Thursday, January 13, 2011

Eketahuna holiday

What is it about Eketahuna that makes kiwis laugh when the name is mentioned? The place seems to be aligned with The Back of Beyond, Timbuktu, Beyond the black Stump, in the wop-wops .... I figure it's because Eketahuna is, surely, the representative kiwi small-town. Every tourist should see the area.

I love staying at The Cottage, Eketahuna, in the Wairarapa. It's tiny (one bedroom with a double bed, but there is a fold-out sofa in the lounge). There is a swimming hole in front of The Cottage, and I usually swim three or four times a day there. Wonderful!

The Cottage is by car 25 minutes from Masterton, 8 minutes to the Eketahuna shops, 4 minutes to a model railway, 1 or 2 kilometres to Highway No 2, and all but next door to Mt Bruce (wild life centre). The first time I went to The Cottage, I stood on the verandah, open-mouthed. Surely, the best micro-view in New Zealand.

From that verandah, all you can see are trees, river, hills, sheep and cows. All you can hear is the babbling river (it truly does babble), the occasional baa-ing and moo-ing of sheep, and the beautiful singing by birds. With permsision from the farmer owner of The Cottage you can hike the property, as long as you don't rustle sheep and please remember to close all gates. The views from behind The cottage are spectacular. I was out hiking and the farmer on quadbike with dogs, herded about a hundred thundering sheep toward me. I rushed through a gate just in time but the farmer called out "They would have run around you!"