Three Friendly Kiwis

We have met many kind and friendly kiwis.  I'd like to tell you about three such persons.  The first one is Mary whom we met on the ferry.  I wrote about her in a previous blog, but I often think about her kind gesture of inviting us to spend the night at her cottage on the beach.

The second encounter occurred when we went to Hahei last weekend.  We were asking how to get to the start of the Cathedral Cove Walk when a lady named Sue piped in, "I live up on the top of the hill by the car park and it is "chocka full".  I know another beautiful hike that connects with the Cathedral Cove Walk."  When we finished "tramping" we spotted Sue and her husband along with another couple playing the French game----petanque, rolling silver metal balls toward a target.  Sue asked how we liked the trail and a conversation followed.  Then Sue asked us if we would like to go kayaking with them the next day as she had four kayaks and they could borrow a couple kayaks from the neighbors.  Unfortunately the next day was cool and rainy so instead of kayaking Sue invited us to their holiday home.  We followed them up the hill to a home that could have been featured in Architectural Digest---------stucco on the outside and ultra sleek contemporary on the inside.  As we drank coffee and nibbled on a fancy fruitcake, we had an entertaining conversation.  We exchanged phone numbers and addresses as they live in the Aukland area and we may be able to get together later.

The third encounter occurred this morning when I stopped at the Friday Market.  I looked at the fruit and produce, telling the saleslady that I would be back later as I didn't bring in my purse.  A woman next to me handed me a $20 bill and said that I could pay her back later.  She recognized my voice as I had talked with her on the phone about shipping her jams and black raspberry vinaigrette dressing back to the states.  I had never met her.

Would you invite a stranger to sleep in your home, go kayaking, or loan them money?