This is the delightful view from our goldfish bowl room, strategically located next to all mod cons- the guest laundry (listen to the gurgle of water flushing out) and the tennis courts (joy).
Did I mention I hate children??? Loud little shits that swing off tennis court gates, trample flower beds and spend endless hours shouting for mummy or daddy and then screaming in some high pitched language that pierces ear drums and vibrates across tennis courts. Oh yes, sorry but I hate kids.
Apparently one of the little darlings has just pooped on the tennis court (says dad) but apparently that’s better than it pooping in the corner of the motel room (also according to dad who yelled this across the tennis courts that we are fortunate to be stuck behind).
So what do you do when stranded in hell? Snarl, pour the wine, growl at brats (it actually makes them run away, believe me).
How the hell did I manage to book this place?? Mr Fogg is not going to let me forget this one. Oh dear.
This delightful shed of a motel cost us $217 for the night – the most expensive yet. So, happy me wandered up to pay this morning and (politely) advised the friendly owner that this was my idea of hell. He was very apologetic (can’t get the right type guests you know) and then (unasked) rang the bill up at only $160 (NZD) instead of full price. Nice man, all nearly forgiven….but no plans to come back anytime soon.
Hobbit hotel here we come..
Beautiful scenery, shame about Pauanui though, it resembles more of an industrial estate than a luxury getaway. Thank goodness it’s only one night.
Tomorrow it’s Waitomo and the Hobbit Hotel (have a look for Woodlyn Park on the netty thing and we is in of the hobbit homes). Maybe no Internet for a few days (thank goodness say you), but we’ll be back Mr Baggins.
One question before I buy this said Mrs Fogg to the shop owner, what type of stone is this, “Green Stone” came the reply, alrighty then!
And Now we have arrived at what I can only describe as Stallag Pauanui! Oh boy.
Stallag Pauanui is here.
So we decided to join the throngs on a train journey from Driving Creek, on this hand built narrow gauge railway some several miles up the hillside to the owners “eye full tower”. It really was a feat of engineering by the old boy who maintains the trains and tracks adding tunnels, switchbacks and mountainsides made of wine bottles (ideas with what to do with your empty bottles).
The journey is very impressive and the views from the top simply spectacular, am I a convert, hell no, I’ll stick with a life thank you. Duanne Dibbley out.
Tomorrow we head South East to Pauanui (pronounced POW an OO EE) where we will stop at the Pauanui Pines Lodge. Unfortunately due to late tides and the fact it’s Bank Holiday weekend (personally I’d have thought my Tour Geek would have researched this however given she took us to Venice on the main Bank Holiday for Italians sat in a traffic queue for 5 hours, why am I surprised, you get the service you pay for) we won’t get to use the hot water beach (booo).
Hats orf to ya Mrs Fogg, blinding job as always.
Wonderful Sunset After a Day of Rain from here.
Up to the Driving Creek railway which is a narrow gauge built by some old boy in the 70s that zigzags back and forth over 30 mins to the top of the mountain with spectacular views.
And now we are sat having a coffee in a hippee cafe before heading to the hotel for this evening.
Dangerous driving from here.
