Author: TravellinPenguin

It feels great. Dogs have been picked up and bathed. They are now twice their size with fluff. The kitchen has food, laundry is done and real life is beginning again.

Now I have things to do such as read some books, renew my passport as I squeaked into New Zealand with just over 3 months left on it. Most countries require six months left, so got lucky. I think the best part of travel is anticipating it and then returning home exhausted. I also have to have my annual MRI on my brain next week before the MS specialist clinic appointment. Always things to look forward to.

I read Yeonmi Park’s book While Time Remains. It is an easy, interesting read but needs tighter editing as there is much repetition in it. The story is certainly worthwhile and her comparisons with what happening, politically in the USA comparatively with autocratically run countries is frightening. I really need to completely tune out my home country and only immerse myself in Australia’s systems. I would never go back.

On to more pleasant things. I have been continuing to listen to David Sedaris about 30 minutes each night. The book I have now is Carnival of Snackery. If you enjoy him as a writer and story teller you will enjoy this one and his books are so easy as a listen. The book club book I am about to begin is Between A Wolf and A Dog by Georgia Blaine. Our book group will discuss that book in May. I had not heard of it but it was published in 2016 by Scribe. Amazon describes it as:

WINNER OF THE 2017 VICTORIAN PREMIER’S LITERARY AWARD FOR FICTION

WINNER OF THE 2016 UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND FICTION BOOK AWARD

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2017 STELLA PRIZE

Outside, the rain continues increasing silver sheets sluicing down, the trees and shrubs soaking and bedraggled, the earth sodden, puddles overflowing, torrents coursing onwards, as the darkness slowly softens with the dawn.

Ester is a family therapist with an appointment book that catalogues the anxieties of the middle class: loneliness, relationships, death. She spends her days helping others find happiness, but her own family relationships are tense and frayed. Estranged from both her sister, April, and her ex-husband, Lawrence, Ester wants to fall in love again. Meanwhile, April is struggling through her own directionless life; Lawrence’s reckless past decisions are catching up with him; and Ester and April’s mother, Hilary, is about to make a choice that will profoundly affect them all. 

Taking place largely over one rainy day in Sydney, and rendered with the evocative and powerful prose Blain is known for, Between a Wolf and a Dog is a celebration of the best in all of us — our capacity to live in the face of ordinary sorrows, and to draw strength from the transformative power of art. Ultimately, it is a joyous tribute to the beauty of being alive.

I am looking forward to reading it.

Now I will leave you with some roadside photos of the southern island of New Zealand. My main photos taken with my big camera are still on the card. Those will be shared here and there in future but enjoy the drive.

Until next time.

So far we have had a very lovely, laid back trip. We don’t have long days of driving and stay at each destination for two nights. Weather has varied between beautiful days to pouring rain.

I have taken photos as we go. I’ll post up a few here. Looking forward to getting home and seeing our fur guys. We always misss the four of them when away. They are such a large part of our lives but all are in good hands.

Arrived into Queenstown last night to a very rainy welcome but it has since cleared up.

Tomorrow we head to Lake Topako then back to Christchurch. They had a 4+ earthquake the day after we left so we didn’t feel it but I understand people there felt it. Not an experience I aspire to.

Mr Penguin finished Yeomi Park’s book, While Time Remains and is now in my possession. I look forward to reading it. Will be back in touch.

I might add I gave up on Seven Moons of Maali Almeida. I’m sure it is an interesting, well written book to have won a Booker but the tale is extremely convoluted and violent from the point of view of a dead man. I will attend the book club meeting to hear about it but just not the book for me while enjoying travels and needs more concentration than I am willing to give at this time.

More soon…….

We have arrived. Christ Church is a lovely city. Tomorrow we pick up a car and begin circle of the south island. I will try to post but as it is a rainy day there is time. Not sure if the weather becomes gorgeous. 😀🐧

Just sharing some photos with captions today.

Mr Penguin picked up this book. I met her at the Sydney Writers festival years ago and was so impressed. Her first book is simply amazing of her escape from North Korea. We both admire her so much.

Time for afternoon tea.