We have moved. Again. We relocated from the ostensibly working-class Dunedin suburb of Ocean Grove to the village of Portobello. This settlement is halfway up the western side of the Otago Peninsula, nestled around the eponymous Portobello Peninsula, which juts out into the Otago Harbour. We have exchanged the sound of the Pacific Ocean for the mellifluous songs and calls of the native birdlife. While I will miss the sprightly pükeko with their gangly legs that inhabit the marshes by Smaills Beach, now I have the kererü to gush over. They make a distinctive whooshing sound when they fly. And then there are the tüï and their imitative repertoire of bird calls who are frequent visitors to our property.
The new house also offers views of the Otago Harbour, which can be quite lovely on those rare sunny days. Also, Quarantine Island can be seen from the house.