Trekking South

Sunday 15 December

Waking up on the summit of the Desert Road to a beautiful sunrise was what this odyssey is all about!

After an early start and only 12V power, we decided to head to the National Army Museum in Waiouru for coffee and breakfast - arriving just as it opened.

Louis before coffee V Louis after too much coffee!

From Waiouru, we headed south again, dropping from the high plateau to the Manawatu - pausing at Taihape (gumboot capital of NZ) for the obligatory tourist photo!

Next stop was Mangaweka with its fabuous Duke's Roadhouse cafe and funky little art museum. The cafe was rammed with delicious goodies including locally produced fresh asparagus, jars and jars of pickled veggies from the garden out back, some amazing looking cabinet food and an array of funky condiments. We loved the fact that they did not offer disposable takeaway coffee cups - it was BYO or buy a reusable one - so Louis popped back to Banjo to grab his new thermal travelling cup.

The Art Gallery in an old, vibrantly painted church was quite quirky - it seemed to specialise in "Fakes and Forgeries" which were basically tongue in cheek versions of famous works!

By lunch time we had reached the town of Bulls which delights in celebrating the animals after which it is named. Not only are there sculptures and murals everywhere, but every possi-bull pun has been utilised for all the town's public services!

Our overnight campsite was in Foxton Beach - which proved to have a great campground but a pretty mediocre beach on the Manuwatu estuary! Poor Louis didn't fancy a swim in the rather grubby estuary waters, and the tide was so far out we could hardly see it!

Dinner was the highlight - especially as the camp kitchen had a brilliant herb garden available to plunder! On tonight's menu, pork chops & salad, adorned with a delicious fried sage leaf (I picked a few more for the fridge, shhhh, don't tell!)