This is figuratively true for all of us… but a shocking 16 inches of rain fell 5 days ago as I just started my visit … and it has been mostly raining since then.
No pretty pics this week- but instead will post some unusual sights such as photos of a bus, floating sideways down the street, the completely flooded international airport so that it looks like a shallow Olympic swimming pool!. My sister had been set to fly in tomorrow to join me but airport has been closed!
this poor bus driver! I saw video of this and he just floated back and forth sideways down the road. Sadly young people took to the streets on surfboards and 4 got sucked into the culverts and died so this storm is no laughing matter. Misery all over.
Also so many of the large grocery stores are under water… my town had the countdown supermarket with groceries floating in 4 ft deep water. All have to be thrown out and then restocked. All the homes with groceries floating in dirty water have also been asked to throw it out rather than risk fecal contamination… so the govt has asked once more for “Our Team of 5 Million” to be kind and buy only what you need as the stores restock and the whole city needs to replenish.
Airport- so miserable for the 2000 people stuck overnight that could not leave due to extreme flooding and had to spend the night on concrete floors. They couldn’t get supplies like bottle of water or toilet paper through to them from warehouse they keep such things in for emergencies so it was really bad and uncomfortable but no one could get through to rescue anyone.
Auckland is the largest city in NZ with 1.5 M people and this wide spread flood affected thousands. My close friend has her sofa and even dining room float around… when we opened her dryer, water poured out. The whole first floor has to be replaced.
Re: Rick and I
We weathered the storm well in a cottage we used to live in( loaned by a close friend) we sadly missed out on the Elton John concert which was cancelled due to torrential rain in large uncovered venue just 15 min before it started. We have been swimming in between rain storms and have been enjoying catching up with friends over cups of tea. And just enjoy going to the grocery store and pretending that we are still living on the beautiful island.
How sad I am for you. 😢
we made it thru and with si many hours to kill we watched The Godfather for first time over a few nights. I was 12 when it came out… Al Pacino and Diane Keaton so young.
two of my favorites! And Diane is still going as strong as ever! Waiting for Book Club 2 soon!
So sorry that your holiday has not been as you envisaged. I hope the weather takes a turn for the better. It’s the same in Auckland NZ. My sister-in-law said that there has been incessant rain and a lot of flooding.
yes that is where I am… on an island just 35 min away… it is considered a suburb of Auckland. Same horrible weather but I just am enjoying being back here.
It's Gotterdammerung, the twilight of the Gods. I am so sorry for the families of the young people that died and for all the people suffering in the airport and other places affected so badly. What I am glad about is that you are there, where you want be. God Bless!
so true! I am so happy even with 6 days of rain… but at the beach now!
Wow, that's really awful. Thanks for sharing all the pics. I was hoping to see more on tv of how NZ was really faring but never came across anything about it, besides the original article I'd seen! The deaths of the kids "surfing" is so horribly tragic. And I'd wondered about the airport (lovely airport too that I had a few hrs to kill in on my way home last year) but never imagined so many poor people getting stuck in it overnight! I am so glad you made it there before that happened! What a nightmare for them. I had seen a short video of inside a bus with passengers, and water swirling around their feet. They were laughing and I was thinking how they have no idea how quickly that can turn ugly and deadly. That bus driver in your pic will never forget that ride!!
I really hope the rain subsides soon so everyone can start the long clean up process, and before it gets dire with the food supplies. Glad you still have the ability to enjoy your friends company and hoping your sister can fly in soon! Stay safe 
what a start to your journey! I saw the photos and couldn’t believe how much rain was dumped on the city! It really was a one in a 100 yr weather moment! I hope you have blue skies from here on in 🌸
Wow...just crazy. I am glad you are enjoying yourself despite the rain on your parade. And take a swim for me!
When I saw the flooding in NZ, I thought of you and hoped you were in a safe place. May the weather gods be more kind to you during the rest of your trip. Thanks for the 📸.
Sharon
Thank you last night we gathered at the little community hall on my street which holds 50 and had a Folk Music sharing evening. I went with 2 fav couple friends and saw others. A local sang a song about pets snd kids being gone and moving to the island after 50 years and still loving each other..Made me tearful!
I saw an article the other day that there was flooding in New Zealand and thought of you. I'm so sorry you are experiencing all of this rain as I know how much you were looking forward to this trip. I hope you can still enjoy your time there and that the rain will stop soon. Sending hugs.
thank you my golfing friend! I was content most of the time just being here… when it was 98% humid it was to sticky ti enjoy but for the most part I just wish I could bottle my time here up. But the time inside allowed me to organize when to see everyone now that we can emerge from the house.
I'm glad you got to see your friends and enjoyed your time there. Hope you are feeling good. Sending hugs.
I'm so sorry about the flooding. Saw the news last night and thought of you. I was hoping the flooding didn't affect where you were!
I’m safe and happily hanging out pretending again that I live here.. so just hitting the grocery store most days, swim when I can and making visits to see friends. I want my visit to all to feel like I am living here, not racing around like a tourist… later when my sister snd friends come- we csn do some of that.
Enjoy!
I am so sorry to see the horrible flooding in NZ. I know you were looking so forward to the trip. I am glad you are safe. Hopefully the weather will change. You are one amazing lady. I pray for you and all the people of NZ.
thr prope of nz are amazing… pitching in to help neighbors.. so many heart warming stories
So sorry to hear that the weather has been so bad but happy that you are safe and still enjoying yourselves. Hopefully the weather will get better soon..
I’ve been following the floods in NZ a bit and it is quite sad. So happy to hear you have made the best of it. It is surreal seeing the images of flooded places I’ve been privileged to see in person. Living it must even more humbling. Stay safe, friend.
since you know how rainy it gets in winter and at times… this was a lot of rain by any standards. I hear 10 inches of rain suiting a 4 hour period… during the time everyone was sitting waiting for Elton John to come on stage. They cancelled only 15 min before the start so then 11k people went to find their way home in the worst of the downpour!
oh, gosh. That must have been a crazy mess. Thankfully New Zealanders are calm lovely people, so hopefully everyone made it safely home. Those poor folks at the airport, tho. Don’t the rains normally happen in winter and spring? It was unusually wet and cold when we were there, even into summer. My daughter fears this weather change may be more permanent than anyone wants because of the climate change issues happening globally. There has been no flooding in Cambridge where they are now but when they lived in Auckland she said there were flash floods all the time.
yes the rains usually mostly come in winter… but they have been having such a wet summer even before this. My daughter was here a few weeks before me and a wet cyclone hit. So that is one reason for the floods. The ground was already super saturated. And it is raining still day 7… and all night!
What a pity that your holiday is being flooded! I feel for you. I had a once in a life time chance a few years ago to be with all my family. We booked a beautiful house in NSW, and we got caught in these terrible fires. I shouldn’t complains as nothing happened to me, except for fear and constant running from the fear of getting trapped. But I know what it’s like to have a holiday wrecked. I hope you get a chance to enjoy some special times anyway.
that sounds terrible but glad everyone escaped. The Sydney fires caused us in Auckland ti have a few days of the most unreal sunsets… I took a pic of the sky towers against an orange sky. Pretty but I know that Australia was really suffering and so much loss of life of the poor animals. Broke my heart!
WOW!! Unbelievable photo!!
OMG That;s a lot of sump pumping
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