Merry Christmas from Waihau

I was woken early - 5.30am - by the sounds of voices close to my van and a motor.  Then the motor stopped, the voices receded to elsewhere and I dropped back to sleep again.  Until another set of voices and another motor woke me a couple of hours later.  It seems there's a lot of competition to get prime sites at the camping spot where I had stopped (Turihaua) before the masses arrive later in the day.  I got up thinking I'd squeeze breakfast in before heading away.  No such luck.  Once my curtains were open there was a knock at my door and a very polite man asked if I was staying and if not, would it be OK if he squeezed his caravan between me and the beach.  No worries - I was heading along the coast.  The beautiful vista of beach and bay I had when I went to bed last night though was now a squeezed glimpse between 2 caravans just a few metres apart.  I didn't mind really - these folks have been coming to this spot for years and once they've set up camp many will be staying put for 2 to 3 weeks. I was happy to have enjoyed some time there.

I drove up the road no more than 2kms for breakfast to another place where people had set up camp.  In fact, it was so gorgeous I stopped there into the afternoon just reading, taking a few pictures, pondering.......simply enjoying the freedom to choose.

When I did eventually get moving I headed towards Tolaga Bay.  Along the way I stopped off at a wee settlement called Whangara where "Whale Rider" was filmed.  Wow!  Small!  Oddly enough I couldn't find a way down on to the beach (except through the Marae which I didn't think it would be appropriate to cut through) so didn't get to stand on the beach and call for Pikea.  This shot is a view on the drive in to Whangara.

Back when I first arrived in NZ I hitch-hiked around the East Coast and stayed in either Tolaga Bay or Tokomaru Bay.  I don't recall which one so wanted to have a look around and see if I recognised anything.  Nothing leaped out although one or two glimpses did have an air of familiarity.  I shall have a look around Tokomaru Bay tomorrow.  I also took a walk along the Tolaga Bay wharf - the longest concrete wharf in New Zealand.  Whilst it has (relatively) recently had major renovation work to stop it falling to pieces there are still parts where some of the concrete is crumbling and the steel reinforcement is rusting away.  It is nevertheless an impressive long walk well out into the bay!

Tonight's chosen beach is Kaiaua just north of Tolaga Bay.  More campers, more beautiful beach, more vast open ocean and more feelings of utter contentment.  A very Merry Christmas indeed.  Hope yours is too :)