Paihia to Mangonui

Here is a technical note on something I discovered with the blog. If you subscribe to the e-mail notification, it pushes out the entire blog each time there is an update. This may get to be a fairly large size e-mail due to the photo content so you may want to unsubscribe and just bookmark the web link http://tnz2015.blogspot.co.nz and check it from time to time.

We had an easy start this morning and left our motel/apartment at around 10:00 am. We wanted to visit the Waitangi Treaty Grounds where the treaty was signed that founded New Zealand. The motel staff were able to fill in the rest of the day with suggestions for us. We have been really impressed with how friendly and helpful everyone is!

We started our visit to Waitangi with a guided tour led by a Scottish/Maori guide. he took us through the history leading up to the treaty and the process for getting it signed.

The Treaty Grounds are fairly compact but beautifully maintained.

We saw the largest war canoe, 35 metres long that could hold over 100 paddlers. When Prince Charles and Lady Diana rode in it in 1983, they got it up to 25 knots!

We had an opportunity to visit the Treaty House where the treaty was signed in 1840.

Following that we visited the Maori Meeting House for an interesting cultural performance.

We got to meet the performers after the show.

Next up were the "horseshoe" falls known as the Haruru Falls. A little bit smaller than the one at home!

Next stop was Kerikeri, home of New Zealand's oldest stone building.

Continuing north, we did a side trip to Whangaroa for a tramp up a hill.

The sign I believe was a bit misleading because it was a very vertical hike. The last bit required holding onto chains while trying to maintain a foothold on the rock at the summit. Chris had her first vertigo experience of this trip. The view at the top was spectacular!

Chris finally arrived to enjoy the view.

We descended and finished our day's journey in Mangonui at a pretty waterfront apartment. The owners were very nice and upon finding out that we were staying in Kaitaia tomorrow, strongly advised against it and assisted in cancelling our confirmed booking. Apparently not a nice town.

A few steps from our door was a great Thai restaurant that we really enjoyed followed by a brief walk along the waterfront.

Kiwi word of the day - "Tramp" - a hike