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Day 38: March 10
Forecast for the day is for more rain, but it holds off as we miss two turns on Rooby’s planned route, and end up taking many back (paved) roads to make our way through to Matamata where we have booked our bus seats for the tour out to Hobbiton. We just missed our scheduled bus, but we were placed on the next one as crowds were not as big as expected. (Too much rain??)
For those of you not familiar with the stories, “Hobbiton” was the name of the Shire community where Bilbo Baggins and other Hobbits lived in the novels, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings (LOTR). When Peter Jackson was looking for a setting for his movies, he found the Alexander family property near Matamata, NZ. Originally, after the movie The Lord of the Rings was completed, the sets were dismantled. Later, when Jackson decided to film The Hobbit, the Alexanders asked for a more permanent legacy, and the current Hobbiton was built, used in The Hobbit, and then turned into a major tourist attraction with as many as 5000 visitors a day. I found a website with some wonderful images and a full explanation at:
Hobbiton is a Real Place in New Zealand. This is What it Looks Like
Check it out!
Sandy had not originally been all that enthusiastic about the visit, but even she was enchanted with the place! And…the sun shone down upon us!!
We eventually made our way in the afternoon to Rotorua – renowned for its geothermal and volcanic activity. We had booked what turned out to be a lovely 3-bedroom motel room in the Santa Maria Motel. We had sleeping space for 7 people! We were so happy with the hosts and the room that we hurried back to the office and booked a second night.
Day 39: March 11
By morning, it was pouring rain, and thoughts of exploring the town did not appeal, so we sat around watched Rugby Sevens from Vancouver and, as I explained in my last entry, caught up on email and blog postings. Seeing no break in the weather forecast, I asked our host for a third night to try to get time for the sights around town.
The afternoon brought a break in the downpour, so we wandered around the townsite, waterfront and beautiful parks. Steam pours out of many sulphurous hotsprings around town and in folks’ back yards. The smell pervades! Just as we return to our rental car a couple of hours later, the heavens open.
Day 40: March 12
Still heavy monsoon-like rains! We sit and watch the Rugby Sevens Championships and are very proud of the successes of the Women’s team, and the marvellous performances of the Canadian men – even though they finally ended in 7th place – tied with the New Zealand team. We missed some of the games, of course, but apparently our great nephew, McLeay, was featured on the jumbotron a few times! I predict that he will be a force!
When we find a break in the rain, we head for Okere Falls. We embark on the 20 minute hike to the parking lot at the other end of the trail. The falls are in full, powerful flood, and although kayakers run the river in normal times, it is closed to them since the height of the waters would endanger them from lower branches. The trail is beautiful, but a bit rough because of the rainfall. At the end of the trail, our intention is to take the road back to our vehicle, but less than 50 metres down the road, the heavens open up again. Our Tilleys cannot withstand the drenching, and we duck under some bushes for about 20 minutes until the rain abates. The trail back is awash, and muddy, but we manage to preserve a few dry places on our bodies. The evening provides even more heavy rains, and our parking lot at the motel is a lake!
Day 41: March 13
We leave our hosts, Jason and Emma, and head down the road towards Taupo, Turangi and Palmerston North.
An aside…In the mid-1990’s, we had purchased a hot tub from a New Zealand transplant named Chris Long. He not only installed it, he rebuilt and extended our deck to accommodate it. He did such an impressive job that we hired him to renovate our kitchen, living-room and dining-room. We became good friends!
When we decided to visit New Zealand, I wanted to look him up. When I called the number that I had been given for him, he told us that he had heard we were coming and had tried to call us at home, but we had already left. He warmly invited us to visit and stay with him at his farm near Palmerston North – “…a day or two, or longer if you can! Permanent residency occurs after 6 months!” With that warm invitation, we eagerly included Palmerston North into our itinerary.
En route, the rain lets up, and the clouds began to break up. We take advantage of some sunshine to explore the trails alongside Huka Falls, before heading into Taupo. The sun shines, and we walk through town and along the windy (and chilly) lakefront before heading on our journey to Turangi where we find Judges Pool Motel off the highway on a quiet back street. We walk into town for supplies and then along the river path – for exercise.
