Firemen, Helpful Friends, and a Holiday Weekend

It certainly was a busy weekend.   Our first ever King's Birthday 3 day Weekend, it seems so strange to say that after 70 years of Queen’s Birthday.  We finished packing the caravan on Friday morning, and then sat and waited for the firemen to arrived.  They were coming to do several smoke alarm assessments at our village, and we were on their list.  Actually, we were booked to have this done the previous week, but the brigade were attending a fire call out, so we were rebooked to this Friday.

And here they come, the fire engine was parked a few doors away from us, and three burly firemen came calling.  They checked and replaced our current smoke alarm as it was out of date, and installed an extra one as well.  We chatted about an escape plan, and found out that these men were not from our local brigade, but had come from Wellington to help out.  Such pleasant young men, and so helpful.  This is a free service, and much appreciated.

There they go

No sooner had the firemen departed, than Owen and Helen arrived.  Owen had kindly offered to clean the roof of our caravan which had lichen growing, so  Robin had sprayed it with Wet and Forget cleaner the previous week. Owen was up the ladder with his soft broom, a container of hot water and car wash and wax at the ready, vigorously cleaning away.  Helen was on hand to take the broom, and hand over the hose, while Robin was there steadying the ladder and offering encouragement.  He was just so thankful that it wasn’t him and his wobbly legs trying to stand up on the ladder to do this job.    All this took a while, much longer than I had anticipated, which gave me some time to whip up a batch of cheese muffins for us all.  We are so grateful for Owen and Helen for doing this chore for us.

Owen hard at work up the ladder

After lunching together, it was time to get on our way to Himatangi for a caravan weekend, a 40km journey so not too far away at all. 

New sign at Himatangi

We were staying at Himatangi Beach Camp, which has recently become a Top 10 camp.  This camp is always well maintained, with lovely clean facilities.

Just a small turnout this time, with just three of our vans attending the weekend.  The weather was fine, but that wind certainly had a bite to it, so we enjoyed the first 4zees of the weekend  inside our van.  Being a long weekend, there were plenty of arrivals during the afternoon, and beach buggies rolling in and out of camp visiting the nearby beach.

Our three on site, Dot’s VW motorhome, and two Leisurelines

With no rally family this weekend, we all had a say on what to do.  How about a visit to Viv’s Kitchen at Sanson?  That sounded great, but shall we do morning tea, lunch, or afternoon tea?  We all agreed that lunch sounded a great idea so off we went.  Several Cream Horns were devoured, and a couple of those big squishy chocolate eclairs came home with us for dessert that evening.  Sue and Murray called to the camp and joined us for 4zees, so it was great to catch up with them later in the afternoon.

Robin, Jenny, Dot, Helen and Owen

Luckily that pesky wind dropped but there was a definite chill in the air, a bit too cold to sit around outside. We decided to have a little drive on Saturday afternoon to Foxton Beach, and directed Owen down Wylie Road, one he had never driven down before.  This rural back road has several large free range chicken barns, and we saw plenty of chickens out enjoying the fresh air and scratching around in the grass, as they like to do.

 

This way to Foxton Beach

There were a whole swag of freedom campers parked up by Foxton Beach Surf Lifesaving club rooms, lots of big buses and vans, but freedom camping is not for us.  The beach was busy, beach buggies were driving around, some people were paddling, and we noticed one brave family sitting on the sand having a picnic.  Goodness me, the wind would have been rather cold down on the beach, I imagine.  Vehicles are allowed to drive on this beach, but at their own risk, I imagine.

The beach is a road

The moody beach

What better way to finish off our afternoon out that an ice-cream back at Himatangi Beach.

Helen, Robin, Jenny and Dot

We all packed up and got away reasonably early on Monday morning, as bad weather was forecast and we also wanted to beat the holiday weekend traffic.  It was a nice pleasant weekend, very relaxing, and enjoying each other’s company.

