Easter Weekend in the Wairarapa

The Easter School holidays in New Zealand started with the sudden onset of dark evenings, as the clocks turned back an hour on the night of Easter Saturday. After an incredible summer it was an abrupt change for everyone to be plunged into darker evenings; but it is only fair that the northern hemisphere get a share of the daylight!

We spent Easter weekend in beautiful Martinborough. We had planned to spend the weekend catching up with old friends, but their stay was cut short with sudden news that their much loved brother, and uncle, had passed away. He was only in his thirties and a father too. His death was totally unexpected, with him failing to wake up on a Saturday morning. It was one of those moments that make you take stock of your own life, and that of everyone you hold dear. After the tragic news our friends packed up and headed home to help their family.

Back in Martinborough our young family continued with Easter celebrations, having finished the school term with a beautiful service at the Wellington Cathedral.

Our younger two children searched the garden for chocolate eggs on the morning of Easter Sunday (with our oldest daughter kindly taking photographs and making sure our dog, Monsieur Cocoa, didn’t run off with any chocolate!).

Our youngest was delighted with her finds!

We spent the rest of the day enjoying the last farmer’s market of the summer (which hubby and the older girls cycled to), before taking a scenic drive to the Wairarapa’s south coast, where we visited the Cape Palliser lighthouse and seal colony.

Our younger two enthusiastically climbed the 252 steps to the lighthouse.

The view of the South Wairarapa coast from the top was worth the climb.

We paused long enough to catch our breath and take a few mandatory photos.

Anyone in there?!

A selfie of hubby and I…

Before carefully descending the steps to be greeted by a flock of sheep being rounded up.

One of the sheep decided he wasn’t having any of the rounding up business. He bolted for the sea, to have a cool down, and nearly had a run in with a seal. A shepherd was on hand to guide the reluctant sheep back to the flock.

After all the excitement we took a short drive further down the road to see a gorgeous colony of seals. There was a pool where a group of baby seals were happily frolicking around.

They seemed to be having a marvellous time, whilst presumably waiting for their parents to return from fishing up something for lunch.

The final drive back to Martinborough was appreciated by Monsieur Cocoa in particular…

A beautiful Easter Sunday and we were just so glad the weather held together for the weekend.

Unfortunately a cold southerly blast came through after the weekend, just in time for the school holidays – but we were grateful for the chocolate stash left over from Easter!