But Darren remembers the gypsy fair years with great fondness.
"Those were the days when we home schooled our children and always had a very noisy, happy time.
But now it's time to slow down. We're so lucky we bought this place in Mangaweka. It's the best place to be.''
Even though Mangaweka is often described as a bit of a ghost town, the Playfords don't care, he said.
"We've lived and come home to Mangaweka for more than 22 years now. Pretty amazing. But it shows how attached we are to the place.''
Although their living situation is a just simple wooden rustic house with two rooms, they still have to pay the same in rates to the Rangitikei District Council as everyone else, even although they don't have amenities like street lighting, footpaths and a rubbish collection.
"But you can't fight it you just have to live with it even though there's actually nothing here.''
Darren laughed as he said, in fact, what is there is more than many people would experience in a lifetime.
"Native birds, beautiful bush, a peaceful atmosphere and once in a while a glorious old steam train comes through. We're very content living here at the end of the road ..."