Wonderful Wairarapa

We recently enjoyed a day in the wonderful Wairarapa with our SLG friends.  Leaving Levin bright and early our 122km journey took us past major road works along the way, coming along well, by the look of it.  Let’s just hope they all meet up in the middle when completed.  We had a quick stop at Pauatahanui Inlet, with a glorious view over the estuary.

Pauatahanui Estuary

Once through our old home town of Upper Hutt, we drove up and over the Rimutaka Hill.  Always plenty of traffic on the hill, including many big trucks – most of them seemed to be loaded up with logs. We stopped to take a photo of this handsome new sign at the entrance of Featherston.  Can you see the shiny black bantam rooster at the base of the sign?  He was clucking away and enjoying the sunshine. Our friend Les was organizing our day out, and we met at his home in Featherston for coffee and cake. 

New sign at Featherston

Morning tea over, plus a good catch up with our SLG friends, we drove through to Greytown for lunch.  Greytown is a pretty little town, quite a trendy place and chock full of shops and cafes.  Our stop for lunch was the Corner Café, a popular establishment with an extensive menu.  Orders coming to our table included a couple of variations of their  fancy home made pies, and a couple of fish meals.  Les couldn't go past his old favourite, lambs fry and bacon, and I enjoyed a plate of locally grown  Parkdale Mushrooms on toast.  After lunch some of us popped in to see Les’s wife Anne, a much loved former SLG member who is now cared for in a local  Rest Home. 

 

The Corner Café

Our last visit of the day was to stop at Schoc Chocolates,  makers of hand made chocolates.  In December 2002 Schoc Chocolates was born. In a tiny turn-of-the century cottage, in gourmet Greytown’s main street (the original confectioners shop), owner and creator Murray Langham of the Chocolate Therapy books opened the doors for customers to buy his sumptuous hand-made chocolates.

My excuse for stopping here, as if I really needed one, was to buy something to pop in with my daughter’s birthday gift.  With 60 flavours available, it was lucky that we could have a few tastings to help us make up our mind.  I found a little something for Nicky, and an interesting  cake of raspberry, pear and apple dark chocolate came home with us.

Schoc Chocolates in Greytown

Saying farewell to our friends, we started on the return journey, getting caught up in homeward bound traffic once we reached SH1.  We were in stop-start mode for half an hour as the traffic banked up between Plimmerton and Pukerua Bay – it’s  always a bottleneck here.

Hardly moving at all along this stretch of road

The sun had set on the last part of our journey and we finally made it home.  Our cat Gemma was so pleased to welcome us, winding round and round our legs, after all, she had been home alone all day.  I think it was just cupboard love, as she soon settled down to the business of eating her dinner when I filled her dish.

Winter Weather

Our winter weather here in Levin is very changeable.  Sunny with showers, and then the sun coming out again,  nice still days followed by pesky winds.  We even had a bout of thunder and lightning the other day.  All that noise overhead made Gemma scarper in fear of her life, and we found her later hiding in the bottom of the wardrobe.  She thinks she is rather brave and fearless cat, but loud noises turn her into a real scardey cat! 

Hiding in the bottom of the wardrobe

It’s been cold enough to have the heat pump on most nights, and I really pleased that we have finally purchased a tumble drier, so handy for finishing off the washing which doesn’t quite dry off during the day.

All the leaves have finally dropped from the weeping tree (not sure what kind it is) in the front of the house.  We heard birds noisily chirping and looked out to see a tui singing his heart out.  It looked a very wintry scene indeed, with the tui sitting on the bare branches.

Tui in winter

We will still have plenty of cold, wet, wintry weather for a while, but now we have passed the shortest day, we can take heart that the days are counting down to summer!

Wet Weekend Rally at Carterton

Arriving a day early on Thursday at the caravan club rally at Carterton eased us nicely into the weekend.  Just a pity about the weather, low temperatures, rain and wind.  Our caravan buddies arrived on Friday and the rain hardly let up, with reasonably strong winds to make their journeys a little more unpleasant.  We were so pleased we traveled the previous day.  Nine caravans arrived for the weekend, including three prospective new members.

Yes, it’s still raining outside

We had the use of the large dining room at the camp, which we made good use of, meeting for morning tea, 4zees, and in the evenings.  Even with the heaters on,  most of us kept our jackets on for a little extra warmth.

