The weather was not particularly clement over the Christmas — New Year break, but whenever the sun came out, even if only a break in the clouds, I tried to grab some photographic evidence of having gone “there and back again.”

I used this on the SU for Jan 1: it’s Raumati South on the Kapiti Coast, looking toward Kapiti Is. The ‘spike’ is a NZ flax flower.

Sometimes, though, the season even managed a skerrick of sunshine — chiefly when I was en route with a ferry to catch or commitment to keep, so couldn’t linger too long to enjoy it.

Looking south toward Mana Island

Still, as alluded to on Christmas Eve, I’m grateful (to both our government and my fellow citizens for all playing our part) to have been in the position to travel and be with family and friends at all.

Mana & Kapiti Islands again, seen from the Cook Strait ferry, leaving Wellington harbour

And indeterminate weather and fleeting clear moments or not, some of the photos still ‘paint a picture.’

Entering the Marlborough Sounds, at the top of the South Island

The crossing between the North and South Islands always makes for a sense of “return”, even with ca. half the island still to go before reaching home.

Rain or shine, some sights never pall: seal colony on the Kaikoura Coast

But the sun was definitely out by the time we reached Kaikoura township.

The beachfront at Kaikoura

I hope you’ve enjoyed this road journey slice of my “there and back again.”

Take care, wherever you are, and stay as safe as possible in what appears to be the darkest hour before the dawn of widespread rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine.