World's Forgotten Highway

Since my last electronic postcards was so well received, here's another one from our journey along the World's Forgotten Highway in the Taranki region.  We probably should've paid a bit more attention to the details, because we didn't exactly time our journey so well.  Four and a bit long hours of winding, curvy, rural roads.  The views were stunning, even if it was just rolling green hills and lots of sheep.

Tawhiti Museum, Hawera

Our friend Raewyn from Port Ligar told us that we absolutely must stop at the museum in Hawera in South Taranki.  So when we made a detour in the small town, past the rolling paddocks and cows and found this amazing museum, in the middle of nowhere.   And lucky for us a bus group was there, or otherwise the museum would've been closed (it's open Friday-Monday). The Tawhiti Museum is one man's dream.  It has all these great collections of exhibits, small and large.  The boys loved the Traders and Whalers ride, which would do Disneyland proud with its life like replication of life in Taranaki in the 1820's.  If you find yourself cruising around this part of New Zealand, definitely take the detour.

Jumping Pillow

We've been staying in holiday parks and many of them have fun things for the boys to play with- either jumping pillows, trampolines or playgrounds.  The Wanganui River Top 10 Holiday Park had a jumping pillow, 2 trampolines, a playground AND a pool.  Ben declared it was his favorite one on the whole trip.  Here are some fun photos of us jumping away.

Paper Road Winery, Masterton

I will admit the main reason I wanted to go to this winery was its name!  We all know I'm a paper addict, so I had to see what a winery that talked about paper was all about.  The truth is that it's named after a "paper road" on the map- a road that doesn't really exist, just on paper.  But the winery was a little treat and the vineyard manager was a real hoot.  He asked if I was driving and when I said no, because I'd just been pulled over by the police officer for driving too slow, he then proceeded to pour the two of us both generous tastings.  He said he likes the folks who turn up for the tasting who declare that they just like to drink wine, instead of the so called "wine experts".  I left with a discounted bottle of pinot and a number of good chuckles.

Palmerston North Holiday Park

Vynfield Winery, Martinborough, Wairapa

Dan and I have definitely made a point of trying to sample some of the local wines while traveling around New Zealand.  The Vynfield Winery was in Martinborough, a cute little town in the Wairapa area.  We were motivated to go there because they advertised gourmet platters, so we bribed the children with some afternoon snacks.  Ben, unfortunately, chose that time to have a complete and total melt down.  But I will admit that the blue cheese was so divine that I'll probably try to forget the meltdown and only remember the platter, the wine and the beautiful gardens around the winery.

Castle Point

I would love to send every one postcards, every day all day long... but funny how that's not going to happen.  So here's my digital postcard from Castle Point, which is on the east cost about an hour and a half north of Wellington.  We had a pleasant trip to the beach- I walked up the lighthouse, the boys played in the sand and Dan got to read his book for a little while.  We're all looking forward to some more beach adventures.