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Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Hi-De-Hi Campers
Didn't feel much like blogging last week and then we had a long weekend away to Lake Taupo, which was lovely. We went camping with Hev and her family... never again.
Hev suggested it for a week and we worked out dates and she spoke of a place on the lakeside itself. Then nothing. She did nothing. When I enquired as to what we were doing, she said she wasn't sure if her other half had enough holidays and that a week would be too long. I'd initially suggested a long w/e but she'd come back with setting up camp took too long and less than a week wouldn't be worth it! Alarm bells rang but stupidly I ignored them. In the end, I booked a site, told her and said come if you wish - this is where we're staying.
The camp site looked lovely. On the website. Turned out to be too near the road and noisy but next to some fantastic thermal baths which we could use for half price which made up for it. It wasn't as clean as I'd hoped but hey... this is camping. The Hubster had initially chosen a place with cold showers and drop toilets - this was pure luxury compared to that. We embraced it fully and got into the swing of things. We travel pretty light - just enough clothing, with typical camping clothes being de rigeur; no hairdryer, no make-up, tins of beans and sausages etc. lol.
It transpires that Hev hates camping! WTF??? Why ask us to go then???? They racked up with a mini fridge and top o'the range camping gear etc. and so much shite it was unbelieveable. No wonder it she says it takes them ages to set up. There's just no need for it - I mean, a camping table with chairs attached plus chairs to relax in for them and their kids, which their children never even used but were kept up under our gazebo, taking up space. At one point, I wanted to sit down but they'd put all their stuff on one of our chairs so I looked to sit on one of theirs. "Oh that one's ours I think," said her other half. "Well I didn't want to move your stuff off mine... I just want to sit down," I said, to which anyone else I know would just have laughed. He got up and moved his stuff off ours so I could sit. It was very much us and them to the point where he made a cuppa for him and Hev, but didn't ask if The Hubster wanted one. He had to ask if there was enough water in the kettle for him. It was like my kettle, my water; your kettle, your water.
They were just so rude... and her youngest child is so whingey. The little 'un doesn't like me and the feeling is mutual. Awful to say about your friend's child but it's true. He won't let me help him at all and she just panders to him. He won't even let me take the wrapper off his ice-cream when I'm stood next to him and Hev is at the other side of the camp. When I tell her, she just laughs and comes over to help him. Makes me feel so small. And he screams at her in a way that my kids would get a wallop. Even our children roll their eyes at him! lol. It was horrible.
The Hubster and I can't help thinking we'd have had a better time with just ourselves and the children. Total contrast to when we went with Lex and her family where we took just one of everything and shared. Thankfully we just went our own way during the day and we had the best time. My digi cam got sick and The Hubster took it apart to fix. Yup, you guessed it - it's now in bits all over the table and doesn't stand a cat in hell's chance of ever being put back together. I've seen another but I haven't to hint for Valentines Day.
However, Lake Taupo itself was wonderful. We rode a jet boat along the Waikato river to the Huka Falls; these aren't my photos obviously but it was the same view for us!
This is me!
Back row - me, sproglets one and two and The Hubster, clinging onto sproglet 2 who is almost hiding behind the Indian lady and her family. Her daughter was sobbing she was so scared. We all got absolutely soaked so we bathed in the Taupo Hot Springs thermal baths after to ease it - so hot! If you are planning - or know someone who is - to come to NZ, Lake Taupo would be a good place to visit and at just an hour out of Rotorua, it would make a welcome break from the smell of sulphur. Bungee jumps, jet boats along rapids, river cruises, jet skiing, water skiing, swimming... beautiful. We came back feeling like we were at long last seeing the New Zealand we wanted to rather than our Auckland burbs. Lovely.
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Laurice Solomon
picture from
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edited using Adobe Photoshop CS2
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Urban Gypsy
30-odd year old mum of two
England - Saudi Arabia - New Zealand
words__
When you run so fast to get somewhere
you miss the fun
of getting there.
Life is not a race,
so take it slower,
hear the music before the music is over, take your time and stay happy...
wishes for__
`new house (in Oz)
`less housework
`new shoes
`less bills
`new knickers
`smooth, tanned, glowing skin
`digital camera
`an iPod nano