Tawharanui
Our accommodation is several km's out along the road to Tawharanui. This is more remote than usual, but still actually a fairly short drive back to Matakana or Point Wells. It is part of the owner's house, a wing which they can rent out providing a 2 bedroom unit. The drive up is very steep and delivered us to the house on top of a hill, with a great view out to the southeast back down the coast toward Sandspit and Whangaparoa.
 |
| A great view off the front lawn. |
 |
| A quiet day at the beach. Tawharanui. |
 |
| My vantage point over Tawharanui Beach. |
 |
| We encountered these kauri die-back prevention gates on several tracks this year. |
 |
| On the "Ecology Walk". Some of us saw saddlebacks! |
 |
| Picnic at Tawharanui Beach. Last time we came this area was packed! |
 |
| On the track around Leigh Harbour. |
 |
| Lisa and Adam catch a wave at Omaha Beach. |
Taupo
The last phase of this trip is a stay in Taupo with friends Steven and Jayne. They got us off the couch and onto bikes, something we have not done for a long time. There is a popular path running several kilometers along the side of the lake from the town south to Five Mile Bay. We exercised a few unfamiliar muscles.
 |
| On our bikes, posing with Mount Ruapehu in the (vague) distance. |
We've have had beautiful weather here all week, and finish each afternoon with a swim in the Lake across the road to cool off.
