Thursday
We stumbled our way up the west coast of the North Island, stopping at Helensville for a coffee & to do some shopping at Woolworth's. It has become apparent that it is nearly impossible to buy good, sturdy bread here. Fluffy and white is the norm and Bob is going into withdrawal.
We drove further north, hitting the seriously stunning views of the Tasman Sea around almost every corner and on every rise. After an afternoon break in Dargaville where I grabbed a tub of marinated raw fish (NZ$ $4.20), and a pretty ordinary cup of 'espresso'? (NZ$ $2.00), Bob spent a fair deal of time studying a Kauri woodwork gallery, yet managed to walk away empty handed - eventually!
We then drove through the West Coast Kauri forests in the fading twilight, stopping to have one short walk and gawk at the massive 'Tane Mahuta', with it's massive trunk in the most lush undergrowth.
This wasn't our last stop to gawk at the view and sighting of a stunning yellow-headed bird which Bob thought was a small parrot.
Our last detour before we came to the twin villages of Omapere/Opononi was up Signal Station Road to check out the Scenic Lookout. With views from the southern headland up the Hokianga Harbour, and across to the huge dunes on the northern side, painted a spectacular pink in the encroaching dusk. We tore ourselves away, denying the urge to follow the signposted coastal walks. A few hundred metres down the road I saw a sign on the one driveway advertising "Ti Kouka" , offering a B&B; gardens and holiday rentals. Calling for Bob to stop the car, I jumped out to read the sign on the fencepost. Although a bit more than we were expecting to pay, the location was glorious and we decided to wind our way down through the extensive spring gardens to inspect. Meeting another rental car on the winding driveway down, we found that there was one double room available (they required 2).
We soon met our hosts, Maria and George, and looked at the self contained room which had the most stunning views of this most beautiful place. Bob asked for a discount for 2 nights and this was readily agreed to. Now our accommodation was settled for a couple of days, we drove into 'town' to find a pub and somewhere for Bob to eat.
A fancy hotel (the Copthorne) was within a kilometre down the hill, and on our first drive through Omapere there seemed to be good range of Cafes. Along the road skirting the western shore of the harbour, the waterfront shacks of one settlement led to another, with evidence of gentrification and more elaborate homes on the hills rising behind. There was a Fish & Chip Shop, small supermarket, and Pub at Opononi, and we tried our luck at the Pub which was undergoing major building works. There was a very friendly crowd at the bar and around the scaffolding, making us welcome and ensuring that we knew it didn't usually look like this. Bob carefully checked what beer was on tap and what was popular. Not liking the Red Lion he had drunk on the first night, he opted for the first of what turned into many DB Draughts. It was a very friendly atmosphere, however with all the construction there was no where to sit and have a counter meal. Bidding the locals goodbye, we trundled back down the road to the Copthorne Resort Hotel. Without reservations in the dining room we sat in the spectacular setting of the bistro. Bob got stuck into the DB Draught (NZ $4.60) before finally settling on ordering a fried platter of mini spring rolls, fish, spicy meatballs, mussels, and of course, the ubiquitous chips. At NZ$16.50 for a serving (allegedly) for 2, it certainly seemed better value than the other dishes on the menu which averaged around the mid- $20 mark. Knowing how hungry Bob is (always!), and the need for fresh veggies, I also recommended he order a good looking salad from the menu ($15). On to his 4th or 5th beer (not that I was counting!), Bob was getting pretty relaxed and wasn't anxious to get back to our unit. I found that it was late, well past the time for my antibiotics and magic pills. My 'not-too-bad' for me asian soups were back at Ti Kouka and seemed a long way away. I picked at Bob's salad until there wasn't much left. Bob also passed over to me all of his mussels to avoid any repeat of the Great Anaphylaxis of Rotaroa (1991).
