We booked this holiday a few months ago thinking it would be a great break before the kids head back to college and school, as we got closer to Tess starting school we confirmed the dates and realised our big girl was starting college in the middle of our holiday!! Oh dear so we ended up with a split holiday! We drove down on the Sunday and then Tess and I cam back for 2 days and left Garth and the other 2 down there to continue the holiday. A little jealous we were at first but then the realisation dawned on me that I would have 2 full days at home ALONE!!! Peace, quiet and time to actually work through my to do list!!!
Anyway more about our little break. Tess and I headed back down on the Tuesday night ready to enjoy Waitangi Day there.
Pauanui is lovely, quiet and very easy going, it has just what you need and a lovely beach. Honestly in the time we were there we must have come across no more than 50 people!!
Time was spent relaxing, swimming, surfing, jetty jumping, watching the planes take and land at the little air strip (it is amazing that people can just park their planes at the bottom of their gardens!), scootering and eating ice cream. The little village centre there has all you need with a take aways, Supervalue, cafes, restaurants and bar.
Garth and the kids also had a trip on the ferry from Pauanui to Tirau. The ferry goes between 3 points and at this time of the year is half hourly. They took the ferry from the Paunanui jetty across to the futherest point then had a nice walk into Tirau, had sushi for lunch, which I am told is delightful and then caught the ferry back.
They had paid a visit to the lovely lady inb the tourist information office for our usual map and bochure collection (I still like things on paper!) and were told about a waterfall walk, this isn't signposted at all but as you are driving out of Pauanui, just before you start the drive up the windy hill, on the left is a little gravel parking area, you park there and the 20 min walk up the falls starts. It is a nice easy walk and you can swim at the falls. On this day the falls looked good but with a definite lack of water flow due to the lack of rain (not complaining!). A lovely little walk and don't forget to take your togs.
We are always loathe to head home after a great break away so delay as long as possible! So after stopping in Thames for an ice cream (it was a super hot day) we decided to take the scenic route home and drive around the Firth of Thames, apart from the wonderful scenery and quiet road the big advantage of this route is that you drive past the Kaiaua Fisheries and it was just on tea time so fish and chips it was for dinner. We had the $20 family special and that was more than enough to feed us. They have plenty of sitting there or you can take your picnic blanket over the road and sit by the water. Highly recommended.
Home now to plan the next trip!
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