A lovely last day

Had a lovely lie in and didn't wake till 8.30. Went for breakfast, really nice again.

We decided to head off home after breakfast. We did intend going to the museum and then back to the Langham for afternoon tea (it starts at 12.00 and goes on till 4.00) but on looking at the map we would have needed to get the car to go to the museum and it was all too much hassle, next time we will do the museum.

I had found a place I wanted to visit and as it was on the way home we thought we would go there. It is Te Aroha and is famous for the hot springs and had some lovely Edwardian spas. It is about an hour or so south of Auckland so more or less half way home but off the main road. It is a very pretty village and I can see why it has won prizes for it.

we walked around and went to see the only hot soda geyser in the world. A disappointment as it looks more like a fountain, even though it is about 5 foot high and amazingly only works between 12.00 and 4.00 every day!!! Certainly not as good as Rotorua.

The village has the Kaimai Mountains as a backdrop and so is very pretty and the spas are at the foothills.


We went to the museum which was lovely and very well kept with lots of lovely old washing machines, mangles and things that I had long ago forgotten about.

We then went to an old cottage which is now a cafe and we had the most enormous burgers. We haven't had a burger for I don't know how long. These were very good but I couldn't eat it all so the resident cat helped me.

We then set of home and it took us about an hour and it was so nice to be back, we feel like we have been away for weeks.

After unpacking it was time to go for Totty who was very happy to see us and has slept since she got home.

We had bought some steak and salad things on the way home so dinner was easy tonight.

Looking forward to my own bed tonight.


WEATHER

Sunny and warm, light cloud 19 in Auckland but 23 in Tauranga