Timaru, NZ June 8, 2025

June 7, 2025: A wintry day in Timaru, South Canterbury, New Zealand

As we prepare to return to the USA tomorrow, it seems like an appropriate time for an update of our last 2+ months for family and friends. Since the March visit of the Matthews and a few days in Wellington, it has been all work for me, mostly in Timaru except two weeks in Nelson. I was glad to have the opportunity to work again at Nelson Hospital, my unofficial "home away from home (Timaru) away from home (Fort Bragg)". 

The city boasts the best weather in the country (true!) and has always been very welcoming to me on my three prior stints. At a time when I was not offered as much work in Timaru as I had hoped, they made me feel very appreciated and respected and left the door open for me to return as my schedule allowed. I worked there enough to even see some of the same patients from year to year, and the staff all treated me warmly and supportively. As an example, the Medicine Department starts each weekday with an educational presentation, and that duty falls to a Senior Medical Officer on Thursday. I was surprised when the topic on Easter Week was a quiz about Easter trivia in my honor. Modesty prevents me from revealing who won the coveted Whittaker's Golden chocolate bunny.

Three bunnies all won at Quiz

My two weeks in Nelson spanned Easter, Greek Easter, and Anzac Day. We enjoyed a delicious roast lamb Sunday roast at the Brick Eatery

Before heading back to Timaru, we spent two nights at our favorite seashore hide-away, Adrift in Golden Bay, part of New Zealand that is most Mendonesian. We also caught up with fellow doctor from Fort Bragg and ex-pat Jon Pace, who has relocated from Greymouth to the area in retirement.

April 25th as always is Anzac Day, the most revered day in the nation commemorating the landing of combined Australian/Kiwi soldiers in WWI to a small cove in Turkey. It also carries a special meaning for us as the 15th anniversary of our first arrival in New Zealand in 2010. Even the tiniest of towns has special sites of honor, Lest We Forget.

Here are scenes from Memorial Park, Tākaka.

On the drive back to Timaru for my final five weeks of work, we overnighted in Hanmer Springs, time for another dinner and another Expresso martini.

So what now? Back to the USA for a busy schedule in California, Georgia, and New York State. I am committed to at least one final session of work in Timaru in November. After that??? 

(I'm open to suggestions!) 

 jtw2