Homeward Bound

It was time to say goodbye to our friends and Awakeri  Hot Pools, and start making our journey home.  After pondering over the map, we planned to break our journey for our last night and stay at ABBA Motor Camp, Taihape.  (The camp was so named because it is situated on Old Abattoir Road).  However, since we were last here the camp has changed its name, and and now called Taihape River View Holiday Park.  You may park anywhere, we were told.  As there were just a couple of tents in camp, we were spoilt for choice, and parked up overlooking the river and the papa cliffs.  It was a pleasant afternoon for a short walk down to the lower level to see what was over the other side.  The white cliffs contrasted against the dark green foliage of the native trees. 

Overlooking the river

Far across the river we could see a brown cow standing guard while her cream coloured calf rested in the sunshine.  They must have seen us watching them as they slowly moved away into the shadow of the trees.  A few sheep wandered by, baaing loudly, as sheep do.  It was a very pleasant and peaceful rural outlook.

  The river at the bottom of the gorge

Taihape is known as the “Gumboot Capital of New Zealand”. Why, you might ask?  In March every year Taihape hosts Gumboot Day.  Gumboot throwing competitions, gumboot marching, and games are all keenly competed, while music and stalls add to the rustic ambiance.  Gumboot Day was first held in 1985 to entice travellers to stop and see what Taihape has to offer, and has been a hit with the public ever since.  Gumboots are compulsory foot wear in the farming community and as Fred Dagg sang in his immortal song, “Where would you be without your gumboots?”  The huge corrugated iron sculpture by Jeff Thompson is the icon of  Taihape, and many visitors like to stop and have their photo taken beside it.

Taihape is “Gumboot Town”

Caravan on a plate - Cheddar Valley Pottery

On our sightseeing trip around the Ohiwa Harbour we stopped off at the Cheddar Valley Pottery.  Potters Stuart and Margaret Slade purchased the old Cheddar Valley Co-op Dairy Co building 25 years ago.  They busily work their magic turning lumps of Nelson White clay into pots, plates, platters and garden ornaments.

Entrance to Cheddar Valley Pottery

Our friends Pauline and Geoff had recently placed an order, and were keen to show us the wonderful work done by Stuart and Margaret.  Pauline and Geoff are keen caravan enthusiasts, just like us, and wanted plates showing their current and previous caravans.  Their order was ready and waiting for them, and they were thrilled with the results.

Artist Stuart, with Geoff and Pauline, and potter Margaret

Margaret “throws” the clay to make the items, and Stuart hand paints the image using photos provided.  The plates are then fired in the kiln, clear glaze is added, then they are fired again.  Geoff and Pauline’s special  one-off plates and platter will certainly be treasured for ever.  (There is no doubt about it, we will  have to get a Romany Rambler plate made for us).  As well as making individual orders, there is a large range of items to buy “off the shelf”.  We spent a while just browsing to see what else was on offer, and we particularly liked the beautiful New Zealand native bird plates.

Some of the items on display

Stuart and Margaret are keen travellers too and like to get away in their motor home from time to time.  They also offer a “pop stop” at their property for NZMCA members who wish to spend a night or two in the area.  

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Turkeys and Oysters

Gobble, gobble went the turkeys as we drove slowly past after a drive down to a beach subdivision near Whakatane.  Mum and Dad turkey were in the paddock just over the fence.  Was that a baby turkey or two we can see?  We stopped the car and I slowly walked up to the fence line, so they didn’t get too frightened.  There were in fact ten young turkeys grazing on the grass with their parents.

The Turkey family

Father turkey was watching over his brood, and keeping a wary eye on me as I walked closer.  He spread his tail feathers, puffed out his chest and fixed me with his beady eyes.  “Gobble, gobble, don’t you dare come any closer”, he seemed to be saying.  He was certainly taking great care of his brood.

