Summer is here!

After a beautiful stay at my Great Aunt Janette's in Whangarei for a week, we are back on the road. Exploring the Far North. We got off to a bit of a shaky start where it rained for 3 days. Not much to do here in the rain, but we did take a look at the Rainbow Falls in Keri Keri.

While here we also visited the Stone Store and Mission House. The store is New Zealand's oldest stone building built in 1832. Old!! We would think that young in the UK!! It is amazing to think that Europeans have only been in this country less than 200 years. And the Maori have only been here less than 1000 years. A very young country.

When the sun finally shone, it really did shine. The past week we have been beach hopping. The smell of suncream, sand between your toes and the warmth of the sun on your skin, you wouldn't think it will be Christmas in a few weeks. Stuart has been snorkeling in the sea. With a wetsuit though. While Shona has been in with just a bikini......very bracing!! :-)

The beaches are still deserted, we were lucky enough to be the only two at Rarawa. A wild dolphin came to the shallows and jumped in the breaks of the waves. After a few jumps it just then turned around and swam back out to sea. Such a special thing for us to witness, a wild dolphin just having a laugh and a bit of a splash.