Saturday

We have had an enjoyable overnight trip away with friends Jennie and Chris.  This is Lake Whakamaru a man made lake behind the Whakamaru dam on the Waikato River.  In the summer it is popular for water skiing and camping.  Too cold for camping in July and we stayed at the Bennydale Lodge.  It has been refurbished and although we were the only guests on Saturday night I hope it succeeds.  Bennydale is like a lot of settlements in rural areas where the purpose for the town has ceased to be and the town slowly dies.  In this case there was a coal mine and timber milling.