Palmy

Terminada la caminata de 4 dias, nos dirigimos a Napier, ciudad que fue destruida en un terremoto de 1930, y cuando deciden restaurala, estaban en la epoca del Art Deco, motivo por el cual, en el centro de la ciudad podias hacer un tour a pie por el boulevard donde predminaban construcciones bajo esta tendencia. 

Waking up after a terrible and destructive earthquake, with sky high debts and in the middle of the Art Deco movement, Napier was constructed or better said reconstructed in this context. Walking on its boulevards gave faint memories of Miami. Apart from this sniff of architecture, 15000 cal in fish and chips after hiking and the first medium to upper range wines after leaving Auckland in the Hawke's bay vineyards our visit to Napier was rather short.

Despues de Napier, llegamos a Palmerston... a casa de Felix y Clari... (Felix, es amigo de Johan de cuando hizo el intercambio hace casi 10 anos en Argentina)...fueron dias realmente reponedores, nos sentimos como en casa. Llegamos justo para navidad, y nos unimos a una fiesta latina en casa de otra pareja de argentinos, donde estaban haciendo un cordero al palo, fue lo mas delicioso que probe, bueno despues de haber estado 4 dias de caminata comiendo atun, latas de frejoles y noodles, todo me sabia sabroso...jajaja pero el cordero realmente estaba exquisito. 

With a slight anxiety and a lot of expectations, I stepped over the doorstep of one of my Concordia-Argentina soulmates. After 10 years of barely communicating, but with past moments such as soccer games, fishing trips, history classes, tennis matches and long party nights fresh in mind, what has a friendship become? Apparently, boys will be boys. We spent a great few days in Palmerston North in "casa" of Felix and Clari and a third one very soon to come. Obviously, some Argentinian barbecues were a must so we were invited in each and every Argentinian bbq taking place in the Manawatu province during that period, with great food, a few (too much) beers and wines and great warm company. 

Los dias siguientes fuimmos de paseo a un Tambo (lugar donde se trabaja con ganado) ... intentamos pescar truchas en el rio, fuimos a pasar un dia de playa, hicimos asado en casa de Felix con hamburguesas de sus "chicas" (las vacas con las que trabaja en el tambo), jugamos a las cartas, hicimos un paseo en kayak por la laguna, y Johan hizo un paseo largo con Felix en kayak por el rio que recorre Palmerston... en todas estas actividades, Clari estaba presente (y estaba embarazada de 8 meses y medio) no se como lo hacia, quede impresionada de la energia que tenia para hacer todas esas actividades con nosotros, idola!

One of the highlights was a day kayaking down the Manawatu river. After practising on the pond of the universitty and counting on an impeccable kayak, 17 km as the crow flys, strong currents which would take us at at least 20 km/h and 2 athletic young men, we calculated the trip through the gorge and down to Palmerston at around 2 hours. A slightly damaged kayak, 30 km including the river bends, nearly standing water at some stages delivered the 2 young athletic men roughly 6 hours later to the Manawatu river banks in Palmerston ready to be picked up and for a beer. At least another kayak enthusiast was born.

Beach, farm life, many bbqs and conversations later and with a sense that this beautiful family might very soon expand as well as with a sense of regret we took the road again. 2 days later we got the good news that Sarita was born and Clari was doing very well. Congratulations!!!! ... and thank you so much, we will see you soon.

Friendship is such a rare, precious but sometimes powerful thing. 5 years living "only" separated by the Andes without meeting, it took me 10 years and getting to New Zealand to see my very good friend again.