Monday 14th March 7.30pm
Today has been a day of rest and in view of this I managed to sleep till about 11.30am which I must have needed as I was in bed for 11pm last night. Last night I went for a stroll along the lakeside for a couple of miles towards the centre of Taupo and in search of a restaurant. There is a path that leads from my veranda all along the lake side and follows the shore and it is incredibly peaceful. I took a couple of pictures across the lake from my room then more as I walked along the lakeside as the sun began to set. It was pretty spectacular as you will see from my latest photos.
The walk into Town took in some fantastic lakeside houses with families sitting out having BBQ’s and couples sitting on veranda’s enjoying a quiet drink. It really made me crave some company and the first time I have actually felt a little low all trip. 1, 2, 3 ahhhhhhh !!!
Taupo is a really relaxed and fantastic place though. It is obviously the place where the rich come to relax and families holiday together. The lakefront is littered with flash hotels and even flasher apartments. What is also noticeable here is the abundance of European cars which I am told are a sign of wealth. They cost so much to import that only the more wealthy can afford them so a BMW is a bit of a status symbol here rather than a reps car back home ( Sorry Paul , Sorry Dave !! ) My old Volvo C70CC retails at over $100,000 here which is twice the price it is at home.
Anyway, today I went for a spin round town on my bike and tried to find the places I came to 11 years ago. As I rode into town I found something my brother in law Nigel told me to look out for. It was a Hole in one competition set up on the shore with a pontoon around 120 yards out into the lake containing a golf green. The prize for a hole in one is $10,000 so I had to have a go. It cost $20 for 25 balls so I handed over the cash and waited my turn behind a Chinese couple who had obviously never held a golf club in either of their lives. The guy missed the ball more times than he hit it and his best effort went around 30 yards in the wrong direction. She on the other hand hit the green more than once and totally humiliated her fella much to my amusement. My turn came and my first ball hit the edge of the pontoon and dropped into the water. I managed to land on the green a handful of times but there was no way the ball was ever going to stay on a square green 6 metres square so I failed in my bid to win the cash. I managed the second longest drive of the day but that won nothing.
I moved on into town and was quite surprised at how small Taupo is. I always remembered it as being bigger but then I was drunk more or less the whole time I was here 11 years ago so this is not a great shock. I found where the Holy Cow bar used to be and found that it has been replaced with an Irish bar. An hour later I discovered the same bar does an appalling all day breakfast with sausages that should have carried a Government Health Warning.
I was soon back at the hotel twiddling my thumbs wishing I had decided to cycle today instead as I was bored. I really am no good at relaxing. Eventually I broke out my emergency book and this eventually did the trick.cc I am now sat in that snazzy hotel again next door to mine enjoying a beer and free WIFI …..or at least I was, as the mingy buggers only let you have it free for 20 minutes then you have to pay $10 an hour.
All around me are wealthy types and I have received more than one disapproving glance as I sit here in my tatty crumpled shorts and T shirt nursing an overpriced beer. Bet they don’t know I’m writing about them especially that American lady opposite who made some very defamatory remarks about her Chicken Liver Parfait a couple of minutes ago. If the chef had heard he would have sliced her up into little pieces. Maybe I will go and tell him !!!!
Well its 8.15pm now and I guess I should find somewhere to eat. I’m not eating here as its way too expensive. Not sure where to go this evening. Maybe I will just make do with my emergency snickers and stop early for breakfast somewhere. I’m back on the road tomorrow and have an 80 mile ride to Cambridge. It’s a bit hilly for the first 30 miles tomorrow so I better get an early night.
Hope your all well wherever you are, I’m still hoping those sausages don’t kill me. !!!
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