We got back into the car and continued on with our sightseeing drive around the Whakatane area.  It was getting on for lunch time when we stopped at Ohiwa Oyster Farm on our drive around the coast.  Perhaps they sell  cooked oysters here?  Yes, they certainly did, so we placed our orders for battered oysters and chips, received a number, and waited patiently for our orders to cooked.  Then we sat at the picnic tables overlooking the bay and devoured our delicious lunch.

 

The Pacific oysters are farmed right here in Ohiwa Harbour and the shop was kept very busy with orders.  Cars stopped across the road, and whole families and groups of friends arrived to place their orders and like us, enjoy their meals in the misty sunshine.  The setting was beautiful, with a flowering pohutukawa tree adding a splash of colour to the tranquil scene.  Sea gulls hovered around waiting hopefully for some left over chips to be thrown their way.

It was truly a magical place and our al fresco lunches were delicious.  Another glorious day on holiday.

Awakeri Hot Pools

About 15 kms from the bustling city of Whakatane, is the delightful Awakeri Hot Pools Motor Camp.  Mature trees offer shade from the hot summer sun, and the plentiful birdlife sings all day.  There are not just birds around, we were solemnly told by a youngster, but possums too, who come out at night, make horrible noises and climb through open windows and we had better watch out for the owls (Morepork / Ruru) that would also get you.  The boy and his dad were bravely going on a great possum hunt, armed with a torch, to find one of these dastardly creatures.

The office block

Inside the office are a series of photos from the early days before the motor camp was developed.  People used to come to bath at the natural spring in the 1920s, which was then made into a pool.  Later development brought the motor camp and the large pools that are in use today.

The hot springs in the 1920s

Kids being kids enjoy the pools at any time of the day.  We prefer to go for a dip in the evening and the pool is full of grey headed customers at this time of night.  It is very relaxing and the mineral water eases away any aches and pains.  Casual customers arrive by the car load but there is no extra charge for campers to use the pool.

In the heat of the day

We are camping here with two other couples from the National Rally and enjoy the relaxed life in these pleasant surroundings.  What can be better than relaxing under a shady tree in the afternoon, or sitting out in the cool of evening and putting the world to rights.  And as a bonus to bloggers, the camp offers free internet connection. 

Bent like a piece of Wire

What happens when a large earthquake  of 5.2 shakes the ground 10kms underneath a large milk processing factory during a busy working day?  Followed by a second earthquake of 6.3 hit seven minutes later?   The damage to the  building can be seen by the way this steel beam was twisted and bent, just like a piece of wire.

The earthquake took place at Edgecumbe in 1987, and thankfully there was no loss of life.  The ground level at the milk processing centre dropped an amazing 15 metres during the shock, and a fault line formed south east of Edgecumbe.  The steel beam on display was retrieved during construction and erected as a monument to the forces of nature. 

We passed the monument at Edgecumbe on our way to the Awakeri Hot Springs Motor Camp, where we will be staying the next few days.  The steel beam is a chilling reminder of why New Zealand is sometimes called “The Shaky Isles”.

Last Days at the National Rally

Kelvin the Magician kept us entertained on Sunday evening with his droll humour and sleight of hand tricks.  Just how does it work when he ties a knot in a rope, cuts it in two, gives a shake, and it all comes out in a complete length?  He was rather nifty with the card tricks too.  Kelvin called one of the campers up on stage, to give a demonstration on the power of projecting thoughts.  The hapless victim had to hold the handle of an egg-beater to his forehead, turn the handle like crazy, and the energy created supposedly projected the number of the card he had earlier selected to us in the audience. 

The volunteer and the egg-beater

Another trick involved a $20 note, a hard boiled egg, an onion, a pumpkin and a candle.  Another volunteer bravely offered his $20 to Kelvin, who wrote down the numbers printed on the note, put it away in an envelope and absent mindedly burnt it over the candle.  Oh dear!  Never mind, said Kelvin.  After Kelvin had consumed the egg and the onion, and the volunteer had chopped up the pumpkin looking for the note, the magician remembered where it might be.  He  then cut the candle in two, and drew out a note with the same serial number from the inside.  It was all very enjoyable and a load of laughs.

