Mount Tarawera Eruption

Hi I am Aaron Mansell and I live with my Mum and my sister by Lake Rotomahana.
My Mum works at Mr McRaes Hotel.
I am 10 years old and I go to the native school at
Rotomahana.

A few weeks ago I was in bed. Suddenly I was woken by an earthquake. My bed was shaking. Then I ran down to my mother. Then my mother, my sister, and I, all went to McRaes hotel. There were lots of people in the hotel. One hour later we heard a very big bang. The mountain was erupting, destroying the pink and white terraces.
Mud and ash were falling on the roof of the hotel and fire balls were flying through the air.
The roof was falling in and soon we had to move
into the newer room.
Half an hour later the roof was starting to bend down and we had to get out of there.
Half an hour before Mr. McRae had seen a light by Guide Sophias whare.
So Mr McRae said we would go there. We had to get something to protect our head. Then we had to go.
There was mud up to our knees and it was very hard to walk.
At last we got there but I had a cut on my leg. They put medicine on the cut and it felt a lot better.
Two hours later the fireballs had stopped and the men had gone out looking for people.
Even though it was in the morning it was still dark because of the ash.
Next day the search party came and took us back to Rotorua. We are never going back there again.

Selling Wool in 1908

Today my Dad is selling wool.
My uncle and I are helping him.
We live on the East coast and there is no port close by.
We take the wagon down to the beach and
Park the wagon in the water and hold the boat close to the wagon while my Dad rolls the bales on the surf-boat.
The sailors have to do about 5 loads but there are two surf-boats so when we have loaded one the other boat will be coming in to the beach.
Then the sailors load the wool bales on the ship and sail away.
Then we go home in the wagon.

The Walkway

Yesterday we went on the Walkway with our bikes. We started at the Aquatic Centre.
After we did the Walkway we went for a swim in the Aquatic Centre.
We saw a lot of old people with their shopping.
I think they built the Walkway because the footpaths have lots of people on them, and the footpaths can be dangerous.
I really liked the smooth concrete and the down hills. I also liked the swim.