On our way soaring in Tuapo

Hello again. We are writing about our days a little late as if we had just done it because we are already in Hawaii but behind in letting you know about ours days.

Now it is 6:40pm at Auckland Airport. Another 2.5hrs and we can check in and wait another 3 hrs. Hopefully we can sleep on the flight to Hawaii.

So we have left the volcanos behind and now are travelling through rural farmland and see this in the distance:

We were sure that NZ was nuclear free, turns out that this a cooling tower for geothermal activity

We also saw again huge hedges stretching across the fields. The trees appeared to be pine trees.

Further down the road we saw these hilltops covered in trees surrounded by bare slopes (kinda looked like a bad haircut). Once we got closer we could see that the bare slopes had been replanted at different stages.

I asked the guys at the soaring club the next day about the logging and they said that the pine tree was not native to NZ but was introduced to meet the growing need for lumber for building. They compared growing trees here to our growing wheat back home. They can grow a "crop" of useable pine trees in 20 to 25 years where it would take 35+ years in Canada.

So if it takes 25 yrs to grow a 50 ft tree here then it grows 2 ft a year? The only problem with that is the wood is not as dense as our wood so it can't carry as heavy a load as our wood can.

I got a chance to see a cut section of wood at the Hobbiton site and you can see how far apart the growth rings are (kinda neat if you interested in stuff like that).

Aren't those the prettiest rings you ever sawed? (Maybe Lorne Hall would appreciate that humour)

Well, moving on down the road we arrived at our new home for the next 3 nights. It was #13 Waimahana Apartments in Tuapo. It was very clean, well setup and Naomi loved it. It was close to the beach and easy access to the downtown core plus it was convenient to exit town to the highway.

Our balcony up on the 2nd floor

Looking down towards the beach

2 pools, both heated

Full gym

Just what Naomi ordered

 We did check out where the soaring field was before we called it a day and had a quick visit with Tom Anderson, Club Manager, and made plans to come back the next day around noon.

 

Night time out our front window. We were close to beachfront road but had no traffic noise with the windows shut

Back at the field the next day; the weather was cooperating and Naomi took the first flight for 32 minutes. Bob followed and got 37 minutes.

Naomi ready to go

This is Gordon, our instructor that day. It was great flying with you! Thanks again for a fantastic day from Bob and Naomi!

Bob getting ready

Tow plane on right side.  Towed us to 5-6000 feet.

Gord put the glider into some steep turns for this shot 

Here's Tuapo and the lake below

Naomi went further out than I did with Gordon but we were getting some lift over this hill just a short distance from the field. Field alevation was about 1500 ft ASL and we got to about 6000 ASL I think, after we released from our tow.

The clubhouse 

Looking down the huge grass strip. It was long enough that they could land and take off without having to drag the glider back to a starting point

And I forgot to ask and write  down what make of glider......

Here is our tow plane, a Pawnee. Had lots of horsepower. This plane was flown over from Australia after it's spraying career was over.

Here are the glider guys. They okayed this group picture; no one was wanted in way, shape or form in this country or any other

Naomi and the guys. She seems to be the only female with a group of males a few times in our travels.....Hmm?

Well, that was our day with the Taupo Gliding Club. We had a great time and thanks again for the fantastic flights guys!

Okay, next is our caving experience with Waitomo Blackwater! We were unable to take our own pics underground but we bought the tour's pictures.

Bye for now.