Leaving Taupo behind we spent the next night out in rural Paeroa. You may remember that we had discovered that the young Lone Pine planted behind the National Army Museum had originated from seeds collected in 2012 from the Turkish red pine growing at Paeroa Golf Course. We were so close – of course we wanted to see this famous tree. So we drove off to see if the staff at the golf club could help us in our quest. They were so helpful and we were kindly escorted over the greens to see the tree and the accompanying plaque.
“There’s some more info upstairs in the club room” we were told, so we trudged up the stairs to see a framed newspaper article about the famous tree. How kind of the manager to go to all this trouble for us, we think he was pleased that the “famous in Paeroa tree” was getting the attention it deserves.
At Paeroa Golf Course
There was one more photo to take while we were in Paeroa, one of the famous “big bottle”. Lemon and Paeroa drink is a New Zealand favourite, also known as L&P. Created in 1907, it was traditionally made by combining lemon juice with carbonated mineral water from the town of Paeroa, but is now owned and manufactured by multi-national Coca-Cola.
L & P, world famous in New Zealand
Our next overnight stop was the NZMCA Park at Waihi Beach. It was such a lovely afternoon that we drove down to check out the beach. People were in the water, sunbathing, and generally having fun in the sun. The sky was a beautiful shade of blue, and the beach looked so inviting.
A beautiful day at Waihi Beach
Then we drove to Pauanui to meet up with fellow club members for the ICA Christmas Rally. The holiday paradise of Pauanui is a resort town designed and built with relaxation in mind for the wealthy, it seems. Just how many places have an airstrip for those private planes, with hangers built into the homes? Certainly not something we see in our hometown. It’s not just airplanes which are catered for here. There is an area of exclusive real estate built around a series of canals, with private moorings for each home owner. It’s certainly rather posh here in Pauanui.
Room for private planes and boats
I’ve had a nice time sitting outside under a shady tree doing a little hand quilting. Not fine quilting by any means, I’m using Perle cotton and following the blue dotted lines on this panel.
Time to make a start on the hand quilting
Gemma helps out with the blogging too, she likes to curl up in the computer case to make sure it can’t escape.
She’s a big help
Unfortunately we had quite a fright with Gemma just after we had arrived here. We were sitting outside enjoying the sunshine and Gemma was with us, sniffing around the grass and trees while safely on her harness and lead. Another camper’s dog, running loose, came barking and running over to Gemma, baled her up against the fence and goodness knows what would happened if we had not been outside too. Luckily Robin intervened, shouted out to the owner about his dog running free, managed to pick the dog up by his harness, and gave the owner a piece of his mind, as I did too. It was all rather upsetting, and I did feel that I had behaved rather like a fishwife, when it was all over. But all campers should be aware of the rules which clearly state all dogs should be kept on a lead and under control at all times, as we do with our cat too, no excuses. This incident left us feeling quite shaken, and it could well have ended badly for Gemma if she had been attacked.
12 comments:
That was a close call for Gemma. I’m glad she was not harmed. Goodness, houses with plane hangers - definitely posh!
poor Gemma - so glad she is ok - I'm sure that was frightening for you. That is so neat that you found the pine tree and to get a tour and see the information about it.
Prosecute the dog owner or ban him from having a dog at all, so thankful you were there. Yes, that place is for the rich, the very wealthy, and just to look at those homes is startling.
Your photos are beautiful and through you I am slowly learning more about your home country. I hope Gemma and you are fully recovered from your fright. We have a small dog (Picasso the cat is just a tad bigger than Scamp) and we regularly have large dogs bounce over and upset Scamp. Rather than apologising for their dog the owners blame the size of our dog.
Sometimes you just have to be emphatic. I hope the owner was convinced by your reaction to leash the dog in future. Thank you for your travel descriptions! They are doubly welcome since I along with so many of us outside of NZ are homebound. And what beautiful embroidery!
I am glad that Gemma is okay. People do need to read the rules and follow them. I hope that other camper now understands that he must do so.
God bless.
Pleased Gemma is okay after that nasty dog (or should I say nasty owner) nearly attacked her....
Love seeing all the interesting places Robyn and you visit.
Cute stitchery...
There are so many wonderful places to go and things to see in your lovely country that I feel you will never be bored.
That was quite a fright with the dog. Yes, I agree, people need to keep their dog on a lead for the safety of all.
Poor little Gemma. She is having a rough trot just of late. I’m glad it didn’t turn out any worse. It is interesting seeing the area in which you are visiting.
You sure got to see some more beautiful places! That beach looks especially inviting to me. Love seeing the private airstrip/home pictures too. My cousin, a retired airline pilot, lived like that for many years, in Arizona. That's a different lifestyle isn't it? I'm sorry for you to have experienced the awful loose-dog incident with Gemma. Leave it to some "above-the-law" person to think the rules "aren't made for me." Isn't that exactly what's happening in the US with those people who say, "I don't need to wear a face mask."? People RUIN lives. I'm glad it wasn't Gemma's this time.
Oh .... that would have been frightful ..... but you never know what sweet Gemma might have done. The same thing happened to my sweet Ashes. She was on her harness and leash and I went inside to get something and came back at a run when I heard a yelp. Two stray dogs were jumping and dancing around her and one dog had a red looking cut on it's nose. Ashes attacked one dog (we never had her declawed) and they were keeping their distance when I came out running and shooed them off. That was a lesson learned for me never to leave her alone outside, not even for a second.
Seeing those airplanes reminded me of a trip to Alaska when we saw planes in front of houses along a street. Airplanes have first right to land on the street and cars have to get out of the way. You two really travel around to interesting places.
Getting off the beaten path is always fun. Looks like you've had lots of fun, it's a gorgeous place. Glad that Gemma wasn't hurt, but how scary. Enjoy your hand stitching in the sunshine. It's too cold here to do much outside, but now I have lots of time for the sewing room.
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