Journal. Labour Day.

Labour Day, the first taste of the holiday season. Everyone tries to get away on this long weekend, rain or shine usually.

In the old days in the 1960s to 80s the roads would be full of caravans all heading to the beach to set their camping sites up for the coming Xmas to be followed by the long summer lasting to May and travelling each Friday night weekend from the towns and cities and returning Sunday night.

There are not many caravans on the roads now, I think the expenses and the prices of new caravans put the damper on things. In the 80s many people built baches at the beaches or used motels. The motel industry was in a building boom during this period and prices of accommodation started to drop with competition.

With the drop in camping today many camps are selling their real estate to developers for apartments, units and up market housing. In Whitianga alone 2 camps have sold up to developers and another camp has reduced his acreage and building housing.

We didn't go up to Whitianga to stay at Gillian and Paul's. Tahlia was taking her boyfriend up to stay and 2 other mates, so we decided not to go.

Gillian and Paul had wanted to go down to Tauranga for the motor racing during the weekend and stay but they decided not to.

Tahlia was going to get some driving practise in this weekend by driving from Whitianga across to Coromandel township, she is nearly ready to sit her driving license now. She also has had practise driving around Hamilton in a driving school car, 3 lessons to date to polish her driving skills.

Our forecast rain came on Sunday and today, Monday is pleasantly sunny and warm.

I'm going for a walk around the lake now.