Friday 12th December 2008- There are lots of things in the sea.

An early start, Noel got up at 0600 to be ready in time for Gary to meet him. Jennifer decided to have an early morning sort and cleaned the floors.
We left Taipa boat ramp around 0655 and headed out into the bay. There was another boat that sort of joined up with us they were two guys that Gary knows who were staying almost next door to the boat ramp.
We started fishing around 0715 and it was pretty quiet for most of the first couple of hours, Noel caught a 10 pound Red Snapper but most of the others were too small to keep. We moved position a couple more times and eventually found a location, using the fish finder, where we had far more success. Gary caught about five or six fish and Noel about eight and so with the icebox full and also the bait bucket full of fish we headed back to Taipa at around 12.30 pm. When catching the larger fish it can be a little tiring lifting and winding, lifting and winding etc. but very good fun.
On the way out and in to the bay we were joined by a pod of dolphins, I tried taking a picture but as I only has my little Casio digital the pictures are not very clear. On a couple of occasions cormorants sat by the boat waiting for you to drop the line with bait and hook
and try to go after it and so we had to shoe them away for their own safety.
A very quiet afternoon was had by all and in the early evening we delivered some fish to

Gary Holding the fish
our friends Robin and Lorraine,and then headed of to Valda’s to meet Gary & Jean before heading off to the yacht club for dinner. Earlier in the day we had noticed that the Police had arrived in Taipa with their booze testing van and so Jennifer said she would drive, just in case we got caught.
We had a nice Burger and chips followed by Christmas pudding and were looking out over Mill Bay when the Coastguard pulled in and went to the jetty where a few minutes later a black hearse turned up. A few minutes more and a body bag was handed over to the attendants who took the deceased away. Looks like some family will have a poor Christmas.
Discussions in club ranged from, who was the person in the hearse? to travel in Latin America and living in Kerikeri which apparently has the highest cancer rate in New Zealand. Ironically they say it’s most likely due to all the chemicals they put on the Orchards. So if you want fresh fruit and vegetables and don’t mind getting cancer, here is an ideal place to live.
There is also a thriving green economy in
Mangonui, so I will cut your grass if you can mend my window. Or I can give you some of the fish I caught in exchange for some of your fresh garden vegetables. It’s a good idea and a very strong process being used here.


Mill Bay view from the Clubhouse
On the way home we expected to see the Police lined up in Cable Bay with their meters but no such luck.
Just before going to bed had a look at the BBC news and noted that the pound is almost the same value as the exican Peso. What does young Gordon and his mate Alice think they are playing at??
Perhaps we should stay here rather than come home?

Thursday 11th December 2008- A trip down to Whangarei

We thought we would head South today to Whangarei ‘pronounced Fangerie’. The WH is always silent and replaced with a letter F, it’s a little confusing but the locals understand.

The road South takes your past Kerikeri and then through ‘Train Town’ Kawakawa. It’s called train town as the train drives down the middle of the main road and holds up the traffic as you proceed, as we discovered whilst we were going through.

It’s an interesting little town and the same place where the world famous toilets are that we photographed earlier on in our trip up here. The public toilet block was created by Friedrich Hundertwasser, a painter, architect, ecologist and philosopher who lived here.

Whangarei is quite a large town if you include all the new out of town shopping malls etc. The main town itself is quite old but it is not an attractive town, the river that flows through it was low as the tide was out and did not look as nice as it could. We left the main town and headed off to the ‘Heads’ which is about a forty minute drive along the coast through small villages and the usual mixture of sheep and cows and the occasional Llamas. We stopped near the end of the road at a little café for lunch which overlooked the bay, it was most enjoyable and a shame that the sun had gone in. There was also a sign pointing you in the direction of a lookout where you can see the petrol refining plant, we decided that we would give that a miss.

The journey back was uneventful and we stopped in Kerikeri for some shopping and also visited a large camping shop and looked at equipment. They did not take kindly to my suggestion that as it was Christmas that a 20% sale reduction would be in order. No humour these people.

We arrived back and shortly afterwards Noel received a call from Gary, “Hi mate, fancy some fishing tomorrow morning??” “Yes please” Noel said. “It’s an early start so say I pick you up just before seven am. Ok?” Gosh that’s the earliest morning for months.

We tested a bottle of the Corbans White Label Cabernet Merlot that we had bought cheap at PackNSave for $5.99 (around £ 2.30) and we both agreed it was very good indeed. In fact it is the same wine that Noel’s barber recommended earlier in the week. Must remember to get some more. The bottle says Corbans New Zealand Winemakers since 1902, in small print on the bottle is says, Wine of Australia. A wine of mixed parentage no doubt.

