happy by the time we sat on the sea wall and ate our ice cream. 

it was one of those "damn-i'm-so-happy-i'm-alive-and-in-this-exact-place-at-this-exact-time" moments. 

i love those.       

what a good day in my world. 

we just made homemade hot chocolate with boiling milk, chocolate chips, vanilla and coconut extracts and have snuggled in to watch a movie.

pretty perfect.

c

Comments

[Alice Christian]

I'll say pretty perfect. Your pictures are wonderful. I love the effects. Yum on the ice cream!

[www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawmdlU-D5K1S6qV1iDiDnXr_-gwsL-wdQ8I]

Christian....what a wonderful place!! I have a friend who lives in New Zealand. Her name is Beverley Sheldrick and she lives in Auckland. Are you anywhere near? She is a love and would love to show you her world if she is well. She has cancer and is fighting hard. Someday, we hope to visit that beautiful place also. Have a great time for this is a gift from God. Love you, Sue