Can you not sleep well and not know it? I've always been blessed with the ability to sleep soundly. It's a rare day, indeed, that I feel tired in the morning. But that's what happened on Friday. I was driving to my stretching session (to exercise my aging body in a battle to overcome the lack of flexibility I have been feeling and increase the range of motion in
my arthritic joints). After driving for about 20 minutes I felt tired. Strange, I thought, but the exercise will liven me up before I hit the road to drive to Auckland.
That worked - to a certain extent. I was fine for a couple of hours and then the tiredness hit me again. I decided to take a different route thinking the change of scenery and a different road would keep me alert. And that worked for a while, too. This time when I felt sleepy I though food. I need food. So I stopped in Helensville for lunch. Nope, I was still tired.
At last a sensible voice found its way into my head. Not that the other ideas weren't good. Just not the right ones. Sleep, this one said. That's what I needed. Next problem - where? Somewhere quiet but safe.
I turned off the road to Auckland at the roundabout just out of town and drove to Parakai where the Kaipara Landing called me. Perfect. A few vehicles of fishermen were parked there so I pulled in amongst them, wound down the windows a little to catch the river breeze, locked the doors, tilted my seat back a bit - and promptly fell asleep.
I slept the sleep of the innocent (shhh!) - for half an hour and woke up refreshed. I had a little stroll around the landing enjoying the fresh air before hitting the road again.
Heading back to the highway I noticed a little church I hadn't seen when I went past the first time. Can you read the sign on the right of the front door? Acupuncture. They don't rely on miracles in Parakai.
I considered going back to Helensville to find an old wharf I'd photographed years ago but thought I'd best carry on in case the tiredness overcame me again. It didn't.
Hello Pauline, pretty scenes from your road trip! Taking a nap was probably a good idea if you were that tired from driving.. The first shot is my favorite. Have a happy week ahead!
ReplyDeleteOdd, but I was tired today as well and finally got back home and took a nap. But I did get up at 4:00!!
ReplyDeleteNaps are a good thing! Acupuncture sounds pretty good to me.
ReplyDeleteGiving in to some sleep was the best thing you could do. If your eyes close while driving, and if it's only for seconds, you could have a terrible accident.
ReplyDeleteSo you did the right thing and we got nice pictures of that trip :))
Love the last one especially it has such beautiful colours :)
And I like that rusty thing also :))
Have a beautiful day
【ツ】Knipsa
Naps go a long way to making us feel more energetic.
ReplyDeleteI have no doubt you will get a great number of surprises from our back roads
ReplyDeleteand lost communities. Worth taking a look all over the Country. Especially as some of our older communities have reach the stage of dilapidation makes them photogenic but likely to vanish.
quarrypainter
Good to hear a nap cured your tiredness. Better that you chose this place to stop. It's beautiful.
ReplyDeleteMedical research is on your side -- take a nap when you need to!
ReplyDeleteWell, good thing you & your body seem to be in communication anyway (so that you understood it was actually a nap you needed).
ReplyDeleteSounds like a smart and refreshing pause.
ReplyDeleteWill you go back to attend a service at St. Acupuncture's?