Visitors!

July was a great month. My sister and her husband made the long trip to see us and we had a wonderful time during their visit.

Tammie is here!

The windy Taranaki coastline is an important first stop

After giving them a day to rest, we jumped right into it with a beach to mountain tour of Taranaki. We walked them to Waihi, drove them to Ohawe and then went up the mountain into the snow. Snow apparently attracts Taranaki Kiwis for we hit our first Taranaki traffic jam driving up to the mountain house.

Sipping coffee on the front porch

Walking to Waihi beach

Ohawe beach

A lovely couple!

Snowy day on the mountain

Mark isn't sure what to make of the snow

Sunday, I took Tammie and Mark to the Tawhiti Museum. It was my third trip but I see something new each time I visit. After the museum, we headed out to the airfield to put gas in the 172 for our trip the next day. Tammie and Mark were keen on seeing as much LOTR sites as possible, so Matamata was first on the list.

Looking out across runway 02/20

"Where'd I put the keys?"

Pumping gas

Monday dawned clear and cool, a perfect day for flying to Hobbiton. I noticed a ding in a prop blade the night before, so we had to make a quick stop in New Plymouth to let the mechanic blend the nick. The flights were perfect and the timing worked great. We took a cab into town and then a bus out to Hobbiton. Tammie loved it as evidenced by her big smile in every photo.

Frost on the runway

Getting airborne

Tammie enjoying the view

New Plymouth tower

On to Matamata

Mt Ruapehu in the background

Base to final, Matamata

Matamata i-SITE dressed up like a Hobbit hole

Posing with Gollum

Bright sunny day in Hobbiton

We arrived overhead Hawera as dusk was settling over the city. General aviation turned a grueling eight hour drive into a beautiful day.

What? No Hobbits?

The money shot

The holes are getting smaller

Me and my sister in front of the Green Dragon

So happy

Group shot

Headed back home

Not a good place for a forced landing

Taranaki coast