This year we opted to stay at a very retro bach on the edge of Lake Taupo. When I say retro, I mean it doesn’t look like anything’s changed since the early 70s when the bach first took visitors…

30 December 2008

We arrive at the Ivy Bank bach after driving from Auckland and stopping in Ngaruawahia to join Ms Constantine and her Boy (where they spent Christmas with her family).

Taupo is about 3 hours south of Auckland which is a nice short drive compared to the 6 hours we did from Palmerston North to Auckland after our Christmas.

The first thing we notice about the bach is the decor.

Won't you take me to - a funky bach!

There’s wooden panelling, crocheted cushions, and the liberal use of beige, orange, mossy green and brown. The place is furnished with old-school furniture like swivel chairs and those wooden laminate-topped tables with the spindly little legs. And the kitchen is laden with groovy kitchen gear! So bad it was awesome.

This day is spent chilling out on the patio having cocktail slushies and nibbles.

We also manage to hook up the iPod to the boom box using a cassette adapter and some packing tape to hold it all together.

Fish and chips is for dinner, and drinks continue into the night. The sunset tonight is very purty.

OooOohh, purty sky

31 December 2008

New Year’s Eve. After having bacon and eggs for brekkie, we head to town to check out the haps. The fair is set up but not yet open for business then.

A spot of window shopping, sushi for lunch, then we go to buy the night’s dinner – Chicago porterhouse steaks for the boys, and crayfish for the girls, oh yeah!

Back at the bach, the boys trick me into going for a swim in the “warm lake”.  Not even!

Lots more tomfoolery tonight.

Hello Harold

We befriend a neighbourhood pooch, and I nickname him Harold. He’s a timid fellow. He might not even be a fellow as we notice he doesn’t have bits there. We continue to use Harold anyway.

The last dinner of the year is had alfresco on the lakeside with rosé – absolutely fabulous!

The fanciest picnic dinner ever

1 January 2009

I get a longer sleep in this morning.

Thirty minutes is spent playing frisbee in the sun before we are too hot.

Smoked fish and mussels for lunch, with virgin pineapple slushies for me (the driver into town today). I am thankful we brought our blender along.

The girls drive in to nosy at the New Year’s Day sales in town, while the boys take the 4km walk.

Hubby wins a few prizes at the fair including a “suprise gift”. The instructions are in Engrish which is always a good start.

How to using...

Turns out it is a self inflating balloon that pops out of its packet with a large bang and shower of confetti! I let out a scream – yes, it was a surprise!

The balloon says “I love you this much” on it, however the love meter is only coloured up to 95% – hahaha!

I love you about 95%

More (real) cocktails at the bach tonight, now I don’t have to drive anywhere.

2 January 2009

We say goodbye to our temporary retro pad and head back to Wellington today.

Lunch is in Bulls and failing to find a shady riverside spot we eat our Micky Dees on a picnic table along the highway. Not as fancy as the crayfish dinner but enjoyable all the same.

After the horrible traffic preceding Otaki (as expected during the holidays) we eventually get home.

Back to normality but with many new fond memories.

Sombrero monster sleeps