January 2019 and a few road trips in New Zealand

Wednesday 9th January. Another beautiful day in Tauranga. Out to lunch today to Dave and Vrons in Welcome Bay. Their house overlooks the Mount and the water. Pictures will not do it justice but I will try.

Jill and Dave checking the scenery.

The view from Dave and Vrons house.

And to the right.

Lovely lunch and telling of old stories....... some of them not heard before! Jill hasn't seen Vrons and Dave since we visited them in Christchurch in 2009, on our big trip after I retired, and before Mum and Dad and Judy moved to Kent.

Papamoa Beach 10th January.  Went to see Win out at Papamoa as she had a letter from the England tax office. Took Jill to our favourite coffee place at the Blue Bar in Papamoa and then along the front to eat a toasted sandwich whilst watching the world at play. Well a very small corner of the world!

Beautiful day again in the Bay of Plenty. How lucky are we?

11th January. I have just realised that without a daily newspaper, the only way we know what day of the week it is, is by looking at the day displayed on the lid of our pill dispenser!!!!!! Took Jill to nearby park that is looked after by the Rotary called Rotary Park. Glorious place for families with all the kids in the water. Jill had first paddle for years.

BBQ homemade beefburgers tonight...... yum scrum.

Saturday 12th Jan. Quiet day today after late night watching NZ and Sri Lanka in a T20. Poor old Sri Lanka have lost three tests, three ODIs and the T20. They go to Aussie next and India who have beaten the Aussies come here next week. There is an ODI in the Bay Oval which we might go to and the White Ferns ( women) are playing India at the same time so lots to look forward to. Next week we are going to Sue and Rick's and staying in a motel before brunching with Kathy. More photos of New Zealand looking beautiful I fear!!!!...... Until then.......

Wednesday 16th January. As I Suspected more beautiful views of magnificent beaches. Drove to Sue and Rick's yesterday about 140.km. Fortunately the weather held for lunch and we were able to sit outside and eat homemade quiche and salad, overlooking the Eastern Cape. What a great spot this is!

Stayed at motel in Whakatane and went to Gibbo's on the Wharf for Fish and Chips. Took them back to our Motel where beautiful fish was washed down with a Steinlager!

Ohope Beach to meet with Kathy for Brunch.

On way home stopped at Whakatane Airport and saw Mount Edgecombe.

Arrived home to this mail notice.

That should sort it then!!!!.

18th January. Took a trip out to Omokoroa which is where our Landlords live. Found nice cafe for coffee and then lunch at Omokoroa Yacht Club which overlooks the bay. These are the waters we will be on when we go for our boat ride next Wednesday. You can just see Mount Maunganui behind the pilot tower of the ferry.

Wednesday 23rd January. A morning out on the water in Tauranga Harbour, which is huge. This was our boat...

and these were also sharing the harbour with us.

The harbour is protected by a sculpture of Tangoroa, the Maori God of the Sea.

Another view of the Mount.

and the cruise ships which hold about 2,500 passengers and 1800 staff!!! Wow.

Really lovely trip with commentary from the skipper. One other crew member Hannah who was from England originally asked us where were from. We said Kent and she then asked if we knew Norfolk. She was born about half an hour out of Great Yarmouth so of course I asked the question!!!!!

Not only did she know of Scratby, her grandfather lived there until recently. For those of you who don't know my childhood stories, apparently I took my first steps on Scratby Beach, which was not easy on luscious golden sand!!! We went there every year for my first 18 years on this earth, always the middle two weeks of August for the family annual holiday.  Hannah couldn't wait to get home and tell her family she had met someone who had been to Scratby, on her boat, in the middle of Tauranga Harbour. Honestly, you couldn't make this stuff up, could you?

Yesterday we had Vrons and Dave for lunch and a catch up. They have been down to Gisborne for a few days to see friends from when they lived there many years ago. Today it was hair cut time and then out to the McLaren Falls. It is a spectacular place and  would be even more so when they flood the falls.

Jill's time is coming to an end and so is Blog 8.  Blog 9 will cover Jill's return, our trip to the Coromandel and the arrival of Janice and Karen from Perth. So much to fit in!!!!!!!!

Bye for now.