Hastings

23/3/23

Hey, an airplane in the main street of Pahiatua.

Another scrumptious breakfast at this posh place, then all packed and checked the road report, and all clear she says. (from the cyclone)

That talking thing was set to roll and we are on our way. Oh the S...word came flying out. The saddle road is closed, and the talking thing kept taking us to the same road when she entered another instruction. 4 times on new roads and the mistress felt things weren't right. She spotted a fella and got the right directions, and we were off.

The mistress was far from impressed with this talking thing, and the air wasn't good, so I kept reticent and read my book. She even got out her maps but were useless as she couldn't read them. Gosh, I hope she can see the road and the other cars. After some reassurance from the mistress, she would get her eyes checked on returning home. She tells me she uses a magnifying glass with a light to read. The joys of growing old she says.

Now the mistress was gasping for a cup of tea and no cafe to be seen in Pahiatua. A bakery had 2 tables only and seats but was taken, and this didn't help at all. Fancy no proper cafe in this place. 

I kept my usual lookout for those red and blue lights, but only those cars were going the other way. Phew. The mistress tells me that the roads were so up and down, and had very sharp corners, that she couldn't go fast anyway.

We stopped at Woodville and Dannevirke, I people-watched while she stretched her legs and window shopped.

The storm damage was close to Hastings, in the paddocks and the roads was clear but we saw how those jokers cleaned it up. The houses looked fine, or they did a very good job cleaning them up.

We arrived at our next house sit, to be greeted by a barking Milo. Oh, so cute she says and gave him lots of pats and scratches. 

The family is just lovely she says, and 2 cats put in an appearance. They all took off without me, to Napier to see their daughter's new home, which is almost finished, but they report there is still quite a lot of tidying up to do especially outside, and a few things inside.

On the way, they pointed out the railway line was totally destroyed by the floods. The incredible mess she says. It will be a long time before any trains will be on that track again. The mistress said she will try and get photos of the tracks before we leave the area.

Keep watch tomorrow for more pictures from past 2 days.