Monday 25 March 2019

Packing

Washing done and drying and ironing as well. Ironed clothes fit better into a small place when packing. Thinking of weight allowances and making decisions.
Weeding out clothes that are worn out or that we can just do without. Placing some items in a box to stay in the campercar as it will be kept for our return, apparently....
Pirate has gone for a short ride to loosen his legs as the bike goes back to Bombay tomorrow. We decided that the new Kamo path would be ideal to avoid traffic, so he is trying out the section from Kensington to Whangarei centre and back.

Unfortunately we've missed my potter friend from Street again...so near, he was only at Matapōuri..never mind, he only lives twenty minutes drive from my brother...which is about 500 miles from our home in Scotland!!
I agree totally with what he said in his last message to us.. Aotearoa..the only place I feel homesick for when I get home.

I am not looking forward to the leaving or the journey.
We are looking forward to meeting Kamo Lady, even if we have missed Amy and Raewyn and my cousin near Taupo Bay.

Sunday 24 March 2019

Dargaville




















Tour of the Northland...second half



Starting from Opononi on Saturday, on the way to Dargaville

Not Tane Mahuta, the tallest Kauri..but still impressive.



 Not sure what this bird is but it looked like a small stork..as on the two dollar coin?
 Masseurs and the queue!
Dargaville HQ..the Boat Club

The last day was very foggy so I followed the main road instead of causing more traffic problems to the race..they turned up Tangowhahine valley and down the Mangakahia to Maungatapere before the finish time being taken at Maunu before finishing at Whangarei.


A very happy and relieved Pirate..and he was presented with a bottle of bubbly and a cycling top for being the first..and only..80+....but at least he was in the top 4 of the 70+, out of about 9 starters.