By the time we have a quick bite to eat it’s 6 o’clock before we leave the carpark and head for Hamilton. The GPS lady has an American accent and insists on talking in miles, not at all like the cultured voice of my GPS at home.
Our motel is in Ulster Street, Hamilton and is just one of what seems to be hundreds. How on earth can they all make a living? We had already grabbed a good deal through Wotif but when we arrived we were able to negotiate two free continental breakfasts as well. If it were left to me, we’d never get a bargain but Marilyn has no inhibitions about asking for a ‘gift with purchase’.
After a nice meal at the hotel restaurant and a trip to Pak’n’Save for supplies we stumbled across the 20th Anniversary Show of Nightline on TV Channel 1. It was extraordinary - a bizarre mix of serious news stories, reviews, comedy and nudity. Can you believe they showed a montage of nude shots from the past 20 years? It seemed to be a regular feature of the show and quite gratuitous. Unbelievable!
We’re now settled into our unit at Turangi Leisure Lodge. It’s quite a large complex and we’ve been given a 2-bedroom cottage which is very comfortable. There’s a real emphasis in the town on trout fishing. The Tongariro River flows into Lake Taupo and is a noted fishing spot. The lounge room at the resort has stuffed fish over the mantelpiece and trophies for the heaviest fish, etc.
The town itself has the look of an old Tasmanian Hydro town - simple wooden buildings and no pretensions. Marilyn and I went for a walk and it’s clear that he locals don’t take themselves too seriously. We bought jam from a grandmotherly-type who had put her stall up near the shopping centre and fruit from a young couple who set up in front of the information centre.
The other attractions of the area include hot springs, bushwalks featuring boiling mud, ‘volcanic scenery’, white-water rafting, and so on. Rotary meets on Wednesday night.
It looks like being a terrific week!
No comments:
Post a Comment