Maraehako Bay to Tauranga

Ended up spending three nights in paradise and swam in the bay every day. Went out with the hostel owner for a bit yesterday. He insisted that I sample the local oysters which I did; they were taken out of an adjacent bay just a couple of hours before we ate them, together with a mega bag of chips!! They were huge! Don't let anyone tell you to swallow oysters whole. Give them a good chew! Fabulous! Left today still following the Pacific Highway north. Very good drive in places. Stopped off in Opotiki and Whakatani, finishing the day in Tauranga. Never seen so much traffic on the roads! Going away for the Easter weekend is really big over here, as Easter signals the end of the holiday season for Kiwis. And what do you know. The clocks change over here too. Sunday night I believe. Back to a thirteen hour time difference again. Will only stay here tonight. Probably spend the morning looking round and drive the afternoon. Still not a mountain to speak of in sight!
Some pictures from the journey attached.
Much love,
Glen x

A little bit of paradise!

Hope the pictures do it justice!

Views from the Cape

The drive to the cape

Looking across Hicks Bay from Te Araroa

Tokomarua Bay

Gisborne to the East Cape

Left Gisborne (and Hawke Bay) as planned yesterday and headed for the East Cape, stopping off at Tolaga and Tokomarua bays along the way. Very beautiful, as was the drive when the coast road actually engaged with the sea! A lovely day with a mixture of sunshine and cloud but probalbly up around twenty degrees. Again mostly farming with some fruit growing but not with the intensity of Napier and Gisborne. Reached Te Araroa mid afternoon and drove the 20 kilometres of unmade coast road to the base of the cape. If I'm honest I was a little disappointed with it; also with the views from the lighthouse. Anyway, this part of the country is not held in the highest esteem by tourists and consequently it's relatively tourist free! Also good to be staying at a hostel run by a Maouri family. In fact, from Napier to here-a place called Maraehako Bay about 50k on from the cape-and for the first time in my experience, I would say that the Maouri far outnumber the white population.
Now, what a little gem is Maraehako Bay. It really is a little bit of  paradise. Was just going to stay the night but having got here immediately booked another, and may even stay longer. Swam across the bay this morning for a bit of exercise. Absolutely bloody feezing. But so regenerative!!!
No wifi so not sure when this will be sent. Some time soon!
Couple of shots of Tolaga Bay attached.
Glen x