Just what was different about Monday morning? No noise and no wind! Looks like that nasty weather front had blown away overnight and we awoke to a calm although waterlogged morning. With breakfast quickly over, several of us pulled our vans off the wet soggy grass onto the shingle drive in front of the hall, all ready for a quick get-away while the conditions were calm.
Ready for a quick get-away
We gathered for our last morning tea in the hall, and prizes (chocolates) were given out for the various competitions held over the weekend. Bill was doing so well gathering up quite a horde of chocolates, that he went back to his van to show off his medal he won at previous games!
Bill and his medal
Geoff was so pleased that the weather had improved that he did a few wheelies on the wet grass to celebrate on Eileen’s mobility scooter.
Geoff having fun on the scooter
Off we all went, some going over the Rimutaka Hill, and others taking the northern route over the Pahiatua Track. We passed lots of hay bales on the way to the dump station – hope they are not too water logged after all that rain. At least all that precipitation will change the Wairarapa paddocks from parched yellow to nice and green.
Bales of hay
With the necessary business done at the dump station, we were soon on our way to start the climb over the Rimutaka Hill. On the Wairarapa side of the hill, a “Bailey Bridge” spans the river on the right hand side. The Bailey bridge is a type of portable, pre-fabricated, truss bridge - developed by the British during World War II for military use and saw extensive use by British, Canadian and the American military engineering units.
Starting our trip over the Rimutaka Hill
We noticed the road works coming along very well at the Haywards Hill Interchange since we had last travelled this road. Several new bridges span the motorway which will make it easier and safer for traffic once everything is up and running.
New bridges spanning the motorway
The drive around the Pauatahanui Inlet is always pretty. We noticed that the final sections of the walkway is being completed.
Pauatahanui Inlet
The final part of our journey home took us up SH1 and past Kapiti Island. Not too far to home now. This latest trip of 12 days took us to the Music Festival, Moata Farm and Kahutara, all in the Wairarapa. The weather ranged from hot, warm, very windy, blowing a gale, wild and stormy, and snow on the mountains. Quite a variety of weather indeed in January, when it is meant to be mid summer.
Kapiti Island
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