Living the retirement dream

We are sharing our ideal retirement experiences.

Greytown New Zealand #2

On returning from the Tora Coastal Walk we had more adventures in store exploring the Wairarapa.

One day Helen and Sue drove us to Pūkaha National Wildlife Center which is a captive breeding facility in a protected forest area.

We went to see the kiwis but since they are nocturnal the room we went in was too dark to take photos so here is a picture from a google search of what they look like.

Kiwis are flightless birds endemic to New Zealand. They have loose hair-like feathers, no tail and strong legs allowing them to run as fast as humans. There are five species, four of which are currently listed as vulnerable and one near threatened. All species have been negatively affected by deforestation. The greatest threat to their survival is mammalian predators. They use their nostril at the end of their long beak to detect prey before they see it. This also helps them find food. They mate for life with relationships lasting up to 20 years.❤️

Kiwi eggs are 20% of the mother’s body mass and it takes up to thirty days to produce one egg with incubation lasting 70-90 days. Chicks emerge fully feathered and are self sufficient.

The park is lovely to walk through and many of the birds are flying free around you.

This is a kaka bird which is a large species belonging to the parrot family. They are considered highly intelligent and are usually heard before they are seen having a very distinctive high pitch screeching like sound.

They are extremely curious. You can see in this video a kaka flying over us and then feeding.

After he fed he landed on the railing and stared curiously at us.

Mushrooms growing off of a tree.

We went to watch the carolers singing in front of Greytown city hall. We were the only spectators. I think the golden retriever enjoyed the music the most though as you can see in this video.

Being a wine connosseur Helen delighted in taking us to the various vineyards for wine sampling. Today her choice was Urlar which is another Organic Viticulture Winery.

We opted for a bubbly blush wine to accompany our delicious lunch.

Our last stop on this day was Mt Dick Lookout that encompasses a view of all of the five towns in Wairarpa. this short video shows how high up we were ( 520m above sea level) and again the ever present wind.

Cocktail hour with Helen and Sue begins sometime after 5pm and followed by dinner then a movie or series.

Jim made his famous egg nog for the NYE party H&S were hosting for us to meet their friends. It has been 9 years since he has made it which was always for our Christmas Open House Party.

This was our last Christmas tree in Boston, 2016. It became a favorite sight for our neighbors to see during the holidays.

Cecilia, friend of Helen and Sue’s gave us this jig saw puzzle to work on during our stay. This was the final picture.

WASJIG Puzzles (JIGSAW spelled backwards) are just that. They are backwards puzzles so that the finished puzzle ends up a mirror image of the picture on the puzzle box. The top photo is the finished puzzle and the bottom photo is the picture on the puzzle box. Santa and Mrs Claus are looking into the misbehaving elves in the workshop. These are popular in NZ and very challenging since you don’t have the real picture to help put it together.

Christmas dinner preparation by Helen. We had a Roasted Turkey with homemade stuffing, a baked ham that had been marinating in a savory brine, Roasted potatoes and vegetables.

Christmas Day temp.

A Merry Christmas from the land of Kiwis. Jim is wearing a Kiwi hat.

Their beautiful garden of fruits, vegetables and flowers which they tenderly care for. Many of the things we ate were picked fresh from this garden.

Sue is a retired math teacher and volunteers at Cobblestone Museum two days a week staffing the front desk.

The Museum teaches you about Greytown’s early settlers and includes lovingly restored buildings bringing the past to life. It is rated #1 on trip Advisor.

The Old Wesleyan Methodist Church was built in 1865 with local timber from the mill.

One room school house built in 1902 for students 5-12 years old. Note the varying desk sizes needed for growing children.

First Hospital opened in 1875.

Scary looking dentist office

Even scarier hospital OR table and anesthesia cart.

Sandy took this oath 58 years ago 😮

Greytown has the most unique and charming homes. Here are a few samples.

Helen and Sue moved to Greytown five years ago and completly renovated this house. The upper level is their primary residence and the lower level is their one bedroom guest suite which has a separate side entrance. It is called “Charlie’s Place” which was named after their beloved cat who loved watching the reconstruction.

This is their house prior to renovation. They lived in the house for a year before renovating so they could get a good feel of light exposure and general feel of how they wanted the final outcome. They replaced all of the windows in kind and the exterior shingles. It took a year and a half before it was completed and we have to say they did a remarkable job and are quite pleased with the renovations and decision to live in Greytown.

Their very close friends Dierdre and Richard live down the street and invited us over for drinks and appetizers. This is their lovely yard.

Very inviting pool.

Dierdre is an avid gardener as you can see from these photos.

Helen making magic again in her kitchen, this prep is for the NYE gathering which will consist of small bites.

Ham

Egg Fried Rice

Sandy contributed her famous cookies; ginger snaps and shortbreads.

Some pictures of the NYE party. This is Matthew and Sara who convinced Sue and Helen to move here.

Matthew has retirement plans for him and Sara to rent their home and travel like we do.

On New Year’s Day we drove to see some local attractions in Wairarapa. This is Ferry Lake in the nearby town of Featherston.

Final New Year’s Day destination was Cape Palliser Light House built in 1897. It has a distinctive red and white striped cast-iron tower. The 250+ challenging steps to the lighthouse offer stunning views. The last keepers of the lighthouse were withdrawn in 1986 when it became fully automated its keepers houses are now private residences. Visitors cannot access the lighthouse.

We did not walk all the way to the top as Jim didn’t feel strong enough but we made it halfway to the viewing stand.

This is as far as we climbed.

The first sunset of 2026. Happy New Year.

That is pretty much of a wrap-up of Greytown as we have a couple of trips planned before we leave New Zealand on January 15.

Living our retirement dream

January 14, 2026

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