One appointment down, one to go

Up here in Hamilton we had our first appointment for the caravan on Friday.  This was the annual service, and checking out our hot water heater recall.  After staying overnight on the factory driveway, the workmen were ready to move the caravan into the factory on their trusty forklift and start work.  We were surplus to requirements, so picked up the cat, hopped in the car, and left them to it.  It was time for breakfast at the local café, so we parked the car under a shady tree for Gemma’s comfort, deciding we could safely leave her there for a half  hour while the temperatures were still relatively cool. 

Now, what’s for breakfast?  There weren't too may customers at that time of the morning, so service was very prompt.  We decoded on French Toast for him and poached eggs for her, both very tasty.

Friday morning breakfast

We whiled away several hours down at Hamilton Lake Domain,  looking over Lake Rotoroa.  This is a lovely place, and very popular with walkers and joggers.  There are waterfowl galore to watch, and we noticed an elderly man carefully put his radio controlled boat in the lake and sent it this way and that.  Our caravan was ready to collet in the early afternoon, everything had been attended to, we were told, and we now have a C02 monitor installed as part of the hot water recall.

Our next three nights were spent at a Park Over Property not too far from the city in Flagstaff.  Such a lovely peaceful place after the hustle and bustle of the city, and friendly hosts.

Relaxing on the farm

Our hostess Lynda has several horses, including two pure bred Arabian horses who had done very well when she competed in earlier years.  And her husband John, she told us, has a passion for plowing competitions, so that is why and old plow is proudly on display.  Lynda is a true countrywoman, and commented on the number of rabbits around the property – she often takes her rifle out at dusk to keep the numbers down!

It was “Beer O’clock” before we knew it, then Robin got on with the task of firing up the BBQ and cooking sausages for tour evening meal.   What a life!

This is the life!

ON Sunday we went to visit my nephew Shane and his wife Kirstie who live in Te Awamutu.  It’s been a while since we last saw them, so it was a good catch up, and to reminisce about the recent passing of his Mum, my elder sister Kathleen.  Shane and Kirstie had recently purchased an English  caravan, and proudly showed it to us.  Welcome to the club, we told them, and make sure you join NZMCA, you wont regret it.

Nephew Shane and his new van

While driving out for our family visit, we spotted a, intriguing sign in nearby Kihikihi, the Orakau Battlesite, of 1864.

The Battle of Orakau was also known as Rewi’s last stand, and was immortalized in Rudall Hayward’s 1925 silent film (remade as a ‘talkie’ in 1940) of that name. Rewi’s men began building a redoubt-shaped pa at Ōrākau in late March 1864. The British stationed at Kihikihi soon observed this development. Brigadier-General G.J. Carey sent an armed force under Majors von Tempsky and Blyth to investigate. Within two days more than 1400 troops had arrived at Ōrākau, where the fortification was still incomplete. With the arrival of some Waikato reinforcements the number of defenders was about 300 – up to a third of them women.   The Maori warriors were soon out of food, water and ammunition. It was an unequal fight, with 160 Maori losing their lives, to 17 deaths for the British troops.

Centennial Plaque to the battle

It’s always interesting to check out these unknown to us pieces of history as we travel around our country.

Hamilton – here we come

It’s been a long wait to get on our Hamilton trip for work to be done on the caravan.  We had bookings made and were all set to go quite some weeks ago, when suddenly  Hamilton went into Level 3 Lockdown because of Covid cases.  That meant we could not travel into the Waikato, nor could businesses deal with the public.  So we waited, and waited, and finally the lockdown was lifted, our new appointments were confirmed, and we were on our way.

Starting on Wednesday, off we went heading for Taupo.  It was  gorgeous clear day, so clear that we could see Mount Ruapehu in the distance from Foxton – we had hardly left Levin!  Because of all the hills that was the last glimpse we got of my favourite mountain until we were coming into Waiouru. We stopped at Taihape Railway Station fo lunch, a nice handy place with the van in tow, plenty of room to park, toilet facilities available, and a coffee cart.  I do so enjoy a real coffee now and again, and while I made some lunch, Robin collected the coffees.

Lunch stop at Taihape

Lunch stop over, it was time to “hit the road again”.  MOunt Ruapehu kept popping in and out of view as we drove closer to Waiouru, and there it was,  the snow top glistening in the sunshine, and looking as lovely as ever.  Dont know why, but I feel a real affinity to this mountain.

Mount Ruapehu

And Mount Ngauruhoe

276km after leaving home we drove into NZMCA Taupo Airport for the night – arriving just in time to see a whole lot of tandem skydivers jumping out of planes and drifting down.   There weren't many vans there at all, so there was plenty of room to space out.  Work is gong on at the airport, and it looks like the car park is getting extended, workmen and machines were beavering away scraping and compacting.  This is not a quiet place to stay at all, small planes come and go, and noisy helicopters arrive and take off at all times.  Helicopter Rescue is just across the road from the camp, and they are obviously very busy day and night. 

Staying at NZMCA Taupo Airport

And just so pet owners are well aware of the rules, this sign is clearly posted, warning that dogs must be kept on a leash at all times, and if they wander over to the airport they will be shot!

Obey the rules!

With not quite so far to travel on Thursday, 170km, we left Taupo after an early lunch to overnight at the Leisureline factory in Hamilton.  It is so handy being able to stay here overnight, and on power too, meaning we don't have to drive through the busy city traffic to arrive early for the service, and any other work which needs to be done.