Friday
We both felt surprisingly lazy on waking on Friday. My sinuses were suffering a tad from my head being low (only 2 pillows) overnight, and I was keen for some espresso. Although I had laid my running gear out in preparation for a morning trot, my head wasn't so enthusiastic once morning rolled around. Bob was feeling somewhat lazier than expected too, so after checking out the information centre, (not too exciting and a very pushy "I can book that for you" attendant) and finding scant details about those activities we could do self guided, we drove back a few properties to 'Poppa Jack's' a greengrocer & café. Things certainly are pretty relaxed here with it not opening until midday (or so) most days, 10:00am on weekends. We went a few doors down to another Fish & Chippery (so popular here in NZ) where a clutch of leather-clad bikies were sitting at the 2 outdoor tables which had a pleasant aspect and view of the harbour. Attached to the only service station in the district, inside the whiff of frying oil was too intense for me to stay there, however my hanging around the bikies wasn't encouraging them to leave any quicker, as they tucked into huge baskets of chips and other fried things. Bob & I settled on some seats at a bar against the window, looking through the 'Northland Times' (challenging the 'Cairns Post' for relevance & parochialism despite it's broadsheet format). The service was once again faultless and friendly, the coffee cups big, but the quality was caffeine for a headache, not enjoyment.
We decided to hit the coastal tracks near our accommodation, first walking out to the site of the old signal station, then down to the rocks on the coast down a long, sandy dune. We didn't make it along quite as far in either direction as we would have liked, as the tide was already high and rising. A young ex-seal lay between rocks we clambered around. I couldn't stop yawning, despite a good nights sleep, and after Bob had a sandwich or 7, I retired to bed for 'just a bit of a lie down', while Bob headed off for another local walk.
Before I knew it, nearly 3 hours had passed and I awoke feeding much fresher, although just a bit concerned about Bob's safety. It turned out that he had completed a 7.5km rainforest walk over very hilly and muddy terrain. He had a wonderful time, but spent a fair deal of time at the end chatting to a bloke at a woodwork shop who had come to Canberra in 1969 to do a computer course (as had Bob & SpeedyGeoff), and then worked for the Bureau of Stats (as had Bob, SG, Rad and a raft of others). While this bloke had been trained in computer operating rather than programming, they had much to talk about, comparing the CDC3600 with the new whizz bang CDC3500 introduced in 1971. I guess that this passed me by as I was in 2nd Grade at the time.
Saturday
We both felt pretty damn good when we awoke on Saturday and were keen to hit the trails. We had to decide whether to catch a boat across to the sand dunes on the other side of the harbour, or head back into Waipoua Forest for some hiking. Our joint initial idea was to head to the dunes and dressed accordingly. However the early sunshine disappeared behind cloud and we went back to the Copthorne Hotel for an excellent coffee in their lounge, well worth the $3.50 each, and rated at between a 3.5 and 4 (out of 5). Without sweetener, there was the slightest bitter aftertaste, but it was very good. Studying maps over coffee, we were of a like mind, and decided that the 'probably' hourly boat schedule (NZ$20 each) didn't suit our independent and slightly impatient spirits as well as a hike/walk/tramp among the Kauris.
It continued to amaze driving south through the forest. A quick visit to the Waipoua visitor information centre proved rather fruitless, and we parked alongside a riverstoned creek in a meadow of blue and yellow flowers. Starting the walk up a lookout, it was wet and boggy underfoot, with the spindly roots of trees crisscrossing the narrow trail. We made good progress to begin with, however it became increasingly wet, the mud thicker and deeper and spread across the breath of the path. It was very pretty, although too dark to take photos. Nearing the summit as the trail dried up, I went over on my ankle. It certainly hurt, but experience with running had taught me that continuing on often loosens it up and it isn't as bad as the initial twinge would indicate. Hobbling through the now more open bracken and scraggly manuka trees, the ankle pain got worse and then apparently a little better. At the cleared meadow at the top the path flattened out, and it was strangely difficult to walk. Despite the beautiful bush on the way up, the lookout was quite uninspiring even though a substantial wooden structure with internal and external viewing platforms was there. We decided that Bob would walk briskly down the roadway to the information centre, much further but quicker and easier. A constant stream of tourists came up the lookout, all in vehicles. The wind was cold, and spits of icy rain came and went. I had been moving around to try and keep my ankle subtle, and as I got colder I thought that I'd start to walk down to shorten the wait and keep warm. I lasted maybe 90 seconds before I realised that this was a mistake and headed back to seek refuge in the tower. Bob was soon there with the car. On returning home to a bath to remove the mud encrusting my legs and shoes, a bright blue swelling was apparent. I began RICE in front of the Ashes Test while Bob went for another short local walk. So much for my plans to get out for a good run this afternoon!