Over Stayers and Fire Engines on Easter Monday

It wouldn’t be a long weekend away without running out of gas, would it?  Being off power, both the fridge and hot water were quietly gobbling up the gas, and sure enough, the gas refused to light when I was all set to make our breakfast cup of tea.  It could have been much worse, when the beep, beeps and the flashing red light on the fridge lets you know the gas has run out in the middle of the night.  Robin soon replaced the empty cylinder with a full one, and kitchen service was resumed.

Changing the gas cylinder

We met in the hall for morning tea, the final raffles were drawn, but no, we weren’t lucky enough to win one of the prizes.  Then the National Rally was officially closed and we enjoyed a cuppa together before people packed up and went home.

There was some new technology to check out – Geoff and Eileen have just purchased a new “Motor Step” to make things easier getting in and out of their caravan.  With the a push of the button, it gently glides up, or down.  Such a clever idea indeed.  Reminds us of “Are you being Served”  Level 3 – Lingerie perhaps?  I had to have a try too, stepped on, pushed the button, and glided up to the doorway!

Coming down

Campers were soon hooking up their vans, saying their goodbyes and setting off on the homeward journey.  There was also the option for “over stayers” to stay over on Monday evening, and about half decided to take advantage of this offer – including us.  The rain came down in a deluge, and when it finally stopped,  I climbed up the staircase again to get another photo of those remaining for an extra night.

Half full, or half empty?

The heavy showers continued off and on all afternoon, and the drains couldn’t cope with all the water.  We ended up paddling to and fro through water inches deep!  But a rainbow made an appearance, promising that the rain would soon stop.

Rain, rain, go away

Preparations got underway for the Over-stayers Dinner in the late afternoon.  Cooks were busy in the hall kitchen cooking up pikelets for dessert while the rest of us were enjoying 4zees.  Goodness knows what they were getting up to in the kitchen but the cooks set the fire alarm off.  As the alarm was ringing in our ears a disembodied voice kept repeating, “evacuate the building, evacuate the building”, and we stood outside the hall in the drizzly rain.  Sure enough, sirens sounding, a fire engine soon arrived.

Fire engine to the rescue

The crew donned their heavy tanks, and entered the hall, to check things out.  Goodness knows what they thought of our bunch of geriatric campers all milling around.  They had to search through the other rooms attached to the hall, just to make sure that nothing else was amiss, and in doing so, set the burglar alarm off as well.  Then a second fire engine arrived.

Then there were two

After all that excitement, we were finally allowed back into the hall, and the fire engines departed.  Luckily the blokes cooking our shared evening meal of sausages, meat patties and onions out on the porch didn’t make enough smoke to recall the engines.  With the addition of coleslaw and bread and butter, it was a simple but tasty meal indeed.  With pikelets, jam and whipped cream to follow, yummy.

Grub’s up!

The Gisborne club did a “wooden spoon presentation” to one of their members, all taken in good spirit.  Sorry, but I didn’t catch the name of the giver, or the receiver, but it seems that this was the bloke who set the fire alarm off while cooking the pikelets in the kitchen!

It was all his fault, it seems

It was a great weekend, and so nice to catch up with people from other clubs whom we hadn’t seen for a while.  Although we had no luck with the raffles, but we did receive Easter Eggs and Easter Buns.  And staying an extra day meant that we missed most of the Easter road traffic.

Sunday Breakfast on Saturday

We had to change our weekend plans a little, and have our traditional cooked Sunday breakfast on Saturday.  Why?  Because we will out the door bright and early on Sunday morning to spend the day with our SLG and there wouldn’t be time for a cooked breakfast.

Robin did the honours this morning, cooking up bacon and free range eggs, (Robin dished up a double yolker on my plate) with black pudding and some of our home grown truss tomatoes.  We were advised that the Waikanae Butchers make very tasty black puddings, so popped in and brought one yesterday, as we were in the area.  Sometimes it’s hard to find a black pudding which suits your particular taste, and this one certainly met our expectations!  And yes, it was very nice indeed.  Our tiny truss tomatoes just keep growing and growing, and have such a lovely sweet taste.

