Hamilton - here we come

We woke to find the Taupo Airport NZMCA Park enveloped in mist.  The airport buildings were not too far away and we could hardly make them out at all, so presumably the run way was also rather misty too.  But then while we were eating our breakfast, the sun broke through, and chased the misty conditions away.

Misty morning at Taupo Airport

Lake Taupo looked as pretty as a picture with several craft bobbing about in the lake as we drove past on our way out of town.  No sign of the mountains though, they were hiding under the cloud cover.

Lake Taupo

There were roadside steam warnings as we drove past the Wairaki Geothermal power pipes (read about this here), but today there was hardly any steam to blow across the road and obscure motorist’s views.  The amount of steam escaping does seem to be weather dependent, with the steam becoming more evident in colder temperatures.

Wairaki Geothermal Power Station

You know you are in the country when you spot a herd of cows patiently walking along their cattle race.  It was well past morning milking time, so we presume they were being moved from one paddock to another.  There was a farmer on a quad bike at the end of the long queue of cows, guiding them gently on their way.

We stopped at the Truck Stop at Tokoroa for fuel and saw this huge yellow machine doing the same.  Not sure what it is, but it was certainly a monster.

Fuel stop at Tokoroa

Eventually we arrived at Hamilton and called into the Jukebox Diner for a late lunch.  Then it was off to the Leisureline factory when we are staying the night.  The caravan repairs will be started bright and early on Tuesday morning – we will need to be ready to vacate the caravan by 6.30am, we were told.  No worries, the sooner the job is started, the sooner it will be completed, and we can get on our way again.

Staying outside the Leisureline factory tonight