Wanganui and return to Golden Springs

We decided that Wellington is an OK city and even us country folks could have stayed another day. There was plenty to do and see ( must be more Irish bars). Anyway we must get on as we are determined to see more of things around Lake Taupo. Halfway is Wanganui. The sea isn't far away but we are by the river. It's a very nice spot and we are literally on the river bank. The journey up, about 200Kwas again fairly uninteresting, lots more fruit and vegetable country. took a short detour to see Otaki Beach, but it appeared to be shut! Again Wangani baosted WiFi but our van was out of range! ( Fabulous showers tho!)
Waganui was somewhere else we will remember for a lovely position, and we took a picture from the other side of the river on our way.
We have not hit the panic button yet but we are running out of time for the things we would like to do. As we want to do lots around Taupo, and as Golden Spring is only 35K up the road and close to Rachel we can kill 2 birds with one stone. Our journey from Wanganui was fairly spectacular, this time over mountains and thro Wanganui National Park. As we drive further north we get occasional glimpses of a snow capped mountain in the distance and by the time we reach Raetihi, were we have to turn off toward route 1, we are right underneath it. It is very strange being in an alpine village as Raetihi is called when it is boiling hot. The mountian is Mount Ruapehu and it is an active volcano. Fortunately we have to go around this hill(2800M) which means photos from lots of angles! The odd thing is that having gone over a mountain range and down,then bumping into a volcano we are now on a pretty large plain the Rangipo desert. This takes us to Turangi where we stop for lunch. peter feels this is his sort of town as he can see several pickups complete with lamps and shooting cages and the usual box kennel on the back. In the shopping mall there are 2 gunshops thatalso sell fishing equipment. He doesn't grt a chance to look as the Navigator wants to get on as she is doubling as a driver today! Weskirt around the shoreline of Lake Taupo looks fantastic in the sunshine, people fishing, waterskiing and other boatie things. Golden Srings next stop, still no one here. First job is a dip in the thermal pools and a dip in the olympic sized swimming pool ( which isn't thermal, flippin freezin, until you're in it.) Lovely! And the WiFi works a treat! YIPPEE!!!