Camping in the Hawkes Bay
Last week, Olivia and I set off in a campervan to visit the Soutar-Barrons in the Hawkes Bay and celebrate Baxter's 3rd birthday. Olivia and I had been very excited about this trip, fuelled by many virtual viewing of our campervan to be on the internet. Ross dropped us off at the hire place out by the airport on Thursday morning (Olivia threw up in her car seat just as we pulled up outside the hire place! Only the 3rd time in her life, and luckily all water!!). After a short wait, I was given a very speedy tour of how everything worked as Ross and Olivia packed all our gear into the van and strapped in the car sear.
At 9.15 we lurched off on the Southern Motorway, with High-5 on the stereo and an anxious driver behind the wheel. Even though our van was small (but with onboard toilet for pregnant Mummy) it felt very long. Olivia was very impressed with the on-board toilet so requested a number of toilet stops en route. We got to Taupo by late lunch time, Olivia falling asleep 20 min out of Taupo. We made a quick stop at the AC baths for a swim in the hot pools, before refuelling and heading on to the Hawkes Bay. I thought Olivia would have a sleep after our swim, but she was full of beans the whole way - lots of kiddie music, toilet stops and are we going to see Baxter, are we going to see Izzie, are we going to see Jessita, and are we going to see Gerald... Hmm, what a long drive! The van was a manual, so quite hard work on my ailing pelvis. Obviously I was just too excitited about the campervan that nobody pointed out the possible comfort constraints to achey pregnant me! Never mind. As we headed past Napier just before 5, I called Jess to see if she was heading home from work soon and whether I could tail her home to Otane - good thinking - she was just on the road, so pulled over so we could catch up and got a personal guide to the front door of the Otane Homestead. What a lovely big house and property - just marvellous, an
d great for kids and animals. It was great to see Anna over from England, and fun to see Olivia and Bax playing together. Gerard's parents arrived soon after me, and it was a great big family meal around the dining table together - very homestead! Weary kids in the bath and off to bed. Very cold noses in the campervan over night, so Miss O and I had to snuggle up. She woke up bright as a button: "Baxter awake?".
Friday was a mass of errands for the party, lunch in the sun in the garden and another big meal around the table for dinner.
Saturday turned
out brilliantly for the country party - crisp winter day with lots of sunshine. After a birthday breakfast we opened family presents - Olivia had a tough time understanding all the presents had to go to Baxter, despite Jess having a wee something special wrapped up for her! N
ever mind. What a lot of loot - car things and music things, and lots more car things. After breakfast we decorated the backyard with bunting we made, arranged hay bales, made sandwiches and party food, set up our coconut shy and got the sacks ready for the sack race. The kids did us proud with a big sleep before the party, then it was dress up time and guests arriving by 3.00. Knowing Olivia not big on trousers or denim, I made her a pink gingham skirt with fluffy petticoat - Aunty Jess provided a pretty hat and beads - and she looked just like a 'Miss Alabama'. Baxter looked the part and so did lots of the guests. The games were a great success - and the dads entered into the spirit of things with special enthusiasm for the 'catch the train' dress up relay race. The kids all did well with the coconut 
shy and pin the tail on the donkey. Cake and present time next- my that was tasty cake - really top notch diabetic food! As the day wore on and more people came and some people left the bbq and brazier were lit, and I flopped in the lounge exhausted in front of the fire. I rang Ross and said cancel Olivia's party - I've done enough toddler partying! (Don't worry I wouldn't dare cancel - I've organised too much already!). Another fantastic dinner - roast lamb, bbq chops, salads etc. and a very nice carrot cake. Crashed into bed and fast asleep in no time.
On Sunday after breakfast and a bit of a tidy up, we headed into Hastings for the Farmers Market - I stocked up on some lovely sauces for Christmas gifts. Jess, Anna and I then headed into Napier with all the kids for some Hell Pizza for lunch - yum, yum! Then it was time for good bye, and Miss O and I made tracks for Taupo. We had any easy drive in the sunshine, and arrived at the Taupo Top 10 Holiday Park to park up our campervan just before the rain started. The park was really well equipped, with underfloor heating in the bathrooms! Miss O and I headed back to the AC baths for a much more leisurely swim, then headed to our favorite takeaway bar just around the corner for fish and chips! Then home for our last night in the campervan.
