Seventeen members of the Oriental Bay Walkers set off for the annual mystery walk and lunch on 7th December, in brilliant sunshine with no wind. There is great interest each year as to just where we are going to walk and where the lunch will be held, always highly secret. This year it was held at Percy’s Reserve in Petone followed by lunch at La Bella Italia.
Fifteen of us set off from Oriental Bay towards the station, a little early so there was plenty of time for a cup of coffee at the station. Two of us set off in cars to set up the festivities and be ready with bubbly and Christmas nibbles when the others arrived by train. There was another short walk to the reserve.
On arrival there was much frivolity, nibbling and drinking of bubbly. There was a very noisy Secret Santa game with varying ideas on the rules -a great time was had by all. The presents were to be unusual and fun ones, which they certainly were.
Walking around Percy’s Reserve, there is a lot to see, duck feeding, glow worms that didn’t glow that day, and lots of nooks and crannies to check out. Afterwards we walked up through the Reserve to Stanhope Grove and down London Rd looking at the view of our sparkling harbour then headed off to La Bella Italia. The lunch, with Christmas crackers, was very good indeed; the staff at Bella had been very helpful with sorting out a very good and delicious menu. The magic time to leave was 2:30pm to all get back to Wellington using our Gold Cards; after all if you’ve got them one must use/flaunt them.
Once again a wonderfully successful day all round.
Bay View newsletter 67, May 2016
Pictured on the mystery walk (in no particular order) are Julie O’Connor, Kay Austad, Catherine Kennedy Good, Viv Callender, Linda Graham, Elizabeth Ellis, Sandy Jackson, Annabelle Leask, Linda Cowley, Susie Clarke, Philippa Larkindale, Marg Hogg and Yvonne Bacon. By Jillian Allen