A Day At The Beach

I enjoyed my couple of days beside the beach, and managed to avoid using the internet (so relaxing!).  This was my self-contained unit in Raglan Holiday Park. 

First thing to do after my morning shower was to make the bed and tidy up the unit.

Then it was breakfast (apple turnover and tea) sitting out on the deck.

There was a pleasant view out over the Opotoru Inlet.

And sometimes a light plane came in to land at the nearby airstrip. 

A lot of the morning was spent sitting on the deck watching the world go by, and next thing it was lunchtime!  I wandered over to the nearby takeaways and bought two pieces of fish (terakihi) in a crispy golden batter, to eat beside the water. 

There is a foot bridge that connects this area with the town, and for the first time in my life I got the courage to walk across it. 

The only problem was, I had to walk back again LOL.

I sat beneath a tree to let my shaky legs recover - and enjoyed just watching all the activity going on around me. 

Dinner was a bread roll filled with roast beef and salad  - have you guessed I bought all my meals this trip?  Doing so really added to the relaxed holiday feeling. 

The glass of bubbles is sparkling water!

As the day ended, I made my way down to the beach (part of Whaingaroa Harbour).  The sand here is black, composed of eroded volcanic material rich in iron-bearing minerals, and gets very hot underfoot on a sunny day.

I was hoping to watch the sun set below the oceanic horizon but Mt Karioi, a peninsula, and some clouds, all conspired against that idea.  I wasn't too disappointed though - it still made a pretty scene, and the beach was quiet and peaceful. 

I'm back home again now and loving the new carpet. 

Now the fun begins, putting everything back in its place again!

Margaret xx 

Back Home

I made it home safely, after one last long lingering look at the beach.

Not having much to say tonight, I thought I would post some more photos of my time away.

These rocks were at the entrance to Leisure Island. 

Can you see the jet fighter that screamed through above me?

This pohutukawa was growing at the base of the small hill named Mt Drury.

My very comfortable motel unit.

The fountain at Memorial Park is working again, after being closed when someone drowned in the water around it.  The water is now covered with a solid mesh.

Mittens is thrilled to have me home again. 

Margaret xx

A Walk Along The Beach

It's been a quiet relaxing day, resting lots and laughing at the sparrows having dust baths on the sandy lawn.

There is a beach access path not far from my motel unit, and I went for a long (for me!) walk along the sand this morning.  This Papamoa end of the coastline is much quieter than the more popular Mount Maunganui end.

Mount Maunganui was visible in the distance. 

There were a few shells along the tide line, but nothing to get excited about.

Years ago, when we lived in this area, I used to pick up one shell each time I walked along the beach - I ended up with quite a jar full.

It seems others have similar ideas, judging by the sand dollar shells hung on this fence.

I dabbled my toes in the ocean and got my feet wet. The water is still too cold for swimming, unless you are young and a bit crazy.  Last night I watched some blue shivering teenagers returning from a swim, chattering happily and not seeming to mind the cold.

There are houses/baches along here that are literally built on the sand dunes. I'm not so sure about the wisdom of that.

I liked the perspective aspect of this view. The tracks were made by a large running dog.

The holiday park office sells drinks, so I treated myself to a frothy hot chocolate when I returned from my walk.

I am feeling quite content, feeling rested, and ready to return home tomorrow.

Margaret xx 

People Everywhere

It has been a beautiful day, with blue skies and sunshine, although it was still fairly windy.

I decided to visit the Tauranga rose gardens but there were no free parking spaces, so I moved on to Memorial Park.

For the number of cars occupying spaces, the dearth of humans was amazing. Perhaps they park here now and catch a bus into town?

The main attraction here is the playground and it was almost empty.

Heavy traffic was causing congestion on the harbour bridge as I made my way back to the Mount, where I was lucky enough to find a park.

The 'Celebrity Edge' cruise ship was in port for the day (that is it below, sitting behind the building), and many of its 3000-odd passengers were wandering around town (it was difficult to take a photo without someone looking at you!).

After a last look at the crystal clear harbour water lapping the beach, I headed back to my motel in Papamoa.

There is a Marathon on this Sunday, so I imagine a lot of people will be arriving tonight for the weekend. No doubt there will be more surfers arriving as well, to swell the numbers already out enjoying the ocean.

I may find busyness and crowds of people a bit daunting now, but the beach is still beautiful and I'm enjoying being here.

Margaret xx 

Taking It Easy

I walked down to the beach after dinner last night, to say hello to the ocean. I loved hearing the sound of the surf again.

My intention this morning was to go beach walking near Mt Maunganui.

But the strong wind and frequent showers meant my walk became a very short stroll, before I went back to my car.

I returned to the motel for lunch - then fell asleep on the sofa!  This old body just needed a rest!

I saw pohutukawa flowering this morning so am going for a drive now to see if I can find some more.

Then it will be dinner and bed. I lead such an exciting life, LOL, but then I am on holiday!

Margaret xx 

I've Run Away

With all the renovation chaos at home, I've escaped to the beach for a few days while my room is painted. 

It was too early to check into my motel, so I spent some time at Pilot Bay wharf watching some of the ships entering and leaving Tauranga Port.

The weather was a little miserable, with rain for most of my journey.  It began clearing later in the afternoon, though, with a promise of better weather for my stay.

I am very pleased with my motel unit - and nothing says Welcome quite like some complimentary chocolate!

Stay happy 😊 

Margaret xx 

Farewell Whitianga

With one last look out the window this morning, we checked out of our motel and headed home.

We made several stops on our way, the first being for delicious hot scones at Mat's Cafe in Whitianga. 

At Hot Water Beach we could see people in the distance digging for hot water to sit in, but we didn't linger.

The two people in the photo had their spade and were heading off to join the crowd.

It was on to Tairua next, and over the infamous Pepe Stream bridge - in summer holiday traffic, trying to cross this one-way bridge (the only bridge) can be near impossible and tests the patience of many drivers (and passengers!).

We took a longer route home, stopping at Whangamata for lunch and a brisk beach walk.

At Morrinsville it was time for an icecream, before finally reaching Hamilton and home.

We had rain for parts of our journey, but it got steadily worse as time went on and we were welcomed home with grey skies and constant rain.

 

I'm feeling a bit tired tonight but glad to be home again.

However enjoyable traveling is, there really is no place quite like your own home!

Margaret xx

Wilderland Organics

What an incentive to be up by dawn every morning! The light here is amazing and changes so rapidly.

My personal Dawn Show began like this at 6.45am.

Twenty minutes later the mist had cleared, the sun rose, and the day had arrived. 

After two days of more-activity-than-usual, today I needed to have a rest.

That didn't stop me from visiting Wilderland Organics though, to stock up on raw honey. Unfortunately they were out of comb honey, so I only purchased a jar of raw honey sourced from wild flowers.

The rest of the day I put my feet up, pottered on the laptop, and watched people on the beach until the rain chased most of them indoors. 

As the rain got heavier, the wind increased. The sea is no longer calm, although the waves are still small.

The wind whistles around our building, making it sound stormier than it is.

We have the heat pump going, and our unit is snuggly and cosy. 

It's a perfect way to enjoy stormy weather. 

Margaret xx