Pahiatua in the rain

A bit of rain didn’t dampen our spirits at the Combined Rally at Pahiatua.  A total of 13 assorted caravans and motor homes from the participating clubs of Heretaunga, Wairarapa and Wellington Caravan Clubs arrived for the weekend.  One kind camper had gathered up a large bag of nice fresh feijoas from trees on his property for us all to share.

This weather doesn’t look too good

We gathered in the camp dining room for morning tea, 4zees and in the evenings.  It was a bit of a squash, but we all managed to squeeze ourselves in and find a seat.  A few games of Housie was organised on Saturday evening, with David from the Wairarapa Club calling out the numbers.   

David the Housie Caller

We all entered into the spirit of the games and it was “eyes down” as the numbers were called out one by one.  Not necessarily the numbers that we had on our cards, we noticed.  The lucky winners were rewarded with a chocolate bar.

Elaine and Peter, Robin and Jenny waiting for those elusive numbers

Supper was served later in the evening.  Everyone was asked to provide a plate of supper to share and most of the ladies had  brought along some tasty home baking.  The marshmallow shortcake was particularly delicious, and I reminisced with the other ladies about making it myself for my young children’s birthday parties in earlier years.

   Tasty supper selection

The weather was still very damp on Sunday when everyone was packing up and heading home.  We were not going home though, we were heading north to Hastings for our next stop.

Carnival Camp, Pahiatua

Ballance

The fog rolled in, then the rain kept falling, from drizzle, to unrelenting rain fall, and back to a light drizzle again, which made for puddles everywhere and piles of wet squelchy fallen leaves underfoot.  Even the sheep down the driveway to the camp were sodden as they tried to shelter under the large trees.

Sheep trying to keep out of the rain

Perhaps we should take a little sight seeing trip?  Robin was keen to check out a freedom camping site at Ballance that he had read about.  Even small, out of the way places like Ballance have their share of interesting history.  As we drove through the rural Ballance Valley we  came across a plaque commemorating the site of the first Butter Factory.  It didn’t actually say if the factory was the first in the area, or the first in New Zealand.  The factory was built for the cost of 400 pound in the late 1800s and used water from the adjacent creek to turn the water wheel, turning the separators and butter churn.

Site of water powered butter factory

The freedom camping site didn’t appeal to us al all as it was just a pull-off area on the side of a  busy road.  There were toilets and water available, but no protection from traffic.  The adjacent Ballance Bridge spanning the Manawatu River was well worth checking out and much more interesting.

The Ballance Bridge

Sadly this bridge was the place of a tragic accident not too long ago.  An adventure tourism operation was taking place, where young people swung under the bridge.  One young girl leapt off the bridge for her swing ride but her harness was not properly attached to the bridge and she died when she hit the river bed.  The operation was quite rightly shut down, and it is a much more peaceful place these days.

Manawatu River

From Purple Haze to Tui HQ

Last time we stayed in this area we did a tour through Tui Breweries at Mangatainoka.  Our men folk still had a few left over “free beer” tickets burning a hole in their pockets, so a trip to redeem them was mooted.  But first, we stopped for lunch at the delightful  Purple Haze lavender shop and country cafe.  Most of our group ordered the mixed grill (would be called an all day breakfast in some cafes), very good value at $12 and came with two sausages, two eggs, bacon, hash browns, tomatoes and a big plate of hot toast.  My battered fish was was tender and moist inside a nice crispy batter, just the way I like it. 

Lavender bushes growing at Purple Haze

From here it was just a short trip to Tui HQ.  Across the road was quite a sight to behold as we spotted several peafowl perched on a fence.  One bird after another jumped up to join them and they calmly looked over at all the comings and goings at Tui Breweries.  We could just imagine what a racket all these birds would make when they started getting vocal.

The neighbouring peafowl

Peter and Robin outside Tui HQ

Robin was quite keen to taste some of the different varieties that he hadn’t last time, and there were a couple of brews which were only available through this facility.  The bar stools were certainly different.  Robin is sitting on a timber beer crate with a padded top.

Sitting on a beer crate

Coffee (not beer) is my drink of choice, so I ordered a latte from the  bright orange coffee machine standing on the edge of the bar.  This was served in a matching orange Tui branded coffee mugs.

It’s coffee for me

Tucked away up the stairs is a small museum featuring all sorts of interesting Tui Brewery memorabilia.  Lots of old beer bottles on display and awards that the brewery has collected over the years.

Upstairs in the museum

Tui Brewery sponsor rugby in New Zealand and the Hurricanes (Wellington Regional Team) always play the first game of the season at the local rugby ground.  There was quite a collection of signed rugby jerseys displayed in the museum too.

Signed rugby jerseys in the museum

This way to the dunnies!  The wooden door features cut outs for various items to be passed through, if required, including a bottle of Tui beer.

This way to the dunnies

We spent a very pleasant afternoon sitting and chatting around the roaring log fire.  And the blokes were happy to announce that they still had a couple of free beer tickets left so we will be coming back again some time in the future, I am sure.

