Time to leave Ak and start our travels Northward

Ready to head North

 Ruapehu Ski Club Lodge, Ohakune was  the venue   for Sheryl's long time school friend Julie-Anne's 60th  party. (These things can't be buried indefinitely). Not a catch up as such as most of the attendees were Julie & Steve's Auckland friends, however it was good to meet their ecliptic circle of friends and to celebrate Julies day.

Julie with the Ohakune Carrot

There was one face from our past, a friend that we met in the UK in 1979, Jill, whom we hadn't seen since then, so some reminiscing was done. The weather couldn't have been better.
We  strolled the  Ohakune  ski village over the weekend that  has some lovely eateries to bide our time between wine and food supplied in copious amounts over the 3 nights we spent there in the company of our hosts, ex workmates and the Plunket / Kindergarten / School parents of their children's friends.
Saturday afternoon some fun was enjoyed with the greater part of the party hiring bikes  and transported up the mountain to the snow lift where indeed there was snow. Then we rode the 16 km back to town. All down hill and not a challenge though Sheryl's wee handies did get cold. (Graham from Rangiputa kindly lent his gloves half way down so she didn't get frost bite). Ohakune at this time of the year reminded us of Hanmer.

Mt Ruapehu in the background as wandered the streets
of Ohakune looking for a cafe for a coffee

Saturday night was the big night where we all enjoyed celebrating Julie moving into the next decade. Great social night, not too many showing signs of overdoing it the next day. OMG are we maturing!!
Our time with Wayne and Kate is coming to an end and have done all the painting we wish to do for some time. There is more stuff to help with should we have stayed on but 3 months in AK has been grand but time to move on.

Great nephew Oscar learning some tips on
cleaning a bus. (Don't think his mother was happy)

We picked up our bus and tho improved, with our  requirements met, it can only be summed as a very average job at very AK prices. I think we will spend any further money on our bus down country where better value for money is perceived, the price of doing business up here is expensive. Our decision to leave when Shannon was born has worked well for us. Our visit here has been interesting and an eye opener but I think we can truly say we have no desire to shift back. Although it has been great to catch up with family and friends once again. We will miss our Flatmates, but I'm sure they will be looking forward to having their home back to themselves once again.
Our next stop is back to Waihi Beach, Gman & Claire are travelling in Europe for some weeks and we will assist their house sitter for 2 or 3 of those weeks while I rearrange the cupboard space in the front of the bus. To that end we have been amassing some timbers to rebuild much in the manner off Big Yella.
From there in time we  will go north  for a few weeks to acquaint ourselves with an area we have only briefly visited in our 20's. That will be a story for later.

Rust removed from around the windscreen,
looking much tidier