My brother has given me £150 to spend on coffee while I am in New Zealand. So after I arrived yesterday, Ratnavyuha and I went to One-2-One Café in Ponsonby, Auckland, and drank coffee and ate cake. The cafe reminded me of the Boston Tea Party in Bristol, with its garden seating. But it’s winter here in NZ, and slightly too cool to sit outside. It was a quiet Wednesday afternoon. In the park where we had been walking there were many Pakeka – the Maori name for what in Europe we call the Purple Gallinule – garish great rails, with red beaks, purple bibs and silly big feet. And in the lake were slithering eels in meshed tangles. Like the feel of my thoughts at certain moments, like on solitary retreats, and after a very long flight.
A Blue Chasm 
Great to think of you in NZ my home land! I think you mean Pukeko re the birds. Pakeha is the white man. Best not to muddle them up but maybe we are also rather ridiculous looking with silly big clumsy feet too!
Whoops, I blame the jet lag!
Hi Dhivan,
Glad you got there alright. Sounds delightful! Hope you get enough time to chill out and relax after all that marking of papers and teaching that you have done this year.
Very generous of your brother to keep you in coffe for the trip!
Look forward to your next post,
Love, Padmadipa
Hello Padmadipa, not much chilling out, but no marking of essays either!
Glad you arrived safe and sound. Coffee looks great. During the two months we were there we experienced superlative coffee from north of the North to south of the South. I also recommend to try hot chocolate…served in NZ with marshmallow! Love Mark