Day 42: March 14
No quilt store sightings for days! So far, Sandy is showing no withdrawal signs, but I watch for early signs of distress.
Although we had planned on one night with Chris, the warmth of our reception at the Long’s farm in Rongotea, northwest of Palmerston North results in us extending our stay with them for an extra day. We meet Jill and her 2 year old daughter, Arabella, who instantly charms us. We are then fed a fabulous leg of lamb roast – our first taste in New Zealand!
Chris’ house is massive, and the farm beautiful with a view out to the southeast towards the city of Palmerston. He took us out through the fields to see the extent of the farm, and the herds of very healthy beef cattle grazing on green fields. The farming, however, is mostly a hobby for him, as he runs a very successful real estate development company.
Day 43: March 15
We pile into Chris’s “ute” (utility vehicle i.e. pick-up truck) and head into town to check out some of Chris’s many current and completed projects. His crew does an impressive job, and in the process, we met his late-twenties son, Michael (born, like all of Chris’s 4 kids, in Nanaimo) who helps Chris out with some of the electrical work and equipment operations in the renovations. A tour of Palmerston is included as Chris shows us the University, the Rugby School, and a beautiful downtown riverfront park.
At noon, we head to Feilding for a cattle auction. This was great fun as neither of us had been to one before. Chris and the cronies that he met there guided us through the processes, and knowing how Sandy gestures when she talks, I had to hold her hands down so that we didn’t inadvertently acquire a herd of beef! A busy day! The sun shines throughout our visit!
Day 44: March 16
Chris takes us, and Michael, down to Foxton where he has a “reno” in progress, and a “bach” (bachelor cabin). Michael works on the reno, while Chris shows us his bach, and then Foxton Beach. At the beach, we spot a dilapidated house on auction. Chris is interested, and shortly a realtor shows us the house. Another “ball in the air” for the juggler, I guess. Another house or two to visit and then we head home, where we pack our gear in our car, put on sunscreen and follow Chris to Feilding, and the fairgrounds.
Today is “Field Day” in Feilding. (Yes, my spelling is correct!) This is an agricultural fair beyond compare! It has large areas devoted to displays of the latest farm equipment. We toured and gawked, and then met the eldest of Chris’s three sons – Christopher, who has designed and built loading pens to meet new animal care provisions. It sounded like he was having a successful day of sales! Like father, like son!! By mid-afternoon, we had had enough, and it was time to move on. We said our good-byes, and headed to Napier.
Day 45: March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day, and no green to wear in my knapsack!
Today was a special day for me! I have wanted to see sheep dog trials since we arrived here, and thanks to Sandy’s internet searches, and a friendly invitation from a local club between Napier and Gisborne, we head to a farm near Mohaka River. After a bit of meandering on a rutted road, we arrive at a barn where several guys are watching us drive up. “Are you lost?” (Our rental Toyota Corolla is very much out of place amongst the bigger utes around.) We are directed to follow a ute across a couple of fields to where we can see some action in the distance. When we arrive at a cluster of utes, and men with short-haired border collies, we see that the action is happening far up the hill above us where a dog is being directed by a handler near us – with a variety of whistles and shouts. The dog gradually brings three unruly sheep down the hill and has to gather them in front of the judge’s shack where the process is timed and evaluated. Luckily, the driver of the ute we followed takes us under his tutelage, and proceeds to explain the whole process of “long retrieve” to us – for the field we are in. However, next field over, there is another different “short retrieve” process underway. Our guide, Chris Reedsworth, then takes us to the second field where we watch and learn the second format. By early afternoon, we have had enough, and we finally take our leave and return to the fold in Napier. Baaa!
In the late afternoon, we stroll the waterfront of Napier, and then finally call it a day.
Day 46: March 18
Today is a travel day. We head along the coast to Gisborne. Several hours later we have landed, settled in, and had a few hours to reconnoiter the waterfront in town. It looks like the rain is returning to this area tonight. The fields will be even greener tomorrow…which reminds me…Happy (belated) St. Patrick’s Day to those at home!
Love and best wishes to all, and apologies for this “long retrieval”!
Tony and Sandy