Coastal view near Ngunguru

Continued over the hills to Ngunguru and stumbled on the Braeburn Motel, where I am now, on Whangaumu Bay. The term “motel” in NZ is applied to a variety of accommodations from self-catering cabins to large corporate hotels, but it means that, at a minimum, you get a cooking area with fridge, sink, microwave/hotplate, kettle & toaster, but often includes a full kitchen, and you always get a carton of fresh milk with your key! This particular spot has just three self-catering cabins, each with two bedrooms, living-room and full kitchen, and is in a tiny village of about fifty houses and no stores, on a beautiful sandy beach about four or five hundred meters long, neatly sheltered from the Pacific by a short spit of land. I swam in the clear warm water yesterday; I think it may be the first time I have swam in the sea since Cooper, over a year ago. I drove into Tutukaka about 5 minutes away, and picked up a take-away fish & chips for dinner; yummy.

I planned to stay only one night, but decided to stay for two, and today I went on a 17km coastal hike for 3 1/4 hours, kayaked for 1 3/4 hours (the motel owner even lent me his truck and trailer so I could take the kayak to a more interesting launch site nearby), and then swam for 1/2 hour. I think I have earned my dinner - fish & chips again, and a bottle of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc which the motel owner’s wife gave me because the water supply was interrupted for half an hour!

Full story...

Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register.

Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6
AkoComment © Copyright 2004 by Arthur Konze - www.mamboportal.com
All right reserved