Return to New Zealand 2000

Colin invited Muriel and me to travel to Opotiki to be there for our sister Helen’s 70th birthday on 25th July. We accepted the invitation. I booked our travel tickets in the local Co-op Travel Agents who offered us free travel insurance.

On the day of departure we met in Heathrow, Muriel having travelled from Tonbridge by taxi and Michael accompanied me on the train and Underground. We were travelling by Singapore Airlines via Singapore to Auckland and we had a really comfortable journey. Every hour the air hostesses brought us a carton of cold fresh water and before each meal a packet of nuts as an appetiser. I had ordered vegetarian meals which turned out to be far more delicious than the meat meals. We had a leisurely wait in Singapore before changing to an Air New Zealand plane to Auckland where Colin’s wife, Maria, whom we had not yet met, was to meet us before midnight. She had not yet arrived when we emerged and we saw a Filipino lady and asked her if she was Maria but she wasn’t.

Maria eventually came in to where we were and she drove us across to a motel where the three of had a deep sleep and next morning hot showers and then a really good breakfast. Maria drove us the 200 miles to Opotiki, and travelling through the beautiful landscape was far more enjoyable than flying in a small plane to Whakatane, as we had done in 1981.

Thus began a wonderful time with Helen and her lovely family. Colin’s and Maria’s sons, Andrew aged 9 and Michael aged 7, were delightful boys. One day Colin took Muriel on the back of his motorbike and I went as pillion with Maria on the quad bike while Michael rode his own little motorbike to the foot of Laurence’s Hill which Colin and I then climbed. On reaching the top, puffed out, I was encouraged when Colin told me that my climbing that 1000-foot hill was as much an achievement as if it were Anna reaching the peak of Everest! Down below the others had been watching our progress through binoculars. When we arrived at the house they were all eating lunch and a neighbour and his son were there, too. At this time Helen and Jas were still running the farm which then included the adjoining farm previously been owned by Laurence Drummond and they had moved to the bigger house on Drummond’s side of the farm. Colin and Maria lived in the former farm bungalow where we had stayed in 1981.

On Helen’s birthday Maria had prepared a great spread and invited many guests - friends, relatives and neighbours. Although it was their winter, it was warm enough to sit outside. Helen was very close to Annie Eggleton, Jas’ brother Maurice’s wife. Maria drove us to visit Annie and Maurice one day and Maurice made some delicious brown bread for us in his bread-making machine. Another day she drove us with the boys to Awakeri Hot Springs which had been turned into a real touristy centre since we had been in 1981. Many’s the outing she took us on, including a visit to the hairdresser. Helen at this time was suffering badly from leg ulcers and a nurse came each morning to clean and dress the wound. A surgeon had cut the rotted flesh right down to the bone and it was quite pitiful to see what pain she was suffering. The day of departure arrived and Muriel and I felt sad. Helen was going with us when Maria drove us back to Auckland. They were going to spend the night in the motel when Muriel and I had departed and Maria’s sister, Janet, with her partner and her son and daughter met us and we enjoyed a meal together. The moment when Muriel and I were about to disappear from view at departures I looked back and just broke down when I witnessed the look of sorrow on Helen’s face. We thought it was to be the last moment we saw one another. However, in 2013 Helen and Maria came to England for Muriel’s 70th birthday. Jas, Helen and Mike are no more but lovely memories remain.