Very heavy rain overnight, but it stopped long enough for Duncan to go for a run. The showers came at frequent intervals, and it just sheeted down! the ground is saturated.
Full of enthusiasm to research my ancestry we set off to Puke Ariki, the museum, but unfortunately the research library is closed today - it was open on Easter Sunday (we understood that it was to be the otherway round). The general exhibits are very interesting and we fill in a couple of hours there before checking out Moturoa Beach where the Amelia Thompson had anchored in 1841, and where the Olivers and the Allens came ashore by lighter. There are breakwaters there now, and I suspect they had bad weather too as it took six months to fully unload.
Then we drove to Mangorei Road where the ancestors broke in land to farm and finally went to Marsland Hill where the new arrivals sheltered in one room huts, and where the redoubt was established during the New Zealand Wars.
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| Marsland Hill, looking out over the city |
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| The carillon on Marsland Hill - but of course we missed hearing it ring. |
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| Monument to fallen soldiers during the NZ wars. |
The "vibrant restaurant scene" we were promised in the brochure had also gone into hibernation but we finally found a nice Italian one, and it was not really hampered by the leak in the roof, although all the rest of the tables were quite close together. Unfortunately, although I really enjoyed my creamed spinach and a yummy dessert, I fear they were just a bit - well - creamy. I was hit my diahoera in the early hours of the morning!! Note to self: Only one rich dish per meal.
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