Day Sixteen – Chasing a Rainbow

We rise early to the sounds of thunder and a hard rain and leave during same. Agreeing that our decision to bypass Wellington on the Queen’s Birthday (today) is the right one, we head off to Lake Taupo in the central highlands of the North Island. The rain stops but a wicked, warm crosswind screams in off the Tasman Sea and our last sight of that fabled body of water is one of raging, white surf blasting the rocky coastline as we head inland and of course, upwards. While the wind pipes up to about 40 knots, the road signs along the central “Desert Highway” which normally warn of frosty conditions now warn of high winds, but the road remains open. The miles along this “Desert Highway” are difficult driving as the Toyota Puke gets pushed all over the road. It is a challenge to keep it in my lane. We stop only twice, once for a streetcar museum a bit off the beaten path, but Kris snaps a few pictures for her “business deduction.” I am confused as to why there are several horses on the property until it occurs to me that really old streetcars were pulled by horses. Duh! Our only other stop is for a taste of the “world’s best lamb-burger” and I will remember it primarily by the grease spots it left on my favorite shirt.

In the space of a couple of hours, we traverse four entirely different geologic landmasses. It is as usual, quite picturesque driving in and out of a number of thunderstorm cells while bright sunshine is visible on distant peaks outlined by partial rainbows. At one juncture, we marvel at the most perfect rainbow either of us has ever seen. Coming over a hilltop, the rainbow extends over the entire horizon in a perfect half circle arc with every color of the spectrum brilliant and clearly delineated. I desperately look for a place to pull off the road but alas, no such luck on this narrow no-shoulder road. I doubt any photo attempt would capture the majesty of this sky filled with the half moon of color.

Lake Taupo is the largest lake in NZ and we follow along its eastern shore to the city where the TWIN PEAKS Motel speaks to us. Again, clean but as Kris explains to me, it has a bathroom designed by a man. “Huh? It looks just fine, modern and plenty of hot water pressure. What’s not to like?” I ask. She points out it has no shelves, no hooks, no soap or shampoo dish. I say, “What’s your point?” She rolls her eyes and asks about dinner. The innkeeper is a Brit and sends us next door to a British Pub. Hmmm. He claims the lamb shanks are to die for. They are terrific and against my better judgment I eat two of them, but in the interests of my arteries, I do not finish the garlic mashed potatoes and green stuff on the plate. I’ve now had Lamb Rump, Lamb Shanks, and Rack of Lamb in spite of Kris referring to me as the Baby Killer. I only regret that I cannot afford these lamb meals back in the US. Our view out of our hotel room is back across Lake Taupo looking towards the south where earlier in the day we had driven the wildly windy Desert Highway between two snow capped mountain ranges. The view is wonderful but it is not the end of our rainbow.