Celebrating New Year in Mt Maunganui

The New Year’s Eve celebrations got off to a good start at the National Rally with a BBQ meal, all provided by the hosts.  While the rest of us were finding nice shady spots to sit down to get respite from the hot Mt Maunganui sunshine, the ladies from the organising club, Bay of Plenty Caravan Club, were busy in the canteen.  They were chopping, and slicing, and mixing things together with gay abandon.  While all this was happening, the men were busy slaving over a hot barbeque.  A huge quantity of sausages were cooked, together with a big pile of sliced onions.  Then it was time to serve the hordes.  As we filed past the canteen windows the sausages and onions were served.  Further along we invited to try rice salad, coleslaw, bean salad, or apple salad. 

   Cooking up the sausages

Later in the evening we gathered in the hall for the Cabaret night.  The tables were nicely set with long cloths and scattered with rose petals.  We chose a table close to an open door to allow for the breeze to come through to cool things down.  The temperatures were still hot and muggy and we had a lot of revelry to get through till the midnight countdown.

Ready to rock’n’roll

The two piece band started fairly quietly and the music swirled around the hall.  Later in the evening the band played a Monte Carlo followed by the Supper Waltz.  These we sat these out as we haven’t quite mastered the finer points of waltzing.  The supper brought back memories of those long ago community dances as we collected our plate of goodies and a hot drink each, then sat back down at our respective tables to chat and enjoy the supper.   As mid-night approached everyone got onto the dance floor in anticipation. The countdown started and all the poppers went bang!  “Old Lang Syne” was sung with gusto and another New Year began. 

Our music for the evening

We celebrated the start of the New Year with a group Champagne Breakfast outside in the sunshine.  Some brought cereal and fruit, others cooked their breakfast on the BBQ,  and our friends Geoff and Pauline were munching on bacon butties.  It was bacon and eggs for us, Robin’s speciality breakfast cooked on the BBQ.  We sipped a glass of bubbly, then finished our meal with a cup of plunger coffee and cream.  What a great way to start the morning.

Robin cooking bacon and eggs for breakfast

Geoff was cooking pizza for lunch and invited us to join them.  We were very interested to see how this all worked out as he had intrigued us when he explained that it is cooked in a casserole dish on the gas hob.  The pizza is cooked in a heavy  “Bessemer” dish with the lid on and the gas turned down low.  Geoff and Pauline cook roast chicken, casseroles and even scones in this speciality  utensil.  It comes complete with a cook book, and is so handy and easy to use, producing all sorts of hot meals easily while off power.  I think we need to get one too.

Pizza for lunch

As you can see, we had quite a time celebrating the Old Year out and the New Year in -  Happy New Year to all our friends.