Elaine, Peter and Jenny on the Tui branded couch

Peter’s Lucky “Yeah Right”!

Over the Hill to Pahiatua

Muffy looked on in interest as we finished packing the caravan for our trip to Pahiatua.  We trudged in and out through the light drizzle as we carried loads of clothes and food for our trip.  We were extending the usual weekend rally and travelled up on Thursday, not coming home till the following Tuesday.  Oh my, the joys of being retired and no work commitments hanging over us.  Muffy lay on my lap patiently while I buckled her pink harness on, and clipped on the light stretchy lead.  Then she sneaked quietly away.  She was probably thinking, “Oh no, they’re taking me away in the car again”.  She doesn’t seem to mind being in the caravan, but obviously finds the car trips a little disconcerting, as she often travels in the back with her head hanging down low over the seat.  

I’ll just hide here and they won’t find me

I helped Robin to guide the 4WD back onto the tow ball.  “What’s that noise?”, I asked him.  It was a strange “click clack click” coming out of the left front wheel and it didn’t sound at all healthy, especially as we were shortly going on a long hard tow over the Rimutaka Hill.    We went straight down to the garage we take the cars to, and the owner came out to see if he could  fix the problem for us.  Off came the hub cap.  “There’s your problem”, he said.  The grease cap had come loose and was rolling around inside the wheel trim.  He also tightened up the axle mechanism. Thanks so much for your help, Murray, we always get get service from P J Crooks Ltd.  We were so pleased it wasn’t a major problem.

Our trip over the Rimutaka Hill was a stop-start affair with the road works.  The road was reduced to one lane near the top and the traffic controlled by traffic lights so there was plenty of time to see what was going on when we were stopped in the line of traffic. 

Stopped on the hill road

There were trucks and diggers working away wherever you looked, including this bright yellow one right beside our car and caravan.  Just hope he is careful where he swings that bucket.

   Big yellow digger

Once over the hill it was an easy drive through the Wairarapa towns of Featherston, Greytown, Carterton and Masterton.  We stopped at Ekatahuna for “you know what” at the public conveniences.  And no, they haven’t been painted like this just for the Royal Wedding, the building always looks like this with the Guardsman and the royal corgis!

  A little bit of light relief in Ekatahuna

Next stop was Carnival Park Motor Camp, where we will be staying for the next three nights.  It is really pretty with all the golden leaves fluttering down from the large trees.

Entrance to Carnival Park Motor Camp, Pahiatua

We are on our own so far so have the place to ourselves, except for one solitary van tucked away under the trees, and the manager.  We  decided to come up a day early, but most of the others will not be arriving until tomorrow.

All by ourselves, but more friends expected soon

A little bit of tutoring

After a hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs our two English visitors were getting ready to set off on the next phase of their New Zealand holiday. But first they needed a hand to sort out some issues with the campervan.  Although they had been given a quick run through of instructions when they collected the van, it was a matter of receiving too much information all at once.  The Kea had all sorts of buttons, switches and gauges and Glennis and Sue had not been in a campervan before.  They were having problems with opening the sliding door after a night spent safely tucked up inside.  They just couldn’t get that dratted door catch to unlock and had taken to clambering over to the front seats, and exiting through the cab door.  There had to be an easier way, so Robin climbed into the camper to have a go at sorting out the problem.  He shut the door, locked it, then tried to open it.  No go, it stayed firmly locked.  After pressing a few buttons, he worked it out.  The door had an electric release which meant a master switch had to be turned on and a unnamed switch above the sink pressed and hey presto the sliding door opened. This was only part of the problem as the locking mechanism for the motor-home also deadlocked the sliding door and a separate button on the key ring needed to be pressed. Once we had that sorted it was onto the waste water and chemical toilet emptying and priming. Robin then topped up the water for them so they had a full tank when they arrived at their next stop.  What goes in must come out, so the next step was to show how to empty the grey water tank.  He advised leaving the waste hose to drip dry for a short time to make it drier to pack away.

Explaining the wastewater connection

How to empty the toilet cassette was the next lesson.  A necessary job that must be done, then it is washed out and the toilet chemical added to keep it sweet and clean for next time.

The toilet cassette slides out here

Years of camping have taught Robin that the last job to do is to make sure you never drive away with the cord still plugged in to the power point.  (This makes the camper look stupid, and damages the cord and connection).   Unplug it, then roll it up neatly, he instructed.

Rolling up the power cord

It goes away in here

Glennis and Sue were heading up to Napier to check out the Art Deco city, then travelling on to Rotorua.  We wished them safe and happy travels as we waved them off on their big adventure.

Sue and Glennis and their Kea campervan

Chocolate Fish and the Weta Cave

Wellington City looked picture perfect as we continued with the sight-seeing tour for our English visitors.  After the ride in the Kelburn Cable Car it was time for lunch.  The Chocolate Fish Cafe in Shelly Bay was one that we had been waiting to try, so this was the perfect day to go there. 

