EC-Rider Travels

We had a lovely quiet day with Susie with lots of reminiscing about her time in the UK of which she had very fond memories. She is completely adorable and it was so interesting to hear about her life on their huge, remote farm. This is now divided between her three boys, Henry, Sam and Beau. All married to gorgeous girls with lots of children all growing up together.

She told us of the devastating effects of the earthquake in November 2016. I do remember it, but being relatively soon after the Christchurch quake in 2011, I don’t think it received the same level of publicity in the UK. And what we certainly had not appreciated was that it literally struck across the Todhunter and Murray properties. At 7.8 magnitude, it was one of the biggest earthquake ever recorded in New Zealand and the stories we heard about houses literally being lifted and shunted along from their foundations, the coast road and the railway line being completely destroyed, the sea bed in the bay lifting by about 2metres (at one point 5m) and the bridges over the Clarence River being washed away, were vert sobering. It completely destroyed people’s properties and their lives. Much has now been rebuilt but scars, both physical and emotional, remain.

Mary and Bob Kingscote came for lunch and in the evening we went to the ballet. Susie’s grandchildren, Isabelle and Felicity (aged 5 and 7) were performing in their Christmas show – it was the sweetest thing you have ever seen and I loved every minute. Susie kept introducing me as from the Royal Ballet – which caused great excitement! Luckily I was not asked to give a demonstration!