Wednesday 10th December 2008- The diary is almost full.

The man from the car glass company arrived early and confirmed that a new screen was needed. It appears that the crack is only a couple of inches long but it still needs to be replaced. Peter the builder was due today at 0830 and like most builders, who do not understand the meaning of timing, he arrived a little late at about 1400 hrs. I know that we need not have waited in but it’s always good to watch the shortcuts.
Jennifer went for a haircut in the morning in Mangonui and Noel went with Robin and took the two dogs for a long walk on the beach which was good exercise for the dogs and also for Noel.
A very pleasant day indeed was had by all.

Monday and Tuesday 9/10 December 2008- A bit of everything

I am being a bit lazy by combining two days, but we did not do much on Monday except a normal walk and then watch more football on TV. There was quite a heavy rainstorm overnight on Sunday which left nice weather for Monday for our usual 4 km walk.

The car, Brian’s Toyota Previa MPV, has been booked in for its WOF, the UK equivalent of an MOT. So we departed for Kaitaia and left the car at the garage while Noel had his haircut, we also looked in the camping shop to check on some prices.

We had lunch in a little Café with Robin who had accompanied us, Noel had a toasted cheese and ham sandwich which he said was the best he’d had for some years and we shared a plate of what they call ‘wedges’. When Dominos deliver wedges it is usual to have a small amount and they leave you to decide the sauce you want but here, it was covered with sweet chilli sauce with sour cream. Sounds horrible but it tasted really great but rather fattening and there was more than enough for the two of us. Robin had the Nacho’s which we also tried and were very good.

The car failed the WOF due to a very small crack in the windscreen and so now we have to chase up the AA insurance to get this sorted so that we can re do the WOF prior to it expiring in a couple of weeks time.

The school term is coming to an end and next Tuesday all the schools break up for their annual summer holiday. As a result the last week at school is all about activities. We have seen the older kids out in canoes and also dinghy sailing which is quite amusing to watch from our balcony. Some of the kids are quite good whilst others are better at going backwards then the preferred route.

A latish night watching another episode of ‘Life on Mars’’ but we have to be up early on Wednesday as the builder is coming tomorrow morning at 0830 he says, lets see?, and the car glass people coming to check if the glass can be repaired or needs to be changed.

So it looks like another exhausting day tomorrow in the sun.

Sunday 7th December 2008- The day is bright and sunny

A little late up this morning and so had a great bacon sandwich for breakfast.

Our usual morning walk along the beach and noticed that the Pohutakawa trees are beginning to show their glorious red flowers, it should be a great sight once they all flower.

It was really busy on the beachfront today with at least twelve cars parked along the one and half mile beachfront. Children were swimming in the sea and in the afternoon the sailing boats were out.

The Pohutakaw Tree in front of the School

Noel watched the Bolton-Chelsea game and it was really a walk over with Chelsea back to their great style of play.

It seems strange watching the football where you see all the spectators all dressed up against the cold and rain when we are sitting here in shorts and t-shirt.

Basically we had decided to have an easy day (again) but we are now considering to start getting out and about a bit more as the weather has significantly improved and we need sunscreen when going out.

Dillon from next door arrived with a plate full of fresh snapper which he had just caught and although we have plenty in the freezer we have decided to accept rather than disappoint him. We will have this on Monday night.

The lamb leg which we bought in Coopers Beach was excellent and after dinner we watched a film about the Iguazu Falls where our hosts Brian and Sheila have just been and said was a truly amazing sight.

David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy team were in Auckland playing an Oceania side and they beat them 3.0. The stadium was half empty and this was even after Wednesday when they announced a 2 for 1 ticket sale. There appears to be a lot of people coming to NZ over the next few months. “Top Gear Live” is on in February, as are ‘The Who’, Billy Connolly and Neil Young to mention just a few. We might go to the Billy Connolly event but it must tie up with our travel schedule when coming back from

the South island to the North Island on the way back to Taipa.

We haven’t booked yet but will need to make the decision soon.

This bus was parked opposite us and we liked its name

Saturday 6th December 2008- This weather is nice

We awoke to a blue sky and the sun shining over the bay. Just beautiful.

We did our long walk along the beach in the morning and had a cup of tea at the Taipa Beach Resort and whilst sitting there remembered at the last moment, that the butchers close at 1pm on Saturday, and so had to rush down to Coopers Beach for a little shopping before a quick cheese and biscuits lunch.

