Mount Maunganui

We were not sorry to leave a soggy Awakeri, and our next stop was to be the Mt Maunganui Holiday Park, right at the base of the Mount. Gary had booked us prime spots, and the camp was absolutely beautiful and the facilities pristine. Nothing could beat the view from our front window.

It was wonderful to see all the people out there being active, and we particularly enjoyed watching the juniors learning to be surf life savers. Bruce and I went for a walk around the Mt but that did not last long as the rain came down and we had left the hatches open on the motorhome so we had to scurry back, getting quite wet in the process. It cleared up later in the day so we tried again with a walk to and around Leisure Island. We weren’t used to walking over soft sand so it gave our legs a workout, but well worth it. The island itself (although it is not really an island anymore) was rugged and beautiful, and we were treated to the music from a lone trumpeter who had gone up there to practice.

The next day was Dianne’s birthday so she got to choose what we did for the day. On the agenda was a brunch at a local cafe, and then off to do some shopping. We got back in time for Bruce and I to try again to walk around the mount, more successfully this time. It was a pleasant walk, and very popular with the locals so a bit difficult at times to keep our distance. The rocky pools and the sandy beach leading out to the statue of Tangaroa (the Maori God of the Sea) made it a pleasant and picturesque walk.

Dianne and Gary headed out to their romantic birthday dinner, while Bruce and I headed out to Aunty Lesley and Uncle Peter’s for a dinner there. Also joining us were my cousin Anne and husband Chippie. Cousin Janey also came by for a while so it was a lovely family time.

That theme was continued with a visit by our niece Jessica and her daughter Izzy (my great neice) the next afternoon.

That was a lovely catch up. The rest of our time in Tauranga was relaxation, with a bit of shopping thrown in, and all too soon our three days were up. It was sad to part ways with Dianne and Gary who were staying on for one more day, while we were headed for Thames and beyond.