Reception is patchy here so it's been difficult trying to arrange with my sister when and where to meet up. I'm not going to make it to their place by foot in time for her birthday BBQ so they've offered to come and collect me then drop me back on the trail. Trouble is there's a 12km stretch between Koitiata and the nearest publicly accessible road. Having not heard back I decided to set out along Turakina Beach; if the worst came to the worst I could always turn back.
Which is precisely what I did about a kilometre down the beach when my phone finally pinged as it received messages that had actually been sent last night. Aevryl and Kenny could pick me up around 9:30, and we'd all be back well in time for me to get clean and fresh before the BBQ lunch. So I walked back to the campground and sat at a picnic table in the playground to wait. A nice couple in a caravan asked where I was going and offered me a lift, and a few people out walking their dogs stopped to chat, and soon a familiar white station wagon appeared round the corner. Poor Ellie the dog didn't recognise me right away and growled a bit before she let me scratch her ears. I tried not to be offended.
Back at Aevryl and Kenny's I got clean and then, while Aevryl and Kenny were out, got into the kitchen and raided their pantry to whip up a chocolate cake for Aevryl's birthday.
Around lunchtime another of my sisters, Fiona and her family arrived, followed by a contingent from Kenny's side, and we all settled out on the deck for a wonderful meal. In between discussions ranging from Stevens solar cooker (a tinfoil lined box that in 1.5 hrs cooked a very nice gumbo) to the Americanpresidebtial candidates, we were amused every now and then by the antics of a young sow pig who had showed up unexpectedly the day before. Then she had been in company with a young boar, but when Kenny phoned Animal Control they only managed to catch the boar before the sow scarpered back over the paddocks from whence she came. But today she was back and since Animal Control wouldn't be called out again til Monday she rapidly made herself at home. While shy and cute at first she rapidly got bolder to the point where she would nip Kenny's heals, and even come into the house if we left the door open. She's also leaving lots of very smelly piles on the lawn (that even the dog is taking exception to) so the sooner Piggy's owners are found the better.
After lunch we all chilled out and I engrossed myself in a book. Marjorie has a collection of Georgette Heyers I've not read so I'm eager to devour at least one while I'm here.
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