Levin, Shannon, Foxton and the Otaki Back Hills...
Auntie has an art class in Levin then were off to see Shannon, a quaint little town that caught my attention as I passed through on the bus a few days ago. So, to kill a few hours while she slaps on her paints, I'm allowed to take the car and drive at will! Close by is a nature reserve and lake, that should take an hour maybe less since New Zealand doesn't have much to see in terms of wildlife this time of the year, in daytime anyway.
A pleasant walk in the reserve, has that tropical feel with short palms and various other jungle type flora. Some exotic sounding birds high in the trees with the occasional glimpse. A boardwalk over the marsh towards a lake, about 30 minutes tramping through woodlands and some forest before the trail ends abruptly about 1 mile from the lake! On the way back and more of those exotic sounding birds. Yes, there are a couple on the branch over there, Mr and Mrs I should think. According to someone else on the trail these birds are called Tui's and can be quite colourful. Hard to see their colours fully since the sun isn't in a good position for photos.
Back to pick Auntie up, with the car still in one piece thankfully and off to the next town along, Shannon. Another sandwich and coffee lunch for ￡5 each before Auntie takes the lead and shows me the sights of this rather small but quaint town in a very rural part of the Island. It's story is one of rise and fall and rise again. Once an important farming community the place suffered as economics have dictated. Now though, efforts are being made to revive the place. And with that potted history, Auntie and I take a look at an antique shop in the old post office building, explore the old railway station, still with the original architecture intact. Various other colonial buildings still exist here, the home now to some quirky little shops. An old and tattered mill here in the town - According to the plaque there used to be 47!
Foxton, the next town along on this rather rural belt between the mountains and sea. Not quaint but there are a couple of clues as to its past - the Dutch and Chinese have been inhabitants here, still are probably. A windmill fills the short skyline here, and a facade of Chinese origin almost opposite. A little further on its pine forest, dunes and of course beach. Another wide, empty beach but more of a community down here as well as a caravan park and a few holiday homes. Back up to the highway, now getting quite used to driving at the Kiwi speeds - 50 KMH urban, 100 KMH open road. A coffee stop at the local burger joint, modelled on a 1950's American style diner.
Back to home base via the Otaki back hills. A more scenic route than the State Highway, a little greener too now that the rain from a few days ago has revived some growth. Dairy farming around here I should think given the number of cows clinging to the hills. A few sheep too, not many - I guess there hasn't been that much for the dairy herds and lamb stocks to eat of late.
Auntie has an art class in Levin then were off to see Shannon, a quaint little town that caught my attention as I passed through on the bus a few days ago. So, to kill a few hours while she slaps on her paints, I'm allowed to take the car and drive at will! Close by is a nature reserve and lake, that should take an hour maybe less since New Zealand doesn't have much to see in terms of wildlife this time of the year, in daytime anyway.
A pleasant walk in the reserve, has that tropical feel with short palms and various other jungle type flora. Some exotic sounding birds high in the trees with the occasional glimpse. A boardwalk over the marsh towards a lake, about 30 minutes tramping through woodlands and some forest before the trail ends abruptly about 1 mile from the lake! On the way back and more of those exotic sounding birds. Yes, there are a couple on the branch over there, Mr and Mrs I should think. According to someone else on the trail these birds are called Tui's and can be quite colourful. Hard to see their colours fully since the sun isn't in a good position for photos.
Back to pick Auntie up, with the car still in one piece thankfully and off to the next town along, Shannon. Another sandwich and coffee lunch for ￡5 each before Auntie takes the lead and shows me the sights of this rather small but quaint town in a very rural part of the Island. It's story is one of rise and fall and rise again. Once an important farming community the place suffered as economics have dictated. Now though, efforts are being made to revive the place. And with that potted history, Auntie and I take a look at an antique shop in the old post office building, explore the old railway station, still with the original architecture intact. Various other colonial buildings still exist here, the home now to some quirky little shops. An old and tattered mill here in the town - According to the plaque there used to be 47!
Foxton, the next town along on this rather rural belt between the mountains and sea. Not quaint but there are a couple of clues as to its past - the Dutch and Chinese have been inhabitants here, still are probably. A windmill fills the short skyline here, and a facade of Chinese origin almost opposite. A little further on its pine forest, dunes and of course beach. Another wide, empty beach but more of a community down here as well as a caravan park and a few holiday homes. Back up to the highway, now getting quite used to driving at the Kiwi speeds - 50 KMH urban, 100 KMH open road. A coffee stop at the local burger joint, modelled on a 1950's American style diner.
Back to home base via the Otaki back hills. A more scenic route than the State Highway, a little greener too now that the rain from a few days ago has revived some growth. Dairy farming around here I should think given the number of cows clinging to the hills. A few sheep too, not many - I guess there hasn't been that much for the dairy herds and lamb stocks to eat of late.
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