Fresh from the garden

There was quite a bit of excitement the other day when a local house caught fire.  No, not in our village, but down the road a bit.  We could smell the smoke, and thought it was a rubbish fire.  But sadly, someone’s home went up in flames – and we do hope that no one was hurt.  The fire engines came out in force, and soon had it under control, although the house seems quite badly damaged.  The next day the fire investigators were there at the house, checking out the reasons why it caught alight, presumably. 

Local house which caught fire

All about Fire Engines

We said goodbye to Expressions in Upper Hutt,  and then Ashley took our SLG group to find out all about fire engines.  Unbeknown to most of our group, these are manufactured at Fraser Engineering in Lower Hutt.

Fire Engine for NZ Fire Service

General Manager Martin Simpson took time out of his busy day to show our group around the factory, and explain the process to us.  We donned our High Viz jackets and off we went.  It all starts in the  offices, where clever IT people draw up the plans for the hundreds if not thousands of components, and 3D modelling takes place.  Over we went to the factory to see the sheet metal cut into the various shapes required.  The mighty Turrent Punch was put through it’s paces as it speedily punched out metal pieces.

Turrent Punch

The factory was filled with workers and machines going about their business, churning out all sorts of pieces of metal, such as the huge laser cutter making short work of dealing with sheets of 4mm steel.  Metal components are put through the powder coating process, if specified.  A short walk across the road took us to where all these pieces are assembled to make those huge red fire engines.  Not just red, we were told, they are made with white or yellow paint jobs too.

  Controls for the fire pump

The plant already manufactures about 90 per cent of the New Zealand Fire Service fleet as well as trucks for Australia, Pacific Islands, Fiji, Cook Islands, New Guinea and Asia.  About 150 fire engines are designed and manufactured [excluding the truck deck] each year and the business was aiming to up production to about 200 in the next 12 months.  The Australian Rural Fire trucks have special safety features to protect the crew from the dangers of flash-overs which can happen in the huge bush fires which often burn out of control.

It was a very interesting factory tour and we appreciated the chance to learn a little about the manufacturing process.  As it happens, two of our group could claim a connection with the New Zealand Fire Service.  One had been a volunteer fireman years ago, and Robin was a Contracts Manager buying Fire Service protective clothing and uniforms in an earlier life.

Our motley bunch wouldn’t pass the fitness test for firemen.

Fire Trucks, Easter Bunnies and Pancakes at Putorino

There seemed to be quite a serious water problem over the weekend at the National Rally at Putorino.  What was happening to the water supply?  The water was disappearing from the tank at an alarming rate and there was no way we were using it all – there must be a leak under the tank.  We heard a beep-beep-beep as a tanker truck from Kotemaori Rural Fire Brigade backed up to the water tanks to top them up, arriving several times over the weekend to help us out.  Other wise it would have been a very dry long weekend indeed.  The water tanks obviously need to be thoroughly checked and repairs urgently made.  The overnight rain had not made any contribution to the water tanks at all.

Fire Truck to the rescue

The engine on the back of the truck was working hard as it pumped out 4000 litres of water into the aging concrete water tank.

The business end of the fire truck

A pair of Easter Bunnies came calling, and they knocked on each van door with a basket of chocolate eggs.  Just look at those happy smiles as they spread a bit of Easter cheer.

Judith and Anne with Easter Eggs to share

After all that excitement, we joined the crowds who were lining up to get their complimentary pancake breakfast.  Four cooks were hard at work cooking pancakes, bacon and bananas, which was served with a swirl of Maple Syrup.  It smelt delicious, and we really enjoyed our Sunday pancake breakfast.