All rugged up in the dining room

It was a fairly laid back rally, with time to do our own thing, go visiting, or whatever else we wanted to do.  A couple of quizzes tested our brain cells and the highlight of the weekend for the rugby supporters was the Super Rugby 2019 Final between the Crusaders (NZ) and Jaguares (Argentina).  The camp manager came and set up the TV for Sky Sports so all the rugby enthusiasts were happy.  And even more happy when New Zealand won 19-3.

After all that bad weather we could have predicted that Sunday would dawn clear and sunny – how often does this happen when it’s time to go back home?  The camp had that “freshly washed” look about it in the winter sunshine.

Hooking up the van we left for home after morning tea on Sunday, fare welling our caravan club buddies, and headed on our way.  What’s that?  Looks like a little snow on the Wairarapa side of the Taraurua Ranges.

Retracing our journey, we headed back through Eketahuna, which calls itself Kiwi Country.  Probably because this little town is not too far from Pukaha National Wildlife Centre, which has bred some rare white kiwis.

After a two hour journey we arrive home, just as more rain sets in, so we quickly unpacked in the rain.  Can’t complain, it is winter after all.

Away to Carterton

After heavy rain most of Wednesday night, Thursday dawned a little damp, but at least the rain had stopped so we could pack the caravan.  We were off to Carterton for a caravan club weekend, and decided to go a day early, just because we could.  With the van finally packed, Robin hooked up and we were on our way.

Almost finished

It was a matter of “find the cat” as she decided to hide herself in the wardrobe.  The noise of a band of workmen over the back fence trimming trees with with noisy saws was just too much for her.  With a bit of reassurance, she was gathered up and strapped into the back seat of the car for our trip away.

Gemma hiding in the wardrobe, away from all that horrible noise

Two and a half hours and 155kms later we arrived at our destination, Carterton Holiday Park.  We were the first to arrive from our club, so were encouraged to pick our own site.  We decided on site 27, a more generous sized site, and one where we had spent several Christmas/New Year holidays in the past.  With plenty of room, we used to bring our large gazebo on these holidays, for much needed shade over the summer season.

Bill and Val arrived soon after us, and we settled down to see who else might be coming a day early too.  No one, as it turned out, just us.  The others will roll in on Friday.

Early birds on site

There have been many improvements at this camp since our last visit.  The ablution block has had a makeover, and there is now a little hot tub for hire.

Hot tub in a cute timber cabin

It may well be wet and wintry, but the new managers have been really busy and the grounds are looking good.  The camp is blessed with many mature trees which are beautiful, even those which have lost their leaves.

Park like setting

I took a walk around the camp and came across these two in the paddock over the fence.  One ordinary sheep, and the other must be valued for it’s coloured fleece, I’m sure.  We don't usually see piebald sheep like this, I must say.

These sheep were watching me carefully

We spent a convivial 4zees together with Bill and Val, catching up with news, and putting the world to rights, as we do.  Wonder which of our caravan club members will be the first to arrive on Friday?

Menz Shed to the Rescue

With a new drier purchased we needed it fitted on the wall above the washing machine.  With no spare floor room in the garage, and a top loader washing machine,  that was the only place for it to go.  Believe it or not, the store we bought it from could not help, saying they had no one who would do this job.  Luckily, Robin’s mates from the Menz Shed came to the rescue.

Robin, Brian and Phil

Brian was in charge of the operation and looked very professional in his tool belt.  Robin and Phil were there to help as required.  The fittings to hang the drier were screwed into place onto the back of the drier, and a sturdy piece of timber was fixed on the wall.  I didn’t hang around in the garage to watch it being lifted over head and fitted in place, it all seemed a bit stressful to me, and felt that the workmen didn’t need me looking on.  But by all accounts, it went up without a hitch.

Tub, washing machine, chest freezer in  row, with the drier on the wall

After 5 years managing without a drier, I decided I wanted one after all.  Not that we tend to use driers a lot here in New Zealand, most of us like to hang our laundry outside in the sun shine and fresh air.  But now it’s winter, there are sure to be cold wet days when a drier will be very handy.  Guess I'll have to read the instruction booklet.

Gemma wasn’t at all pleased with the loud voices, bangs and whirring noises coming from the garage, and hid herself away in her box on the cat tower.  Even that didn’t feel safe enough, and she soon took herself off to hide away in the wardrobe.

Gemma hiding away

The blokes told me when they arrived that they work very cheap.  They certainly did, not even stopping for a cuppa after the job was completed.  Another job beckoned, and they were on their way.  Many thanks to Brian and Phil for doing this job for us, most appreciated.