2020 has not been a great year for travel (!!!). Last weekend I finally managed to get out of my boring city to do some long overdue shopping. On the way home I came through Foxton which, I admit, is a town I tend to drive right through without stopping. But I was on the hunt for Munzees and Foxton has quite a good number of them.
Looking at the windmill, I realised I had never bothered to go into it. I now know how stupid I have been as this visit was the highlight of my year. There is a great shop in the windmill, selling an interesting range of flour plus treats and souvenirs. And chocolate cherry pralines!!!!!! (They dont seem to be available anywhere at all in Wanganui and I should have bought more than just 1 packet. Stupid stupid stupid....). But for only $2 I was able to climb up into the windmill and that was an experience I cannot describe adequately.
I have to get up high, being seriously addicted to heights. Okay, technically I only climbed up a couple of floors, but I was able to go outside and stand (safely)
beneath the blades of the windmill. The sound and the movement and the height to make this a memorable experience. Plus one branch of my family arrived in NZ from Friesland so maybe I have genetic memories of being near windmills. Who knows? But I could have stood there for hours. There are many pictures and bits of machinery to look at inside the mill that I should have taken the time to inspect but I didnt as standing outside was what I just had to do, as was waving to my best friend who was unable to climb the stairs. Feeling I was part of that amazing building was all I needed. It was the best $2 I have ever spent. My grandkids need to go there but my 5 year old grandson is a very active boy so making sure he safely climbs down the stairs backwards could be interesting.
