Sunday saw another American Civil War game.
Monday morning saw us heading out of Auckland for a few days on a trip to the Hawke's Bay region. Neither of us have been that way for many years - nearly 40 years in my case.
First stop was Taupo. The drive down was pleasant enough with tolerably light traffic. The summery weather of last week had cooled with the arrival of a low pressure system, but the view across Lake Taupo towards to the mountains of the volcanic plateau was spectacular, even if Mt Ruapehu was shrouded in cloud the whole time we were there.
I hadn't spent any time in Taupo since a family holiday in 1971 (apart from an overnight stay on the way back from a wargames convention in the late 1980s), so it was like visiting for the first time. The town itself is pleasant enough with a wide range of eateries and shops. As a tourism centre there is lots to do, although most of it is adventure activities. We chose to visit the Craters of the Moon, a geothermal area. It was a pleasant walk through a gently steaming vents and a couple of bubbling mud pools, although it was cold in exposed places.
After a quick lunch stop we drove the short distance to the Huka Falls, a fifteen meter volcanic rock chute through which the turquoise water of Waikato River gushes and falls some eleven meters in two or three stages. They are not the highest or most volumous falls, but spectacular in their own way.
After a stop for a drink in a local pub, we headed back to our hotel and 'took the waters' at the hotel's mineral water spa for about an hour. We considered a walk along the lake shore, but a howling southerly wind kept the air temperature cool. Instead we chose to watch the waves breaking on the shore from our room with a glass or two of pinot noir. After dinner, when the wind had eased, we did get out for a walk along the waterfront with the waves still breaking as though at an ocean beach.
Day three saw us back on the road, heading for Napier, via Waiouru. Locals are probably questioning why on earth am I taking the four hour route rather than the two hour Taupo-Napier route? Simple, I wanted to visit the National Army Museum at Waiouru.
The museum is much as I remember it from 30 years ago. It covers the full history of the NZ Army involvement in conflicts from the NZ Wars, through the Boer Wars, WWI, WWII, Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq. I couldn't help thinking that it is a shame that the magnificent model of Chunuk Bair, commissioned by Peter Jackson and populated with thousands of 54mm figures, is not housed there. Still, the life sized dioramas still have appeal.
Then it was back on the long and winding road to Napier...and it was long and winding. By 2:30 we arrived in Napier and settled into our hotel for fresh adventures tomorrow.
