Alex's favorite part was jumping off this waterfall...although the soak in the private hot spring at the end of the excursion was also fun...as was the excitment of riding the rapids.
Before the hot pools, while searching for a cup of coffee, Margo and I stumbled into a small, picture-perfect, family-run vineyard where Jenny, sister of the owner, kindly offered us tea and warm slices of her mother's wartime fruit cake. The vineyard produces Pinot Noir, Reisling, and Chardonnay grapes, she explained, but her brother has outsourced winemaking to someone over the last couple of years so that he can care for his wife who has Alzheimer's. Jenny was there visiting from Herefordshire to help with her sister-in-law and relieve her brother a little and, by her own admission, was pleased to have the distraction of visitors. In addition to the cake recipe, she also shared a promising sounding recipe for celery and blue Stilton soup. (As opposed to white Stilton, she said. Who knew there was such a thing?)
After the boys white water adventure and our hot water adventures (teacups to soaking pools), we joined forces again to stroll through the Tokaanu Thermal Walk where I finally managed to capture the oozing glory of bursting hot mud bubbles on film.
If it had only been chocolate....
If it had only been chocolate....
1 comment:
Dreaming of an adventure in New Zealand. There's a reason all the fantasy books are turned into movies there!
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