We had our alarms set for 6am

I was awake at 5am so had time to do some more blogging before we had to hit the showers.

Jesika, Evan & Azzan had to leave by 7am to get back to the farm in time.

While they were getting themselves packed and out the door, Louisa and I were packing, cleaning, and getting the washing through the machine.

Louisa was wonderful.

She just got right in there and cleaned our downstairs area, vacuumed, cleaned upstairs and then made up Ross & Andrea's bed.

We didn't want them arriving back late and not having a bed ready to fall into.

I hung out all the washing - it was a lovely quiet morning, and hanging washing is something I like to do - I am sorta OCD about it actually

 

We left the house around 8am and very soon discovered that it was a stupid time to be heading into Nelson.

We crawled along over the Bishopdale Hill with al the commuter traffic.

I had a couple of things I had to do in town before we left.

I went straight to Alan and left the insurance papers there.

Then off to the lawyers to leave other documents with them.

We fueled up the car, then popped in to Starbucks to fuel up ourselves.

Louisa had never had a frappaccino before so decided she should join me - I have another convert

While I was in the bathroom she and Emily (behind counter) were chatting and Louisa told me that Emily knew but didn't know if she should say anything.

I went and asked her to come out the side door and we had a big hug.

She is Maori and also related to some of my neighbours.

She told me how they do things at times like this and that she didn't want to assume that we deal with grief the same way.

I really appreciated her sensitivity.

She is such a sweetie.

 

We then headed to John & Sally's.

I wanted to catch up with them and thank them for all their help over the past week.

They suggested we leave Ross & Andrea's car there and John would pick them up from the airport.

They were traveling standby so didn't know when they would arrive back.

Perfect!!

So we were driven to the Helicopter site in style by John in his Mercedes limo - classy

Tim's brother Martin was there with Sylvia.

I was so pleased he could fly in with me and Louisa.

It was a special time.

 

I was given explanations at to what we were going to do, and how the journey would unfold.

I was also told that the pilot and the other guy coming with us were the two pilots who flew down to rescue Tim the previous Monday so they could answer any of my questions while we traveled.

Wow! it has been a week already

 

 

The Winnington men arrived to help me carry Tim from the hearse into the helicopter.

It was a bit of a mish to get it in.

Had to do some maneuvering and watch the heads!

Then, he was in and I had a small special moment.

 

I got the choice of where to sit.

Front seat of course!

Just realised that I had left my sunnies back at John's somewhere - bother!

Martin & Louisa all strapped in and ready to go.

 

Our farewell committee - thanks guys for your help in the journey.

And this is our route.

Follow the pink line!

 

It was the most glorious day.

I didn't take many scenery photos.

I wasn't really in the mood.

But this was the view as we left Nelson.

 

It was really interesting to fly over areas that I see from a completely different perspective each time I drive out.

We flew over Te Towaka and could see Harry & Liz waving to us.

That really was a heart moving moment, just to know they were there and were with us in spirit.

 

Flying over Admiralty Bay towards home at the end of the penninsula.

 

I had asked if we could fly over the crash site.

I am a detail person.

I need to see.

I can't make sense of it all but I need to put it all into some kind of perspective.

And part of that is actually seeing.

 

So we circled in over St Kilda and they showed me where they landed and where the vehicle and Tim were found.

To the right of the pine tree plantation there is a gully between two ridges.

You can see our road stretching across from left to right above the plantation just not too far below the top of the hill.

 

This is a closer view.

Our road is going across top from left to right and Tim has left the road to the left of the gully at centre of photo.

I'm not to flash hot with photoshopping so couldn't figure out how to circle the bushes there.

Instead I have blurred the area where Tim & the Safari were found.

 

We hovered for a few moments so I could see where the Safari was and then we carried on towards home.

This is our farm.

We always call it the back of the farm - it is the western side.

I asked if we could fly around to see the burial site.

They were happy to do anything and go anywhere I wanted.

So we came over the top and flew across the bay and circled around.

This is the eastern side of home.

I could see a few extra boats moored in front of the house.

The airstrip is on the clear ridge to the left of the highest point.

We flew northwards and then came around behind the high point above the house.

I could see the gravesite - it showed out clearly.

The small circle of bright green ferns between the fence on the ridgeline and the bush to the right.

Anson had chosen well.

If we had to bury Tim anywhere it was the perfect spot.

 

We came in to land on the airstrip.

There was a welcoming committee at both ends so we landed in the middle.

 

Our lovely pilot.

We are home!

The two pilots - thank you guys, you have been great.

It is not an easy job you do but I am so appreciative of you all at Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter Trust.

For us out in such isolated areas you are our lifeline and saving grace.

I encourage everyone to support this trust financially - you just never know when you will need them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back home on the ranch Anson and the crew were gathering up palm fronds.

They took them up to the grave site along with timber.

I love these photos and being able to see what was going on behind the scenes while I was away.

I must deviate here to acknowledge that a lot of the photos I am posting over these few days are from other peoples cameras.

Ross, Marah, Murray, Nathan & Paula from Rescue Helicopter, and Nicola using my camera - thank you all for your contributions to my blog this week

Photos are really important to me - they are helping to clarify the days as I look back and reflect, and they are my memories.

If anyone has photos or stories of Tim over the years from their times with us then I would love you to email them to me so we can add them to our memory books.

We are finding such solace in reflecting in happy times and also in hearing stories from folk that have spent time here.

 

Anson wanted to line and surround the grave in fern fronds to lessen the harshness of it all.

I thought that was a brilliant thing to do.

Thanks guys xxxxxx

 

A time of busyness...

and a time of reflection.

 

 

Then waiting for the helicopter.

 

And here we come!