Crickets and Cicadas Sing a Rare and Different Tune

When we finally returned to Nelson, it was the middle of summer. All over town was the sound of Cicadas. They were climbing over the trees and telephone poles. They eat the foliage and drop their exoskeletons all over the place. It looks like popcorn on the floor of a movie theatre after a cartoon show.

So we're sitting out in the yard, enjoying a cuppa, when who should show up but our friends, Phil and Shirley. Phil and I had a secret goal for this visit that involved the Internet. Shirley is a user but still has dial up. She is the only person in the entire country of New Zealand to not have broadband. She has it figured that for her, it is the right plan. Reminds me of how Rick thinks he has the proper cell phone plan.

By the way, Shirley is a huge fan of the color purple (who isn't?). Her car, clothes, mailbox, everything..is purple. Phil is a house painter and has told me how difficult it was for him to paint his lovely little kitchen in a deep purple color.

Anyway, we were going to convince her to switch to high speed connection. But before we knew it, Shirley switched topics to tramping, which is like hiking, but with much more trudging and carrying stuff on your back. She does this a lot.

Before I knew what was happening, Shirley invited Kimberly to go off into the mountains for a few days, and she was all for the idea. Next, Kimberly started inviting Phil and I to come along. I resisted...they insisted..we took some sort of a vote, and I lost 51-49. I always lose these things by the same margin.

I don't mind a small saunter through the forest, but several days? Schlepping a backpack that would make a Marine cringe? Sleeping in a hut in the middle of nowhere? Dealing with sand flies and mosquitoes? But I lost the vote and said I would go.

The next morning, Phil brought over a couple of tramping packs for us to borrow.

Kimberly took the purple one.

We went, we came out alive. The next post in a few days will tell you all about how this bright idea went down. Stay tuned.