NZ2024 - Leg 26, March 21 - Rotorua to Papamoa and back

Today was a beach day.  A South Pacific, white sand, surf's up beach day.  The kind of day you can fantasize about being "stuck" on a deserted island somewhere that is warm and sunny and there isn't a care in the world.  The kind of day that takes all the whirlwind out of the past month, and leaves only the best of memories that you can live over and over again in your brain, and laugh again about those funny moments and forget about any of the little glitches that may have happened along the way.

Although the plan from last evening was to take the "short" or most direct route from Rotorua to Papamoa, and then leave early enough to take a longer, more scenic route back for our last night, the day turned out to be much too beautiful, the sand too soft, the air and water too warm, the waves too interesting.  It was better to stay an extra hour, and take the "short" route back to the hotel.

Let me start at the beginning.  First, breakfast at the hotel, which left much to be desired, surprisingly considering that I had been quite happy with my dinner last evening.  This was actually the first time we had seen perked coffee in a pot, rather than barista coffee.  So after getting ready to leave for the day, I stopped at a gas station a few km's up the road - where I got barista coffee.  Hmmm.  And a muffin to make up for the less than appetizing "eggs" (I still think they were instant - add water and cook) and garlic toast.  

The beach we had selected was Papamoa, on the Bay of Plenty, a beach that was wide and long and generally considered to be one of the nicest beaches around.  Along the way, we noticed the beauty of a large reforested area of pines - quite tall - and the now familiar fern "trees" growing beneath, and dapples sunlight creating a breathtaking effect.  As much as I wanted to pull off and take some photos, there was no opportunity, as the area was also a winding road with very narrow shoulders and it wouldn't have been safe.

We also started seeing very tall hedges - 20 feet or more in some cases, and of varying types of trees or shrubs, many were long needled pines that gave the hedges an incredibly soft look.  In between were glimpses of what at first appeared to be grapevines, but they were strung out in long sprays almost like fans.  As we passed through Te Puke, and saw the "Kiwi capital of the world" sign, we realized we were seeing large kiwi (fruit) plantations.  How wonderful!  

When we arrive at the Papamoa beach entrance - according to Google maps - we see Mount Maunganui off to the left and decide to see if we can get to it.  Well, yes we could, after driving through about 20 minutes of traffic and construction, and some narrow streets of shopping and restaurants closer to the Mt., and then not being able to find a single parking space to walk around within a couple of kms.  So I turned the car around and we headed back to the beach.  But there was a bonus....

As we neared the beach entrance again, there were a couple of fruit "stands" on the side of the road, offering Feijoas (which I had really wanted to try) and "reed kiwis" - red kiwis.  Have to try those!  He also had peaches and nectarines and plums and avacadoes, but really we just wanted a few pieces of fruit that we could have for breakfast tomorrow.  

We got to the beach parking lot, and thankfully, there were a few parking spots, and the beach was just a few steps away.  I notice a sign that we certainly would never see at the place I usually go to the beach, at Lake Huron in Canada.

And this one was the best of all libraries - the Papamoa Beach Library.  What a fabulous idea!  I've seen something similar, but not quite to this degree.  And when we returned at the end of the day, the whole library had been cleaned up and everything put away.

The sand beckoned, and the waves were curling, there were surfers and people walking their dogs, and what looked like a high school gym class playing beach volleyball.  

  

Shoes off, pants rolled up, and in we went to wade along the edge for what seemed like hours - although really it was only a couple of hours.  Back and forth once, picking up some gorgeous seashells, including several that appear to be paua shells, at least they have that colour, even if they don't have the same shape.  Abalone perhaps?  I'm going to have to wrap them very carefully and hopefully some of them will make it home without crumbling to pieces.

After not much for breakfast, and a fair bit of walking, I need some food, but thankfully, the Bluebiyou Beach Bistro is just at the edge of the parking area, so we treat ourselves to a few sharables and wow, are they ever good!  Fried halloumi with candied figs, crostini with fresh mozzarella and bruschetta type toppings, and K-Fried Chicken - with a most wonderful aioli .  All incredibly delicious.

Back to the beach - this time with my real camera.  The waves and curls are getting stronger - tide is coming in - and I get a soaker (why did I bother leaving my shoes on, anyway?).  So I leave my shoes and socks on the sand as I need both hands to shoot with.  Hopefully I've left them high enough that the waves won't reach them before we get back to that spot.

We meet a number of locals walking their dogs, and one woman approaches me and asks if I'm Chris something-or-other, a local photographer who often goes to the beach to take photos.  I assure her I would love to be that photographer, but alas, I'm just here for the day.  It almost makes me cry to have to say that!  How wonderful it would be to stay here forever!

But eventually we must head back.  We still have laundry to do, and cleaning up and reorganizing, and apparently packing some seashells.  We take the short route back, and this time stop along the way to capture one of the kiwi plantations. 

When we get back, while the laundry is running, we lounge by the pool at the hotel to finish off the day.  Supper is a burger at the local BurgerFuel - way too much food, but like everywhere here in NZ, super yummy and fresh, real food.  (The only exception to this has been the breakfast I was served this morning!).

On the way back to the hotel, we pick up a couple of small yogurts to go with our fruit for breakfast tomorrow morning.  All that's left for this evening is to check-in to our flight from Auckland, that will see us leave NZ yet again.  But already we are planning our return and all the things we didn't get to do this time - or the time before that.  Our sandfly bites have mostly healed, we have new tanlines (leave only footprints, take only photos - and suntans), and maybe a couple of extra pounds.  And a ton of memories.

No idea what we'll see - if anything - on the way to Auckland tomorrow, but whatever it is, I'm sure it will be interesting and unique.  The next time I'll have a chance to write, it will be from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.