Sunday, August 12, 2018

OPONONI

We have just had a couple of nights in Opononi.  On Tuesday morning after taking Kim and Sophie to a nearby "Pet Stay" we headed off north in quite a thick mist.





It soon started to lift.

We stopped for a coffee in Kawakawa just opposite the Hundertwasser toilets and I took this photo of the side wall of a shop that sells Hundertwasser memorabilia.  (the shop front was designed by him).


We then stopped for lunch at Rawene  where the mist was still showing.  Unfortunately our usual Flounder was not available (apparently the two people,  one on either side of the harbour, who have the licence are no longer fishing due to age and health problems - surely someone else could step in).





When we arrived at Opononi we went for a walk along the beach.  





The following day we went for a drive to Waimamaku taking a drive down a side road to the beach.  On the way we noticed this rock formation that must have been lifted up by some major force.





It was quite a long walk to the actual beach.  We then had coffee at Morrell's cafe at Waimamaku and, as they didn't have any gluten free cakes I went to the grocer's next door to see if I could get some g.f. biscuits.  The only ones looked a bit like cardboard so I said I would leave it whereupon the owner went into his office and brought out half a packet of a very good biscuit and gave them to me.  How is that for service.  He was also on a gluten free diet and, presumably had these biscuits to try before stocking them.  A very kind gesture.  



On the way back we stopped for the view of the Hokianga Harbour.


In the afternoon it rained but it was lovely to be able to read and watch daytime Antiques Roadshow without having lots of jobs that needed doing.

The next day we headed home taking a detour to Kerikeri where we bought a few plants.  We then went to pick up Sophie and Kim who were none the worse for being left.

A very pleasant break.



9 comments:

  1. Lovely quiet beaches, I could stroll along those all day.

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    1. Literally hundreds of quiet sandy beaches to choose from here.

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  2. We stopped in Opononi on our trip to the far north in April, was at a very quiet time of the year but a pretty place anyway.

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    1. Very popular in summer but enjoyable at any time of year.

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  3. Lovely beaches in the far North, looks like the weather was kind too.

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    1. Yes, fine weather for driving and just the one afternoon of rain.

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  4. The photos of beaches and waterways are lovely. And the grocer was very sweet to offer you the gf biscuits he had tucked away in his office. -glad they were tasty. It does sound like your time away was very well spent.

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    1. It is a lovely part of the country. Yes, good country hospitality.

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  5. The sea views are wonderful. I like the shop front, and I took a look at the write-up and then looked at some photographs of the toilets. Goodness! Amazing place, but I think I would end up feeling a bit tipsy in there, my balance would go.

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