To extrapolate – content

To extrapolate – content

Notes and observations basically…

Timaru house – Feb/Mar 2025

Lodgings were accessed by driving up big winding hill

There was a classic large lollypop looking tree in front of a two storey weatherboard house on am adjacent hill. Reminded me of a Peter Jackson film – amd the film ‘burbs- – beetlejuice too? The sleepy seaside hamlet vibe.

The place itself was quite delapedated. Entry down a short srt of stairs and into the kitchen. Looks and smells like the 70s… short kitchen bench a dark red thick lino that has a small curve at thebavk – and a stainless steel sink.

And, in the pantry, a small set of hamdmade steps – three in total – leads to a narrow door with the front end of a cat painted on it to look like it is half way around the door – leads to a small bunk room – we later decided it was probably a converted garage. It also had a washer in it. And stank… reminded me of living in the basement in Hackney… very dank…and the smell of old washing powder…

On the obverse of the door, the ther half of the cat, this time coming into the room… was it to help entice the children into not thinking it was a strange arrangement…. does beat going out then back in, just to go to the toilet…

Oh, and the stars. Just more…

Lots of little knobby islands

So, on one side of an estuary is Timaru – the other, flatter side, about 500 to 750 meters across the water, is Pi. The only way from one to the other by road, is a 26 minute drive. Or, a short ferry ride. Or a boat if you have one… The whole set up reminded me of LOTR when they crossed the river on the ferry to get away from the black riders…

The more I travel in NZ, the more i see connections to LOTR films – not sure if they were intentional or not… but not fussed one way or the other… either way, it makes it more meaningful for me;)

Section 4 and 31… Whites lookout – the descent from the summit and down into a smallish glade – sheltered from the spund of the ocean on the whites side, and the piha side to a lesser extent. Is like descending into a room, or pair of rooms. Seems to make for a logical game screen, or pair of them… self contained…

The age of plants -more things grow on yhem as thet age – and in differe t places – mini vine up trunk – wispy air plant in the branches etc…

PIHA – way good fresh food cart – the circle of paying forward… chillis mega hot

PIHA – the concrete lizard thing – a celebration of a thing – in stone but some how alive…

PIHA – the general clandestine use of concrete for impromptu local needs… do they feel abandonded by the council? They are fixing and improving things off their own bat – but they arent necessarily safe… a grassroots movement…P

PIHA – rocks stacked up – i mean, its such a cliche, but its a good vibe – the challenge is to balance them precariously – e.g. small with a very wide one on it – then with two or three on it – precarious. Ludicrous…

The little sprouting seed things in the rockpools – like audrey 2…or some lynchian beastie. They really do look like they are about to stand up and say something to you…

Whites track – officially disconnected from the beach and closed – less traffic means more leaf litter