A gentle reminder for so many who tell us they are contemplating getting out of Auckland (or other similar congested metropolitan centres) and trying to decide where to retire… We meet so many trying to decide over the Easter holiday. It is a BIG decision. They have been saved by SWMBO’s guidance…

Above is the aerial promotional photo to illustrate how the Toe-Paw Council has gone overboard to promote Turangi. It may be a little too subtle for most tourists to interpret so SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed is Manager for Life of Everything at TRM) explains it in Her usual scholarly manner. Obviously, it is an aerial shot of Lake Taupo. The iconic bleeding heart logo confirms the best spot to live in. You will note it encompasses a cute little settlement nestled under Mt. Pihanga. That is Turangi. The photo illustrates the relationship of Turangi to Lake Taupo. There isn’t any. So where is Taupo?

If you peer into the distant gloom at the northern end of the lake you cannot help but notice the hazy smog deterioration of the atmosphere. The depressing gloom has spread south from Greater Auckland to Taupo. So sad.

But at the southern end of the lake the air is crystal clear and pure. That is why so many prefer to retire to live in Turangi. We get reminded all year by inmates approaching retirement and inspecting Turangi to see how it measures up. They suggest Taupo has now developed just like another boring glitzy Auckland suburb lacking any friendly character with all the same problems that they are trying to escape from. Comparatively, “Turangians” are more sensible people with a better balance in their lives, who remain suspicious of politicians and bureaucrats – a very healthy attitude to reduce daily stress.

i.e. One important advantage of Turangi is the Tongariro River depicted in TRM’s “WELCOME TO TURANGI” sign above showing some of the related outdoor activities available. Every other town has golf courses and bike trails but there is only one Tongariro River. For over one hundred years now so many have chosen Turangi as their favourite retirement town yet some do not even fish. It is all about the other small-town benefits such as being able to relax and park anywhere and stroll to every amenity you need. Imagine, no traffic lights!

(Above – a corporate seat at the footy – Eden Park cannot compete with that! And it’s free!)

Turangi’s strategic location is most important conveniently located halfway to everywhere. You don’t have to visit anyone as they will all come to visit you. Halfway between Auckland and Wellington. Halfway between Napier and New Plymouth. Halfway from Nirvana to Paradise. Everywhere in the North Island is an easy day trip (depending on road works!).

A big ticket attraction is the apparent lack of stress. Compare the photo above of local residents enjoying a corporate box enjoying the footy. They drove to their best seat. How could Eden Park compete with that? Or a group of residents below, pausing on their riverside walk for a chat to meet the neighbours to swop gossip. City folk cannot waste time for such idle activities. In Turangi it is compulsory.

Everything in Turangi is like that, only more casual and a little slower. People have more quality time to get to know each other and live a more leisurely lifestyle, as humans are supposed to, instead of stressed-out commuters wasting their lives away in traffic jams. Compare a traffic jam in Turangi below… It is how the world would like to be. Where would you rather be?

Compare the convenience of amenities within say less than an easy ten-minute level stroll to where you live. OK? Within 10 minutes from where TRM is located we have a choice of attractive recreational river walks up and down on either bank, a walk through a park, a major supermarket or a local grocer, a choice of six cafes, a bakery, a comprehensive medical centre, a chemist shop, a well-equipped library, indoor heated pool complex, a bowling club, art shop, gymnasium, two service stations, vehicle workshop, tavern, bottleshop, several restaurants, various take-aways, fishing tackle shops, the Post Office bookshop has a Kiwibank, “op” shops, a bike shop, other retail therapy, community halls, Saturday morning market, four kids playgrounds, etc. What else could you possibly need? What is missing? Maori Arts & Crafts? I did not even mention the world-class fishing for wild trout all year. How could you beat that?

Thank you Toe-Paw for their generous promotion of Turangi.

At the time of preparing this, SWMBO was bailed up by two fishy inmates booking in – returning from USA for the first time since before the covid scare. They intend to relocate to NZ and are deciding where and tossing up the relative merits of each location. You would never guess their decision… SWMBO deserves an award from Toe-Paw Council for her promotion.