Across the top of the East Cape

Ruakikore church

Hicks Bay wharf...

...falling into disrepair

Heading up the 700 steps to the East Cape lighthouse - the most easterly point in NZ.  Pointing to the ubiquitous no camping sign

view inland from the lighthouse

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Me on Hicks Bay wharf just after Malcolm got me by saying, 'did you feel it move?' and for a minute I was worried!!

Loved this church, Ruakokore, - just a peaceful atmosphere when we stopped, quite early in the morning. Then across the top of the peninsula to Hicks Bay (we cycled out to the old wharf) and stopped at Te Araroa. We went out to the lighthouse at East Cape and up the 700 steps!!

Opotiki to Te Kaha

Lots of great beaches

Malcolm in action

Te Kaha

viewpoints on the roadside

After our big cycle ride we decided to have a more relaxing day and just tiki-toured our way north to Te kaha.  Sunny day, lots of great beaches.

Motu Trails

Shelter near the highest part of the Motu Road

...but I didn't



Malcolm was waiting for me to fall in this ford...

 

 

 

lunch spot

nearly down to the dunes

We decided to ride the Motu Road trail  which we thought was 42 kms(and I was worried I might not get home at 42kms) until we were told in the briefing before we left it was 55kms. Mainly downhill but some steep uphill bits (mainly in the 13kms we didn't notice on the map!)  The road was gravel and steep and rutted.... I hated the uphill bits - and the downhill bits! More of a challenge than fun! It was cloudy in the mountains but sunny when we got to the coast. The dunes trail was great (that's the last bit of the trail - we rode that last time we were here) - Malcolm zipped on ahead to put the hot water on for showers and I walked up the little hills feeling like I should be wearing a t-shirt that said 'well I've already biked down the Motu Road and it's 55kms'.  Good to have done it though.

2016 - the sun comes out again

Example of fancy architecture in Opotiki

In the courtyard of the Two Fish Cafe

Volkner's church

After 3 rainy days in Tauranga we headed east to Opotiki today.  We are parked at Motu Trails HQ and are doing a big ride tomorrow.  Took a walk around by the river and through the town - getting the best coffee and brownie at Two Fish Café (even though it was actually shut - they gave us takeout cups!)  Tonight we are headed to a concert at the rugby field, it is Dave Dobbyn with Herbs and only costs $5 at the gate.  P.S. - the missionary/minister of this church was killed and eaten in a Maori uprising in the 1800's, guy called Vokner.

Biking

Me not wobbling

Malcolm on the boardwalk

Drove to Tauranga this morning.  Went into town for coffee and looked around then tried out my new bike on the Tauranga estuary cycle/walkway this afternoon. Was a bit worried on the boardwalk bits - didn't fancy disappearing off the edge - but survived the experience.

First swim of the season

Me swimming

We are parked part way down this peninsula

At the Gypsy Fair

...listening to music

Our bus parked, photo from dunes to surf beach

We thought today was supposed to be rainy but luckily it is still hot and sunny. 25 degrees on the bus at 8.00am. We drove from Miranda via Karangahake Gorge to a car park between Waihi Beach and Anzac Bay.
We took the car and I went for a swim at Anzac Beach while Malcolm walked around the hills and pa site. Last time we were here we were the only vehicle - today, being the middle of the summer holiday period, it was chock-a-block.  The water was freezing! 
There is a gypsy fair across the road from our parking spot - which made our bus seem really conservative - we spent some time browsing the stalls and listening to the music, which was very cruizy :-) 

Two go twitching

Malcolm in the fennel forest
 

Godwits taking off

Godwits

Outside the Shorebird Centre

Street scene in Thames

Today we walked to the bird hide from the Miranda Shorebird Centre. The walk is about 45 mins each way - we saw no-one till we got near the bird hide then we saw lots of twitchers with tripods and they scared all the birds away from the beach to a lagoon. These were mainly the famous godwits which make annual migrations - flying to NZ then to Alaska, via China. 
Then we went to Thames - always love this little town, full of quirky things like these wheelchair-bound dogs looking in a window.