The NZMCA Eriksen Road Park has a very large grassed area, set with rows of trees here and there breaking up the park into smaller camping areas. Over this busy Christmas time of year there are plenty of visitors staying for one night, or several. Popular additions to the camping holiday are electric bikes, and the family dog. We even noticed another cat on a lead, not too far away from us.
Staying in Napier
We settled down on site and did some exploring in the first couple of days. Top of the list was a visit to Arataki Honey, where Robin can get his honey jars refilled. We got a jar of Manuka, Rewarewa and Blue Borage, that will keep him happy for a while. And we picked up some more comb honey, it’s not always easy to find, so we buy it when we can. Occasionally, bus loads of tourists descend on the Honey Centre too, making things very busy indeed for staff, but not this time, it was fairly quiet. Our jars were filled quickly, and we were soon on our way.
Arataki Honey
Next on our list of places to go was BIrdwoods to their old fashioned sweetshop, always a favourite. We wanted to replenish our supply of blackballs and acid drops, which we like to keep in the car. This establishment has a gallery, sculpture garden and café as well, but we headed straight to the ice-cream shop. It was typically warm Hawkes Bay weather, so an ice-cream was declared necessary, and we enjoyed a mixed berry ice-cream, served in a tub. Better on a hot day, it means it didn't melt and drip all over me as often happens.
BIrdwoods Sweet Shop and enjoying an ice-cream
One of the things on our “must do” list was to catch up with our Hastings family again. Niece Lisa had arranged to collect her Dad from the rest home and had booked a table for us all at The Duke of Gloucester pub in Taradale, a favourite of theirs. It was so nice to see Dennis again, husband of my late sister Kathleen, and Lisa with her grown up family, Adam and Kate. We pondered over the meal choices, and eventually decided. The meals were huge and several doggy bags got taken home with the leftovers.
Family lunch
Caravan Club members Helen and Owen arrived on Saturday, and parked up beside us. There was plenty of catching up to do, as we hadn't seen them since our Christmas Rally in early December. It will be nice to have some company for the next few day.
Two Heretaunga Club Leisurelines
The following day Owen and Robin went to visit Doug from the Hawkes Bay Caravan Club, whose home was badly impacted by the floods last year. Doug and Owen are members of the Zephyr Car Club, so the three of them no doubt spent their time chatting about all things car related. In the meantime, I went out with Helen and her family to visit the Sunflower Farm on their Open Day. So many people had the same idea, all vying for a car park. We joined the hordes of people all walking up the path, getting up close and personal amongst the tall, nodding sunflowers. I had never seen so many, and everyone was entranced with them. It was free entry to wander amongst the flowers, and when leaving the sales table was very busy. At $2.00 a stem, two sun flowers came back with me, although I did wonder what I would do with them in the caravan. No tall vases here in the van, so I put some water in Robin’s glass beer pint, and they are pride of place on the kitchen bench.
Amongst the sunflowers with Helen
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