Labor Weekend at Lake Taupo

The stretch from Queens Birthday at the beginning of June to Labor Day at the end of October is always a long one because there are no holidays, it rains almost incessantly, and the damp cold feels as if it is going to cling to you and the house for ever. Not to mention it is an ongoing battle to get towels and jeans dry if you do not want to go to the laundromat to dry them (it is not common to have a dryer in the house here), and even people on an office worker schedule can find themselves going to the dark and coming home in the dark because on the dreariest of days it may not seem fully daylight until 9am!

However, I am pleased to report we have emerged into spring! I have flowers on the table that I picked from the garden, and my seeds for jalapenos, bell peppers and some herbs are coming up so I am feeling successful with my green thumb this year.

Since the weather has thwarted our plans to leave Taranaki several times this year (hurricanes, slips closing the road, gale-force winds that could blow you off the mountain road), we decided that Labor Day weekend was our chance to get away. Lake Taupo is a nice 3.5 hour drive away, with plenty of relaxation or activity once you get there.

We opted for relaxation, in part because it turned out to only be sunny the day we were driving there. Lots of time spent in coffee shops, art in the park and perusing some local art galleries, and a lovely stroll through the Taupo Botanical Gardens allowed for a nice relaxing weekend away. I found the botanical garden to be an impressive setting, as the front gate advised it is totally volunteer run.

Mt Ruapehu in the distance

Voted New Zealand's coolest McDonald's

The Lazy Trout restaurant