This way to the  Chocolate Fish Cafe

The cafe was full to bursting and as we stood and looked around, two men kindly moved from a large table to a smaller one so that the four of us could sit comfortably outside.  The cafe’s specialty is artisan style barbecued seafood sandwiches with garlic aioli and watercress. Interestingly, this cafe does not have a kitchen and the fillings for the hot sandwiches are cooked over a barbeque in the corrugated lean-to shed on the left of the photo.  Three of us ordered the scallop sandwich, with Glennis choosing fish.  The scallops were just divine, and we savoured every mouthful.  Washed down with a large cup of tasty coffee, we all declared the meal was perfect.  So perfect, in fact, that Robin and I plan to return there again very shortly.

Sitting in the sunshine

After lunch we drove the short distance to Miramar and we spotted the newly refurbished Roxy Theatre – another place on our “must do soon” list.  Not today, though, our destination was The Weta Cave. 

The Weta Cave is a Wellington treasure and entry is free.  The small theatre screens a behind-the-scenes look at Weta Workshops and interviews with Weta co-founders Peter Jackson, Richard Taylor, Tania Rodger and Jamie Selkirk, telling of the creativity and imagination that goes into crafting the art of Weta.  Although Sue and Glennis were well aware of Lord of the Rings and King Kong films, they were astounded to learn of the huge number of other projects that the company has been involved in. 

I’m coming to get you

The mini-museum is chock full of some of the characters, props and displays from the many movies which Weta worked on.  And look, here is Gollum, still pining for “His Precious”.

Gollum

Lurtz Chief of the Uruk-hai from LOTR

Attention to detail is the Weta trademark and we read how the chain mail and armour were made.  Housing a blacksmith's shop and a comprehensive leatherworking studio, Weta Workshop has the facility to produce full plate, medieval styled articulated armour, any period leather armour and components, and modern war and security breastplates, shields and body armour. 

Chain mail display

Leaving the monsters and the creative genius of their creators behind, we climbed back in the 4WD and headed back home for a refreshing cuppa.  It had been quite a day and we were ready to relax and put our feet up.

A Kea on our driveway

Our English visitors hadn’t arrived and we were starting to get a little worried.  But a phone call to Interislander Ferries cleared up the mystery.  It seemed that the Inter Island Ferry was two hours late departing on the mid-morning sail from Picton.  Glennis and Sue finally arrived safe and sound.  After moving our cars out of the garage and onto the road, their hired Kea campervan was parked up on our driveway.  Luckily the ferry crossing had been smooth, and then they had to navigate their way off the ferry, and along State Highway 2 to find their way to our house.  The campervan had only been collected the previous day, so they had done extremely well indeed.  A cup of tea to recover after this adventure was just what they needed.

Glennis and Sue with their Kea campervan

After watching  the Royal wedding the night they arrived, the ladies were ready the next day for a spot of sightseeing.  First stop was to see the “Beehive”, the common name for the Executive Wing of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings.  It is so-called because of its shape is reminiscent of that of a traditional woven form of beehive known as a "skep".  Glennis and Sue were quite impressed with this distinctively shaped building.

Taking photos in Parliament grounds

The top floor of the Beehive is occupied by the Cabinet room, with the Prime Minister's offices on the ninth floor.  Other floors contain the offices of cabinet ministers. The bronze statue of Richard John Seddon ('King Dick'), Premier between 1893 and 1906, stands outside Parliament House. It was designed by British sculptor Sir Thomas Brock and was erected in 1915.  These grounds are open for the public to stroll through and enjoy and office workers often eat their lunch there on sunny days.

The Beehive and statue of Premier Richard Seddon

No visit to Wellington would be complete without a ride on our world famous cable car.  Because of parking restraints in the city, Robin dropped us off in Lambton Quay and arranged to meet us at the top with the car.

This way to Cable Car Lane

The price for the visitors for a single ride is only $3.50, quite reasonable, I thought, although I qualified for a free ride on producing my Gold Card.  The cable car was crowded with tourists and locals alike. 

The short steep ride to the top gave us glorious views of the city and the harbour.  Soames Island can be seen in the harbour with the Rimutaka Ranges in the background.  It was a perfect Wellington day, fine and sunny with just a little wind. 

A harbour view

A city view

Two visitors and a local at the top of the cable car ride, Sue, Jenny and Glennis

The adjacent Cable Car Museum (free entry) gave an insight into how the cable car started all those years ago.  We sat and watched a very interesting short film which told of both cable cars and trams which were running in many New Zealand towns and cities in the past.  One of the original cars was on display and Glennis shuddered as I climbed up to sit on the sloping outside seats.  Nothing to it, we told her, everyone thought it was fun to travel sitting on the outside like this.  It was, too, back in the days before Health and Safety rules took over.

The “Grip man” used to control the car by hand

The elegance of yester-year