we came back from camping at waihi beach on Sunday. That was an eventful trip on the way down. The cars check engine light came on, so wasted an hour while hubby (whom wasn't in the car but at the office) rang around to find out what to do, and the conclusion was drive on, so on we went. Then the trailer I was towing started making really bad creaking noises, which got worse the further I drove, (is it possile that the towball need grease?) then the kids started getting tired and cranky and with Oliver throwing a full on tantrums in his car seat, resulting in me missing the turnoff. "F**k" I said quite loudly. "What did you say mummy?" Asks innocent Sasha, "I said f**k!" Still rather hot under the collar, flustered and brain rapidly working out how to turn a round on a narrow busy open road with a trailer, oblivious to what i had really said. It wasn't until I heard her practising the word in the back seat did I realise what I had done. thankfully its not been heard again.
Then the only bit of rain we have had in about 2 months just happened to come through right as our tent was lying on the ground with only the peg in, so it got soaked, and there were great big puddles in it, and being 5 pm by now, it didn't really dry out properly till the morning.
Holiday itself was fantastic, and a heck of a lot more relaxed than the drive down. More of a resort than a camp ground. This is where we stayed. http://www.waihibeach.com/ We had the closest camp site to the pool complex, boasting a swimming pool and kiddies pool heated to 28 degrees, and a spa, and a small hydro slide, which blow me down, Oliver went on about 12 times a day. This is the lad who spends 2 hours clinging to me crying and screaming whenever we get near a pool until he calms down enough to be cuddled in the water.
At the end of the trip, they could both "swim". They have these swim vests that are a little bit like a bad life jacket, and they were able to bob about in the water like corks and doggy paddle.
I even managed to catch up with my great Aunty who lives down that way. I tried to call in on our way down, but she was no around, so the next day she drove over to meet us, on her way home from katikati, so her trip home was abut an hours drive, all at open road speed, narrow 1 lane roads, and she has to be getting close to 90. She amazes me, I really hope I am like her when I am older.
Hubby came down by bus on Thursday night, it was only $15. From our old house to the city (25km distance) it use to cost him$11 a day, so $15 was an amazing price. I kept waiting for them to ask for more money as they had made a mistake.
By then it was so nice to see him, and the kids were missing him too.
On Sunday we high tailed it back to auckland as we had a 5th birthday party to go to. We were only a little late, Geoff dropped us off on the side of the road then went home to unhitched the trailer and unload, while we got our faces painted.
I'm so pleased summer has waited for us to not be so busy. We haven't had rain for so long now I'm starting to get worried, a mild drought has just been called up north, and I don't think we will be too far behind them. A week of rain now would be good, but only if I get my hot sunny weather back. This is the best summer we have had since I returned from the UK. And little to none humidity either, it's a summer to remember.