Saturday was a glorious day. Cold but bright and sunny, too good a day to spend simply driving home from Auckland after flying from Taranaki the night before. A day where places I haven't seen for a while beckoned me off the well beaten track.
Wenderholm is one of Auckland's Regional Parks. On the east coast, it's about a 35 minute drive from the city, but a whole world apart. In summer it's long sandy beach is extremely popular with lots of folk picnicing on the large grassed area, under the shade of the huge, old pohutukawa trees. On Saturday there was a scattering of people enjoying the winter sun. Mainly older folk. I guess younger people have other things to do on a Saturday.
Any time of year is selfie time.
Around the corner, on the Puhoi River side of the park it was equally tranquil.
I decided that I'd call in at another east coast regional park, a little further north. I don't think I've been to the end of the road in the Mahurangi Regional Park at Sullivan's Bay since the 70s. There are more houses along the road, of course, but still a lot of farmland and the views haven't changed.
All was quiet down at the beach. There was a young tourist couple with a little child enjoying a walk on the beach, all smiles and friendly nods although we couldn't understand each other. And this older couple sitting beside their campervan having a cuppa.
Wenderholm is one of Auckland's Regional Parks. On the east coast, it's about a 35 minute drive from the city, but a whole world apart. In summer it's long sandy beach is extremely popular with lots of folk picnicing on the large grassed area, under the shade of the huge, old pohutukawa trees. On Saturday there was a scattering of people enjoying the winter sun. Mainly older folk. I guess younger people have other things to do on a Saturday.
Any time of year is selfie time.
Around the corner, on the Puhoi River side of the park it was equally tranquil.
I decided that I'd call in at another east coast regional park, a little further north. I don't think I've been to the end of the road in the Mahurangi Regional Park at Sullivan's Bay since the 70s. There are more houses along the road, of course, but still a lot of farmland and the views haven't changed.
All was quiet down at the beach. There was a young tourist couple with a little child enjoying a walk on the beach, all smiles and friendly nods although we couldn't understand each other. And this older couple sitting beside their campervan having a cuppa.
Before I reached home after dark I'd made another three little detours to visit family and friends. And I felt like I'd enjoyed the absolutely perfect day. Oh, and I'd taken one more photo - looking down the Kaipara Harbour on the west coast, from a friend's bedroom. Yes, it's that easy to visit both coasts in a day.
