From the Coast to the Country

One of the benefits of joining the ranks of the retired is being free to get away to rallies early. No Easter traffic rush for us, as we headed away on Wednesday.  Leaving home we drove around the picturesque Pauatahanui Inlet.  The estuary is home to a large number of fish and provides a safe haven to the young of many varieties.  Young Kahawhai feed in the shallow water, while the larger adults enter the estuary during high tide to feed on crabs.  Spotties have an interesting life, as the young start out as female, then change to male as they grow.  Yellow Eyed Mullet, Trevally, and Spotted Dogfish also make their home in the shallow estuary. 

  Pauatahanui Inlet

Driving up State Highway One the sun was sparkling on the sea and Kapiti Island was away in the distance.  Kapiti Island is now a predator free bird sanctuary is is home to a number of endangered New Zealand birds.

Kapiti Island

Our overnight stop was at the country property of our friends Geoff and Eileen.  We had our own private caravan site surrounded by paddocks, with horses munching contentably on the lush pasture over the fence.

Camped in the country

Help yourself to some feijoas, we were told, they are ready when they fall on the ground.  So armed with a plastic bag, we walked down to the orchard area.  Sure enough, there were feijoas everywhere, just waiting to be collected.

  Robin checking out the feijoas

That evening we dined at the lovely old Manakau Hotel.  Just as well we had booked a table as the dining room was very full.  Farm implements from bygone days and paintings old dilapidated old barns decorated the walls. 

WAll art in Manukau Hotel

Once again, the dining dilemma raised its head, what to choose?  Robin and Geoff both decided on chose scotch fillet steak, Eileen had a lovely piece of salmon, and I went Indian with lamb curry.  The meals were delicious, with Heidi the waitress running around doing the work of two people, as the other staff member had rung in sick.  She graciously agreed to take our photo, but had to drag over a beer crate to stand on.  “I’m too short”,  she commented, “so I need some extra height”.

Geoff, Robin, Jenny and Eileen

Eileen found a friend when Lulu, the pub cat, came to visit.  Lulu rather liked all the attention and been doing the rounds to all the tables.  As we were the last ones to finish our meal, Lulu called over to our table get some extra pats.

Eileen with Lulu