Thursday 18 November Day out and more wine tasting

We were out and about on a charabanc day trip with our 40 close friends to discover the area north of Opua and the town of Kerikeri. The All Points Rally had booked a coach to take us to visit the highlights of the area going north. There was a whirlwind stop into a shop making beauty products from local honey and a longer stop at a shop which makes chocolate. We arrived at the same time as a coach trip from a cruise ship so a bit of a crush to get to the free samples.
From chocolate it was to the supermarket where we each had a list to make the most of the short time. It was such a short time in town we didn't have time to go anywhere else which was a shame. Back on the coach for a dash out to the first stone house (1822) and first wooden house built in NZ. Now I understand how the Japanese can see a country in 2 days or a continent in a week except I didn't take as many photos.

First stone house

First wooden house

tasting the goods

baby grapes

The penultimate visit was to the Fat Pig Winery where we stopped long enough to smell the roses and taste the wines. We even had time to say hello to the eponymous pig. The Fat Pig winery is up the hill from the Bent Duck winery run by two gay guys, or a bend in the river where ducks live. Choose you favourite explanation. Jollied along with our rose tasting, our last highlight was a visit to an out of town shopping centre. David and I had a mission to get to the homestore and buy a duvet to be able to do away with the blanket mountain we've been crushed under for the last few nights. We bagged a bargain duvet and cover and then spied the slippers. Why not? My feet get cold and slippers would be a treat. Mine are blue and lilac towelling. David went for the more manly brown pseudo suede.
The coach delivered us back in time for him to be off for the afternoon school run and for us to go to a seminar on Pacific weather forecasting. I gave the electrics and battery talk a miss to go back to the boat and pick up our meat and share dish for the evening's pot luck barbecue.
Phew! What a busy (and productive) day. The new duvet is a dream and I love my slippers.