Down Memory Lane

We set off to see Colin and Helen's new house - even though they have not moved there  due to not being able to finalise things at the lawyer yet (COVID). On the way we had an altercation with another car. A car was tuning left beside us. We had stopped at the stop sign, but Duncan edged forward to get a better view and a lady in a large car swept around the bend and just clipped  Duncans front bumper. I just wish she had taken evasive action (the way was clear, as I was watching this part of the road) instead of sitting on her horn.

I'm sure Colin and Helen's house is lovely, but like us they had a lifestyle block, and it did seem very close to the neighbours and the road. They weren't there as obviously Colin had decided to play golf, so we headed back to Heron's Flight Winery. Although their sign said they were open, they weren't, so we went to the Runner Duck's Plume restaurant next door for a slap-up lunch to make up for the events of the morning.

I had a fantastic goat's cheese souffle and Duncan had Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pancakes)

Then we went on a tour around the bays - Brick Bay, Martins Bay, Snells Beach and Algies Bay. As you can see from the picture below the skies were very grey, with bursts of misty showers, so although we had planned to do some of the walks around here we didn't.

Pohutukawa at Martins Bay

We leave Matakana quite early next morning and head up SH1 until the Brynderwyn Turnoff. This is where Duncan, as a teenager, came off his motorbike when driving up to Ruawai. From Mangataroto onwards there are reminiscences of cricket grounds played on, fields he has picked up hay off, and silos he has helped erect.

We stop at the Matakohe Kauri Museum - for my money, the best museum I have seen in my life!!!

All the mannequins represent real-life people from the era in real clothes - it really is a living history

Parlour scene

I just loved the expression they have caught on the bride's mother!

A gum diggers bivvy.

Handsawing the timber

Village Smithy

The kauri logs are huge.

Climbing up to bleed the gum.

What innovation!

The fanciest hand sanitiser I have seen!

A huge root ball - the centre would likely have rotted away.

Starting up the machine to milk the cows

Pinching the cream!

There are two types of gum - the stuff that is bled from living trees and that which is found buried in the swamps which appears darker in colour. The gum had many uses, including being used in the manufacture of linoleum, and the wood was so strong that they were able to fashion machine, like huge turbines to run power of mills out of it.

Another local identity models as a gumdigger mannequin.

After lunch at the gumdiggers Cafe we head on through to Ruawai. The Bushes house from 1965 to 1971 looks a bit scuffy now, and the BNZ has long since closed, and the Dairy Factory is now Kaipara Kumara.

On we go, past the Tokatoka pub which Duncan was thrown out of for being underage (after a hard day stacking hay). We have a brief stop at Dargaville to visit a supermarket. It seems to have consolidated as a bit of a hub while the smaller towns seem to have shrunk into disrepair.

We settle in at Kauri Coast MotorCamp. They have a numbered walk around the property, which we do, and it must be a delight in summer for families with its flying fox, waterhole swing, trampolines and playgrounds. It's very  peaceful - but no phone coverage, and limited wifi.

A 30 year old kauri - has a way to go before I can sit in its base!

Northern Excursion 27th May 2020

Please excuse the diversion from the riveting Covid series to allow me to write down the  details of our trip to North Auckland before I forget. To start with, the timing, the length and the stopping points were quite controversial. (that is, between Duncan and myself). Our initial destination was the camp at Miranda Hot Springs, however these were undergoing renovation which had been held up by the lockdown. So our first stop was Opal Hot Springs, just outside Matamata. I'm not sure whether these are the pools where famously Heather, as a young child jumped in the deep end, but suffice to say that the pools probably haven't changed much in the last 65 years, and the Opal Hot springs weren't quite as hot as expected.

 However we settled in - just love being in the caravan, but had to put the heater and the electric blankets on that night. Unfortunately in the morning , while we were getting breakfast the heater was placed underneath the table, so it would have in effect been taking in hot air and reheating it which lead to flames bursting forth. I managed to unplug it, but got the cord wrapped about my ankle. Eventually we got it outside, and the flames soon extinguished themselves.

Our main reason for stopping at Matamata was to go to Hobbiton, but alas, it was two days too early and we didn't think we could occupy ourselves for two days in Matamata.
You can see why we needed the heater and electric blankets - the sky was cloudless, - a crisp cold morning and we set off for the arduous trek up the motorway - except it wasn't all that bad.

We booked into Sandspit Motor Camp, and the weather was starting to turn a bit sour. Not to worry as we meet up with Colin and Helen Beckwith who have been trying to move house from a life style block to a smaller house. Colin was a FLOG (Fun Loving Optometric Golfer) member.

Helen's a golfer - so actually she is quite interested!

Colin and I were nicely colour co-ordinated.