To Pahia

Saturday 1st March

Reluctantly we left Mangawhai Heads and drove the coast road back to the highway and further North. Have to say that Northland is stunning and so green, by mid afternoon we had reached the Scottish Highlands.... reminded us so much of when we went up for a wedding in Kinlochbervie, and the long, long  road we took to get there.

We had a stop at Whangerie and drove down to the Whangerie Falls, which were spectacular, the total image of what a waterfall should look like...

Then we decided to go off track, and drive a circular route down to the sea and back round.  What the map didn't show was it was a roller coaster of a drive round mountain sides.  Poor Rod, he was quite brave and just a little knackered at the end of it, but it was worth every minute. So beautiful, great rolling hillsides and farms, then down to the coast which bay after bay, with golden sand beaches and surfers.  These are the first beaches we've seen of real sand, and not rocks and pebbles.

Lovely day.

Back on a bit of straight road again  we followed a truck doing 60kms all the way into Paihia.  Patience is a virtue over here, especially driving.  I will rant on about that another time.

Paihia is a lovely little seaside resort and we are in luxury.   We booked ourselves into a motel on the front for a couple of nights.  We've got a bed each, tea and coffee, plumpy pillows, fluffy white towels and a bath. Heaven.  We wandered up  and down the front for an hour or two, had tea and cake, and waited for Carolyn and Martin to arrive.  They are in the place next door which we couldn't get booked into, but really close.

After partaking of Champagne in their suite we wandered out to have a fishy dinner.  Completely proteined out again! it was wonderful, had fish chowder followed by a fish salad, which was delicious.  Great to see them again, lots of laughter and wine.

Back to our luxury with the hobbit van parked outside, sort of miss it in a funny sort of way...... well we've only abandoned it for a couple of nights.