Margaret Parkinson

Monday 18th Feb

Had an unusual day today. Denise from the barbers had arranged cover for the shop for a few days because her Mother Gwen arrived on Saturday. However, she rang in sick so Denise had work after all. Her father-in-law Robbie is here as well, he came in August and is spending the summer with them. Anyway Gail (my daughter) kindly said they could come with us. Gwen is full of fun so the day was no going to be dull.

We arranged to pick them up at 9.30 and drive to Waihi to have a ride on the Goldfields Railway. It runs from Waihi to Waikino and takes about 20 – 30 minutes taking in some lovely scenery. Price per adult $15 & $10 seniors return, well worth the money. There was a party of Australians in the “first class carriage” we were an open truck with wooden seats. A lady was preparing tables for tea & biscuits for the passengers in first class who had gone into Waihi. What does Gwen do but go and pinch a biscuit. All in good fun of course, the lady feeling sorry for us brought the box over so we could help ourselves. We allowed some the Australians to come into our carriage to take some photos of the scenery. From there we went to the Martha Gold Mine it mines approx 1 million dollars per week. We did not get any free samples though.

Margaret Parkinson

Tues 19th Feb


Went out for a meal last night to celebrate Gail’s birthday which is today, we went last night because Dougie is going to cook something special tonight.

This morning we had a ride into Whakatane taking Gwen & Robbie with us. Went into the sea on the way there and was hit by a huge wave got very wet up to the knees. Nothing exciting to report other than having a meal & a ride up to the look out point to look across the bay.

There is a gathering of the clans tonight at The Rain pub on Fashion Island. Apart from ourselves there are a number of parents aunts uncles & cousins visiting their families who are friends of Gail & Doug’s so it should be quite a party. Meeting about 7.30 but will be home again for about 9.30.

Margaret Parkinson

Hope everyone is still interested if not I will stop posting my diary.

Sat 20th Feb

Picked up the car at 8 30 am and made our way to Rotorua. Arrived at Whakarewarewa Thermal Village at around 10 am and by now it was pouring down. We saw some people coming out of the booking office wearing plastic macs. so of course we went and bought 2. The sky was very dark and looked as if it was set for the day. Would you believe it the minute we put the macs on it stopped raining and the sun came out.

We had a very pleasant lady guide who escorted us round the village showing us the “Maori microwaves.” These are volcanic steam vents where they cook their food for free. It’s a wooden box in the ground with a lid on. The trip was well worth the $25.

After leaving there we went into Rotorua for some lunch deciding on The Fat Dog we had heard so much about. You had told us the meals are enormous so we settled for a Tuna & Cheese Panini with some chips. Good job we ordered for 1 because we could still have fed another 4 with the amount they gave us. Needless to say we had to leave some. From there we went to book our tickets for the Tattoo on Sunday we would liked to have gone on Saturday but there were no book able seats left.

IngStina

June please continue your diary. It's interesting for those of us who are yet to arrive in NZ to read the travels of others. Glad you're enjoying yourself.

Marika 38

Yes please continue, I don't log on every day, but will always have a look when I am around. Sounds like you are having great time, theres so much to do here isn't there.

Margaret Parkinson

HI marika

Have you any suggestions on something we might like to do?

Marika 38

Hi Margaret,

Have you been to Mclaren Falls yet, they are well worth a visit, you could take a picnic and have a leisurly sit by the water, even a swim if the weather is nice and warm.
You may have done this already, but a walk around the Mount and Leisure Island and Ice cream or coffee along the front.
We love Pilot bay, for a relaxed swim, again take along your lunch and sit for a while, watch the boats come in and out. I went there this afternoon, it was so quiet there, had lovely swim.
Ferguson Park over in Matua, is a lovely park, right on the water front, very relaxing over there, take a chair and a book, have a read for an hour or so.
Hobbiton is only an hour away and its fascinating there, even if you are not huge Lord of the rings fans, you will come away with some amazing facts under your hat !!
A Dolphin watch boat trip from Salisbury wharf in Pilot Bay would be good fun.

A friend recently took me up to Summer Hill, you can have walk there, and the views are amazing, its worth a look.

We went for a drive one afternoon, and explored Kauri Point, where the very long old wooden jetty is, and further on we found Bowentown, and a beach called Anzac Bay, lovely quiet places. You get to these 2 places by driving out through Katikati a little way and turning off the main road to your right. A good map will get you there.

Omokaroa is just lovely, so pretty and quiet, you can catch ferry over to Matakana Island for a look around, i think it would be about $25-30 for a car and family, but not positive on that figure.


Hope you love the water as much as we do, nearly all my suggestions involve it.
Let us know what you get up to, you will probably find places I havn't been to yet.

Margaret Parkinson

Hi Marika

Thanks for the suggestions I will look into the places you have mentioned. Here's the next instalment:

Thurs 21st Feb

I was a bit mixed up with the days yesterday should have read Wed.20th Feb.