We stumbled our way up the west coast of the North Island, stopping at Helensville for a coffee & to do some shopping at Woolworth's. It has become apparent that it is nearly impossible to buy good, sturdy bread here. Fluffy and white is the norm and Bob is going into withdrawal.
We drove further north, hitting the seriously stunning views of the Tasman Sea around almost every corner and on every rise. After an afternoon break in Dargaville where I grabbed a tub of marinated raw fish (NZ$ $4.20), and a pretty ordinary cup of 'espresso'? (NZ$ $2.00), Bob spent a fair deal of time studying a Kauri woodwork gallery, yet managed to walk away empty handed - eventually!
We then drove through the West Coast Kauri forests in the fading twilight, stopping to have one short walk and gawk at the massive 'Tane Mahuta', with it's massive trunk in the most lush undergrowth.
This wasn't our last stop to gawk at the view and sighting of a stunning yellow-headed bird which Bob thought was a small parrot.
Our last detour before we came to the twin villages of Omapere/Opononi was up Signal Station Road to check out the Scenic Lookout. With views from the southern headland up the Hokianga Harbour, and across to the huge dunes on the northern side, painted a spectacular pink in the encroaching dusk. We tore ourselves away, denying the urge to follow the signposted coastal walks. A few hundred metres down the road I saw a sign on the one driveway advertising "Ti Kouka" , offering a B&B; gardens and holiday rentals. Calling for Bob to stop the car, I jumped out to read the sign on the fencepost. Although a bit more than we were expecting to pay, the location was glorious and we decided to wind our way down through the extensive spring gardens to inspect. Meeting another rental car on the winding driveway down, we found that there was one double room available (they required 2).
We soon met our hosts, Maria and George, and looked at the self contained room which had the most stunning views of this most beautiful place. Bob asked for a discount for 2 nights and this was readily agreed to. Now our accommodation was settled for a couple of days, we drove into 'town' to find a pub and somewhere for Bob to eat.
A fancy hotel (the Copthorne) was within a kilometre down the hill, and on our first drive through Omapere there seemed to be good range of Cafes. Along the road skirting the western shore of the harbour, the waterfront shacks of one settlement led to another, with evidence of gentrification and more elaborate homes on the hills rising behind. There was a Fish & Chip Shop, small supermarket, and Pub at Opononi, and we tried our luck at the Pub which was undergoing major building works. There was a very friendly crowd at the bar and around the scaffolding, making us welcome and ensuring that we knew it didn't usually look like this. Bob carefully checked what beer was on tap and what was popular. Not liking the Red Lion he had drunk on the first night, he opted for the first of what turned into many DB Draughts. It was a very friendly atmosphere, however with all the construction there was no where to sit and have a counter meal. Bidding the locals goodbye, we trundled back down the road to the Copthorne Resort Hotel. Without reservations in the dining room we sat in the spectacular setting of the bistro. Bob got stuck into the DB Draught (NZ $4.60) before finally settling on ordering a fried platter of mini spring rolls, fish, spicy meatballs, mussels, and of course, the ubiquitous chips. At NZ$16.50 for a serving (allegedly) for 2, it certainly seemed better value than the other dishes on the menu which averaged around the mid- $20 mark. Knowing how hungry Bob is (always!), and the need for fresh veggies, I also recommended he order a good looking salad from the menu ($15). On to his 4th or 5th beer (not that I was counting!), Bob was getting pretty relaxed and wasn't anxious to get back to our unit. I found that it was late, well past the time for my antibiotics and magic pills. My 'not-too-bad' for me asian soups were back at Ti Kouka and seemed a long way away. I picked at Bob's salad until there wasn't much left. Bob also passed over to me all of his mussels to avoid any repeat of the Great Anaphylaxis of Rotaroa (1991).
