Greetings from Taupo

It is great to be back in Taupo. I had very little sleep last night due to some very inconsiderate hotel guests - slamming doors and giggling girls in the adjoining room.....makes me very cross how others have no consideration for those that might be trying to get some sleep!! So in a daze I got to the airport for the short flight .......and on a very small plane! I was sitting right behind the cockpit - so many dials, lights and 'gizzmo's"!! Gotta love those pilots and their expertise getting us all safely on the ground again.........

 Christine one of the many volunteers for the Taupo Symposium greeted me at 7.30am and just take a look at the airport lounge.....draped in quilts! What a special and memorable greeting for all the quilters that are arriving......

Even the local businesses have joined in - a few shop fronts and they are all colour co-ordinated displays........

I was way too early to check in to the hotel so I left my bags and went walking. All very familiar but much colder than when Larry and I were here early last year in Summer. It was quite chilly when we landed this morning (6 degrees) but a walk is good! The mountains are covered in snow - a little difficult to see in the distance.......and the lake is HUGE! I read that these mountains were filmed in the Lord of the Rings films as "Mt Doom".....

And Larry that hole in one golf challenge is still there and even open for business in Winter!!....

Love Taupo's rubbish bins.......

 And this is in McDonalds - I think Beau would like this...anything to get the kiddies sucked in....or maybe the grandparents!!......

I finally found our favourite coffee place that Larry and I so loved last year. So I had eggs and bacon beside the fire thinking that Larry should really be with me (I've never been overseas without him and confess I had a little 'sookie' at the airport yesterday!)......

So thanks for dropping by....more news in a day or so xx