Success is getting what you want; happiness is liking what you get

Friday 22 November 2013

Waiouru to Taupo

It was Big Breakfast for three plus poached eggs for the (still) poorly one this morning at the Home Fires Cafe at the Waiouru Army Museum.  All under the watchful eyes of the New Zealand Special Air Service Tree Jumpers, Malaya 1955-57 exhibit hanging from the wall adjacent to the cafe. 

PB220023 NZ Special Air Service Tree Jumpers

PB220028 View from the cafe window

We seriously considered cutting short our tripping around and returning home as my bad throat and coughing spells are not improving.  But then thought we would have a couple more days travel and reconsider.  As we got ready to move on, I quickly checked out some other overnighters and their dogs.  Several camper-vans full of agility dogs joined us in the car park at Waiouru the previous night on the way to competitions.  This particular 5th wheeler has been modified with kennel compartments in the base to safely transport the dogs.

PB220005 Border Collie agility dogs

PB220011 Dogs loaded on board and they are off

Of course we had to do the obligatory photo stop along the Desert Road to take photos of the mountains.  Mt Ruapehu had a bit of cloud cover hiding the peaks.  A little further on, Mt Ngauruhoe was looking as majestic, as ever.

PB220038 Mt Ruapehu

PB220039 Mt Ngauruhoe

100kms or so later we pulled into the NZMCA property at Taupo Airport.  This is a very popular park and caravans and motor-homes rolled in one after another all afternoon. The weather was hot and sunny, and tandem parachutists were dropping like flies out of the skies overhead.   Then the blue skies clouded over, and the rain came down.  That put paid to the parachute activity, but they are sure to be back tomorrow.

PB220055 We are staying here tonight

Geoff got his red Honda generator fired up later in the afternoon, safely protected by an umbrella to keep the rain off.  This was to top up the batteries, and more importantly,  so that he could plug in their Nescafe Dolce Gusto coffee machine.  We were invited next door for a cup of Cafe Au Lait, and very nice it was too.

PB220065 All this for a cup of coffee

No comments: