After several days at Foxton it was time to move on – Hawkes Bay was the consensus. Two caravans and a motor home started the journey, up and over the Pahiatua Track. Along the winding road to Balance, and over the Balance Bridge, built in 1971. This replaced an earlier truss bridge which served from 1904.
We stopped for lunch at a rest stop a little north of Woodville
Being in holiday mode, we decided to take two days to travel to Hawkes Bay. There was no need to rush, so stopped about halfway at Makotuku Domain. This is a lovely quiet spot in the middle of nowhere, and we have stayed several times before.
Dot and Derek had already arrived, sensibly choosing to park up by a lovely spreading shady tree. We certainly needed that shade, as the mercury was starting to climb to hot summer temperatures. The grass cover was quite dry – perhaps not much rain had fallen lately.
At Makotuku Domain
The two traveling cats, Gemma and Honey, are still getting to know each other. Gemma is still rather young and active and wants to play while Honey is a grown up girl and not too sure of this young upstart.
Gemma and Honey
Gemma tried her luck later on climbing a tree. All natural behaviour, as she had never been close to a big tree before, but knew exactly how to start climbing up the trunk. She was after little insects scurrying around in the bark.
Tree climbing, inbuilt behaviour
Just up the road is the historic Ormondville Station. Built in 1880, is one of a handful of early wooden rail buildings that have been preserved thanks to community efforts.
Ormondville Station and rolling stock
It was a lovely restful afternoon, enjoying the country air under the large shady tree for 4zees, and in the early evening. Next stop, Napier.
2 comments:
Treeclimbing is not my Birman's thing at all. As an indoor cat she never learnt how to as a kitten and often when I take her on walks she looks at me and meows - as if she is asking me to put her in the tree :)
That sounds the perfect way to travel in the summer time.
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