November, 2025. Life for us at home in Rotorua.

As we’ve now been home for 2 months, it’s time for an update.

Much work has been undertaken in the garden, finishing the furnishings in the sleep-out and another major exercise, sorting out surplus furniture etc. Not very exciting happening’s, so hence the long delay in another blog.

Garden progress has been slower than I would have liked. The weather has been very unsettled with a lot of rain. A blackbird also decided to nest in a shrub I wanted to prune, so this caused a delay of several weeks, until the fledgling, the only one to survive, flew the nest.

Last week, after things were beginning to look presentable, we had a really bad storm one night, with really strong winds and heavy rain. This caused plants to be flattened and leaves and branch debris to be spread everywhere. We had expected a very large crop of plums. Sadly half the crop is now scattered all over the lawn. It took a couple of days to clear up and be back where we started.

Progress in the poly-tunnel

The vegetable garden and poly-tunnel are doing well. We have had some strawberries and now have salad contents. Lettuce, radishes, rocket, spring onions and spinach.

A male Tūī. One of our beautiful songbirds, in the garden.

The sleep-out is almost finished. There are just a couple of other items we need. My sister, Caroline arrives in about 3 weeks for a month’s stay and my son, James and family are coming in February. We are considering AirBnB for the in between period and until we leave for the Far East and then the U.K. in April.

Trip to Wellington.

Last month we made a quick two night trip down to Wellington to visit our friends, Noel and Dee. Visiting Bob on the way, in Palmerston North.

Mountains on the Central Plateau

Dee took us for a lovely brunch at her friend’s Oriental Bay cafe. We walked around Oriental Bay admiring some of the older, and expensive, properties. Noel also took us on a drive around some of the parts of Wellington I had not visited, climbing some incredibly narrow and steep streets.

Car club trip.

We are still members of Rotorua Vintage and Veteran Car Club and have been to a couple of monthly meetings and one car club run to the Ross Bros. Museum in Cambridge. Ross Bros. are an earth moving company and as well as a collection of muscle cars, they have some of the world’s largest earth moving machines. This Sunday we have an early morning drive, followed by breakfast at the clubhouse. A Christmas party is also scheduled for 29 November.`

A massive remotely controlled Komatsu dozer.

A breakout.

The week before last, we had a few lovely days and decided we were overdosing on work and needed a break. We drove to Mount Maunganui, a beachside town close to the city’s of Tauranga, about an hour’s drive from here. As the name suggests it has a mountain. We decided, never having done it before, that we would do the hike to the top.

As we have been overseas so much over the last few years, it is easy to forget how beautiful New Zealand is and how much there is to see and do. We must try and experience more and stop working so much.

There is a track around the base of the mountain, as well as tracks to the top. When we reached the gate to the main track to the top, we started to climb some steps. Dennis decided his knee was painful and so we changed to the track around the base. However, having walked about half way round, we came across another track to the summit and took this. It turned out to be quite taxing and steeper than the main track, but we made it to the top, despite a number of stops to recover and take in the views.

After descending we thought lunch was in order. There are a few cafes facing the ocean. We chose the nicest and had a very good lunch.

At the moment, our what was a quiet backwater, has become a centre for a number of construction projects. At the end of our road they are working on shoring up the stream that runs down to the lake. The banks are being protected with huge poles which are being driven into the ground by a pile-driver. Our neighbour on the opposite side of the road is building another house for family members and has purchased another house in our road, which is now being renovated.

The most disruptive, though, is immediately beside us. What was once a horse paddock is to be the site of a Māori school. All sorts of earth works have been undertaken, then we had 2 days of concrete laying for the classroom foundations and now huge prefabricated classrooms arriving on trucks.

The site manager, warned us the concrete laying for a large car parking area would start very early and would mean 5 or 6 trucks an hour delivering concrete for a continuous pour. We decided to go away for a night to escape the noise. Not far, but to somewhere we had not visited before. Okoroire Hot Springs. About an hour away in the Auckland direction.

A trip to the hot springs and historic hotel.

We stayed overnight at the neighbouring Okoroire Springs historic Hotel. Built in 1886, we had a room in the old part. I think the plumbing was almost that old too. It worked with plenty of hot water, but the basin taps were a bit wonky and temperamental.

Dining room of the period

We arrived mid afternoon and wandered down the 200 meter walk to the springs. A pretty walk through an avenue of large trees and native bush, to the three pools of differing temperatures. Not long after we arrived the rain started and continued to pour all afternoon. We soaked and chatted to a couple from Gisbourne, who were staying at the neighbouring campsite in their camper van and a British couple from Essex, on holiday and visiting their son who has adopted New Zealand as his homeland.

After walking back to the hotel, we were looking like drowned rats.

A reviving shower and hair wash improved our appearance and we then proceeded to the restaurant for a welcome dinner. After a substantial breakfast, the following morning, we made our way back home.

Today is pouring with rain again. According to the construction site management, a large crane is due to arrive this afternoon to lift the classrooms into position on the prepared foundations. Meanwhile I am having to think about Christmas and sending a few cards to the U.K. The last posting date is 1st December. I’m also planning some things for us to do/places for us to visit during Caroline’s stay. Hopefully, there will be some interesting things and places to report on.

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