Friday!
The day started off very well with a lovely breakfast at Milk & Honey in Ahuriri. The Bircher Muesli was just what I needed. Laura went for another big breakfast 🙂 This jet lag really messes with one’s meals! Having said that, Laura had a really good sleep and didn’t seem to be suffering from sleep deprivation which was good.
Ian, Marianne, Laura, me and Noel. Ian had already been for a swim in the sea that morning!
Plan of campaign today was to visit the Eskdale Church so we could go through with Ian and Laura what they would need to do and where they would need to stand. It was lovely and hot outside but inside the church it was quite cold. Ian videoed the proceedings. We took a few photos outside afterwards. Marianne, Laura and Noel.
Laura, Noel and me, just starting to warm up in the sun!
The Bridal Party: Ian, Laura, Noel and me!
(© Ian & Marianne)
Marianne, Ian, Laura and Noel.
After the practice we drove a short distance along the road leading towards Taupo to visit the River Valley Café and shop with an African theme. Laura was introduced to Afghan Biscuits, a traditional NZ biscuit. I spent a bit of time on the phone sorting out a surprise at the reception for Noel, having been told that something else was also now on (see Wedding Day blog)!
(© Ian & Marianne)
From there we drove through Napier, stopping briefly to pick a hotel key up for Sunday night and so that Ian, Marianne and Laura could visit the tourist information centre.
(© Ian & Marianne)
Then we drove on along the coast to Clearview Estate Winery, which is owned by Noel’s second cousin Tim Maxwell Collett Turvey; Noel’s Dad’s name is Maxwell Collett!
There we met a friend of Pauline’s (I’m sure Pauline knows half of Hawke’s Bay!) who was conducting wine tastings. Laura launched herself into the tastings with gusto, closely followed by the rest of us. The dessert wines were particularly good.
We then sat outside and had a very nice lunch.
After buying some of the wines to take home we drove to Max’s via The Mission Estate Winery to show them the building and views.
Di, Noel’s sister, had arrived from Australia yesterday evening and we had a lovely cup of tea and biscuits and cake at Max’s with Rose and Di.
We then all went back to our motels and Noel and I went to the flat to do some work. The others found themselves somewhere to eat and Noel and I just had a wrap as we were quite busy. About 9pm we checked if Laura wanted to come out for a drink (she didn’t, long day) and Noel and I and Ian and Marianne went to Milk & Honey for a drink. David, our friend from the UK and his brother Stu were also staying in the motel and said they’d meet us at the table. So, four of us are sitting at the table and in the distance we saw David walking along with another chap but it didn’t look like Stu. In fact, the walk looked like a good flying friend from the UK called Pete! (He has quite a distinctive walk!) But then they split up and David joined us and didn’t mention a thing so I thought there must be a Kiwi who happened to have Pete’s walk 🙄
However! Shortly afterwards, from a different direction, came Pete! 😀 That was a brilliant surprise and it was really great to see him. Apparently he’d sworn my parents to secrecy when saw them at the flying club and told them that he was going to come out. I stayed on after Noel, Ian and Marianne left but decided it would be sensible to call it a night about 10:30pm when we left the place.
