Catch ups from Ngawi to Napier

Ok It's time for a major catchup, the last blog was February 25th, finishing at Ngawi in the Wairarapa. Now it's late July 2017. I got out of the blog habit and just experienced the journey, though I took the photos and kept a daily diary, so that will be put to good use for this catchup mode.  Although we now have an internet connection I was unable to charge my laptop with the little 150w inverter, which just wouldn't cut the mustard, so uploading photos etc was not possible.

Excuses excuses!

We now have a new 1100w sine wave inverter, but still have to get that fitted into the bus.

Here we are at Castle Point, which lived up to its reputation as being windy, in fact we delayed our visit there due to predicted 160km/hr gale force winds. We were told "it can be so windy there, it can blow the milk out of your tea".

 Very scenic spot with a carpark which fills up fast

 early in the afternoons with campers and motorhomes. 

Just a gentle zephyr blowing!

 Such great place to wander and explore, 

though some have lost their lives walking the rocky foreshore in rough weather.

 That night saw a fabulously long and colourful sunset.

 We took the road through Tinui, and stopped to see the little jailhouse on the corner and some Swiss people told us about the Post Office which had been left "as is"... from the 1940s.

 Below is the Post Office safe...definitely in "safe" keeping.

 Quite a lovely little blast from the past.

 Oh yes I remember milk in bottles at 8c a pint!

Heading inland and north via Alfredton and Ekatahuna, made famous by cartoonist Murray Ball.

Now we head to Herbertville, highly recommended by Shellie Evans of Two Go Tiki touring blog fame and yes she was right it is a magic out of the way spot. 

 Great sunset and sunrise...no complaints from me!

Heading for Napier along the Middle Road very scenic and incredibly dry, we pass a sign in Havelock North for David Trubridge's showroom and gallery. I knew him a long time ago in my woodworking days, so we called in and got shown around the complex.

He employs 13 staff and has two super large (and expensive) CNC machines, women assemble the parts, he uses special plywood, hardly any real wood around. He exports all around the world to design shops, very high end stuff!

 As we head into Napier to attend the Art Deco weekend, the very long drought breaks and the rain starts, and continues for the whole three days of the event.

Cheers Jimu & Christine