Margaret Parkinson

Mon 25th Dec Christmas Day

We had a lovely Christmas Day, got lots of presents and went to a friends for Christmas Dinner, had a ham instead of turkey. Watched The Royal Variety Show on TV and had a drink of two. Best Wishes to everyone:-

RedDragon2008

Thank you for your regular updates on your exploits around the BOP region. I truly hope you are having a great time. We had a farm in bethlehem growing corn and long beans. But Mount Manganui is my home town (spiritual home).
Enjoy

Margaret Parkinson

Tues 26th Dec

Boxing Day sales are on. Went to see some friends and had to pass Bayfair Shopping Mall. Who said they don't have traffic jams in NZ. Two lanes of traffic almost at a stand still trying to get onto the car park. Where they were going to park I do not know it looked full to me. They were even parked on the road.

Because of all the good food we have had for the last 3 weeks I am making something simple for tea Corned Beef Hash.

Margaret Parkinson

Off to see Anne, Dan & family tomorrow staying at the Pauanui Pines Motel, I think it would be a bit over crowded in the Bach. Be back on Friday.

BEVS

Which corned beef do you use for that please?

Margaret Parkinson

We got it from Countdown the cheapest they had it was made in Australia. It was very good.

Margaret Parkinson

Thurs 27th Dec

Set off for Pauanui with directions Gail had got on her iPhone. She followed them to the letter which said to turn right on to Opoutere Road and then onto Ohui Road which turned out be be a gravel road. Went about 2 miles and would you believe it came to a dead end and had to come back. Anyway we rang Anne and she told to to carry on on the main highway and then we would see the signs for Pauanui. We checked into the Paunanui Pines Motel and Anne & Dan came to meet us on their bikes. Everyone seems to bike here. Went over to the shops and had a nice lunch. Alan & I have have found the meals to be quite big here so have started to have 1 meal to share. We had Fish & Chips which was $17. Good job we shared we would not have been able to eat it all if we had ordered 2. Went back to the Motel to order a foldaway bed for Gail because there was no room at the Inn (Bach) too many visitors. The Motel apparently went into liquidation and is being run by a temporary Manageress. We asked about breakfast and she said she was only able to do Continental ($11 each) so we ordered 2. I said I would just have a slice of toast off it. She came with it about 3 pm. It consisted of 2 bowls with what, I have not a clue, something out of her larder I am sure, 4 Slices of bread, 1 small glass of orange, 1 small glass of apple juice, some butter and 3 very small pots (not the sealed kind) of jam, marmalade and something else. We all decided it was not worth $22 and I took it back and said it was not what we expected. She took it from me and said thats fine. This is our 6th visit to NZ and have travelled about in the past and very often had the breakfast at the motel we were staying so that we did not have to start looking for somewhere to eat especially when we were moving on and they have always been good.

We had a lovely evening with Anne, Dan & family. We had a BBQ and of course a few drinks.

Fri 28th Dec

When we checked out she charged us $180 plus $20 for the fold away bed so its not exactly cheap. When we told Anne she said she had been told $180 including the extra bed. Never mind its only money. lol. We went over to the shops for breakfast and for the 3 of us it was $46 for something cooked including drinks.

We left about 10.15 after saying our goodbyes, had a short break on the way back and arrived home around 1pm.

Margaret Parkinson

Sat 28th Dec

At last its sun shining and not had to take our macs in a bag. The weather has not been good for the past week although its been hot we kept getting showers. Went on the bus to Mt Maunganui and my word was it busy. Only just got a seat it was full of youngsters going swimming by the looks of things. The roads were busy as well the traffic going at a snail's pace. There was a cruise ship in, the Diamond Princess so lots of people in the main street & cafes. Its a very big ship with 3100 passengers. Its the same size as the P & O Ventura & Azura that we have been on round the Med & Black Sea. You can meet someone and then never see them again unless you make arrangements Gail picked us up and she said the journey had taken 25 minutes instead of the usual 15. Its Ryan 21st on New Year Eve so we went out with him for a meal tonight because he will be out on the town with his mates then. From what I have been told they have a temporary jail down at the Mount on New Years Eve and anyone misbehaving are put in there until the following morning.

