Kiwi Rail locomotive.

As we began to wrap up our visit to Eltham, NZ, we made a few last stops, one to check out the Kiwi Railway and another to enter the historic former bank which is now an interesting shop filled with items from another era.

The cars behind the locomotive are flat cars with containers ready to load.

Tom, having spent 42 years working for the railroad, is often curious about railways in our travels. No, he’s not obsessed with railroad memorabilia by any means, although he certainly enjoys a railroad TV show, Hell on Wheels, which he’s been watching weekly here in NZ. 

A sign on the railroad property.

However, his ears perk up when we pass a moving train, a railroad depot, or train yard. How could he not show interest after spending 42 years of his life in this line of work? On each such occasion, I’m happy to investigate with him, taking photos and stopping to read signs.

As we entered the antique shop in the old Eltham Bank building, we found a “living room” set up with each item for sale.

Visiting both of these venues proves appealing to both of us when we easily revel in each other’s interests. As we entered the former bank’s antique shop, he was particularly interested in their myriad items when so many brought back memories of his childhood. 

This fox (or another animal) neck wrap brought back memories for both of us.

For me, growing up in California, I was only able to connect with a few items when my exposure growing up in California was more about modern conveniences with few antiques. As a kid, we had a washer, dryer, dishwasher, swimming pool, and color TV as soon as they become available. Plus, living in a warm climate made life a lot easier.

Prices aren’t as high as in other such shops we’ve visited in our travels.

Tom, growing up in frigid Minnesota from a large family, experienced an entirely different upbringing. As a result, his memory of many of the items in the antique shop held more significance to him.

Second-hand furs and dressy dresses are offered for sale. You can see me taking the photo in the mirror above the chest of drawers. I hadn’t noticed that until now as I prepared the caption.

Certain items did trigger some memories for each of us, such as the taxidermy fur neck wrap worn by our long since passed away elderly family members, the type with the head of the fox or other animal at one end, the tail at the other. 

Every table and surface is covered with items for sale.

We cringed at the concept of fur neck wraps, but our hearts were warmed by the memories of those family members; the smell of their perfume, the warmth of their demeanor, of a time, long since past.

Beads are hanging from this taxidermy deer.

We wonder what it will be like in the next 50 years or so when our grandchildren peruse items we wore and used in our lives, perhaps laughing over the peculiar styles and technology. 

A spiral staircase leads to a second level. The owner of the shop was on her phone the entire time we were in the store. We took photos and left without talking to her.

Many people thrive on memorabilia and antiques. Tom has always expressed a certain interest while I’ve always been more fascinated with technology. For us, it’s a good mix and we easily embrace opportunities to visit venues with detailed information and access to one another’s particular interests. 

Most likely, this is the original bank vault.

Overall, in our travels, we’ve observed a greater emphasis on the “old” than on the “new” with endless historic sites prevalent in most cultures. We’ve yet to encounter anything that remotely compares to the International Consumer Electronics Show held in Las Vegas each year or any such technology show of any type.

Back on the street, we found this antique tractor.

In any case, I’ve found myself with a degree of interest in many antiques, historical sites, and venues, especially when I have the opportunity to take photos which in itself greatly enhances the experience in many ways.

Today with bad weather, we’ll most likely stay “home.” It’s raining, windy and dreary. At the moment, the fog is so dense we can’t see the alpacas in a nearby paddock. 

We hope you have a pleasant day with a ray of sunshine on your face.

Photo from one year ago today, April 2, 2015:

This sunset photo we took one year ago in Kauai made us squeal with delight! How magical! Click here for more such photos.