Alpacas, Lavender Farms, 'Elevate' FootDrop, Dictus-band 2021
|Stroke Rehab
It was around Easter 2021, what should we do? Perhaps visiting dewy-eyed Nevalea Alpacas, and Laurens Lavender Farm, in the King Country, NZ?
On TV, the news, and everywhere you went ...visit NZ and 'do something new' was the callout to everyone in the country. Last year was surreal, Covid-19 was in air and gradually turned to pandemic proportions as the year progressed.
In 2021 with visitor-numbers plummeting everywhere and business hurting without overseas travellers, the advertisement certainly made sense to promote NZ internally.
Back to this Easter: I had visited Waitomo Caves a very long time ago, when at University in Auckland. Perhaps we could consider Orakei Korako near Rotorua… no, maybe another time as the timetable could be a challenge as we had other places to be, as we only had the luxury of a day-trip to try and enjoy them all.,
Up early, a rain-shower in the early morning. It made for a cool day as we drove out of Auckland heading south. We continued down to Taumarunui, sunny and fine by the time we reached the Alpaca farm. We had arrived in the rolling verdant hills of the King Country – paddocks & paddocks of cute alpacas: black, white, brown and many shades in-between, munching on grass..
Alpaca wool is natural and gorgeous; soft, silky, with no lanolin, made it ideal for sensitive skin - pure luxury. What about normal wool, lambswool and merino, I wondered? To compare, say, cashmere and alpaca should be interesting - I still had garments made from cashmere, angora and mohair. An alpaca cardigan or garment is lighter, more resistant to wear, warm and highly-breathable. Alpaca wool actually has a more superior quality – fancy that.
Nevalea Alpacas conduct tours and have activities for adults, kids, and all the family. We were given hints and tips, as in guidelines for handling the animals. Then, we all made for the gate armed with feed-cups (complimentary! to take home), we had heaps of fun. Gorgeous kohl-ring-eyed alpacas, much like camels with eyelashes to die-for ..from bigger-sized males to fluffy, baby alpacas, nuzzling my hand for more snacks – oh, so adorable...
After the alpaca-encounter, I couldn't resist Nevalea Alpaca farm-shop next (design and knit inhouse, NZ grown and made) – jumpers, scarves, snoods, ponchos, gloves, yarn; little children: kids & babies clothing and super-soft furry toys. Throws, duvet, blankets, and more.. oh, the choice of colours! Retail shopping completed, next destination ...
Laurens Lavender Farm was quite close by and was the next stop - it had a lovely ring to the address: ‘…along the Forgotten World Highway’. It sonded a relaxing, serene place to go, lavender fields around the property, cafe, the shoppe. The lavender fields lay adjacent to Whanganui River, major river in the North Island of New Zealand; a heady lavender aroma everywhere when the lavender is in bloom.
Choosing the garden at the cafe to have our late-morning tea, we ordered delicious-looking carrot cake and freshly-baked scones. A group of energetic travellers used the designated path amongst the lavender as access down to Whanganui river
. Armed with life-jackets, shorts, warm clothing, van parked,... aaahh, perhaps the summer tourists were on the canoe-ing adventures, or jetboat? I should remember to look up Forgotten World Adventures and other tours in the area, for our next foray.
Took a few photos of Laurens Lavender fields, it wasn't the ideal time for blooms, as it was harvested just recently, we looked in on the shop – what a perfect little shoppe: organic lavender essential oils, gorgeously-scented lavender soaps (in the shape of sheep!), creams and melts, candles.. even lavender sunblock.
We'd been to another lavender farm recently, with lavender in full bloom. I had decided to convert my dress-shoes to use the 'elevate' system: one had to put 2-discreet holes in shoes, which we'd done the previous day. Gingerly tested them out by walking a couple of metres. Quite comfortable, gives you option for different-type shoes – oh really?
Called the 'Elevate' Drop Foot Legbrace and it was kind of strange, as I had been using my old (normal) legrace for more than 20 years. Lighter, free-er, using a cuff-mechanism, it used different innovative technology. Apparently it could be used on flip-flops jandals, or casual pumps, even high-heels, without the need for laces? Ohhh, slow, slow... one thing at a time, did it fit my requirements… less obtrusive, comfortable, lighter, less able to catch on things?
On the spur of the moment, and armed with my new possession 'Elevate' brace, went adventuring. Where to go, was the next question – ahha, the lavender fields just ouside of Auckland, namely CCT Lavender Farm and Cafe. And it was in full bloom, heady with the scent of lavender, with bees buzzing ...as with Laurens Lavender on Forgotten Highway, it was very busy there.
Much like the 'dictus' band I was given to test-out in previous years participating in the UoA (University of Auckland) walk study for a PhD-candidate: this was a 'new' device for me. There I was set a particular task: walk on treadmill at AUT Millennium, in Auckland, New Zealand’s premier destination for Health and Fitness. I was all wired-up with sensors, like a Christmas tree..., the PhD candidate monitiored the sensors to give his thesis/dissertation.
Pared down to just a cuff and pulling apparatus, I was hesitant to use a different mecanism to aid my walk. My (normal) legbrace provided support up to my knee. To my knowlegde you have to wear short-shoes, or shoes that lace up for a dictus-band. I had a very weak ankle, was searching for an alternative, but which ones qualify? SEE: Walk using Dictus Band VIDEO.
My normal legbrace (AFO), Dictus band, 'Elevate' brace with new technology, other innovative systems – the choice is huge, compared to when I had my AVM brain haemorrhage in 1995. A 9-hour open-brain surgery, paralysed, in a wheelchair, couldn't: walk, talk, read, write, remember, in fact Relearn life from scratch even standing-up was challenge, SEE: Struck by Stroke.
My stroke-rehab recovery is progressing year by year, even though I didn't know 26 years ago what life would have in store for me, as I write. For me: the going's great; one day at a time, look to the future and be happy.
