Thursday Walking Group Trip to Bland Bay

This was the end of a pretty big week for me in Whangarei. The last week of March I was finally able to find work through the temp agency in town. I did an inventory stock take one evening and started working as a receptionist at a local electrical company. I have to laugh because the whole first day answering the phone I mispronounced the name of the company and not one person corrected me! But I did enjoy working and I of course could use the extra money for my upcoming travels.

So after a very productive start to the week I felt very good about taking Thursday to go with the walking group up north. The walk was on Bland Bay but the bay is really anything but bland. It took quite a little drive up to the area along the road to Russell which was really hilly and winding. People in New Zealand can't imagine falling asleep while driving, its because you are constantly driving twisting crazy roads that don't give you a chance to get bored let alone sleepy. They joke that roads like this are for real drivers, not the straight level things we have.

 

We actually started the walk on the Whangaruru Harbor side of the peninsula that had a few homes around it. There were even some that the only way you can reach them is to drive on the beach at low tide or go by boat. Sounds like a pretty good way to make sure no one just drops by and interrupts your quiet weekend.

 

 

The walk took us out and up to the high point of the headland area and then around went around on the top.

 

This gave us the view of a couple sea caves and some islands nearby.

But the view was also pretty great back towards the campground on the harbor.

 

 

Getting back up and over required a lot of steps, there had to be at least 30 of these little sets of stairs!

 

I liked how different this rough and rocky coast was from the sandy beach we had been on the week before.

The view over Bland Bay

 

 

I have been trying to get a good picture of the little fantail birds that fly around you when you are out walking but this is so far the best I have managed. They fly around eating the bugs that you disturb as you are walking and will show off a lot.

 

On this walk I got to experience a not so fun first... my first wasp sting. I was also so lucky as to have the wasp sting my on my inner thigh while I was walking. It felt grrreeaat! But on the good side, I didn't have an allergic reaction and we did make it back to the beach were we started from.

 

On the way back we also stopped at The Gallery and Café at Helena Bay Hill. It was a beautiful place that had a sculpture garden and Lilly pad pond.

 

Plus some pretty amazing views off of their patio for the café. I think a sunrise breakfast from there would be pretty amazing.  

 

 

 

It was a pretty great Thursday, wasp sting and all!

Otaika Track

 

Near Mungatapere there is a track that leads all the way into town over the hills I decided to try one afternoon. My idea when I looked at the track was to do it as an over and back, not going farther than about 3 miles in and turning around. As I tend to do, I underestimated the trip a little bit. 

 

 

Sadly the trail guide had warned that this track would be very difficult if there had been rain recently, but I didn't think that it had. The muddy clay trail was really steep and slippery in a lot of places and once I got to the top, I was pretty certain I would fall going back down. As fun as rolling down the muddy hillside with my camera sounded, I decided I would have to find another way back. The stubborn in me of course wouldn't turn around right away!

 

 

But the sights along the trail were pretty. I really like the way that random leaves will sprout along the trunk of the trees here. That along with all of the moss.

 

This was one of the harder trails to follow, it was a little less marked and didn't look like many people frequently traveled it.

 

But as usual there was a bench at the top with a really nice little view all the way back to the Mungatapere Mountain.

 

I wasn't able to get a picture of it but near this part of the trail I had a bit of a fright. I have not seen any animals other than birds on the trail up until now. Nothing at all, no deer or anything. All the sudden I turned around and on the trail was this all black goat! It was probably a feral goat as it had big horns that reminded me of a Bovidae. Thankfully it wasn't as bit as Huge Harry the neighbor's goat!

 

 

After crossing the ridge I decided to try to head around the ridge along the road to get back to the car. It was a bit off the track and I actually had to cut through the back of a farm. But I was hoping it wouldn't take me too far out of the way.

 

 

I thought this was a really beautiful old tree and was trying to take a picture of it... and for some reason that really made this white goat here upset. He wouldn't leave me alone to get a good shot without him in it.

 

Black Sheep!!

 

 

But the walk back around had a nice view of the harbor.

 

If I were a wine drinker there was even a spot I could have stopped for refreshment along the way.

I was enjoying the walk, but there were times when I was worried I was going to be really late for riding that afternoon! Then I would spot something like this flower and it wasn't so bad again.

 

I was pretty happy to see the little yellow car! And from now on I will definitely check to see what the footing on the trail is before going!

Tiki Tours of Whangarei

The fun and games with the neighbors wasn't limited to just the horses. They really were great about inviting me out to lots of places with the family. In New Zealand they call small day tours Tiki Tours and I am quite the fan. This is sort of a mish mash of a few of those out and about tiki tours I've gotten to do around Whangarei.

First up, we checked out Whangarei Falls one afternoon and got to see some pretty cute ducks. I found the falls really beautiful and made plans to go back very soon. I liked that a person could walk across the small bridge right up at the top of the falls.

Close to the falls I was introduced to Mair Park which had an amazing trail in it for running. I had a possible second housesit in Whangarei that would have put me right along the trail. That would have helped my struggling running totals a lot! I did a lot of walking up north, but not much running really.

 

 

One night we grabbed fish and chips at Stumpy's Takeaways. This is the takeaway shop that they have grabbed fish and chips at for years. It is right along the way to their Bach up along the beach so they had a family tradition of driving up during the summer and grabbing fish and chips for tea on the way out. To define a couple things: tea is what they call dinner or supper here; a bach is a holiday home or cabin, and instead of getting something to go or having fastfood, they have takeaway. We took our fish and chips to a little park on the harbor and got to enjoy a nice sunset with tea.

 

 

 Farmer's Markets were very popular in the area and one Sunday we went up to the Kerikeri Market. I really wish that I had gotten some pictures there in the market. Their markets are really great, with flowers, live music, and wonderful coffee and baked goods. But while we were there we visited the little harbor area near the Stone Store.

They have a couple walking tracks nearby the old house and the old general type store. It was a really interesting old area of the town to visit.

 

We spent a morning walking along the mangrove walkway in the harbor of Whangarei and got to see a bright morning out on the water.

 

 

We also checked out Kiwi North one day. This was a little village right outside Whangarei that was restored and had a lot of interesting things to look at. It even had a restored miniature train that you could ride.

 

 

When I have visited the old houses here I am always shocked by how tall the ceilings are the doorway on the right is a full size door so the ceiling has to be at least 12 feet. The ceilings in the rooms were just as high. It struck me because they are so big and so grand for "pioneer" houses. At the same time, it reminds me in ways of Scout's Rest Ranch.

 

This was part of the medical museum.... super creepy!!

 

Sadly the bird recovery center was closed and we didn't end up going in to see the Kiwi's. I am hoping to see one while I am here.

They also had a little trail that we explored... because I am sure that this sign was just kidding. Nothing serious.

I couldn't help but try out a little natural swing that I spotted. I don't know that is how you are suppose to use those vines, but hey, it worked.

 

 

We caught the big new bridge up letting a boat out one day as we were driving around. Since then I have even spotted this bridge in a car commercial on TV.

The  harbor in downtown Whangarei had several cafe's, shops and art galleries to check out. With the boats in the harbor this area also had a wonderful backdrop.

 

I was impressed with all of the flags on this boat, I wanted to ask if the boat had docked in all of those countries.

 

And one of the things that the Kiwi's really know is chocolate! I got to go to the chocolate shop in the harbor and my parents recently got their care package that included some of the shop's fudge. For a chocolate lover there is just something magical about all the little chocolate lined up in the case.

 

As you can see, there really was always something to do! These were a few of the many things that have kept the blog quiet while I was up there!