Art & crafts
At the busstop of Taupo, Sue was already waiting for me. She was tall, just like her daughter Amanda. Same smile. Same twinkling in the eyes. This was promising.
We headed home, but made a little stop at a tiny shed. Sue introduced me to her partner Ray. Another wonderful inspiring man. Ray was very much into wood-turning and shared this lovely shed with a bunch of creative artists. The smell of fresh turned timber was in the air. I sat with them enjoying my first Sue-Scone whilst admiring the pieces of art. My fingers got itchy! It’s been already three years that I did my last bowl myself. Shortly after I would find out more about what an artist Ray is. Not knowing yet my great luck of meeting him!
Waikato River – Aratiatia Dam – Huka Falls
Sue and Ray made me feel at home so much that is was hard to believe that I only just met them! Being both in their late seventies, they are still incredible active and good fun. Travellers… long time on sea. Very straightforward and both chefs. It doesn’t get any better than that!
I installed myself in the spacious room overlooking the Waikato River. “Wanna go for a dip?” Sue offered. She showed me the swing she had made out of an old steerwheel of a bike to jump into the river after climbing a huge tree. Amazing! Not wearing my brave-bikini yet I decided to leave that for another day.
Ray came home and we enjoyed lunch together before heading off to the Aratiatia Dam. “You’ll see…the amount of water is huge” they both told me with a big smile full of excitement. So we parked the car, amongst some other people, but instead of standing on the dam, like other people did…they made me follow them through some tres and bushes down to a narrow path.
Once the gates at the Aratiatia dam were opened to release the full flow of the river all this water came down with a tremendous speed. Witnessing the roaring water coming down at high speed was quite something but watching Sue climbing onto one of the exposed rocks, just holding on to a little branch for balance was freaking me out! All of a sudden she got completely splashed by a turbulent rapid. Her laugh was filled with so much happiness and full of life. What a woman! “Look, there is the barrel of the Lord of the rings!” I could hardly hear her voice over the thundering water. Never saw the movie, but I have a deep respect for the actor who sat in that barrel, so much is for sure!
A bit later we were driving to the Huka falls. This was like being in geography class but for real. Seeing thousands of litres of water which were just released from the Aratiatia Dam now creating this spectcular flow of water through a very narrow gorge was very impressive. What a start of my first day in Taupo!
Outdoors & Sports
The next days I was just having a ball. Sue took me kayaking along the Waikato river. Very exciting I thought. The current was totally in our favour, so the kayaking part was easy-peasy but knowing that we had to get out of the river before reaching the Huka falls was more then enough for me!
Another thing was swimming in the river with her. But to get in we would jump off the rocks. Petrified I look down. Through the top of the trees I could spot the turquoise blue river. With a “Look, all clear, no rocks… only beautiful clear water” Sue tried to reassure me. She ended up getting her togs on and showed me how to jump.
So refreshing, so freaking fantastic, so proud of myself! Even so, when afterwards I found out, that I didn’t do the “BIG Jump”, but only the 5 metres one. The big one is 7 metres!
Leisure & Sightseeing…
One evening they took me to the Cosmopolitan Club. An interesting kind of a sports bar with a cultural touch. We had some nice finger food and a glass of wine. I even bought a not-winning lottery ticket… . Never mind, as I had won the best prize already by being with Ray and Sue. We played pool and danced on songs from the 70-ties and 80-ties performed by the Esmerald brothers. What a grand night out!
Another morning we went for a delicious Chai Latte and a scone to a cafe overlooking the Taupo lake admiring the Mine Bay Maori Rock Carving “the Maori Totem“. A magnificent piece of art… the hours of work, the details… the size (over 10 meters high) it was breathtaking!
Sundays are market days. I loved the my first market in Auckland, got enthusiastic at the KeriKeri market and now I was eager to visit the Taupo market. Lots of handmade crafts, tasty food and a great vibe. We even met people from the Cosmopolitan Club!
And last but not least Sue and Ray took me all the way back to Rotorua to see the very impressive Wingspan National Bird of Prey Centre. We attended the show with a falcon and a hawk. Very educational. They were right, it is something not to be missed! For more information see: https://www.wingspan.co.nz
I was spoilt all the time by the amount of activities and trips Ray and Sue did with me. Letting me taste the best pie, stopping along the way at a lava-glass art shop, visiting Ray’s friend a brilliant wood-turning artist…. there’s to much to mention it all.
But what almost made me cry, was Ray’s gift to me. He made me, only one day before I left the most precious little NZ swamp kauri olive bowl! Blessed is what I am!
LOVE YOU both my NZ WHANAU!
