and i thought the sea was breathtakingly beautiful yesterday — you should see it today!  but i digress.

sickened by the scenes of the japanese slaughter of whales on television, a group of local environmentalists and artists assembled today at waiotahi beach, just east of ohiwa and the home of the annual new year’s day beach sculpture competition, and sculpted a life-size (or larger) whale, with a sign protesting the continuing, "sanctioned" activity of japanese whalers.

it is just by the two tall totem-like sculptures for which the beach is known, if you are local and wish to have a look.

i had to go into town to courier some belongings which one of my guests left behind, and to buy you some fancy soaps, bath salts and lotions for the bathrooms. i had a look at the massive sculpture on the way through; it is impressive, and a strong statement of whale love.

that’s today’s news.  more tomorrow…

in love? how about a romantic weekend or week or two…  time can stand still for those in love. 

moonlight walks on the beach.  floating together in the sea.  spending the day in bed.  soaking  together in your spa bath or under the stars in the outdoor bath…

the upper room has hosted many couples newly in love, or deeply in love after years together. will you add yourselves to the illustrious list?

aurum’s new east and west guest rooms are the perfect romantic setting for love to blossom and grow.  privacy and luxury and peace.  deep spa bath of your own.  the finest bed available. soft robes.  luxurious linens.  intimate dining.  

aurum was built to honor the Beloved.  there is even talk of a wedding on the grounds.

treat yourself and your beloved to our retreat.  you will be glad you found us.

peaceful, spacious, expansive views.  understated luxury, modern appliances and exquisite bedding blend with country antiques in relocated cottage with wraparound deck. originally a "sleepout" with enough room for one single bed and the ability to walk around 3 sides of it, then expanded to a shed for processing local pohutukawa honey,  then possibly serving as a sleepout/respite for teenage boys from violent homes, providing them a safe and calm place to do their schoolwork, and then serving as a shed, then deteriorating, which is when i bought it.

a bit of love was all it needed.  it began a new life as a much more spacious sleepout, then as a venue for meditation and prayer, and various spiritual workshops, marae style. it has also served as a bit of a honeymoon sleepout for more than several couples.  and then it was reinvented as an art gallery for a local collective of artists, a successful and rewarding experience in its time.  while lovely in its bush setting, it got little sun.

i hatched the plan of adding a toilet & shower and a kitchen sink & bench/counter and renting it out.  well, one thing led to another, and the"whare" as it was lovingly known was relocated to a sunny, treetop "possie" (position) and a new tiled bathroom built alongside it, and the upper room was created.  it has had a new gas cooktop and a convection/microwave/grill oven added for the new year.

also new this year is the day spa next door…

and the lovely bush bath awaits, with the stars and moon above, the estuary and sea below…

come on, you deserve it.

ever asked for a sign to know what step to take next?

well, aurum’s signs are up, so there you go, or here you come…

it took 3 men to put up one sign, then two men could handle the others, but they are all in place to show you the way to my own little bit of heaven.  the waves are crashing to shore (not rough, just loud because i’m so close) and the native birds are singing and the plumber is drilling.  the plumber will finish in an hour, but the ocean and the birds won’t. 

the showers above the deep, luxurious spa baths are the last thing to go in.  all is finished after i paint some woodwork and clean and finish one curtain.  perhaps tonight all will be ready for you to drive up my new driveway…

many thanks go to all those who have worked so hard for so long to make this possible.

oh, a wee story.  i made the electrician an espresso, my best one yet.  don’t know how i could improve on it, really.  anyway, i walked out of the house up two meters of steps and by the time i got to the top, two pohutukawa stamens were in the coffee, a new zealand christmas coffee it was.

yesterday we had our christmas "break up," punctuated by the chocolate cake with bourbon & almonds, with a rich ganache icing.  yummy.  i still have two pieces…

the earth moved for me last night.  and i think i’m not the only one that felt it.  the hanging ceiling lights were swaying and my open front door was moving back and forth.  they call new zealand "the shaky isles" and this is why.

two weeks back my cousin came from the united states to help me prepare my place to receive you.  i was lying down and he was sitting reading when we had an earthquake.  only he didn’t feel it.  came all this way and missed it.  i reckon he’d have felt last night’s one, however.

we had quick sharp shakes, followed by slower shakes similar to a heart beat, then long slow rolls.  it was quite a varied ride.  nothing fell to the floor, however.  which is a good thing, because i have two beautiful and huge mirrors in the east and west units which have not yet been secured to the wall…

apparently being at the beach helps minimize the impact of earthquakes.  so it doesn’t get much safer than here, because boy did we go to great lengths to exceed earthquake requirements in our constrution.  and it’s still standing, mirrors intact.  won’t you come and see them?

aurum is hosted by iliana, who is eagerly waiting to meet you!

iliana was born in atlanta, georgia, usa and emigrated to new zealand in 1990 (she wasn’t born here but got here as soon as she could!).  she has been fortunate enough to travel in the americas, europe, india and austrailasia, and is familiar with popular destinations in new zealand. 

being one herself, iliana understands the needs of travellers, and has provided aurum with broadband connections in each guestroom.  she also provides phone cards for very economical telephone calling to destinations worldwide. she is happy to help overseas visitors plan their new zealand stay or help guests make arrangements for the next leg of their new zealand journey.

and she has provided a glorious spot for you to rest and enjoy new zealand’s beauty, serenaded by the pacific, and at the moment, covered in pohutukawa blossoms of new zealand’s beloved christmas tree.

it has been another spectacular year for pohutukawa blossoms!  in the last 15 or so years, i have noticed that great blooms one year are followed by a markedly less glorious year the next.  but not this time.  last year was the best i had seen it, and this year is every bit as good. and by the time you arrive, they will have laid down a thick red carpet for your welcome!

so there is still time to enjoy new zealand’s beloved "christmas trees" if you come soon.  i am counting down to our long-awaited opening.  only a week to go…  i have made one bed, have the televisions going, have hung one curtain, am ready to hang the roller blinds/shades in the bathrooms…  we have installed a new gas hob in the upper room, and upgraded the microwave to one that has grills and a convection oven as well..  i am stocking the east and west units with beautiful things i have bought for you…

now all that remains is for you to book…