In the afternoon, Steve and Mary, friends of Brian and Sheila, came over for afternoon tea along with Carol a friend who is staying with them. Steve is the Technology teacher at Taipa School. It takes him five minutes to cycle to school compared to when he lived in Saddleworth, near Bury, Lancashire, much, much longer and by car. Steve suddenly decided that he had had enough of the UK weather and everything and took a chance five years ago and took a job here. He has not looked back since and as he is the outdoor type and now has his own sailing boat and canoe he is active all the time. Last week they took a group of kids snorkelling, can’t easily do this in Manchester.

Which reminds me that one of the supermarkets here sells their cotton wear as ‘Manchester’ which is the historic name for cottons when Manchester used to be the centre of this industry. I suggested that they change the name to ‘United’ as that is better known.

The sailing boats were also out yesterday and those on a training course were towed out into the bay where they could sail to their hearts content.

The house next to us is used as a rental property. A week ago we had a large group of Chinese who were a little noisy, shades of Hong Kong. And this week a family with Track motor bikes who lead some form of training and so in the morning we awoke on a couple of days to a motor cycle alarm call. We think they have left now.

When writing this on Sunday, have noticed that Chelsea won at Bolton, sorry Jen, and they are chasing Liverpool who are bound to slip up soon. Let’s hope the games are on TV this afternoon.

Friday 5th December- A relaxing day

Omitted from yesterdays Blog was the fact that Jennifer had to spend about one hour cleaning and preparing all the fish caught by Noel yesterday and get it ready for freezing. The net catch weight of all the fish is about 6 or 7 kilos, and so it should last us a little while or until Noel goes fishing again.
In the morning we cleaned the rods and also the ‘eskey cooler’ and then returned the box to Gary. We then visited Valda and gave her some of the fish. The rain had arrived back and we had a few sharp showers during the day.
The afternoon arrived and Robin and Lorraine came for afternoon tea and biscuits and of course some carrot cake. We did not have fish for dinner tonight as we had bought some pork shoulder chops earlier in the week from our excellent butcher and they needed to be eaten.
The rest of the day was really spent just ‘hangin out’ and very pleasant indeed whilst Noel was feeling the aches from his fishing experience.
While watching TV in the evenings there are many advertisements for Christmas. There are of course the usual products such as Lingerie, perfumes etc but what is interesting here are the adverts for Garden furniture, BBQ’s, lawnmowers and kids pools. These products reflect that the Christmas period here is an outdoor time as it is mid summer and the schools are closed for the summer holidays, two celerations in one. Takes some getting used to.
NZ has not so far been affected by the global credit crunch as much as the rest of the world. The markets have fallen and the NZ$ is not performing too well but there is little sign of increasing unemployment as is the case in most of the western world currently.

Thursday 4th December 2008- Guess what Noel did this afternoon

A visit to the Physiotherapist Genna was the plan this morning and it was a quick visit as she is pleased with my progress and I was effectively discharged. Just keep up the exercises and activity, she instructed.

So I was reading a book in mid afternoon and the phone rang, it was Gary, to say that he had not gone fishing this morning but was considering to go this afternoon and would I be interested?. "Oh yes" I cried.

We met at the Taipa landing stage and put Gary's 17 foot aluminium fishing boat, with a huge outboard on it, into the water and headed off out. A quick stop to fish for bait which in itself was an interesting experience as he put in a rod with four hooks and lures, shook it a couple of times, and pulled up four fish about 8 inches long. He did this a few times and this was the fish bait for the day.

This catch which we are going to use as bait would have normally delighted me but more was to come.

Gary has a handheld GPS unit which he uses to not only track where we are travelling but also mark on it places where fish are normally available.

Gary said I would know when a big fish bites, as never having caught anything more than a 7/8 inch fish in my life, It was useful information. I got a couple of bites and pulled up a couple of small red snapper which he immediately returned to the water as being too small (there is a strick rule about which size of fish you can keep and those that have to be released) and I was nearly in tears having been delighted with this catch. Wait he said until they swallow the bait and start running away with it and then you will know you have a big fish. Of course he was right and we spent the next two hours catching some great fish. Apart from several large Red Snapper, I caught a Gurnard and also several other fish with names that I cannot remember. I also lost two big fish as they took the hooks and weights and so I will have to replace some of Brian's loaned equipment.

Gary caught a Barracuda which did not please him as they are dangerous fish and not so good to eat.

We got back to Taipa around 8.30 and home about 9pm. Jennifer was very impressed with the amount of fresh fish we had.

You should have seen the look on Noel's face when he got home. Talk about the cat who got the cream! He was like a young lad grinning from ear to ear, he will be talking about it for months to come or until he catches some even bigger fish. While he was out fishing I went for a long walk along the beach watched the birds and then went home to get tea ready for when Noel got home. Noel was quite tired when he got back but he had had a great time.

