(Pictured above Gisborne library post earthquake)A cheerio to Rob and Lou's hospitality and a long drive East to Gisborne which is the first city in the World to see the sunrise each day, land of the surfers and 36 hours ago a 6.8 earthquake on the Richter scale. You know most people would turn the car around.
Gisborne is also home of Sharon and her husband Arron who I will spend my first ever Southern Hemisphere xmas and new year there (earthquakes and natural disasters permitting). Back in the day Sharon and myself were the first official Distillery Guides for the superb single malt Clynelish in Brora. It was a fantastic job and I know that I was sorely missed on leaving by the three of the farm hens at the still who used to share my cheese pieces each lunchtime.
As I drove through Waioeka Gorge on the way to Gisborne hunger caught up with me and Lou's pack lunch was outstanding. As I gorged (see what I've done there) on four boiled eggs I imagined kiwi mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary would have appreciated such as feast as he stepped forward to conquer Everest. Where am I going with this.....I digress.
No sooner had I arrived at Sharon and Arrons than they whisked me to one of the local vineyards famous to the Gisborne valley and my first ever tasting. Fully informed on the suttle nuances of wine production we then sat out amongst the vines to a Bushmere Estate platter of cheeses, olives and a host of other tasty treats. Oh and an ice cold Bushmere Viogner 2006.Arron then drove us around Gisborne for a bit of local history including Captain Cooks original, statue and a second statue that looks nothing like him. Apparently at the time of the second statue it did not take onlookers long to notice the lack of resemblance to Cooksy and that the uniform was not even that of the British navy. I suppose even sculptors have their off days.
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