DAY TRIP AHEAD

 Today we are heading over to Tauranga for the day.

We are going to do a walk around the base of Mt Maunganui, then visit our friend Jacqui for lunch.

She recently moved into a townhouse, and we haven't been there yet.

No time like the present.

It is supposed to be a lovely day, weather wise, so I anticipate a stroll on the beach might happen too.

Right, that's about it from me for now.

Catch ya later.

...

ABOVE: Bright and early start ... foggy! The sun will burn it off soon enough.  

2 pm. Heading home. Had a wonderful visit with Jacqui. BIG PHOTO DUMP once we get home.

We arrived at the Mount around 8.30, and immediately spent a considerable amount of time trying to find a car park.  It's usual to have trouble finding a park.  Eventually we did, so set off for our walk around the base of Mt Maunganui.

The weather was awesome, not too hot at that time of the morning, with a cool wind blowing.

ABOVE:  A couple of photos of the path... it was so lovely in the shade of the big trees.

There were not too many people on the path when we were there.

ABOVE: Surf was up, so there were heaps of surfers in the water on the main beach.

ABOVE: Here is the reason why it was hard to get a park, even at 8.30 in the morning.

Unbeknownst to us, there was an Event on today.  

Luckily we missed it, and all the people who would have been on the path around the Mount!

As it was, there were heaps of people milling around the finish point even before the event started in Tauranga.

ABOVE: After our walk, we had a wander up and down the main shopping street of Mt Maunganui.  Not much going on there today.  But in saying that, we were there before most of the shops opened.

Then we went to Bayfair mall, where I finally succumbed and bought some new bras!  About time really.  

ABOVE:  Heading over the bridge to Tauranga, from the Mount.

While visiting Jacqui and her daughter Sofia, Jacqui suggested we take a walk down to The Strand.... which is at the bottom of the Tauranga City Centre.

Jacqui lives only 1.54 kms from there, so it was another good walk. (3.08 kms return)

ABOVE:  I spied the perfect shop!   I bet I could find a knife in there to stab Stew 16 times in the chest, WITHOUT killing him!   I only need it to have a teeny, tiny blade!

A bloke on the street told me I'd find a good knife in there!  lol

I explained what I needed it for, and he and the two blokes he was with just laughed at me.

Can't think why?

ABOVE:  I just loved the bottom of The Strand!

They have made it so lovely, with areas where you can enter the water via really, really long concrete steps, and little jetty's with ladders etc.  Lots of playgrounds.  Seating etc.  Just lovely.

I want to live there so much!

ABOVE:  I spied a cute little heart ... so Stew bought it for me.

ABOVE:  Jacqui has a three bedroom townhouse.  It's adorable.  I'd happily live in it.

We are going to make sure we visit her over summer and stay for the weekend.  Just love it over there.

I'm not saying I hate Hamilton, cos I don't.

But Tauranga/The Mount?  Dream location.

ABOVE:  My new hearts.  Bee is going on our bedroom 'heart wall', and the other one is already hanging on the wall in the front bedroom.

And yes Lynda, I will be centring the wall hanging!

ABOVE:  Jacqui had a 'spare' microwave sitting in her garage, and offered it to us.

As I'd wanted another one for quite a while, we said 'YES PLEASE, AND THANKS'!

It wasn't until we got home and took it out of the box that we realised it was brand new!

How lovely was that of Jacqui?

Thanks chick, you rock.

 

ABOVE: Today's walk stats.   Add that to the 3.08 kms we walked in Tauranga, and the 1 km (approx.) up and down the Mount's main street, and the mall we also visited, we probably walked around 9 kms today.

Not bad for a Sunday.  😊

I'm now contemplating doing bugger all else for a while!

8.40 pm:  And I have literally done bugger all since my post this afternoon.

No point doing much else really.   We had a full day and just wanted to relax at home.

I am going to sign off now.