Day 303 – 11.05.2016

NZ

Whitianga

Did you know … fact 6 …? that kiwis were not called kiwis at first. Coming from China they were first called monkey peach (they were considered ripe when monkeys munched them). When they migrated to NZ, they were renamed the Chinese gooseberry. Calling it a kiwi was in fact a marketing idea. more information here

earlier… [fact 1] [fact 2] [fact 3] [fact 4] [fact 5]

Today was the first really rainy day in a long time. We looked out of our window and the motivation to do anything was pretty slim. But regardless of that, today being the last day in this beautiful place, I decided to explore a couple more beaches.

Stéphane took an office day and the girls and I drove just up the road. We ended up in Kuaotunu in a cafe at Lukes kitchen. There we were hiding from the rain and enjoyed a nice cup of tea-coffee-hot chocolate while looking at local artists products. The cafe is a great place to chill and let time go by.

When the rain finally stopped we just drove a few meters further and then walked along the beautiful beach. Even in the rain, this countryside is amazing.

And along that beach I found my dream house. I was always hoping of having a house just on the beach, a little staircase connecting the house with the beach and today, here in NZ I finally saw it.

Then the rain started again and we ate our lunch sandwiches in the car. Finally we made our way back to our youth hostel and I started to look for a place to stay for tomorrow. And as the Universe was trying to tell me something: nothing worked. Youth hostels were full, too expensive or were not accepting kids. I don’t know how many numbers I called – in the end I just gave up and prepared dinner. We had bought some huge mussels and they needed cooking.

When we sat down for dinner, we talked about how the family felt. All of us are loving it here in Whitianga. The youth hostel is amazing. We have basically the whole place to ourselves. All together there are four bedrooms, but this time of the year – we are actually alone, have the kitchen to ourselves and a lounge with settee and TV. If feels so comfortable that none of us really wanted to leave. We could of course just stay here until we have to drive down to Wellington and then go straight to Christchurch from where we are flying out in just over two months. But it would be a shame. All the places we have been to so far we loved so the next one we will love too – hopefully.

After dinner I just went back to my job of organizing an accommodation and finally found something through airbnb.com.

Off we are tomorrow to Papamoa.