Staying at the factory

So tomorrow we will be up bright and early, leave the caravan behind, take Gemma with us and fill in the day as best we can with a cat in the car.  Then when the time is right we will return to collect the van and head off again – where to next?

It’s a Tui kind of Christmas

Seen in Feilding a few days ago – this household is obviously full of Tui beer drinkers!  Or maybe just one dedicated one.  This was spotted just around the corner from the Coach House Museum  where we stayed for the weekend.

Of course, the “piece de la resistance” was the Christmas Tree on the porch hung with Tui beer cans!  No doubt more and more cans will get added as the holiday season evolves.

Having a Tui Beer kind of Christmas

Coach House Museum

Our weekend was spent at a caravan rally in the grounds of the Coach House Museum in Feilding.  As with a lot of collections, there was some overflow items displayed outside.  Such as this huge contraption on the grass behind our caravan.  What on earth was it, I wondered?

In the museum carpark for the weekend

Seems this was a stationary thresher, manufactured in USA, and known as the Tin Mill.  Used for threshing wheat, oats and barley, it was towed from farm to farm by a traction engine and powered with a long belt.  This monster needed 9 or more men to work the machine.

Tin Mill Threshing Machine

Inside the museum was a treasure trove of all thing to do with farming and agriculture.  A grand selection of carriages, gigs, carts, plows, all sorts of horse drawn implements.  Even a few early cars which would have been the envy of all in the area at the time.   Shearing, milking, and blacksmith tools, and a great array of John Deere tractors.

Gigs and carts

From the sheep’s back, wool bales

Four motor homes and four caravans spent the weekend in the museum carpark, and it was great to welcome prospective members Helen and Stuart.  There was plenty of room for our group, as well as many spare car parks available for visitors to the museum.

Another visit was arranged for us, this time to the beautiful Bloomsberry Cottage, built in 1877, just three years after the town of Feilding was founded.

Bloomsberry Cottage

This has been a labour of love for the current owners, painting, renovating, and transforming the house and huge garden.  The lady of the house gave us a tour through her home, downstairs first then up the beautifully carved kauri staircase.  Kauri trees do not grow this far south, so all the timber was  transported from Northland by boat then overland from Foxton by bullock cart.

Kauri staircase

Garden views

We had a very pleasant weekend indeed.  Some went to visit the Kimbolton Country Fair, and we stayed behind and caught up with the grand-daughters and their dad.  Our first time rally attendees went exploring the area on their electric bikes.  There were 4zees and morning teas as usual, nice sunny weather and plenty of time to catch up with each other’s news since the previous rally.  All good fun indeed!

Menz Shed in the News

Robin is a keen member of the local Menz Shed and they have been in the local newspaper this week.  They have been working through the year to make wooden toys for children at Christmas, some families are finding it a struggle at this time of the year.  The members have just handed over 150 wooden toys to the charity which distributes them.  No privacy is breached when the toys are passed on by the charity, all that is needed is the child’s age and gender so the present provided is appropriate.

Toys made for children who may miss out at Christmas

The range of wooden toys made include trucks, tractors, pull along animals, aeroplanes, dolls clotheslines with miniature pegs, and dolls cots.  A member’s wife also makes mattresses, blankets and sleeping bags to go with the cots.

Menz Shed in the newspaper

Day Out with SLG

Last week we enjoyed a day out with our Super Leisure Group friends, down at Paekakariki.  The translation of the Maori place name means “the perching place of the kakariki or green parrot”.  However, the hills don't seem to be alive with kakariki birds any more, sadly, perhaps because of European settlement, forests cut down  and introduced species taking their toll on these pretty little parrots.

On our trip down we stopped off at Shirley’s here in Levin.  Strawberry season has arrived and Shirley’s is the place to go.  Fresh strawberries are delicious and we often have our with our cereal for breakfast.  And as dessert too, of course.  Here the berries are drying out on trays before being packed in containers for sale.

Strawberry time at Shirley’s

Our purchases complete, we then drove down to Paekakariki, where we were lunching at Fisherman’s Table.  This restaurant is situated right on the sea front and gives a lovely view of Kapiti Island.  There was nothing for it, I just had to wrestle with the door onto the deck and take a photo or two.

Fisherman’s Table and Kapiti Island

We were the first to arrive, but the others weren't too far behind us.  Then came the difficult task of what to choose for lunch.  It was Ashley's turn to organise our day out and he chose this restaurant, as he was very fond of the “world famous in Kapiti” Salad Boat.  This is a  feature of this restaurant, with all sorts of interesting salads laid out in bowls inside a small boat.  But in these Covid times this was not available, and the salads were served in individual bowls with each order.  In keeping with the coastal surroundings, I chose salmon, and Robin had crumbed fish. 

Ashley had recently celebrated his BIG 80th Birthday, so we had a little presentation for him.  Happy Birthday Ashley, that is certainly something to celebrate.

Happy Birthday Ashley

We all enjoyed our meals, and as usual there was plenty of chatter, with us all putting the world to rights.  It was so nice to catch up with everyone again, and we are fortunate we can visit restaurants and cafes when other parts of the country are in restrictions and cannot. 

Robin, Jenny, Helen, Calvin, Yvonne, Ashley and Trish