Decided to have an easy day today so we went to Tauranga. Had a short stroll and we noticed quite a lot of men & women in uniform. They were a brass band from Holland and they entertained us in the main street. It was nice to sit & listen to them and of course they had to play Tulips from Amsterdam to finish. From there we went to Mt Maunganui Hot Salt Water Pools. Healing salt water is warmed to a bone soothing 39ºC in the large soaking pool, three private pools and two outdoor spa pools. There is also a cooler 32ºC active pool and a toddler’s pool with fountains, a waterfall and slide for the younger bathers. We really enjoyed it and are highly recommended. It is very good value, $6 for seniors we found it very beneficial and certainly got our monies worth.

Gail went to Auckland this morning on business and will not be back until Friday evening. Doug & Ryan are sorting out a new walk in freezer for the shop (he has been renting one) so we are going to go to The Diner for our evening meal after that who knows.

Margaret Parkinson

Fri 22nd Feb

Well we have been here a week already and it has passed very quickly. Thought we would spend some time on the beach today but when we got up it was pouring with rain hopefully it will clear up later like it did the other day. We are going to another party tonight it’s at Marilyn’s. It’s for all the parents, aunts, uncles etc. Nick, Marilyn’s husband Nick says it’s for the Chelsea Pensioners I said we would prefer to be called The Golden Oldies or Twirlies. They did not know what I meant by Twirlies. When you have a bus pass you can only use it after 9 am if you try to get on at 8.45 you are told you are “too early”

Gail is still away and does not know what time she will be back so Doug & I decided we would take a couple of mince & onion plate pies to the party tonight the mince of course from his shop. The only trouble with being a butcher he thinks he is expected to take something with beef in it which can work out quite expensive. As with a lot of other things here food is expensive. I have found the prices are similar to the UK but wages are a lot lower here. Well it has not stop raining so abandoned the idea of going on the beach, so went to Woolworths to get some supplies. After that I thought I would do something exciting so I ironed.

Its now 4 o clock and its still raining so they have cancelled the party for the time being. It was going to be outside because there was such a lot going so it will have to be re-arranged. Good job I had not started making the pies. The forecast for tomorrow is rain as well and then it should be OK.

Margaret Parkinson

Fri 22nd Feb

Well we have been here a week already and it has passed very quickly. Thought we would spend some time on the beach today but when we got up it was pouring with rain hopefully it will clear up later like it did the other day. We are going to another party tonight it’s at Marilyn’s. It’s for all the parents, aunts, uncles etc. Nick, Marilyn’s husband Nick says it’s for the Chelsea Pensioners I said we would prefer to be called The Golden Oldies or Twirlies. They did not know what I meant by Twirlies. When you have a bus pass you can only use it after 9 am if you try to get on at 8.45 you are told you are “too early”

Gail is still away and does not know what time she will be back so Doug & I decided we would take a couple of mince & onion plate pies to the party tonight the mince of course from his shop. The only trouble with being a butcher he thinks he is expected to take something with beef in it which can work out quite expensive. As with a lot of other things here food is expensive. I have found the prices are similar to the UK but wages are a lot lower here. Well it has not stop raining so abandoned the idea of going on the beach, so went to Woolworths to get some supplies. After that I thought I would do something exciting so I ironed.

Its now 4 o clock and its still raining so they have cancelled the party for the time being. It was going to be outside because there was such a lot going so it will have to be re-arranged. Good job I had not started making the pies. The forecast for tomorrow is rain as well and then it should be OK.

Margaret Parkinson

Sorry Fridays report is on twice don't know what happened.

We managed to go to Marilyn’s after all last night and it did not rain.

Sat 23rd Feb

Not much to report today. Had a ride to Bayfair, Fashion Island and the shop. Doug & friends are picking up the walk in fridge after the shop closes and setting it up. They are having a BBQ tonight as a thank you for the people who helped with the fridge, hope it stays dry.

pascalr

'Twirlies' love that, very funny!

Margaret Parkinson

Well the day turned out different after all. Ryan got his first car (Mazda 323) he’s 16 can’t believe they are allowed to drive so young. He’s outside with his friends giving it the once over. I am glad we were here for this momentous occasion.

Maz

That's a nice first car to have. I wish they would bump the age limit up to 17 at least.

Margaret Parkinson

Something else Ryan has done since we arrive he started his job release programme, He wants to be a plumber. He came home on Wednesday as black as the ace of spades he had been digging a trench for drains. Maybe he will change his mind and be a butcher like his Dad its cleaner.
We managed to have the BBQ tonight in spite of the rain.

Sun 24th Feb

Its getting boring now its never ceased raining today. What’s happened to the weather in the B.O.P., it’s supposed to be warm & sunny. Anyway had another lazy day apart from going out with Ryan in his car to give him a lesson on driving a manual one. At 4.30 we set off for Rotorua, as I said earlier we were going to the Tattoo. It rained all the way there, during the performance and all the way back. It did not deter the performers it was a very good show ending with 1812 overture with cannons & fireworks. The Royal Marines Band from the Uk was there. The forecast for tomorrow’s weather is hot, lets hope so or I will be coming back with webbed feet.
:curse: