Weekend Roady

Our planned trip to Whanganui began at 11am on Friday…motorway all the way to Hamilton, so far so good. Then the turnoff to head south west…bumper to bumper traffic, and we had set the first stop at Otorohanga..

Was a much needed one, and while George had been snacking on our packed lunch for the last three hours, I took a break and ate my roll!

Ten minute allocation and back on the road…bumper to bumper.

Another 10 minutes stop at Te Kuiti to peruse the monument and story of one of our Rugby greats, Colin Meads, who hailed from the King Country..not many make George look small.

Heading out, bumper to bumper, yes again! Then the turnoff to head to the Ruapehu area, and finally we realised the world was going to New Plymouth to a music festival, and we had the road to ourselves! We finally felt we were out of Aucklands traffic madness.

The Matatoke viaduct, where our first maltese ancestors (Sam My grandfather) worked upon their arrival to NZ early in the 20th century

Then a few miles south the site of the last spike, where the railway from Wellington met the railway from Auckland in 1908…oh and where’s “Wally”?

Last historical stop and a quick Bush wee (some of you may know what this means and it was through the Gorge on the homeward strait to Whanganui…landing time 6pm. Due to the slight delays encountered with concert goers a seven hour journey!

A great dinner was prepared, a couple of Speights and a good nights sleep after a long day!

Activities today included a stroll along the Whanganui city boardwalks

A mid morning food stop at the food and craft market, after walking about two kilometres to find a money machine as the market was a cash option only….then the highlight of the day…

A little volunteer activity, cooking and selling sausages at the Whanganui Mitre 10, a fund raiser for “singing for the brain”…. needless to say the Aucklanders slayed the local market and fed the masses…. one tradie even did a drive thru and could resist a stop in front to get his “sausage”

A little thirsty after all this activity….

A drive to castle cliff beach, a cold coke for me and a milkshake for George for $5.00…

Home to Brenda and Graeme’s, the real reason for our visit, to settle in for a nice cool Speights and roast dinner….