Wanganui alweer!!!!
(Sorry Engelses, Wanganui, Rugby en die Suid-Afrikaner saamtrekke by André & Martie se Top 10 Holiday Park kan net nie in engels gedoen word nie!) Nou ja, André en Martie se Top 10 resort is natuurlik waar ons weer tuis was. Lekker! Ons het al ge-tent, ge-huisie, ge-bungalow ens ens, alles by André & Martie se Top 10 Holiday Resort!!! (As julle wonder oor die herhaaldelike verwysings na die TOP 10 HOLIDAY PARK, dan is dit omdat ek André belowe het hy sal weer free advertising kry by die wie die blog actually lees! :-) Alle grappies op 'n stokkie, dit is rerig lekker om daar te kamp/kuier. Seker maar omdat dit 'n welkome en huislike gevoel het, of omdat die rustigheid van die oewers van die Wanganui rivier dit so mooi maak, wie sal weet, wie sal omgee? Vir ons was dit nog elke keer WOW! Die doel van die trip was natuurlik Rugby. Bokke teen die All Blacks en siende dat arme Niel alleen op sy sitkamer bank moet sit en die katte skrik op die lyf jaag elke keer as hy jubel, gil en komentaar, en bygevoeg dat TOP 10 se e-mail gesê het hulle sal Wellington-Ondersteuning waardeer, het ons besluit dat groot skerm rugby, oop vuur, 5cm dik snye steak en braaibroodjies in samewyn met ander gillende, jubellende, komenterende afrikaners toe nou nie 'n half sleg idee is nie - almal wen! Yipee! Hier volg dan nou die prentjie weergawe...

Niel en André by die oop-kole vuur!


Bok-support was daar nie 'n tekort van nie...


Nog so bietjie advertising vir André :-)
http://www.wrivertop10.co.nz



Niel, baie beindruk met hoe die braaibroodjies vorder.




Na dikgevreet en samewyn is ons toe vort na die kamer met die GROOT skerm. Daar was natuurlik groot viering en die samewyn het nog lank na die game aangegaan vir sommiges!


En toe...



Toe slaap ons dit af en is vort die vlogende dag om weereens by die swaai te stop. Om Wanganui toe te gaan en nie te gaan swaai nie is soos om warm bier te drink. Jy kan, maar jy's simpel as jy dit doen.

Die vreedsame rustigheid is te veel vir woorde.


Toe kom versteur ons dit! :-)




Sonja verduidelik hoe die adrenalien jou laat bewe.




As jy bietjie meer energie het op 'n Sondag oggend kan roei dit vir jou doen, maar ek neem eerder maar net fotos daarvan.




Na die swaaiery het ons belsuit om te gaan uitkyk by die uitkyk punt. Een hoë toring bo op die heuwels wat uitkyk oor Wanganui.



Die Wanganui rivier wat afloop see se kant toe, soos alle riviere maar doen.


Doer in die verte ontmoet vars water see water, soos dit maar gebeur wanneer riviere in die see inloop. (Sien bo).

:-)

End-Of-Season Work Parties

What a pleasure. "Hi. Would you mind to attend this function where we celebrate the end of the season's activities and party with us?"

To respond to this other than: "Hell Yeah!" would just be stupid! So we didn't. We said yes. Here are just a few pics to show that Kiwi's have fun pretty much the same way we do. This was at a pub in Wellington hosted by Sonja's work.

No introductions needed, I hope.



Andrew & Megan.




The band, obviously.



Russ & Helen just could not be stopped. Duracel Bunnies I tell you!




Courtenay Place in Wellington at night.

Weekend Getaways!
The stuff memories are made of....

We (Chris, Sonja, Niel and Ilse) recently packed up and went out to explore a bit more of the "wild" East Coast of the North Island. Riversdale Beach was home base for the weekend, From there we drove out to Castle Point and enroute passed through little, hmm, well, "villages" are the best description, cause some of the settlements in between little bigger ones had a post office, shop, church and Pub.

A 2.5 hour drive for a mere 180km trip, winding roads through mountains and valleys.

In Riversdale Beach you can go shop at the Tip Top Shop or you can shop at the Tip Top Shop, that's it. Choice, what a wonderful thing.

If you need to re-fuel, you can do it at the one pump or the other one. Good thing you don't have to drive too far to get to the other pump.

Riversdale Beach also has, yep, a Beach.

And, as expected, a Tsunami Disaster Plan. Comforting.




Yep, alas, the Golf Course. They are like South Africans in New Zealand, no matter where you go, you will always run into at least one or two wherever you go!!!

So, here's where we stayed.

Relaxing...

Dining...

and exploring the surrounds.

The wind was howling at top speeds which made for some impressive wave scenes with spray firing up.

...off to Castle Point, but we couldn't out-drive the wind. The Palm almost looks like a direction sign pointing towards the lighthouse.

Most locals were indoors, so the welcoming committee was down to this chap. We had a bit of a language barrier, though.

The Caravan & Camper park in the background.

Pretty.

The Lighthouse.

It's obvious that Castle Point must have a much larger population density than Riversdale Beach, 3 Pumps!!! The congestion, can you imagine.


More of the Lighthouse.



Still more of the Lighthouse.




I guess Castle Point is known for the lighthouse, then?

Like I said at the start, Weekend Getaways, the stuff memories are made of.