Sherlock Holmes

Now then. We don't want to hear that the two of you have been locked up!

Margaret Parkinson

Sat 28th should have read 29th

Sun 30th Dec

Well after the lovely day we had yesterday I cant believe the difference today. It started raining very heavily in the night and its not stopped since. We are going to go to the cinema and watch Quartet to forget about it. Its still very hot though so should not complain.

Margaret Parkinson

cont.

Well that's the first time in years I have had to queue to get into the pictures (cinema) as we call it. I think most of them were going to see The Hobbit. When I was younger there was what was called two distinct houses. The 1st house (showing) would be 6pm and 2nd house 8pm. We had to queue up round the back of the cinema and wait for the 1st house to come out then we could go in the back way with our ticket. A lot of pairing up went on here. There was also something called continuous showings. You could go in at any time and you would see the ending first and come out when you got to the part you had seen. How strange was that. The only time they would not let you do this was when Psycho was showing with Anthony Perkins & Janet Leigh. I remember standing in the foyer and it must have been the part where she was in the shower and this music started we were scared to death wondering what was happening.

Margaret Parkinson

Mon 31st Dec

Its our Grandsons 21st birthday today so we all went out for breakfast together. He got lots of gifts mostly money (always handy) and a Manchester United shirt from good friends back in the UK, Debra & Family, he was made up with it. He is having a party with friends tonight I wish I could be a fly on the wall

Margaret Parkinson

New Years Eve

Watched Dirty Dancing and then Last Night of the Proms, pity I had not got my Union Jack so I could have waved it when they were singing Rule Britannia.

Tues New Years Day.

Chilled out today. Ryan we are told had a ball at his party with his friends. We hope he enjoys the next one with his family & friends that Gail has organized for next Saturday.

Margaret Parkinson

Wed 2nd Jan

We had a good day today the sun was shining and we went to the at Tauranga Racecourse in Greerton. We have been here in the past when we went to the A & P Show. Its on the 19th & 20th Jan this year pity we will not be able to go we leave on the 9th. It was $10 entry (5.40) and we were able to sit in the Grandstand. We had taken chairs but were not needed we also took a picnic. Our bags were searched for alcohol, you were allowed 6 beers or 1 bottle of wine per person which seems fair enough to me, we did not taken any I would like to add. There was an accident during 1 race 3 horses fell on the bend and a lady jockey was injured and taken to hospital, her horse was taken away by tractor so do not know what happened to it. We had a few bets and won a bit so I think we only lost about $7 in total, not bad for a good day out.

On our way home we called at The Warehouse (there's a sale on). I was talking to Alan and a lady standing by said that's Lancashire accent where do you come from and when I told her it turns out she lives about 18 miles from us. She was visiting her daughter who she introduced and it turned out she lived 4 miles from us in the UK. I introduced her to Gail and it turns out they live near one another here. Small world. She has only been here just over 2 years and gets a bit homesick so Gail took her number and will arrange to meet up somewhere

Margaret Parkinson

Thurs 3rd Jan

Had a ride to Bayfair and it was very busy we only just got a space on the car park. The sales are still on so everyone is trying to get a bargain. Gail had her nails done and we had a bit of lunch in food hall. We had the carvery which was very nice. The gentleman who served us recognized our accents and asked where we were from. It turned out he was from Blackpool and had been there 9 years. Gail & I got a couple of tops from Millers, everything the other day was $15.95 (8.62) now reduced again to $13.95 (7.54). Normally in this shop prices start at about $24.95 (13.50) the two I bought had been $35 (18.90). Now I have to say to price I paid is what they were worth because they are only summer tops to wear with shorts etc. So anyone coming here please stock up on clothes because you will have a shock.