We watched TV for a while and went to bed to dream about the next Big One.

Wednesday 3rd December- A visit to Cape Reinga

Cape Reinga is the most northern point of New Zealand and about 120 kilometres away from where we are staying here in Taipa.

We awoke early, thanks to Noel not reading his watch correctly, and we set off at about 0830 via Awanui, where we bought some petrol, before heading up State Route 1.

The road runs through hills and dales and sometimes close to the sea but mostly in the middle of the country. There is quite a lot of livestock up here as there is ample space for grazing and few houses. Kaitaia is the last large town before heading north.

The main road goes through Houhora , a sleepy little village and then on via Waitiki Landing, which the map says has fuel and food, but more of that later.

We had decided that we would go straight to the Cape without stopping and do all the sightseeing on the way back. The idea behind this would be to get to the Cape before the Tour buses arrived.

We arrived around 1045 after a slow drive admiring the countryside and also looking for places we wished to visit on our return journey. The last twenty kilometres of road to the Cape is un-metalled road which is now being surfaced and also at the Cape they are building a new car park, information centre but they have just opened the new toilets.

We left the car in the car park and wandered down the path to the lighthouse. By looking left you could see where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean by the slight colour variation and it looked like a blue line had been drawn. We took some photos around this area and also looking down on to the end of ninety mile beach (still not sure why they call it this as its only 90 kilometres long). You can get most of the way by coach or 4x4 on the sand and then just before you get to the cape you travel up a stream bed back to the main roads. (Actually it was not the end of Ninety Mile Beach that we could see but Te Werahi Beach but never mind)

On the rocks below Cape Reinga there is an 800year old Pohutakawa tree which is regarded as the “Place of departing spirits” in Maori legend.

We met some guys who recommended that we also visited Spirits Bay which they said was well worth the visit. So we left the Cape and headed south. We have now been to the most northern, southern and eastern places in New Zealand and sometime will do the most Western.

Spirits Bay is about 15 kilometres of un-metalled road with virtually no traffic, not a good place to break down as hardly anybody passes on this road and no mobile signal is available. There is a lovely Conservation Camp site right at the bay and there were a few people there plus some others fishing and surfing. The site has a basic loo and shower and nothing else and the nearest shop is about 90 minutes away. If you want lonesome, then this could be the place.

By this time we were getting hungry as it was about 1.45 pm and so we headed back to Waitiki Landing for some lunch. The petrol station has this large sign saying last petrol station before Cape Reinga but in smaller print on the dispensers, No fuel. Good petrol station we thought.

In the café Jennifer placed the order as I went to the joint use loo and as I sled the door back to enter there was this plaintiff cry of ‘don’t come in’. The door had no lock.

We waited about 30 minutes and still no food and so we chased up the lady who said she was all by herself and it would take time. So we left. There was however a guy collecting dishes and once done he vanished and another lady who sat in the kitchen doing nothing. What a place, and it seemed dirty. I see now why people take a picnic.

We stopped off at Houhora Heads but there was not much going on there and then headed back to Awanui for an ice cream before arriving home at around 5.30 pm. Noel cooked the steaks and together with salad and a glass or two of wine made for a pleasant day.

Noel received a call inviting him to go fishing early on Thursday morning but he could not go, which is most unfortunate, as he is due back at the physiotherapist at 1030 and it’s really not fair to cancel at this late stage. Hopefully there will be another opportunity soon.

Tuesday 2nd December- Don’t you know there’s a 13 hour time difference?

At about 0400 hrs this morning, whilst we were in deep sleep and counting cows, the phone rang. “Is Diana there?” “Sorry who’s calling” I said, “this is a New Zealand number.” “Yes I know she said is Brian there?” I said no he is away for a while. How can I contact him she said by mobile phone or email, I replied by email as Brian’s mobile phone does not work in South America. By the way you do realise it is 0400 hrs in the morning here with a 13 hour time difference to the UK, and who is calling? No answer and the phone went dead.
A really great way to start the day.
We spoke to our daughter Joanne this morning. We are still waiting for Furniture Village to advise re our replacement sofas. Having waited twelve weeks, they arrive and the larger of the two is not right. It then takes another three and half weeks to get someone to call and look at the offending piece. Oh yes they said, this is not right. That we knew as that is why we called them to come and see. Let’s hope they resolve it quickly before they too go in to liquidation.
We did our shopping in Kaitaia and then headed back to Mangonui for lunch in the Waterside Café followed by a cup of coffee with Lorraine at the house before sliding home to look for the house plans which the estate agent needs for the valuers.
The sun was shining for most of the day and with a temperature around 22 degrees it was a very pleasant way of spending a day not really doing a heck of a lot.
Watching the sun go down over the distant hills whilst eating second hand pizza, what better way of finishing off the day.

