I know I am I’m sure I am...etc! The reason? A dry tent, 2 dry sleeping bags and roll mats, a new QUIET campsite!
We’re still in Rotorua, but 5 km the other side of town. They’re forecasting more rain tonight, but we’ve gone over the tent with seam sealer (just in case!) Unfortunately the design isn’t 100% (are they ever?) They sewed the seams, sewed Velcro tabs on to keep bendy poles and fly sheet in contact, taped ACROSS the Velcro tabs...so when you do them up, they pull the taping (and sometimes the lamination) away from the canvas! Der, what bright spark thought of doing it that way round! We still think the wet came in through the floor, but we’re not taking any chances! One of our neighbours on the new site got wet last night – apparently the rain was so hard, it was bouncing up under the flysheet, onto the inner, and hence into the tent. Nice!
Anyway, enough of that! We packed up early, got a refund on tonight’s camp fees and spent the day at the same place we went to last night! Strange? Not really! The evening was supposed to have ended with a land train ride down to see the geyser at night. It was so blooming wet that we didn’t get to go. So they told us that we could come back today as they had our names from the booking, just show the sticker you were given and you get a free day pass. Well there had obviously been so much more to see than we’d had time for, it seemed just what the doctor ordered – a free day out on the way to the next site!
It was well worth the second visit – as a cultural centre, we hadn’t had time last night to visit the carving school or the weaving school – both of which were fascinating. The canoe picture is a replica of the one the Maori used to travel from Tahiti to NZ in the 1300s, the other picture is a Maori greeting ceremony – believe it or not! The leaf being put down is a sign of peaceful intent and welcome – if you pick it up, you also come in peace. There was a lot more of the geothermal park accessible than we had realised last night as well, so we were both very happy!
Ron was really chuffed with his birthday messages – thankyou guys! He will reply next time we go on line. Just one comment now tho’- sorry David, no pic of the sun fish! There was too much of a swell to get a focussed picture at the distance.
Where next Dan and Jen? Well, we’re here tonight and tomorrow (Thurs and Fri) then is Napier...Hawkes Bay wine country!
We’re still in Rotorua, but 5 km the other side of town. They’re forecasting more rain tonight, but we’ve gone over the tent with seam sealer (just in case!) Unfortunately the design isn’t 100% (are they ever?) They sewed the seams, sewed Velcro tabs on to keep bendy poles and fly sheet in contact, taped ACROSS the Velcro tabs...so when you do them up, they pull the taping (and sometimes the lamination) away from the canvas! Der, what bright spark thought of doing it that way round! We still think the wet came in through the floor, but we’re not taking any chances! One of our neighbours on the new site got wet last night – apparently the rain was so hard, it was bouncing up under the flysheet, onto the inner, and hence into the tent. Nice!
Anyway, enough of that! We packed up early, got a refund on tonight’s camp fees and spent the day at the same place we went to last night! Strange? Not really! The evening was supposed to have ended with a land train ride down to see the geyser at night. It was so blooming wet that we didn’t get to go. So they told us that we could come back today as they had our names from the booking, just show the sticker you were given and you get a free day pass. Well there had obviously been so much more to see than we’d had time for, it seemed just what the doctor ordered – a free day out on the way to the next site!
It was well worth the second visit – as a cultural centre, we hadn’t had time last night to visit the carving school or the weaving school – both of which were fascinating. The canoe picture is a replica of the one the Maori used to travel from Tahiti to NZ in the 1300s, the other picture is a Maori greeting ceremony – believe it or not! The leaf being put down is a sign of peaceful intent and welcome – if you pick it up, you also come in peace. There was a lot more of the geothermal park accessible than we had realised last night as well, so we were both very happy!
Ron was really chuffed with his birthday messages – thankyou guys! He will reply next time we go on line. Just one comment now tho’- sorry David, no pic of the sun fish! There was too much of a swell to get a focussed picture at the distance.
Where next Dan and Jen? Well, we’re here tonight and tomorrow (Thurs and Fri) then is Napier...Hawkes Bay wine country!
I see there's a Hastings and a St Leonards just South of Napier. Just had a look at Google maps to see where you're heading - watch out for Earthquake Flats!
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