Monday 20th Pahia to Opua - by Joanna

 


Leaving Whangarei







Surrounded by backpacks, bananas and plums, 
with more bags to sit on to cushion our bums,
We drink a last coffee, and farewell the cat
And dash back inside to retrieve one more hat
Van tetris completed, now snugly inside
With Ross as our pilot we're off for the ride
Just six hours to go till we get to the cape
And six toilet stops - one last chance to escape. 
All kidding aside, I'm sure we'll arrive, 
And this may be the last email missive. (Because we're is setting up a blog.)




On the way we made a short detour to Ruapekapeka (in English "the Bat's nest". We explored the site and came to this amazing tree, where the maori people prayed on a sunday that they assumed no Christians would attack. If you look carefully you can see Bruce at the bottom. I love how there's another tree propping this one up. 





If you would like to read more about this episode in NZ's history, here is a link:



As plans go, they are bound to change and ours did when we got to Paihia. Seeing a leasurely stroll as part of the Te Araroa walkway would take just two hours we grabbed lunch (smoked salmon and quinoa salad - roughing it) from countdown and ate in front of William House and then set off. 
We were very grateful for the many seats along the way, something we did not see in subsequent trips...
Amazing views of the Bay of Islands, we were grateful to be able to do this track as its been closed for the last year or so. The track stood up well to the recent storms although work is ongoing. We encountered someone creating a walkway over the mangroves with his various tools and equipment scattered along the lengthway so I guess they are a lot more trusting up here. 

We finished with icecreams at Opua and set off to Houhora where our home for the next three nights is. We are 20 metres from a secluded shallow bay, in an extrememly comfortable and well appointed house. 

 

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