Gandalf the Grey

25^th March – onwards (Canvastown)

Wednesday 25th March. It was our last day of any freedom before stricter measures are implicated across New Zealand. We made the most of it, walking the Queen Charlotte Track from Anakiwa to Mistletoe Bay and back (~ 20 km). We were social distancing, but that was not hard with the whole track deserted. The consequence was an extremely peaceful walk… except for… yep you guessed it… non-stop talking from Mum. The highlight (excluding my cheese and tomato sandwich) was the Grove Arm Viewpoint, which had stunning views down the valley. The blue of the water was beautiful and the whole shot reminded me strongly of Norway. We’ve also been so lucky with the weather and it was another glorious day. The walks had some ups and downs (both literally and figuratively) and it was strange thinking this country will now be my home for the foreseeable future. The evening was magical. A new couple arrived who were stranded (trying to get to the north island) and we shared a drink and some stories, before dinner, glow worms and a stunning night sky. A fitting final evening for the dream team.

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The rollercoaster continues. After an early morning walk to make the most of the New Zealand air, we dropped mum at the airport in Blenheim, did a big supermarket shop and I embarked on the next chapter of my life as Kiwi Rob. The last 10 days have contained some of the best moments of my life and it wouldn’t have been possible without the company of mum. Not every boy can say that… The future is as uncertain as ever but the memories of this week will last a lifetime. With unprecedented levels of stress ‘Gandalf the Grey’ would be an equally appropriate new nickname, especially as the beard is in drastic need of a trim…

I have also set up a charity fundraising page… it has been something I have wanted to do for a while and reflects some of the experiences I had in Cambodia:

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/stay-home-and-smile

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This afternoon I decided to become an expert in glow worms. There is a grotto at the bottom of the garden and hey… I have the time… so why not?

Here are my top 5 glow-worm fun facts:

1. Glow-worms are the larva of a fly known as a fungus gnat. They are carnivores and use a glowing light to attract insects (mostly flying insects) into sticky threads which is sort of like a spider web, as they sense vibrations from their prey. The brighter the light shines…the hungrier the glow-worm is… When the thread has been pulled up the glow-worm bites the insect and kills it, then either sucks out the juices or eats the entire body. GRIM…

• The glow-worm’s blue-green tail-light shines from an organ which is the equivalent of a human kidney. The chemical reaction that produces the light consumes a lot of oxygen which is provided by an airbag surrounding the light organ. It’s cool science.

• They live in damp dark places, like the riverside grotto at the bottom of my garden and their lights resembles a star-filled night sky. It’s fairly magical. The Māori call them Titiwai, which refers to lights reflected in water.

• Adult glow-worm flies are never caught in the snares as they are not attracted to the light, and even if they brush against the sticky threads they are strong enough to pull free…

• The entire cycle takes 10-11 months, consisting of the egg (3 weeks), larva (6-9 months), pupae (2 weeks) and adult stages (2-3 days). The only stage they can eat is the larva stage (the glowy part) and as adults they simply mate and lay eggs… It’s a strange life…

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