After trying to get the work we're doing on our new bus 'Wanderer' finished so we could get away for a break while the weather is still good, we gave up and had a break in our 'old' bus instead. We spent some time parked at Rainbow Falls, Kerikeri with our friends Sue and Jeff in their bus, Buster.
We always like to walk beside the river to the Kerikeri Basin and have a coffee at the cafe there. This is a view in the other direction where a 10 minute walk takes you to the road. Across the road is a really nice Thai restaurant where we went for dinner. (The track doesn't stop at the road there, it loops around beside the river and goes further on.
lunch at the Honey House Cafe.
Sampling some different vintages and varieties of our wine.
Our buses in the early morning light.
The waterfall at rainbow Falls. It's just beside the motorhome park.
On Saturday morning we went to Kerikeri Market. There are many stalls both outside and inside the old packhouse building. Here Sue chats to, and tips,one of the musicians entertaining the crowds. then we got coffee and cakes...
We spent our afternoons and evenings under our awning, relaxing and playing cards...
...even when the sun disappeared!
Because I drove a car up it was easy to get out and about, leaving the buses parked at Kerikeri. We drove to this walk which goes down to Marsden Cross/ Rangihoua Pa. This was where a mission station was built under the protection of the Maori chief and the tribe at the pa. The path wends its way down to the beach, giving stunning views of the Bay of Islands.
Part of the display in the information building.
On the track
It was a lovely spot for our picnic.
That's the cross put up in the early 1900s to commemorate the first Christian service held in NZ.
These boards illustrate what life was like at the mission station.
Hopefully our next trip away will be soon - and in the new bus! :-)