Friday
We both felt surprisingly lazy on waking on Friday. My sinuses were suffering a tad from my head being low (only 2 pillows) overnight, and I was keen for some espresso. Although I had laid my running gear out in preparation for a morning trot, my head wasn't so enthusiastic once morning rolled around. Bob was feeling somewhat lazier than expected too, so after checking out the information centre, (not too exciting and a very pushy "I can book that for you" attendant) and finding scant details about those activities we could do self guided, we drove back a few properties to 'Poppa Jack's' a greengrocer & café. Things certainly are pretty relaxed here with it not opening until midday (or so) most days, 10:00am on weekends. We went a few doors down to another Fish & Chippery (so popular here in NZ) where a clutch of leather-clad bikies were sitting at the 2 outdoor tables which had a pleasant aspect and view of the harbour. Attached to the only service station in the district, inside the whiff of frying oil was too intense for me to stay there, however my hanging around the bikies wasn't encouraging them to leave any quicker, as they tucked into huge baskets of chips and other fried things. Bob & I settled on some seats at a bar against the window, looking through the 'Northland Times' (challenging the 'Cairns Post' for relevance & parochialism despite it's broadsheet format). The service was once again faultless and friendly, the coffee cups big, but the quality was caffeine for a headache, not enjoyment.
We decided to hit the coastal tracks near our accommodation, first walking out to the site of the old signal station, then down to the rocks on the coast down a long, sandy dune. We didn't make it along quite as far in either direction as we would have liked, as the tide was already high and rising. A young ex-seal lay between rocks we clambered around. I couldn't stop yawning, despite a good nights sleep, and after Bob had a sandwich or 7, I retired to bed for 'just a bit of a lie down', while Bob headed off for another local walk.
Before I knew it, nearly 3 hours had passed and I awoke feeding much fresher, although just a bit concerned about Bob's safety. It turned out that he had completed a 7.5km rainforest walk over very hilly and muddy terrain. He had a wonderful time, but spent a fair deal of time at the end chatting to a bloke at a woodwork shop who had come to Canberra in 1969 to do a computer course (as had Bob & SpeedyGeoff), and then worked for the Bureau of Stats (as had Bob, SG, Rad and a raft of others). While this bloke had been trained in computer operating rather than programming, they had much to talk about, comparing the CDC3600 with the new whizz bang CDC3500 introduced in 1971. I guess that this passed me by as I was in 2nd Grade at the time.
Saturday
We both felt pretty damn good when we awoke on Saturday and were keen to hit the trails. We had to decide whether to catch a boat across to the sand dunes on the other side of the harbour, or head back into Waipoua Forest for some hiking. Our joint initial idea was to head to the dunes and dressed accordingly. However the early sunshine disappeared behind cloud and we went back to the Copthorne Hotel for an excellent coffee in their lounge, well worth the $3.50 each, and rated at between a 3.5 and 4 (out of 5). Without sweetener, there was the slightest bitter aftertaste, but it was very good. Studying maps over coffee, we were of a like mind, and decided that the 'probably' hourly boat schedule (NZ$20 each) didn't suit our independent and slightly impatient spirits as well as a hike/walk/tramp among the Kauris.
It continued to amaze driving south through the forest. A quick visit to the Waipoua visitor information centre proved rather fruitless, and we parked alongside a riverstoned creek in a meadow of blue and yellow flowers. Starting the walk up a lookout, it was wet and boggy underfoot, with the spindly roots of trees crisscrossing the narrow trail. We made good progress to begin with, however it became increasingly wet, the mud thicker and deeper and spread across the breath of the path. It was very pretty, although too dark to take photos. Nearing the summit as the trail dried up, I went over on my ankle. It certainly hurt, but experience with running had taught me that continuing on often loosens it up and it isn't as bad as the initial twinge would indicate. Hobbling through the now more open bracken and scraggly manuka trees, the ankle pain got worse and then apparently a little better. At the cleared meadow at the top the path flattened out, and it was strangely difficult to walk. Despite the beautiful bush on the way up, the lookout was quite uninspiring even though a substantial wooden structure with internal and external viewing platforms was there. We decided that Bob would walk briskly down the roadway to the information centre, much further but quicker and easier. A constant stream of tourists came up the lookout, all in vehicles. The wind was cold, and spits of icy rain came and went. I had been moving around to try and keep my ankle subtle, and as I got colder I thought that I'd start to walk down to shorten the wait and keep warm. I lasted maybe 90 seconds before I realised that this was a mistake and headed back to seek refuge in the tower. Bob was soon there with the car. On returning home to a bath to remove the mud encrusting my legs and shoes, a bright blue swelling was apparent. I began RICE in front of the Ashes Test while Bob went for another short local walk. So much for my plans to get out for a good run this afternoon!
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