A final look at winter in New Zealand

Ohope Beach on the eastern shore of North Island rests at about the same latitude as San Francisco. So, unlike the Oregon coast in winter where rain can fall for days on end and be quite cool, Ohope Beach enjoys a goodly amount of sun and mild winter temperatures. Meg and I had overpacked our cold weather clothing--our packing would have been appropriate for South Island which is much colder in the winter.

Frankly, it was a delightful way to beat the August heat of La Grande. We did have a few days where we were homebound in the rain, but most of the days we were able to take long walks on the beach, enjoying the sounds of waves, the beach combing, the light. And, of course, the time with Sebastian and Emma, and Matt and Teresa was full of fun.

So, we have seen New Zealand in the summer, the spring, the winter. Hopefully we will be able to make a trip in March or April and enjoy it in the fall.