Waipu Cove

Yesterday started badly. We got to the parking lot and tried to pay for our night stay but that wasn't one of the options we were given. We paid for half an hour to get the car out. When we got to our car though, there was a parking ticket under the windscreen wiper. Fine of sixty five dollars. I just lost it. I crumpled into a little tearful heap.

Brian loaded our stuff while I sat in the car in a parking across the road from the backpackers.Then we headed north, our of Auckland.Auckland from the bus

When we saw that the State Highway no 1 was a toll road, we decided to take an alternate route. This turned out to be very peaceful and picturesque.  We stopped at a strawberry farm for an ice cream.

The road was convoluted and steep and the views were breathtaking.

At one point we saw a very interesting construction. If anybody knows what it is, please let me know.

We bought some really good pies for lunch at a small town and arrived at Camp Waipu Cove at about two in the afternoon.

We had borrowed a tent from our son and daughter in law who bought it second hand on Trade me and we had no idea what to expect. I was thinking a small, easy to put up tent, preferably a pop up one that almost puts itself up. As we unfolded it, it got bigger and bigger.  It turns out to be a beautiful tent, tall enough to stand in and with a veranda area in front big enough to put two camping chairs with people sitting in them. It wasn't very difficult to put up either, three connecting poles threaded through sleeves and a fly sheet.

We are going to be very comfortable in our tent. We had borrowed a pump powered by a car battery and our mattress was up in no time.

Camping sites in New Zealand are amazing.  Not far from our site is an ablution block cum dining area cum kitchen.

The ablution and laundry area is colourfully painted with birds, fish and other sea animals of the area, mostly labeled. If the collection of them is restricted, that is also mentioned.

There is a spacious, clean kitchen for everybody to use, including a fridge and freezer.

There are three cooking tops as well as an oven, two microwaves, two four slice toasters, a kettle as well as a hot water boiler.

The weather continued to be up and down, raining one minute and sun shine the next. Once we had stowed our food and sorted ourselves we went to look at the beach.

We have got used to see little islands dotted about in the sea. What impressed me about the beach was the quality and quantity of the shells.
There were cockle shells still hinged together...

and scallops as well as many intact shells of other types. Two little girls I know would have loved it!

The weather continued to be unstable and looked very threatening as we returned from the beach.

After some serious rain, we were rewarded with a rainbow. I hope the promise applies to us.

The days are very long here, the sun only setting about nine in the evening.

Weather today was a little more sun and less rain and we managed to go to the main beach where the toilets are also beautifully decorated, this time with scenes from Waipu's history.

We are enjoying our time here, relaxing at the sea, enjoying our lovely tent and the excellent facilities. tomorrow we plan to go into town, explore, perhaps visit the museum and relax some more.