Sometimes we just cannot win. A prospective guest phoned and asked questions about why TRM increased room rates. It had obviously been a long time since he stayed in a motel. Somehow he was convinced that motels should lower their room rates, following the banks lowering their interest rates? We even tried to agree and grumbled about the price of butter, but my explanations were not accepted. Perhaps I caught him on a bad day.

I tried to explain that to survive, we also need to keep up with inflation to cover the increased operating costs of electricity, etc. Sadly, he was convinced it was a profiteering rip-off and was not going to be persuaded.

So to cheer him up, I emailed SWMBO’s room rates above (the last time we published fixed rates as we have to be flexible to provide for fishos who stay much longer than tourists!).

The photos are from about 1959, when Units 1 & 2 comprised the motel reception and village store selling Peter Pan ice cream. He has not replied.

Since then our AA rating has dropped to three and a half stars, so this might force SWMBO to consider a reduction in tariffs, but I would not hold my breath.

Back then, late 1950’s or early 1960’s during school holidays, I remember freezing in the third caravan back. We thought we were lucky, as the only other choice was a tent.

The original property has since been both subdivided along the southern boundary on the left side of the photo, and increased on the right side with frontage onto Link Road, now renamed Piri Road. State Highway 1 was developed along the rear western boundary replacing Taupahi Road as the main north-south route.

That was all during the Tongariro Hydro Power scheme development of Turangi and everything changed when Turangi joined Taupo County. Now, with the wonderful benefit of hindsight, I am sure I preferred the original village more.