Food and Wine
We visited the first edition of the annual Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival yesterday. After an hour-long train ride to Carterton, a small town in the Wairarapa, one of New Zealand’s great wine areas, a shuttle bus dropped us off at the festival, a small paddock somewhere in the vineyards between Carterton and Gladstone. What do you on on a food and wine festival? Sit around and drink local wines and eat local foods, all day! And listen to local entertainment:
It was a very small festival with a really friendly atmosphere, and the food and wines were excellent. There were about 15 local vineyards showcasing their products and everyone was just sitting around enjoying all of it, chatting and dancing.
My dad, who likes good food and wine as much as we do, was amazed by the laid back and friendly attitude and the small-town feel of it all. He couldn’t get over the fact that after travelling for about two hours to the wop wops, we walked onto the paddock and straight into someone we knew - this happened twice, in fact… Well, what can I say, this is New Zealand eh 
Another thing happened, something typical of this country and the incredible kiwi hospitality. Soon after we sat down at a table to enjoy our pistachio/kumara falafel wraps and a wild rabbit stew, we started chatting with two people who - like they all do, for obvious reasons - asked where we were from. We told them (our standard reply) we’re dutch but live and work in Wellington.
Most conversations with new kiwis we meet follow a standard pattern. First, they ask where we’re from and if we’re travelling or living here. Then they ask what we do, and they’re very pleased when they hear we both have proper jobs and not just slacking about here. Then they ask if we like it here and our enthousiastic reply invariably brings a smile to their faces.
Anyways, after the initial introduction, Leigh and Michelle, our new kiwi friends, say “hey we’ve got friends who live in Island Bay”. Turns out they live right below us, so we’re practically neighbours. Leigh and Michelle say we should knock on their door and meet them next time we walk past. But what number do they live on? Much to my dad’s surprise and our amusement, Leigh grabs his mobile and calls Jeff, the Island Bay friend. - “Hey Jeff, I’m sitting at this festival with a dutch couple who live on the hill right above you. What number are you on mate? We said they’ll have to come over and meet you. Ah, right thanks, see you later!”. “Right guys, Jeff says you’re welcome anytime, they love to meet new people!”. And that settled it! Leigh and Michelle also said we should go tramping in the hills near where they live, and we’re welcome to stay at their place. “If you call us a few weeks in advance, we can arrange a babysitter for the kids”. Isn’t that just wonderful!?
