Christmas is all too quickly over and we head home. Nic drives me to Queenstown and I have several hours to kill so I walk to Uncle Owen's for a chat and a cup of tea. He was married to my mother's sister, Ray, and at 92 is the second oldest in the family. My mother's family, the Morrises, grew up in Invercargill, 4 girls and a boy, but everyone has moved away. Most of us are still in the South Island and many in the Central Otago area. The south is home for me and I've worked four summers in Queenstown, two in the early 80's and two a decade later at Gibbston Valley. The Queenstown Basin was a lot quieter then and it was possible to find somewhere to live. One of my flats was an old house in Henry Street. We were three university students two others, all working in hotels. The old wooden house had gaps in the floor and disappeared some time in the 90's. I also lived with Ray and Owen, biking out to Gibbston Valley Winery in the early morning. Twenty years ago the only vehicles which passed me were a tourist bus and the bungy bus.
I head for the lake to swim. Mountain lakes are notoriously cold and I'm the only swimmer. Lots of people in boats and jet skis though. The water level is high but Wakatipu is clear and I can see the lake bottom. Owen takes me to visit my cousin Sally who has a houseful. A gin and a cup of tea later I'm on the plane. It's good to be home.
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| Queenstown Airport- Debbie from Clyde |
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| The Remarkable backdrop for Queenstown airport |
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| Morris family Christmas in Invercargill, 1976 |
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| Home again |
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