Cooking pancakes and bacon

Our resident Pastor, Eric Sweeting took the traditional National Rally Easter church service in the hall, which was very well attended.  Then the afternoon activities, also in the hall, flowed from one to another, from the sales tables and book swaps, (swapped a couple myself), followed by afternoon tea, then Happy Hour.  After our evening meal it was back to hall again for an assortment of card and board games, or in our case, just groups of happy campers sitting together, telling yarns, and enjoying each other’s company.  The evening ended on a high note when Robin’s name was called out as one of the raffle winners.  Lots of interesting items plus the handy little wooden table too.

Robin with our raffle prize

After intermittent drizzle from the previous day, we awoke to find the vans surrounded by fog.  The hills had disappeared from view, and the early morning had quite ethereal look.

Surrounded by early morning fog

The National Rally drew to a close, and the banners were collected from the stand and paraded out of the hall.  Thanks were made, farewells said, and we enjoyed a last cuppa together before everyone went their separate ways.   It had been a great National Rally, not huge as they were so many years ago when we first started club caravanning, but fun and friendly.  Some were travelling straight home, but not us.  We are having a tiki tour north for a couple of weeks before heading home, stopping at places we have never visited before, as well as some old favourite haunts. 

If you want to know more about Club Caravanning click here.

Here comes Santa

After a hurly-burly afternoon back home in Levin  making a multitude of telephone calls to get the funeral arrangements started, we travelled back to Foxton Beach School to where our caravan was parked up at the Drop-In Rally.  And wouldn’t you know it, Santa came calling in the early evening.  The sirens were wailing, the lights were flashing and in rolled a fire engine with Santa riding shot-gun.  “Merry Christmas” he called out as he threw lollies out the windows to all of us oldies.

Here comes Santa on a Fire Engine

We wanted to spend Christmas Day quietly in camp, as the oncoming days will be full of a plethora of arrangements and decisions with other family members.  There were a few presents waiting to be opened in the morning, a long awaited book for him, a few wanted quilty items for her, chocolates galore - of course we will eat them, but why do the family think we need them?  Then there was a gift box of tasty snacks, and what’s this?  A pair of socks each – and not just any old socks.  No, these were bed socks for the caravan, the tag said.  And they certainly look cosy and warm, just the thing for when we are camping off power in the middle of winter with no electric blanket to keep us warm .

Caravan bed socks

Our traditional Christmas breakfast is croissants filled with ham off the bone and a slice of tasty cheese and heated till the cheese melts.  We sat outside under the awning eating our croissants, washed down with a nice cup of freshly brewed coffee – a great way to start the day.

Just finished our Christmas morning breakfast

Then Robin had to get on with the job of podding the peas – he is very partial indeed  to nice  fresh peas. This is a job he remembers doing quite often as a youngster, podding the peas for a family meal.  Robin then watched over the chicken roll-ups cooking slowly on the barbecue, while I was took care of the rest of the meal, cooking Jersey Benne potatoes (another family tradition) fresh peas and asparagus.

That’s a big bag of peas to pod

We joined the other caravanners in the hall and ate our lunch together.  And what a festive table it was, nicely decorated too.  We toasted each other, and ate our respective tasty meals, while we discussed all sorts of topics, putting the world to rights, as people do. 

Christmas lunch at the Drop-In Rally

We shared our desserts, and what a lovely selection there was - pavlova, trifle and fruit kebabs.  With a few Aussies in the group, there just had to be a discussion on that long running question of what country invented the pavlova first, New Zealand or Australia?  We decided it just had to be New Zealand, no argument about it.

Yummy desserts to share

Tomorrow is Boxing Day, and the numbers are expected to swell with more caravans and motor-homes arriving at the Drop-In Rally.  Meanwhile, we are enjoying the sunshine and the lovely peaceful surroundings.

 

Merry Christmas to our followers and readers, hope you all had a lovely day with family, friends, and those you love.  May you all have safe travels in the New Year. 

And many thanks for your kind words of condolence at this sad time, they are most appreciated.

Big Boys Toys and Painted Eggs

Our host for the weekend, Farmer Noel, invited us to look around his truck collection.  There is nothing modest about this collection, and Noel told us the whys and wherefores of the various items he had collected over the years.

