This photo has the Llanfair PG air about it....

In Maori it reads "The gathering place for the war parties of Wahiao"

and evidently

"Te Whakarewarewa" means "The Gathering Place".

It made me smile anyway.

This morning I worshipped at the nearest Baptist church to where I am staying - built/founded 1875 and could have been lifted out of any UK city, a typical Victorian preaching barn where, evidently Spurgeon's son was the first minister.  It was also typical in the the pulipt has been removed, the organ replaced by a worship band and a perspex screen shielding the drummer has supplanted the communion table as line of sight (no liturgical senstivity it seems).

The choice of music was utterly stereotypical -  'Ten Thousand Reasons', 'How Great Thou Art' and 'Be Thou my Vision'.

The sermon failed to impress - based on abuot three verses from Jame 1, it was exploring 'double-mindedness' by resort to simplistic proof texts.... examples suggested included 'single young man (looking for a wife)'... 'and I hope you are' said the preacher, which humanly speaking you might want beautiful, intelligent, welkahty not too bossy... but proof text says....  A shame as it was a good premise - being torn between 'worldly' and 'Christian' wisdom and working out which way to jump.  Alas a reference to God allowing illness to teach us stuff annoyed me: yeah, thanks for that!!

More positive was the invitation in the intercessions to the call 'Lord in your mercy' to respond 'hear our prayer' in people's first languages.  I've often done that with the Lord's Prayer but I like the idea of using it for other responses.  It was also encouraging to hear them pray for the UK and US affected by such awful weather.

Good use was made of inclusive language Bible translation, even if it didn't quite spill over into other aspects of the service.

These were friendly, good-hearted people living out their faith in their context, welcoming people from many nations and trying to serve their community (e.g. a food bank). 

I now that both RC and Anglican liturgies are intended to ensure that wherever you go in the world, you can join in with what's happening, even in a foreign language - maybe by defualt Baptist worship is headed the same way?!

So Dibley and Gathering Place people does this building look scarily familiar?!

So, here I am hanging from the ceiling next to the tumble drier in my apartment: -

Obviously I'm not really, the drier is mounted upside down above a top loading washing machine.  And, yes, shock horror I've been doing some washing!

Today has mixed 'work' and 'pleasure' in some measure... a lovely leisurely cruise of the harbour followed by some delicious passion fruit ice-cream, then some reading of one the books I need to have read by the time the conference starts, at least if I am to get the most out of it.  I actually read one and a half other books during my flights, so feel suitably smug about that!

Tomorrow I plan to worship at the local Baptist Church about 10-15 mins walk from here, and half wish I was a Mystery Worshipper so I could write a report for Ship of Fools...  Ah well, I'll have to do one here instead.

Oh, and just for your reassurance, here I am right way up again!!

Before I set off, one of the good wishes messages I had said 'be a traveller not a tourist' which I took to mean, slow down, don't try to do everything, spend some time doing 'local' stuff and savour every moment.

So that's what I've been doing - and I'm having a fabulous time so far. 

As I'm paying silly money for internet access I thought I may as well pop up a quick post here.

A few random thoughts base don things people said to me before I set off...

On Dubai Airport

"It's all bling, you'll hate it"

"It's all bling, you'll love it"

Actually, it's just an airport with most of the same shops as any other airport I've been to.  I loved the diversity of travellers passing through representing all of humanity, found it oddly reassuring to be woken from fitful sleep in the lounge by the early morning call to prayer and equally annoying to hear the relentless cries of 'All gates A please take lift up'.

On New Zealand

"It's just like Scotland with better weather"

"It's just like England with better weather"

Actually, it's a lot like New Zealand!  Yes, very British-ish and yes, in some ways like Scotland and in some ways like England.  Certainly Auckland is an easy place for a middle-aged solo traveller to be, plenty to see and do, no language worries and the cars use the correct side of the road!

A skinny latte roughly 1000 feet up:

Other gastronomic curiosities have been:

a square donut at Dubai airport

a spinach muffin (it worked!) in Auckland

seemingly beef and cheese pie is the local fast food indelicacy, so maybe that'll get tried too.

Lots of outings booked and paid for - and plenty of time just to 'kick back' and relax.

More pics and comments to follow in due course...

Bags packed

Online check-in checked in

Excitement being permitted to emerge

Next post may be upside down!

Hopefully 'speak' to you from NZ, if not in a fortnight back here!