Every second day or so and depending on atmospheric conditions, Husband and I go for a walk or cycle. Over a quick mid-day snack, we consult our map of the Waitakere Ranges and choose a trail within a 20km radius.
One of the best so far is just a little up the way from us. It is a bush walk called the Goodfellow Track, which takes about an hour via Fairy Falls.
Today we needed to go into Henderson for provisions (me) and mooch around Bunnings (Husband), so we decided to do the Goodfellow Track on our way. It was a beautiful – if blood curdling – day.
“Where’s my hat?” I said to Husband.
“What hat?”
“Well, any hat; although preferably woolly or fleecy and featuring ear flaps and insulation. Ooh- and a bobble.”
Husband was unreasonably unhelpful – possibly because I was describing an imaginary hat, but still. Anyway, I struck out on Goodfellow Track without headgear.
“My head is cold,” I grumbled.
“Well, walk faster,” said Husband.
About 20 minutes along the trail – I FOUND A HAT! We crossed a stream and there, lying to one side of the track, was a lovely, warm, woolly hat in exactly my size. Well, it wasn’t that lovely at the time, because it was soaked in mud; and obviously not that warm for the same reason. But it was indeed woolly and as for size, well a head’s a head. It’ll fit, even if I have to chop holes for my ears (which admittedly might defeat the purpose).
“Look!” I exclaimed, pointing.
“What?”
“A hat! Lovely, warm and woolly in exactly my size – perfect!”
“Isn’t it a bit . . . nasty?”
“Not at all, it’ll clean up great after I pick out the leaves and pine needles and the mud and – oh, are those dead spiders? – Just a moment while I give it a little rinse in the stream.”
Me at the top of the Goodfellow Track. Auckland City in the background to the East
I fear I have a kauri tree fetish. Sorry to subject you to it, but they really are the most astonishing trees. Husband took a photo of me standing next to it to give an impression of scale. Unfortunately, after five days of farm food in Oamaru, my waistline looks about equivalent in diameter to that of the tree – so that one’s staying on the hard drive
Part of Fairy Falls – it extends further up through the bush, but I couldn’t fit it all in the photo. We usually have a quick dip, but it’s getting a bit cryogenic
What’s wrong with this photo?
After a trek through the washing machine, my new hat is fantastic. It’s double-layer cashmere, reversible, in beige and dark baby blue. Perfect!
Nice story about the hat. Can I have it back now please?
Finders keepers