This is a rest day, so we had a late and leisurely breakfast: fruit-salad, oatmeal and toast prepared by Jenni and Terri.
Afterwards, some checked out the shops (2) in Tokomaru Bay or the tavern for internet/refreshments, or went swimming. We tried visiting the Te Puia Hot Springs but learned that the pipes had broken many years ago and therefore, there was only a small pool outside in the open. A family had created a small pool in a gray, brick building and for a modest fee, you could use the pool.
Some of us went horse-back riding with Brian the police officer (Tokomaru Bay is so small, he's not terribly busy doing official police duties), his son Marcus and Isiah. So we set off: Robert on Cage, Carole on Jack, Martel on Derek and my on Rommey. Of the quatet, only Carole had real experience since she'd owned a horse for several years. No longer road-bound, we went across the fields, splashed through streams, and scrambled up and down gullies. Plap, plap, plap went my butt against the saddle, pfftb, pfftb, pfttb replied Rommey's butt as we cantered up the hills. I was concerned about Rommey, but Carol explained that the gas was a byproduct of the tremendous energy expended by the horses as they carried us up the hills. There was one hill where we got a stunning view of Tokomaru Bay.
The grand finale of the horse trek was a ride along the beach where Robert and Martel's horses went chest-deep into the waves. Needless to say, Robert and Martel got very wet! It was an amazing couple of hours and we were very glad to have done it. It was a perfect way to see and remember Tokomaru Bay.
That night's supper was a vegetarian chilli with sweet potato-banana casserole accompanied by a honey mead from Gisbourne.
No comments:
Post a Comment