Wednesday 09 March

Mum dropped us off in Woodville where we met the Binyons. We then went around to their friends place for a couple of hours. It was lunchtime when we got to the Binyon's and then we played around on the motor bikes and mucked about all afternoon. We also did a bit of school. After tea and games, we all went to bed. 

 

Thursday 10 March 

In the morning Zak and I went hunting for his motorbike which Matthew and the girls had hidden. We failed to find it so went back for breakfast. After school, Zak and I went to rebuild Matt and the girls' brick hut we had knocked some bricks out of. We ended up taking it down to the 2nd level and adding an entrance on as well. By that time it was lunch and then after lunch we did a load of firewood and then played some games. I went out on the hammock and I was trying to splash the boys on the trampoline but ended up wetting myself instead!! I retreated into the hut after Caleb starting tipping bottles of water on my head, and waited for Zak and Jasmine to finish having a water fight outside the door before I could get out! Then we had tea and the Medlands rang up needing help to find a camping spot. They had arrived at the lake the day before at midnight! They were heading up the day before to a freedom campsite and arrived at dark to find it blocked off! We were back at the Binyons and it really felt like mission control trying to get them a camping spot! We had to ring up Mum for her to use the Internet at home to get a doc site which she finally found. The Medlands then got there and that was that. We then all went to bed. 

 

Friday 11 March

We got up and had breakfast and the left for the lake. All of us girls went in Rebekah's car and the boys went with David. I played 'Would You Rather' with the girls all the way up there and we had a pillow fight and pinching fight as well!! It took us about three hours to get to near Turangi and then we had to find the campsite. We drove up and down the road just before Turangi and I spotted the road name on the GPS as we drove past. We finally arrived and settled in. Tony and Kim arrived and we had lunch. After lunch we headed down to the lake and had a swim. We ended up driving around for ages trying to find a spot to swim. When we did get there we dived right in. I was finally able to try out my new wetsuit which I love! It really keeps you warm and it's so easy to wear instead of fluffing around with raggy tops and shorts all the time! We left to get back to the camp before dark and have tea. We chatted and laughed around the campfire for a few hours before bed. 

 

Sabbath 12 March

We woke up late and talked in the sun for an hour or so before dividing up to do some letter boxing in Turangi. We ended up letter boxing the whole town in an hour and a half! By then it was definitely time for lunch so we did just that back at camp. After lunch we went for a short drive down the road to a walking track that goes down to the river. Darren us showed us a way to bush bash down the track so you can get right down to the river to get the best view of this rock face called the Pillars of Hercules. We arrived and it is just beautiful! The pool in the river was clear and deep and led the eye into the canyon running right through the middle of the vertical rock face. The sun was bouncing off the canyon and reflecting off the water and lighting up everything. Right at the top of the canyon was a swing bridge which went right over the top of the canyon. When we got back up the top after nearly puffing our heads off scrambling up the bank, we threw some stuff off the swing bridge. Matthew and David Medland were getting stones and so I found a nice big bit of wood to dump off. I got it right in the center of the canyon and it fell for about 5 secs before landing with a massive splash in the river below. It was just spectacular!! Then we headed back to camp and had tea. We made damper which was a good experience. Then Jedediah arrived with Esther, Israel and some other kids and we all did some singing around the campfire. Then we played a few games and went back to the campfire. We talked for hours and hours and then went to bed. 

 

Sunday 13 March

I woke up before Matthew and mucked around with everyone for a while before it was breakfast time. Matt then woke up and we all ate. After breaky we packed up and took off to the lake again. We went through Turangi and half way up the lake to a spot where we could swim. The lake was lovely and warm and it was so clear you could kayak out and see the bottom meters down. We were doing some diving which was just beautiful. I went on the biscuit behind David Binyon and he was going slow and it was way too easy so I told him to go faster. I got flipped twice in two minutes and managed to stay hanging on both times!! Then it was lunch time and we had damper cooked over the fire filled with jam. It was deeelicious!! After lunch, which ended really late, we paddled about and swam in the waves which had come up with the wind. I went on the jet ski with Darren and he tipped us off on a side wave! He then tipped us off again trying to get on!! We finally made it back and then everyone was going home. We set off after saying goodbye. At Taihape we met the Medlands again and David Binyon and the boys!! When we got home about 9 PM, we got organized and went to bed. 

 

Monday 14 March

We woke up and had showers after 3 days without a shower. Then breakfast. After breakfast and pretty much all morning we played games and more games. Then lunch. After lunch and pretty much all afternoon we played games and more games. And that was our day. Matt and I decided to sleep inside so in we piled and the girls and I stayed up till 12:30 AM chatting about how to prank Matthew in the morning.

 

Tuesday 15 March

The girls and I woke up at 5:30 AM and crashed down the stairs to pull a prank on Matthew but he spontaneously woke up so we all just went back to bed. Plan failure. We woke up again for breakfast and then lazed around all morning. Zak walked into town in the morning and I had a big sleep before lunch. After lunch the girls and I mucked around and played games and Matthew did some welding and stuff in the shed with David. We also did a load of firewood. After tea we watched a movie and then went to bed. 

 

Wednesday 16 March

This morning the girls and tried again to prank Matthew but failed again! Then we had breakfast and Rebekah dropped Matthew and I off to Mum near Pahiatua. Another great holiday has come to an end and we can't wait for the next one.

 

 

People:

The Binyons - David and Rebekah, and Zak, Leah and Jasmine (the girls), and Caleb who live just out of Levin in the hills. 

The Medlands: Peter and Lisa, and David, Isaac, and Michelle who live just out of Dannivirke.

Tony and Kim: They have three little children, Matthew, Lachlan, and Annalise and they live just out of Dannivirke as well.

Darren: A friend of David Binyon. He brought his wife and little baby along to the camp for a few days which was nice. We had lots of laughs around the campfire with him!

​

​