Monday morning we had a great breakfast at Repleat, checked out some of the shops, refuelled and then headed down to the Huka Falls to watch the speed boats scaring the tourists - Olivia loved it. A longish trip back up to Auckland, with a quick break for a late lunch in Cambridge. Made it back to drop off the campervan at 4.45, and were both very pleased to see Ross there to pick us up.
What a great adventure!
At 9.15 we lurched off on the Southern Motorway, with High-5 on the stereo and an anxious driver behind the wheel. Even though our van was small (but with onboard toilet for pregnant Mummy) it felt very long. Olivia was very impressed with the on-board toilet so requested a number of toilet stops en route. We got to Taupo by late lunch time, Olivia falling asleep 20 min out of Taupo. We made a quick stop at the AC baths for a swim in the hot pools, before refuelling and heading on to the Hawkes Bay. I thought Olivia would have a sleep after our swim, but she was full of beans the whole way - lots of kiddie music, toilet stops and are we going to see Baxter, are we going to see Izzie, are we going to see Jessita, and are we going to see Gerald... Hmm, what a long drive! The van was a manual, so quite hard work on my ailing pelvis. Obviously I was just too excitited about the campervan that nobody pointed out the possible comfort constraints to achey pregnant me! Never mind. As we headed past Napier just before 5, I called Jess to see if she was heading home from work soon and whether I could tail her home to Otane - good thinking - she was just on the road, so pulled over so we could catch up and got a personal guide to the front door of the Otane Homestead. What a lovely big house and property - just marvellous, an
d great for kids and animals. It was great to see Anna over from England, and fun to see Olivia and Bax playing together. Gerard's parents arrived soon after me, and it was a great big family meal around the dining table together - very homestead! Weary kids in the bath and off to bed. Very cold noses in the campervan over night, so Miss O and I had to snuggle up. She woke up bright as a button: "Baxter awake?".Friday was a mass of errands for the party, lunch in the sun in the garden and another big meal around the table for dinner.
Saturday turned
out brilliantly for the country party - crisp winter day with lots of sunshine. After a birthday breakfast we opened family presents - Olivia had a tough time understanding all the presents had to go to Baxter, despite Jess having a wee something special wrapped up for her! N
ever mind. What a lot of loot - car things and music things, and lots more car things. After breakfast we decorated the backyard with bunting we made, arranged hay bales, made sandwiches and party food, set up our coconut shy and got the sacks ready for the sack race. The kids did us proud with a big sleep before the party, then it was dress up time and guests arriving by 3.00. Knowing Olivia not big on trousers or denim, I made her a pink gingham skirt with fluffy petticoat - Aunty Jess provided a pretty hat and beads - and she looked just like a 'Miss Alabama'. Baxter looked the part and so did lots of the guests. The games were a great success - and the dads entered into the spirit of things with special enthusiasm for the 'catch the train' dress up relay race. The kids all did well with the coconut shy and pin the tail on the donkey. Cake and present time next- my that was tasty cake - really top notch diabetic food! As the day wore on and more people came and some people left the bbq and brazier were lit, and I flopped in the lounge exhausted in front of the fire. I rang Ross and said cancel Olivia's party - I've done enough toddler partying! (Don't worry I wouldn't dare cancel - I've organised too much already!). Another fantastic dinner - roast lamb, bbq chops, salads etc. and a very nice carrot cake. Crashed into bed and fast asleep in no time.On Sunday after breakfast and a bit of a tidy up, we headed into Hastings for the Farmers Market - I stocked up on some lovely sauces for Christmas gifts. Jess, Anna and I then headed into Napier with all the kids for some Hell Pizza for lunch - yum, yum! Then it was time for good bye, and Miss O and I made tracks for Taupo. We had any easy drive in the sunshine, and arrived at the Taupo Top 10 Holiday Park to park up our campervan just before the rain started. The park was really well equipped, with underfloor heating in the bathrooms! Miss O and I headed back to the AC baths for a much more leisurely swim, then headed to our favorite takeaway bar just around the corner for fish and chips! Then home for our last night in the campervan.
Monday morning we had a great breakfast at Repleat, checked out some of the shops, refuelled and then headed down to the Huka Falls to watch the speed boats scaring the tourists - Olivia loved it. A longish trip back up to Auckland, with a quick break for a late lunch in Cambridge. Made it back to drop off the campervan at 4.45, and were both very pleased to see Ross there to pick us up.
What a great adventure!
posted by Maggie May at 4:40 PM
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