Monday 1st December- Good heavens, only 24 days till Christmas

A fairly busy day today as Noel had to contact the builders following another water leak in the roof. Brian is very frustrated about this which has been going on for almost four months and the guy assigned by the Insurance Company must certainly have received his training in England.

Finally the builder arrived together with the plumber who within 20 minutes had sussed the problem and how to fix. The reason was simple and one that the builder had previously refused to accept could be the cause. A simple pouring of two litres of water into the gutter and followed its path made the reasons quite clear. Hey Ho! Builders all over the world unite.(Let’s hope this really does the trick.)

The plumber (who came with the builder) said he had been scuba diving on Sunday and on the way back caught a 25 pound Red Snapper fish plus some smaller ones all within half an hour. We must fix up our fishing trip soon.

We have even noticed that the road workmen here stop for breakfast at 10 am until 1045 and then and hour for lunch and leave at 4.30 pm. On Friday it must be tough as they pack up at lunchtime, no doubt to avoid the Friday night traffic jam of half a dozen cars or so.

In the early afternoon, the estate agent arrived with a property valuer who spent almost two hours looking at the house and the studio apartment and taking photos for his customer. Let’s hope Brian and Sheila have more success selling the property this time.

Our afternoon walk was good, nice and sunny but a bit windy and with the temperature around 20 degrees.

Jennifer made a Pizza for tea and together with a bottle of Hardy Merlot made for a pleasant meal. Jennifer has been trying out Sheila’s bread making machine and the results so far are positive except the plain white bread which had a consistency of cotton wool but I do think that Jennifer is warming to the idea of getting one when we get back home. Perhaps it would make a great Christmas present from the children, hint, hint.

Robin called and we agreed to meet him for a shopping trip to Kaitaia. We are still planning to go to Cape Reinga and most likely we will do this trip on Wednesday.

Sunday 30th November- Lunch in town

The sun was blazing down as we awoke this morning and so we went for our usual walk down the beach and then called in to the cake shop in Taipa, as the neighbours are coming for afternoon tea.

Due to the butchers being closed on Saturday afternoon we had decided to have lunch in town and therefore went to the Waterside Café which, strangely enough, overlooks the water.

We both had the Blue Nose fish which was pan fried and served with a salad and a compote of vegetables and sat and watched the sea

And people wander by. The Café was virtually empty as we arrived at 1215 but it filled up quite nicely over the next hour. It was a most enjoyable and tasty lunch

Later in the afternoon, the neighbours came around and we had a pleasant afternoon discussing local events and generally whiling away the time. The neighbours also brought some cake and so we had enough to feed quite a few people in the end. It was a nice way to spend the day overlooking the bay and putting on sun protection cream.

Tomorrow we have to chase up the builders as there is a water leakage problem in the house.

Saturday 29th November- Mangonui Christmas Parade

What a complete change of weather!. The sun was shining down and the sky had no clouds at all first thing this morning as we headed off to Mangonui Town which is about 5 miles away.

There were quite a few people there when we arrived and there were plenty of activities including a cooking demonstration by a chef from the upmarket Carrington Hotel who demonstrated making a chocolate desert. The bad news was that the sun was shining and it was warm, neigh! Hot, and the chocolate desert melted on the plate making it looked more like an oil slick than a chocolate desert.

They were cooking sausages and also hot lamb sandwiches which were very popular. The event opened with the Mangonui school children singing traditional native songs and also a ‘Haka’

The Red Hat ladies were there in their purple dresses and red hats along with the emergency services who also led the parade though the town and back again. There was a local marching band, floats from schools and old cars including our friend Robin’s Lancia.

The main ‘Haka’ was performed by the crew of the Waka,(a maori canoe) and they were very good but no doubt the hit of the day was the free ice cream donated by the local launderette. Needless to say there was a long queue of children who waited 10 minutes for their ice cream and then ate it quickly and rejoined the queue, we think at least three or four times.

Most of the event was finished by 1.30 pm and so we headed back to do some shopping and then found that the butcher had closed at one pm. I am sure Jennifer planned this so we could go out for dinner tomorrow evening.

Dillon came round from next door to go fishing with Noel but we think he overdid the sun a bit today and perhaps not enough water and so he declined. Perhaps another day!.

The sun was good today and we also got a call from Brian in Buenos Aires

To see all the Parade photographs go to

http://albums.phanfare.com/5194780/2944783_3342938#imageID=54001734