Some of the many trucks on display

Ford L8000

Bedford

Noel even had a Dodge fire engine in his collection. 

In the evening we gathered together for an egg decorating competition. taking our hard boiled eggs, felt tip pens and whatever else we thought we might need.  The concentration was intense as we all got creative, in my case with glue and glitter, which got all over the place, I might add.  Our creative endeavours were judged by Bill, with Selwyn declared the winner. 

  

Decorated eggs

Our Easter weather at Coppermine Camp was varied to say the least, with everything from torrential rain, wind, a thunder clap or two, sunshine and back to more wind and rain.  I discovered that there were scary wild animals on the farm, which emit strange blood curdling  noises in the dead of night.  I was making my way back from the ablution block with only a pitifully weak torch to light my way, and thought something nasty was after me.  I couldn’t get back to the caravan fast enough, and Robin laughingly told me that it was only a possum.  Maybe so – but it sounded like a vicious predator to me! 

Jubilee Fire Museum, Masterton

Situated adjacent to the Wool Shed Museum (which we visited on Sunday) is the Jubilee Fire Museum.  This small museum declares it “celebrates a bygone era in fire fighting services”.  Pride of place is the Jubilee horse drawn fire appliance, a magnificent example of Victorian engineering.  Purchased by the Masterton Borough Council in 1887, the year of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, the town’s first fire engine was named the Jubilee Fire Engine in recognition of this milestone.

Jubilee Fire Engine

The Jubilee appliance is a horse drawn Shand Mason steam pump, which can deliver 300 gallons (1440 litres) of water per minute. The engine was fired by coal, which burned in an under-slung fire bucket.  Fires were a major hazard to the early settlers, with fire spreading rapidly between houses and commercial buildings all constructed of native timber.  The Jubilee had a long and active working life, remaining in active service until 1925 when a motorised appliance was purchased.

 

The museum has various fire fighting  photos, uniforms  and memorabilia scattered around.  (Did you know that Robin worked for the NZ Fire Service for 5 years as a Contracts Manager purchasing the new style gold coloured protective clothing for fire fighters?)   I particularly liked the fireman sliding down the pole, dressed in his long woollen underwear. He’s off to save the town from burning down!

Down the pole

TATATM – Part 2

What else was there to see at the Taranaki Aviation Transport and Technology Museum?  You name it – they had it!  Such as an American AT6 Harvard which did RNZAF Service from 1941-1977.   The Harvards were finally retired in 1977 and replaced with NZ Aerospace CT4 Airtrainers.

Harvard AT6

Inside the cockpit

Fire Rescue Service Truck

A collection of radio and TV valves

Robin grew up in New Plymouth and the Brewster family lived close by.  Edgar Brewster went into bee-keeping which led to his ideas of “NORIAN” – no right angles in nature.  He developed a building technique based on the hexagon principle, and built the family home based on a beehive.  A constant stream of visitors looked through this distinctive house, and it featured in many newsreels over the years.  Sadly, the house has since been demolished, but the museum has hexagon panels of the house on display, plus two remarkable hexagon dining tables.  Robin was often sent to the Beehive house during his childhood to buy jars of honey.

Norian honey was sent all over the world

Hexagon table made by Edgar Brewster

Who says you can’t have fun at a museum?  We certainly did when we were invited to “let the inner child out to play”.  Remember those Lamson wire systems (Lamson Rapid Wire Carrier System) which whisked money and dockets on wires across department stores?   It took me several goes to pull down hard enough to make it work.  But once I’d got the hang of it, there was no stopping us.  I was at one end, and Robin at the other, and the tube just kept whizzing along the wire!

There it goes

We have had a great time in New Plymouth, and travelled around looking at places important to Robin’s childhood.  Did some exploring in the city and along country roads, and enjoyed our time staying at the country POP.  Tomorrow we are moving across country to Taupo, and will travel home slowly, stopping off at places which take our fancy.