Mount Maunganui 28/1/10

Decided to go to the beach today at Mount Maunganui on the east coast. It took a while to get there over very flat country. We could see a mountain range in the distance for quite a long time before we got there. As we approached we could see the clouds hanging half way up the slopes, we hadn't realised we were going straight over the top. The road suddenly rises over a spectacular mountain pass, very steep and winding, with amazing views into steep sided forested valleys. Near the top before the road turns left to reach the summit there is a view point. We, of course, didn't see it until we had driven past. So we had to be content with oo-ing and wow-ing and got no photographs.

The beach was marvellous with the softest silkiest sand I had ever walked on. We walked in the water, beach combing for fancy shells, took a couple of photos and generally played about for a couple of hours.The surf was pretty good, not too high but with a good long travel. I wish we'd put our cozzies on 'cos the water was nice. Not too warm but with the air temperature high it was refreshing.





Eventually we came off the beach and walked into town. I was starting to feel ill. By the time we had sat down with a coffee on the main street it was obvious I was coming down wit a cold. Took a paracetamol, then we had a look at the shops up and down the high street. Mum bought a lovely dress and a T-shirt and the lady in the shop gave her a $40 discount. We wandered up and down and back to the car to get our picnic. The sandwiches were still fairly cool even tho' the temperature in the car was really high. Sat at a picnic table under a Norfolk Pine by the sand dunes and ate our lunch with help from the local sparrow population. (Sparrows were introduced here from Great Britain in the late 1800s).