Hamilton

A short journey from Taupo to Hamilton, we left earlier enough to fit in a trip to the Hamilton Gardens and boy was that worth it.   Hamilton Gardens is located alongside an attractive stretch of the Waikato River, merging old landscape features with creative development and design. It used to be a Rubbish Dump and has been transformed into a garden that pays homage to 4000 years of garden design.  It truly was spectacular even for those that are not that interested in hours traipsing through gardens.  See the photos below;

Bored yet? It was very very interesting and I am the last one that likes spending time in nature unless it has a tee box and a green on it.  Then off to find our home for the next few nights.  Caz is on a mission to learn how to juggle and not wanting to be outdone, I am giving it a go too.  Caz started with the artificial artichokes in Taupo - they may not have finished with the same amount of petals that they started with!  We then went on the hunt for juggling balls.  Juggling balls in hand and seeing a trolley escalator for the first time - we were bouncing with joy.  Below is a video of the trolley escalator in action.  What a clever idea. 

A start to learning to juggle on holiday.

My progress

Very sad - I know.  It is not as easy at it looks.

After a good nights sleep, we are off to Tieke. Established back in 1938, the old Lochiel Golf Club was a rural course maintained by sheep and keen volunteers. Fast forward 75 years to 2014 and two great Waikato Clubs, Lochiel and The Narrows, situated on either side of the river not more than a par five apart, agreed to join forces to become Riverside Golf Club. Not long after it was designated by the NZ Transport Agency that a new expressway would pass right through the Narrows course. After significant and complex negotiations, the Club agreed to sell Narrows enabling the development of Tieke Golf Estate.

In 2018 Brett Thomson and Phil Tataurangi were approached to produce a new design. Their ambitious design centered around a few main pillars:

- The removal of 1000 old trees, shrubs, and bushes

- An enhancement of the natural riverbed landscape

- Exposing the sandy soils which had sat dormant beneath the turf for over 25,000 years

- A routing with flexibility, adaptability and variability like no other in NZ

One of New Zealands newest golf courses, the rain was trying very hard to stay away and thankfully it succeeded.  The golf course is a lot like those in the desert where you have a lot sandy wasteland.  So no bunkers and 30cm placing in the sandy wasteland.  However it has very thick rough and once your ball goes in there it is gone!  They had some very tempting shortcuts, which I attempted to take on and my ball was no where to be seen.  Luckily we had introduced the "Suzie rule" where you take a drop on the fairway for a penalty if you have lost your ball.  Phew.

Caz was the star of the day.  The format was 4BBB and Caz and Sue were the winners.  Some photos below;

Then out to dinner at Gothenburg and boy were our tastebuds in for a treat.   I think I tasted what is possibly one of the best dishes I have ever tasted.  The restaurant is right on the river, in a glass atrium.  Highly recommended.

Off to Matakana today, via Auckland Airport to pick up Ross and Carolyn.