Category: Travel

Come along as I take a short road trip or a longer holiday in New Zealand or around the world

Exploring the Hahei Coastline

A weekend on the Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand
Labour Weekend 2016

We decided to be tourist’s today and headed up the coast to Hahei – home of Cathedral Cove, Hot Water Beach and the Hahei Marine Reserve.

From Tirau it was a short drive of 20 minutes along a slightly windy road – we did make one stop on the way at the Colenso Café which was a recommendation from my friend Michelle.

Definitely worth a stop with good quality seasonal food, freshly made with ingredients from local growers; Colenso is one of the Coromandel Peninsula’s best known establishments with its shop, garden and mandarin orchard. Take a wander around the grounds and you will not only see that pigs do fly! But the fresh garnishes on the delicious food served comes from the café’s own gardens.

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Colenso Cafe

Hahei is known for the many fun activities you can do that are water-based like scenic adventure boats trips, sea kayaking, scuba diving and snorkelling. The beaches are just gorgeous with soft white sand and clear clean water – you could be forgiven for thinking you were on an island from some Hollywood movie scene!

We had picked up a brochure about the ‘Hahei Explorer’ at our rented holiday house – you can find more information on this at the website: Hahei Explorer

The tour is an hour-long and takes you along the volcanic coastline including the world-famous Cathedral Cove; having never done something like this before we decided it looked like fun! The ‘chief tester’ has missed his JetSki which was stolen a couple of summers ago and not replaced. This boat trip was a real treat for him and he only mentioned how great it would be to do this if he had his JetSki maybe 3 or 4 times?

Anyway we met the boat at the south end of Hahei Beach and boarded the flexi-haul vessel which could take up to 10 people. We were given life-jackets and introduced to the skipper as we climbed aboard. Today was our lucky day as there was just the two of us with the skipper!

Within minutes we came across a little blue penguin and were able to get quite close to it before we headed around the coast to Champagne Bay which was just stunning. We ventured through a sea cave underground into a huge rock cylinder 80 feet highorua-seacave – an amazing blowhole!

The skipper had a great knowledge of the local area and its history of Maori encampments and sacred burial grounds of the chiefs of the Iwi. He chatted throughout the trip pointing out areas of interest and explaining the volcanic nature of the coast.

Across the bay to Whale Cave and then to Cathedral Cove which despite it being week day was populated with holiday-makers taking in the beautiful scenery – some even swimming!

The trip took an hour and was just great. At different times of the year you would see whales and dolphins – today we took in schools of snapper swimming around the boat – tempting for any fisherman 🙂 Labour Weekend is the beginning of the summer weather and not as busy as later in the year; even so we did have to book ahead so if you are keen on a boat tour make sure you call up and book early.

The ‘chief tester’ and I headed back to Tairua a little windswept and slightly sun-kissed – and reflected on how fortunate we are to live in such a beautiful country.

Life Lesson from today? – take the time to visit your own backyard before heading off overseas – there is much to see and do in New Zealand!
Happy travels xx

Cathedral Cove.jpeg

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Bali – this time last year!

Bali – has it really been a year since we were there?

Facebook kindly reminded me of what I was doing this time last year – tripping off to Bali.

My eldest son and his partner decided after 11 years, 3 children, a mortgage and emigrating to Australia; it was time to tie the knot. Since they had always wanted to go to Bali themselves and were keen to ensure there ‘big day’ was memorable for everyone – to Bali we all travelled for their wedding.

The chief tester and I travelled from Auckland, our daughter and her husband from Wellington – and the best man flew in from Germany. And the bride & groom from Melbourne. It was going to be a small family wedding and we were all excited to be travelling to a place none of us had been too.

Bali is an Indonesian island known for its forested volcanic mountains, iconic rice paddies, beaches and coral reefs. The island is home to religious sites such as cliffside Uluwatu Temple. To the south, the beachside city of Kuta has lively bars, while Seminyak, Sanur and Nusa Dua are popular resort towns. The island is also known for its yoga and meditation retreats.

