We are going to take a couple of short weekend trips this weekend and have identified a tramp - walk/hike - that we want to do close by.
So since last we posted - we have been tramping at the Manawatu Gorge - dense vegetation, songbirds singing, giant ferns, dense forest. watched teenagers playing chess on the square right here in Palmy, went to a WW1 Museum - even the girls enjoyed it! - spent a weekend in Taupo, hiked around the HOT springs, visited a big petting zoo - even the adults enjoyed it! - rode on a jet boat to see Huka falls, went to a new local beach - Foxton - had family fun night - an assignment from Grace's teacher - had a sweet Valentine's day.
So the adventures during our weekend away - museum, Taupo, petting zoo and jet boat ride - Awesome! Taupo is a great place to go and we will go back there to do what we did not have time to do this time. It is an easy and beautiful drive there from Palmy. We stayed in a home - booked online - and it was really nice. Nice size house, walking distance to town, a block off the lake, nice neighbors with two little boys that the girls played with, and less expensive than a hotel!
A little about Taupo - according to a travel site - Located in the heart of New Zealand’s North Island, Great Lake Taupo is undoubtedly one of the world’s most unique and picturesque areas. The film location for The Lord of The Rings trilogy and the upcoming The Hobbit movie, the region is centred around the majestic Lake Taupo, the largest freshwater lake in Australasia.
Great Lake Taupo Activities are as diverse as the landscape itself, which boasts beautiful geothermal scenery, breath taking waterfalls and world heritage listed forest reserves. You’ll see spectacular steaming cliffs, geysers, boiling lakes, bubbling mud pools and many thermally heated hot pools as well as the mighty Huka Falls, New Zealand’s most visited natural attraction. It really is a fun and beautiful place. There was a Doobie Brothers and Little River Band concert there on the Saturday night while we were there at is was Waitangi weekend - more about that later. There was lots of activity and very few rooms available. We had lots of fun. The Huka falls jet boat ride was worth the money! Very fun and exciting!
ferns as big/bigger than the girls!
Taupo Hole-in-One Attempts
Museum
HOT springs - do not touch, very hot!
country folk...
for my friend Charlotte
jet boat ride Huka Falls
Mt. Ruapehu
We have so many great pics - my next task of any size is going to be to get them in a spot where all can see. I always have so many more that I do not add just because who wants to wade through such a long blog...
So what else, gosh, there is lots more I need to tell you about but alas, my day of solitude is done - time to get the wee ones. I want to get this posted on the same day it was started so I will have to get back at it on Monday. I will have more from this weekend, so check back soon.
Thanks for being interested and I do miss you all! I just wish we could have this life with you all close by, tearfully signing off and grateful for this grand adventure of life - I hope each of you are living it up! Who knows what tomorrow has in store so do grab life by the tail and go!
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