Last few Days of our Trip

Our holiday was coming to an end.  Driving on to Feilding we caught part of Cyclone Dovi as it was passing by.  It poured all the way down to our next stop, but luckily we missed the wind while traveling.  Always a worry when towing a caravan in high winds.  We stayed the next two nights at the Coach House Museum.  Even though we had been there recently, it certainly was worth another visit.  As we entered the museum, we experienced New Zealand as it used to be, when the settlers arrived.  Dense forests full of birdlife, which had to be cleared for the settlers to make a living.  It was a hard physical life indeed back in those days.

Back in the old days

I loved the look of the smaller dainty gigs, and could imagine the well-to-do going out to church on a Sunday.  Once all the weekday chores were done, of course.  Or maybe it was the early version of the gentry who had these small carriages, perhaps the workers had to make do with their lumbering carts.

A line up of gigs

Just look at these two dollies sitting up in their beautifully made wooden high chairs.

While we were in Feilding we called around to see the family, and all went out to dinner at nearby Kimbolton for wood fired pizzas.  So tasty and delicious, but we were so busy chatting I forgot to take any photos.  But I did get a snap of a sculpture of a  Haast Eagle, now extinct – this was rather special as it was constructed of horse shoes and old tools.  Very clever indeed.  Check out that tail, amazing!

Sculpture of Haast Eagle

Before we knew it, the last two days of the rally were here, and we drove down to Nga Manu Reserve to stay at the sanctuary. As we were traveling with our cat, we had to stay outside the sanctuary grounds because of the precious native birds inside – we were happy to follow the rules.  The other motor homes parked up inside the gates in the large car park.  Most of us walked through the sanctuary to see what we could see, some of the birds were rather shy and elusive.  But I managed to spot a tuatara sunning himself, this is our country’s own living fossil, and this species was around in the time of the dinosaurs.  They can live up to 120 years. 

Can you spot the tuatara in front of the rock?

I was keen to walk up to the lookout, and I’m pleased I managed to climb the stairs without too much trouble, just taking things slowly.   The view from the top of the lookout was amazing, all that wonderful preserved  forest in the sanctuary grounds, with suburbia not too far away.

Up on the lookout

We were all looking forward to the Farewell Dinner, catered by Relish of Waikanae.  As there were minimal kitchen facilities available in the hall, the caterers brought in all the prepared food from their restaurant.  And what a feast it was, hot ham, roast veggies, cold cuts and salads, followed by a selection of lovely desserts, no one went hungry, I’m sure.

Who doesn’t enjoy dessert?

Our three week rally has come to an end, and we made our way home.  What a time we had, staying at new to us places, all sorts of interesting excursions, lovely hot weather to start, cold stormy weather, then back to sunshine again.  My favourites of the trip was the visit to the Elvis Presley Museum, and our day out on the double decker bus.  It certainly was a fun trip.  Now we are back home, I can hear my sewing machine calling me “hurry up, I’ve missed you”.