Visitors to Kereru Place
9th February. As we prepare for some visitors, the really big news is that I have managed to set up English tv programmes via my i phone and cast them to our 55 inch TV. So two nights ago we watched the first episode of Silent Witness on the big screen and when Line of Duty comes in April we will be able to watch that too. I am so excited about watching Match of the Day, A Question of Sport, Would I Lie to You and all the other good programmes.... without adverts. What an amazing technical move to make. It has only taken me five weeks to work it out!!!!!! But chuffed to nine pins!!!
The other exciting news is that the New Zealand Government have a set state pension amount for all over 65's and because our English State pension is less than NZ they top it up every fortnight so Lynn and I get $400 every two weeks. Bonus! Mine has just come through and was backdated to our application date.
11th Feb. Had our Landlords come for coffee yesterday and stayed for 1 and 1/2 hours catching up with their trip down in the South Island. They are very nice and we have got a couple of jobs lined up for Mac. He came the next day and fixed our back gate and put up our Dyson charger in the garage.
Dave and Vrons came for coffee today so it was good to catch up with them. They get the Blog so we could go straight into talking about the last ten days without having to fill in the back story. They are flying to Adelaide next week to spend time with some English friends.
15th Feb. The hot dry weather continues so we have had to go to Mitre 10 and buy a hosepipe. Water restrictions are on so you can only water between 5am and 8am (no chance) and 7pm -10pm which is what we did last night. Some of the shrubs that are in full sun all day have suffered so we will need to keep fingers crossed for some improvement. We are preparing for our first stopovers, Karen and Janice, so it will be great to show them around the place.
We go to Rotorua on Sunday to meet Lesley Donald and her husband who are over here on holiday. Lesley and Lynn both taught at Highworth. Then we stay over and drive to Auckland on the Monday to pick J and K up.
16th Feb. Lynn woke up with a sore gum so booked to go to the Dentist. Emergency charges were a bit steep but we have got AA health care which means we can claim after three months to ceiling levels for Dentist, Doctor, Physio etc. This one will be a definite claim! Anyway all was well and she was so impressed by the dentist that she booked us both in for March. He took still colour photos of her teeth and within seconds had them up on a 55 inch screen. Then the xray was like an eye test where you put your chin on plate and this thing whizzes round your head and then the x ray is projected on the screen!
With excitement of the Dentist visit we decided to continue with the plan and play golf for the first time since July 2018. We decided on Omokoroa as it has buggies and it was 28 degrees. Played nine pretty holes and considering how rusty we were..... not too bad!
If you are able to expand the photos the harbour was full of black swans.
Sunday 17th Feb. We drove about 50 minutes to Rotorua to meet Lesley and Alan Donald for drinks and possibly dinner tonight. We arrived early as we had booked a Duck Tour of Rotorua in a World War 2 Duck that was 72 years old and named Lucy by our entertaining driver/skipper Shelley.
click here
The trip was great fun ..........quacking at passers by. Also entering two lakes as well as getting some of the facts about Rotorua. Amazingly it was an active Volcanoe and when it erupted 2,300 years ago the lake was created and the city has grown up around it. The thermal energy that is released throughout the city is probably the reason it has not erupted again. GOING
GOING
GONE
Lucy entering the water.
In the evening we went to the Novotel just down the road from our apartment to meet Lesley and Alan for a drink. Bit of mis communication because we were in the bar at 6.30 pm, Lynn with Gin and Tonic in hand and Lesley and Alan were in the foyer waiting for us..........should have known if we were meeting for a drink they would find us in the bar and not the foyer !!!!!!
However, all was well and I declared I had found an authentic Italian restaurant out of town and had booked for the four of us. We had a lovely evening with them, catching up on stories. Lynn hadn't seen Lesley since she retired in 04 so there was much to catch up on!
Monday 18th Feb. We drove from Rotorua to Auckland Airport to pick up Karen and Janice who had travelled overnight to NZ from Perth, Australia via Sydney. They were a bit tired but stayed awake during the scenic drive home and for a glass or three to ensure they slept......... which they did. Quick tour of the city the next morning and then a quiet time for catch up for the remainder of Tuesday.
Wednesday 20th Feb. Plan for today is for Lynn, Janice and Karen to walk around the base of Mount Maunganui. click here for info https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/2761eb_8d253086c61a4942899b92c92b20c1ef.pdf
I sat and read my book at the end of the trail. They all made it which was good and especially good for Lynn who has not walked as far as that since we arrived in NZ.
It really is a gorgeous place.
Thursday 21st Feb. Following a poor weather forecast for today, we decided to go to the McLaren Falls. Janice and Karen went for a walk through the bush and Lynn and I read our books before meeting up for lunch at the cafe. Click here to find the link. https://www.tauranga.govt.nz/exploring/parks-and-reserves/walkways/mclaren-falls-walkways
Fish and Chips tonight which were gorgeous. Snapper and Chips!!!!
Drove along the coast today to Maketu where there was a historical walk for Janice and Karen. The beachside cafe was great and we ordered homemade mince and cheese pies for lunch. Maketu is famous for its pies apparently. Maketu was the place the first Maoris landed in their canoe over 8 centuries ago. The Pakeha (us) arrived 250 years ago. The Arawa tribe's navigator was Tamatekapua and claimed the land on landing. The town developed in the mid 1800's through a Danish merchant, Philip Tapsell. When Janice and Karen visited the information centre, the two men running it were direct descendants of both men. Janice said she could have listened to them all day. Barbs phoned in the evening to say hi to J and K which was nice. Caught up with the news from the golf club.
More history click here https://maketu.nz/page/this-is-maketu
Karen's birthday today so we have booked the pictures to see Stan and Ollie. Also getting a curry tonight as a treat. The curry went down very well with our guests and Janice said the Samosa was to die for!!!!
Lynn has developed a very sore arch on her right foot and has been in agony with it. Registered claim for Lynn and Dentist and got $150 back from a $250 claim. All done online and money paid within 24 hours.
Sunday 24th Feb. Took J and K to Ferguson Park today so they could walk and perve at the houses. Lynn and I read our books while they walked the coastal path. Much time spent watching the kite surfers and wind surfers play.
Monday 25th Feb. Lunch out at Papamoa Beach in our favourite cafe for J and K's last day. Weather improved so it still looked good. Off to Auckland Airport tomorrow for their flight home to Perth. Karen hoping she can get upgraded to Business Class so fingers crossed for that! It has been great having them to stay and showing them around Tauranga.
Later on today...... during our night time, my brother Rex will be cremated. Donations were requested for the Kidney Association so I hope they raised some welcome funds for a worthy cause. I am relieved his rapidly failing health did not linger on.
26th Feb. Final day for J and K and a trip to Auckland Airport. They fly to Perth via Brisbane then have a nights sleep before flying 17 hours non stop to London. Karen is staying one night with Janice and the rest of the time with Gavin until John's funeral on the 5th March. She then flies back to Perth.
I will finish up today and publish this so it arrives with J and K. There is not much planned for March except the fleeting visit of Eileen and Dave so the next blog will be a while away. Our next big trip is going to Sydney in June for 3 weeks so it might be after that. Still there is much reading in the links I have put in and for those of you planning a trip this link might help.
https://www.newzealand.com/int/ plus this one that appeared earlier in blog 3
https://www.aa.co.nz/travel/time-and-distance-calculator/
Happy planning and don't forget to book in as I suspect the B and B in Kereru Place might get a bit busy in 2020!