We had expected it to be hot and crowded – and it was! From the moment you leave the confines of the airport you are confronted with a humid 30°c – do yourself a favour and dress in cotton, and as little as is decent 🙂 The city was dry & dusty, crowded and noisey – so alive with activity.

Motorcycles the locals mode of transport
Power lines are everywhere!
No helmets necessary

We stayed in Seminyak because it was not too far from the wedding venue. There are absolutely dozens of options for accommodation; and a budget to suit most. The hotel cost us about $300.00 for 7-nights; it was spacious, air-conditioned and clean.

Bali Safari & Marine Park was a great adventure for the whole family. You want to get there in the morning and plan to spend most of the day there – there is lots to see and experience. We were impressed with the educational aspect of the park with a conservation & education show on the elephants; and the Animal Educational Show which is at 11am every day.

Water Park
Animal Show
Safari Journey vehicle
White tiger – through the glass viewing area
Up close to the local birdlife
The Chief Tester hamming up for the camera!
Even closer to the orang-utans..
Taylor trying her hand at some Balinese music

The Waterpark was great and the children had a ball splashing about & cooling off!

It is not until you get out into the countryside that you really see the lush green rice fields and this requires you to have transport. We used the same driver for most of the time; he was great with the children & like most of the drivers pretty negotiable! We did use Uber too; and like at home this was an especially cheap option.

Wherever we went in Bali we were impressed with the people; friendly, happy to interact and obliging.

Jonathan hanging out in the monkey forest
Monkey Forest
Taylor was keen to get close to the monkey’s!

Monkey Forest is a visit worth making – it was a lovely walk through the forest;  out of the heat & under the cover of the forest trees. From here we went to Uluwatu; an amazing temple built on the top of a cliff beside the Indian ocean. The guide ensures you arrive there ahead of sunset which is quite spectacular.

Fishermen heading out for the evening fish
Sunset…

I wish I could show you how beautiful it was; however I was recovering from a very nasty bout of ‘Bali belly’. It was not my finest moment to be taken to the emergency GP severely dehydrated & very nearly missing the main event of this trip; the wedding!

A day in Ubud is a must; it is a craft village and a centre for painting & wood carving as well as jewellery. The rice terrace and neighbouring villages were full of life and loads of tourists!

Local fabrics for sale
Ubud; rice terrace
Wood carving
Tegallalang – Ubud
Batik
Jewellery being crafted
Traditional woodcarving

If you are looking for a romantic evening activity; try Jimbaran for a BBQ Seafood dinner. The chief tester enjoyed choosing his squid from the live fish tank; and having it prepared for him; delivered to a table set on the beach. Still in recovery mode; I nibbled plain white rice 😦 and watched with food envy as he had a delicious meal!

Entrance to the restaurant
BBQ Corn on the Cob being cooked & sold on the beach
Lovely table setting
The beach was full of diners!

We spent a week in Bali; and if we venture there again would probably do the trip a little differently. We would head to Nusa & stay in a resort rather than in the middle of the city. The city life is great for the younger crowd; but for us a more relaxed holiday is wanted now.

Drink plenty of bottled water, dress in loosely fitting clothing, and take something from home for tummies – just in case! I certainly learnt a valuable lesson on this front.

Oh…and the main event? The reason we all travelled to Bali. It was just beautiful 🙂

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All of us!
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The happy couple!

Happy holidays xx

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Feeling housebound? Visit the Ponsonby Central Markets

Feeling a little house-bound? Need to get out and about for a change of environment? A quick trip to Ponsonby Central this afternoon where everything is under cover did the trick for us today – it was cosy warm with gas heaters firing, humming with people shopping   and stopping to eat at any number of interesting and delicious smelling eateries.

Ponsonby Central is situated at No 4 Brown Street in Ponsonby. It has a great range of places to eat including the popular ‘Burger Burger’, and ‘Fish Fish’. ‘El Sizzling Chorizo’ looked really appealing with the flames licking the Argentinian BBQ grill….crêpes, noodles, organic chicken, pizza and much more. We will definitely head back for a meal another time.

