Tolls, Travel and Trent

It’s surprising what one finds travelling around.  Who would have guessed that there was a toll bridge in the tiny hamlet of Opiki?  Flax mills abounded in this previously swampy area in the early 1900s, with three on this river crossing.  Men hauled the flax across the river by means of a flying fox, a platform hauled across on a wire rope.  This elegant swing bridge was built in 1918 and used by the three mills and local farmers.  Sadly, by 1921 the large local flax industry had collapsed due to disease killing the plants.  Local farmer Hugh Akers bought the bridge,  and it became a private toll bridge from 1925 to 1969, when the deck structure was removed and the present bridge opened.

Opiki Toll Bridge

We were passing by Opiki when we slowed down at an accident site.  Oh dear – there was a horse float lying on it’s side.  Looks like the driver took the corner much too fast.  None of the passengers appeared hurt, and we couldn’t hear any panicked neighing or kicking noises coming from the horse float.  Hopefully it was travelling empty. 

We were travelling to Palmerston North to exchange a faulty item, and, as it turned out, buy a few more bits and pieces for the new house.  Wall hooks to hang things up, and visit to the kitchen and bathroom shop to gather up another batch of storage solution ideas.  Robin needs a garden shed, so we checked some of these out too.  The basic shed comes with lots of optional extras these days, from windows, skylights, shelving and a built in work bench.  Bet they cost a pretty penny!

Back home again Trent from Secure”T”Plus Locksmiths called to install the fly screens on our two sliding doors.  He worked quickly and efficiently as he fitted lengths of aluminium profiles around the door opening, lifted the screen door in place, then deftly finishing off the final few screws.  And politely putting up with me asking him questions while I snapped his photo.  Those screens will be worth their weight in gold keeping those nasty insects, especially in the early evening when we have the sliding doors open

Trent fitting the screens

So it was another busy old day.  We managed to unpack another couple of cartons to put things away, but there are still plenty more in the garage.  We’ll get there, of course, one day at a time.