All packed up and ready to go! ….but wait, I can’t leave Taupo without a swim in the Lake!
We left Taupo just after mid day for Cambridge where I would be staying with Leigh’s sister, Kay, and Chris. I stayed with them last time I came to NZ but they have since moved house.
Leigh pulled in at Huka Falls on the way for a quick look again at the white foam cascading down into the deep turquoise waters below. As ever, there was the speed boat doing a sharp turn in the bubbling currents.
We headed on up the country through roadworks to Tarau, of corrugated sign fame, where we stopped to buy some chips and cakes for lunch.
Finally we arrived at Kay’s mid afternoon. We said our goodbyes and I suddenly felt a pang of sadness that I wouldn’t see Leigh again, at least not for a long time. She and Jessie were now going to take the opportunity of visiting her parents, June and Laurie, who were in a care home nearby. I soon saw this photo posted on FB – they looked well.
Chris showed me to my beautiful ‘5 star’ room and helped carry my large bag, backpack, walking boots, trainers which I meant to throw out, and wet walking sandles which I had kept on for swimming in the lake earlier because of the hard stones…. None of these items somehow seemed fitting for the exquisitely stylish suite of rooms I was shown into! I hung my wet swimming togs over a glass panel which divided the shower area from the rest of the bathroom items in the wet room!
It wasn’t long before we noticed the sun going down across the river (or yardarm) and out came the G&Ts with nibbles. 
We chatted away about holidays and art and stuff and eventually enjoyed a lovely salmon supper together, when we got into politics and flags, etc, then relaxed, while looking through some of my artwork.
But this was not without drama as we seemed to be besieged with unwanted guests this evening. Kay said it was that time of year and urged the great white Hunter (Chris) to dispatch these critters NOW! First a Pray Mantis, then a giant spider, then a mouse (it was actually outside, but I was quit proud of my photo taken at a distance in semi darkness), 
then a New Zealand cockroach – it was quite big! I found all this very amusing, adding some extra drama to the day. Kay was NOT amused!