The produce market was well stocked with fresh vegetables, meats and fish ( and Buffalo Milk?). I picked up some Wagyu Meat Patties to make burgers with one night this week, and boned chicken legs stuffed with chorizo, ricotta and fresh herbs and wrapped in bacon…..mmmm. I will probably serve these with a confetti couscous and fresh salad? I’ll check out the pantry and see what’s there soon.

In amongst the great eateries are a selection of retail shops including a linen store, shoes, clothing and several pop-up shops which I guess change out. Get your man groomed at the Boar & Blade while you have a tarot reading if that is your thing!

I took some pics to share with you – worth a visit on an afternoon when you are at a loose end, or like us, just wanted to get out of the house on a wet day!

$5 Deli
Little Bread & Butter Cafe
Duck Tape Workshop
Bird on a Wire was there too
Warm & cosy
Love these lights too!
The sign says it all!
Organic bread filled with yummy ingredients! Bread & Butter Cafe
Fresh Organic Veg Store
Tokyo Club
Entrance way painting
Fish Fish
$5 Deli – super nice guy making sardines
$120 per kilo!
Waiting for you!
Inside the market
Love this idea for light shades
Inside the market
Within the market place
Tokyo Club
Another yummy eatery
Fabulous idea for light shades1
Love the preserves on the top shelf!
Inside the market
Burger Burger
Argentinian BBQ
Boar & Blade
Fun looking place to eat noodles

Happy Sunday Driving…next week! xx

 

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Dinner in Rotorua :)

We headed to Rotorua this past weekend to meet my daughter and her husband for dinner! Yes, that’s right…for dinner 🙂 My daughter is a Theatre Nurse living and working in Wellington. We agreed that this year we would see each other more regularly – time slips by so quickly doesn’t it?

Hubby and I left Auckland later than we intended (animals to get sorted) and enjoyed a lovely drive with the roof down on my little car, and the radio up loud!IMG_0893 We stopped in Tirau for a quick pit stop (boy this place has sure developed withholds of places to eat and shop at), and then at Mamaku Blue for a freshly made blueberry ice-cream. What a treat that was! It is about 2kms off the main road into Rotorua so watch out for it…worth a stop 🙂
We drove around the North End of Lake Rotorua to reach our destination of VR Rotorua , Mourea. (We got a great deal through an online booking site.) Situated on the waters edge of Lake Rotiti, we had a room with a lake view and the most comfy bed ever!

My daughter and her husband arrived from Wellington about the same time as us – their drive about 5 ½ hours. We caught up on all the news and then headed into the city to find a restaurant for dinner. Getting consensus can be tricky when you all have different tastes until we came across the new Eat Street, I have attached the link http://www.rotoruanz.com/eatstreat/

All weather, outdoor, alfresco dining – so many places to eat to choose from. I recommend if in Rotorua you check this place out! We opted for CBK Merchant and Pro where they said they were famous for their stone grilled steak! The meal did not disappoint, nor do the service which was super attentive without being annoying if you know what I mean?

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On Sunday we played tourist  with a visit to the a Rotorua Museum. The museum is housed in a building with a romantic past. The Bath House building was opened in 1908 & designed along the lines of European spas of the time. We enjoyed the visit with it’s history lessons, galleries and view from the roof over Government Gardens. It was $20 for an adult but that did you give the opportunity to come back any time over the weekend. And when you see what has been restored with the entry fee it seemed worth it. IMG_0896

Rotorua has loads of activities to do and things to see. Gondola rides, luging down the mountain, wildlife parks, thermal hot pools and lots more. We haven’t been for years to be honest – and it was chosen for our dinner catch-up because of the easy distance for both of us to travel. If you are looking for a weekend retreat, then Rotorua is a great destination.

For my daughter and I the opportunity to get together and chat face-to-face instead of on the phone 🙂 was great. We are planning our next weekend already with husband’s in tow – but are aiming for a girls only day in Wellington first. Let’s face it there are some activities husbands are not keen on that we girl’s enjoy…and the shops are great in Wellington!

Til next time

xx

 

 

 

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