We stopped for 4 hours in Hawaii.  I looked for a shower, where I might have a refreshing rinse off, and give my leather clad feet a chance to breathe.  No such luck!

In the air again.  My feet were now the all-consuming thing on my mind.  They made for a very uncomfortable flight!!

We touched down at Auckland about 6.30am on Saturday morning.  My Mother was waiting and almost didn't recognize me with my hairy face.


Driving back in the morning sun I forgot my feet and boots.  I was overwhelmed by the green, green grass of rural NZ. 
  After 12 months in Europe it seemed I'd never seen anything as lush as these Waikato pastures.  The past few months had been Europe's winter and everything was grey and rocky.

I lay back in the passenger's seat of the car and just enjoyed the summer morning drive.

When we got home I took my boots off.  My feet had been enclosed in all that leather for 36 hours and done a little running too.  They were well on their way to composting.
  I put my boots outside the door.  Even with the door closed I was aware of their presence, so I moved them half way down the driveway.

It was good to be home.  Shower, bit of a chat with the folks, sleep!


A week later I was back into the Tokoroa Police Station, and back into work like I'd never been away. 
  A year had passed but everyone and everything seemed the same.  Sadly the criminal behaviour hadn't changed either and we were back to the routine things like drug operations and pub fights.

The tenants that had rented my house moved out and I moved back in.  I got all my boxes of stored "stuff" from my folks house and mixed it with my new treasures from my year away.

In the end I learned plenty from that year but one lesson that still holds true, sadly, is that no matter how much you grow from something, others are likely to be unaffected. 
 
I found it very very difficult to settle back into Tokoroa after that.
 
Within 3 years of my return I was off again, but that's another tale...

If you have time to stop in Tokoroa you should first stop atop Colson's Hill where the local service clubs have created a nice lookout with informative signs and ample parking. You will see laid before you the lovely green township of Tokoroa which stretches off to the West. On a clear day you can see several mountains on the horizon including Mt Ruapehu (snow-capped in winter) and Mt Titiraupenga (which is tantalizingly shaped like a woman's titty which helps you remember it's Maori name). Behind you on the hill are two water towers serving crystal clear spring water to the town. The towers are painted with large murals. The lookout always seems to be busy but the local council have recently taken to locking a gate at the bottom of the hill at night. They say it's due to unwanted vandalism but I suspect it's to thwart the local youths getting "too busy" in the back of their cars when overcome by the romance of the Tokoroa lights. Take care going back down the hill, it's steeper than you recall heading up and the tree at the bottom bares the tell-tale signs of too many unwary motorists.

If you're looking for a good place to eat in Tokoroa then you won't want to pass up the opportunity to enjoy a meal at Alberico's Italian Restaurant. I'm sure if you asked any of the town's folk you'd get the same recommendation. Alberico's is a Tokoroa institution that has been serving up great Italian fare for 30+ years. The establishment is named after the Italian character that owns the place. He is as well known for his food as he is for his sociable nature and his enthusiastic singing towards the end of the night when the rush of cooking orders is replaced by the trickle of a fine red wine! If you're a fan of Italian food then you'll find everything here to your liking. A good selection of tasty pastas and exciting pizzas are the obvious mainstays but there is a fabulous collection of main dishes to choose from whether cooked Italian style or a tried and true kiwi beef steak. Entrees are available including the usual olive or garlic breads and meals generally come with a table serving of vegetables everyone can enjoy. A limited selection of wines to be enjoyed with your meal are available in either red or white and the bar is stocked with the usual non-alcoholic beverages should you be worried you may break into song with Alberico at the end of the night. The meals, together with the vegetables, should be enough to satisfy you but I always find I am enticed by the delicious deserts on offer and struggle with the decision of which to choose, when I have to make it. A special coffee always rounds off the meal for me. If you're thinking you may need all evening to enjoy what I've just described there's not normally problem with that. The ambiance of the place is very comfortable and there is no need to rush away straight after a meal (unless perhaps you're due to go to the cinema next door for the late showing). The deco is an understated mix of Italian and Tokoroa with a mural covering the front part of the restaurant featuring faces of many well known South Waikato people (all friends of Alberico of course) including his wife who will likely be behind the bar or the cash register if she's not serving you at the table. Alberico's doesn't have electronic payments so you will need to have a pocketful of cash or be prepared to have a credit card zip zapped. The cost of the meals are quite reasonable although the wine is a few dollars more than you would pay in the store. Unfortunately Alberico's is not BYO so if you want to tipple you have to pay but don't be put off by this, I'm sure at the end of the night you'll see this night as one the good ones in Tokoroa. The restaurant generally opens at 6pm with Mondays being a night off for the family so it's closed. It's unlikely you'll need to book to get a table but as this is the pick of the area's places to dine out it might be wise in case others have the same idea. Meals are also available to take away if you telephone in your order but you'll have to collect it from the restaurant yourself.