People I Meet On The Road... No 3... The Couple From Oz...

This is Doreen and Bill...
I met them about three weeks ago
when I was parked at Tokerau Beach.
I was walking round to Coca Cola Lake to fill
some water bottles and stopped to talk to Doreen.
We chatted away until we both got too hot
to stand out in the sun any longer.
Doreen told me they live in Australia
and have a big house bus that they holiday in.
They also keep a small motor home here in
New Zealand. They come and visit their
family here once or twice a year
and when doing that take the opportunity
to escape into the fantastic New Zealand
wilderness and beaches.

I met up with them again at Rangiputa.
They had been exploring all the Karikari Peninsular
before driving down the hill to shelter from the easterly wind.
We spent some more time chatting...
Is it Ozzies or Kiwis that talk the most!
Anyway, I happened to mention that my grandson,
his wife and triplet daughters
- my great grand-daughters - live not far from the Gold Coast.
I couldn't remember the name of the suburb but asked where she
and Bill live... Well would you believe...
The live in the same suburb, just round the corner.
So an invitation to visit them...
And offers of sightseeing came my way.
I'm planning a trip early June for the girls 3rd birthday...
So Gold Coast... Here I come.
Do you believe in coincidences... Or God or the universe provides.
The people I meet on the road... And my friends ask me if I get lonely!

Rangiputa... Tucked Out Of The Wind

The easterly wind blew up so it was time to
move from Tokerau Beach on Doubtless Bay.
The sand was flying and no fishing till
the next wind change... Sometime next week.

 
So I relocated to Rangiputa.
It's just across the other side of the same, Karikari Peninsula.
But it faces west, near the mouth of the Rangaunu Harbour.

There is a DoC area for freedom camping right on the point.
Every direction there is a beautiful beach.

Lots of rocks, so not so good for fishing from the shore.

This is the view out my door where I am parked.
This is the best part of the beach for swimming.


Across the other side of the harbour is
East Beach, accessed through Kaimaumau,
off SH 1.


The hill in the distance is Mt Camel.
It's at the head of Houhora Harbour.


There have been beautiful sunsets...


 
Each night so different.


I was given 3 large fish heads and frames to smoke...
This one is sitting on my oven tray to give you some idea of size.
They were caught from a boat out in the channel.


Being smoked...
Needless to say they were delicious for dinner...
I made fish cakes served with spicy plum sauce and salad.