A dull and grey morning!! After the LLW got over the shock of no sunshine this morning she managed to rouse herself and we packed up and checked everything before we set off . I'm not sure if this has been mentioned before, but we have developed an acronym to remind us of what needs to be done - VEGGIES
V = close all three vents on the roof of the van, E unplug the electricity cable and store it away, G turn off the in house gas cylinder, G wrap the grill pan because it rattles so much, I check all of the interior to make sure that everything is stored in cupboards etc and will not fall about whilst travelling, E check the exterior to ensure that all lockers are secured, wastes pipes turned off etc and S fold away the pull out step which makes access easy to the side entrance. Phew a bit of a palaver but it does work!
We drove down the remainder of Lake Taupo and started the climb to the Desert Road. Initially the road is surrounded by verdant forest but as we climbed the greenery disappears and everything becomes firstly arid and then quite definitely desert.
Particularly interesting were the stories about the use of Kapiti island as a whaling post and
items displayed such as this whale bone and Try Pot, which had been forged in Falkirk, Scotland between 1800 and 1840. The world is a small place now but clearly countries on the other side of the globe to Europe were accessed 220 years ago, but perhaps with a little more difficulty than today.
After dealing with her men the LLW decided that she also wanted a cycle ride and Ray was ordered to remount and get cycling again. We cycled back and forth along the seafront braving the not inconsiderable wind which seem to come from every direction. The coastline here is quite a contrast to anything else we have experienced, wild and windy with huge waves but with a charm all of its own.
BBQ time again and on this occasion chicken was on the menu preceded by sweetcorn, which was judged to be the best ever.
Another lovely day in this amazing country!
V = close all three vents on the roof of the van, E unplug the electricity cable and store it away, G turn off the in house gas cylinder, G wrap the grill pan because it rattles so much, I check all of the interior to make sure that everything is stored in cupboards etc and will not fall about whilst travelling, E check the exterior to ensure that all lockers are secured, wastes pipes turned off etc and S fold away the pull out step which makes access easy to the side entrance. Phew a bit of a palaver but it does work!
We drove down the remainder of Lake Taupo and started the climb to the Desert Road. Initially the road is surrounded by verdant forest but as we climbed the greenery disappears and everything becomes firstly arid and then quite definitely desert.
After about 30 minutes of driving across the desert plateau, we started to descend and within minutes were surrounded by verdant, fertile farmland and some spectacular gorges. The weather was clearer on the plateau as you can see from the photos, but as we descended rain started - the first rain we have experienced since arriving in Auckland on Christmas Day.
Magically as we approached our next overnight stop of Otaki Beach, the sun emerged and stayed out for the rest of the day. The major concern upon arrival was that the LLW would have good internet access since her men required some attention and the Wedlake Bell system is very sensitive to internet speed, precious little flower that it is!
Ray was sent off to explore the area on his trusty bike and braving a strong headwind along the beachfront, he also managed to explore the Otaki river, learn about the Friends of the Otaki River who are restoring the river bank and the walks and rides along the river and explaining some of the local history.
Particularly interesting were the stories about the use of Kapiti island as a whaling post and
items displayed such as this whale bone and Try Pot, which had been forged in Falkirk, Scotland between 1800 and 1840. The world is a small place now but clearly countries on the other side of the globe to Europe were accessed 220 years ago, but perhaps with a little more difficulty than today.
After dealing with her men the LLW decided that she also wanted a cycle ride and Ray was ordered to remount and get cycling again. We cycled back and forth along the seafront braving the not inconsiderable wind which seem to come from every direction. The coastline here is quite a contrast to anything else we have experienced, wild and windy with huge waves but with a charm all of its own.
BBQ time again and on this occasion chicken was on the menu preceded by sweetcorn, which was judged to be the best ever.
Another lovely day in this amazing country!
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