Easter weekend at Otapawa Farmstay

Hi,

We had a very nice Easter holiday in the middle of nowhere with 40 other people (the vast majority of whom we did not know at all).  Turns out we were staying in the Wairarapa between Eketahuna and the coast at a place called Otapawa Farm Stay.  These farmers have a big lodge with rooms coming off a central hallway that take two or four people.

Anyhow, we left on Friday morning to collect Tom and his son, Bodhi from the train station and then headed over the hill to find Otapawa.  The directions were very good and we found the place without any wrong turns. I think we were the second group to arrive so we had the pick of the rooms.  We nabbed one for us and one for the Tabors.

We had a spot of lunch and then got ready for a walk up the hill behind the lodge.  It was a pleasant walk up to the top - filled in an hour happily.  Back down to the lodge and settled into the rooms ok.  I read for a wee while and then before I knew it, dinner was ready.

We ate across the road in the nicest, flashest shearing shed I have ever been in.  There was an attached kitchen and dining area right next to the shearing area above the holding pens.  The smell of lanolin was everywhere but you didn't smell it after 5 minutes anyway!  Aidan was amazing in the kitchen this evening - she just seems to know how to manage it all.  We ate well - and had apple crumble for dessert.

The farmer lit a bonfire after tea - and it was this absolutely huge pile of trees.  Not branches - trees!  It was huge.  No toasting marshmallows there.  Josh tried with a tree and four marshallows on pointy branches on the tips, but he could hardly get close enough to place the tree within cooking distance.  I think I could have cooked one where I was standing 5 m away!

Off to bed and as usual in the new place, I had a restless sleep.  But the following nights there was no such bother from me and I slept like a log the other nights.

Saturday we went to Mt Bruce and pottered around there.  We climbed to the lookout and got back down to watch the eel feeding with 3 minutes to spare!  Back to the lodge to read and relax before another amazing tea (spaghetti bolognese).

Sunday we watched two pet sheep being shorn (the farmer came down).  Toby loved it!  In fact, he told me later that day he'd like to be a farmer.  Good on him!  Maybe when the rural broadband gets rolled out, Toby might be okay with that - I am sure if I told him there was no internet in most farms, he'd change his mind pretty quick.

Then we drove off to have lunch at Herbertville beach (very nice) and see the longest place name in the world.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu

This evening was our turn to help with dinner.  It seemed to go ok - it was BBQ and quite easy in the end.  Hooray.  I had been a little worried about cooking for 40 people.  But there were plenty of helpers and it all went well.

The Tabors left after dinner and we had one more night.  The rain started the next morning - falling softly.  Mike packed the car and we left at about 10:30am.  Home by 1pm and saw Christine briefly as she helped us clear out our bedroom.  We saw John on the ANZAC programme on the Maori Channel.  He looked very dapper and spoke well.

Have a great week (a short one!).

Love,
Angela