  Oh dear, I didn’t mean to burn your money

The closing ceremony of the National rally took place on Monday morning.  Speeches were made, and the organising committee were thanked for all their hard work in running such a successful rally.  Our  resident piper Jo.looked resplendent in his kilt as he piped the flag bearers out of the hall.

Six of us decided to celebrate our last evening in camp with a meal out.  We dined at the local RSA restaurant which was close by. It seems to be a tradition to have some sort of arms on display outside the RSA buildings around the country. 

RSA building in Mt Maunganui

Even though the temperatures were still hot, I couldn’t go past the roast beef which was featured on the menu.  Everyone else enjoyed their choices.  Although the menu was not vast, there was something to suit everyone, and the surroundings were excellent.  Robin did the honours again with the photo, setting his camera up on an adjacent table,  then rushing back to sit down in the nick of time.

After our meal in the RSA

The National Rally was over and it was time to pack up.  Robin helped with a bit of man-power as our neighbours wanted their caravan pushed out of the way, to be collected later.  With a huff, and a puff, they soon had it rolling to the new position.

  Many hands make light work

We were soon packed up too, and ready to continue with the next part of our holiday, staying for a few days at the Awakeri Hot Springs Motor Camp.  There is nothing like a nice soothing soak in the hot pool after a hard day’s holiday!

Celebrating New Year in Mt Maunganui

The New Year’s Eve celebrations got off to a good start at the National Rally with a BBQ meal, all provided by the hosts.  While the rest of us were finding nice shady spots to sit down to get respite from the hot Mt Maunganui sunshine, the ladies from the organising club, Bay of Plenty Caravan Club, were busy in the canteen.  They were chopping, and slicing, and mixing things together with gay abandon.  While all this was happening, the men were busy slaving over a hot barbeque.  A huge quantity of sausages were cooked, together with a big pile of sliced onions.  Then it was time to serve the hordes.  As we filed past the canteen windows the sausages and onions were served.  Further along we invited to try rice salad, coleslaw, bean salad, or apple salad. 

   Cooking up the sausages

Later in the evening we gathered in the hall for the Cabaret night.  The tables were nicely set with long cloths and scattered with rose petals.  We chose a table close to an open door to allow for the breeze to come through to cool things down.  The temperatures were still hot and muggy and we had a lot of revelry to get through till the midnight countdown.

Ready to rock’n’roll

The two piece band started fairly quietly and the music swirled around the hall.  Later in the evening the band played a Monte Carlo followed by the Supper Waltz.  These we sat these out as we haven’t quite mastered the finer points of waltzing.  The supper brought back memories of those long ago community dances as we collected our plate of goodies and a hot drink each, then sat back down at our respective tables to chat and enjoy the supper.   As mid-night approached everyone got onto the dance floor in anticipation. The countdown started and all the poppers went bang!  “Old Lang Syne” was sung with gusto and another New Year began. 

Our music for the evening

We celebrated the start of the New Year with a group Champagne Breakfast outside in the sunshine.  Some brought cereal and fruit, others cooked their breakfast on the BBQ,  and our friends Geoff and Pauline were munching on bacon butties.  It was bacon and eggs for us, Robin’s speciality breakfast cooked on the BBQ.  We sipped a glass of bubbly, then finished our meal with a cup of plunger coffee and cream.  What a great way to start the morning.

Robin cooking bacon and eggs for breakfast

Geoff was cooking pizza for lunch and invited us to join them.  We were very interested to see how this all worked out as he had intrigued us when he explained that it is cooked in a casserole dish on the gas hob.  The pizza is cooked in a heavy  “Bessemer” dish with the lid on and the gas turned down low.  Geoff and Pauline cook roast chicken, casseroles and even scones in this speciality  utensil.  It comes complete with a cook book, and is so handy and easy to use, producing all sorts of hot meals easily while off power.  I think we need to get one too.

Pizza for lunch

As you can see, we had quite a time celebrating the Old Year out and the New Year in -  Happy New Year to all our friends.