Cycling around New Plymouth

It was our first day on the bikes.  Found a nice cycle route down a Valley onto the coastal path. New Plymouth put on a windy and cloudy day but it probably kept alot of sunny cyclers away.

Friday dawned sunny and warm. We couldn't resist a bike ride down the rest of the coastal path to a local cafe. One of the nicest vege brunch snacks had for a while. Stops at the playground and the little zoo were highlights before cycling back. We all dread the Cumberland road hill. Short and steep. Restful afternoon reading in the sunshine under a pink umbrella for shade. The height of decadence. Another cycle to the local chippie for dinner on the beach.

New years eve. We took Connie to the Tupare gardens, had a wander around the shops and len lye museum and went to the beach. Haz is still recovering from a cold.  nice walk back along the cycle path. Interesting fact most of the new houses up here are only one storey.

Te pouaki walk

We wandered up to the Te Pouaki hut some way up Mount Taranaki. Track isnt the typical walking through native bush but a continual path of wooden planks that led through lovely bush and sub alpine plants  to a great view of the city and coastline. Then we wandered down again. 4 and a half hours later we returned and haven't done much since except for looking for a beachside cafe to while the hours away which we didn't find, cook dinner and say hi to Mike, Becks and Connie.

It has been a busy few weeks building up to Christmas. Enjoyed seeing Mike  Becks and Connie  in the Wairarapa and having Connie to myself for a whole day.  We went to the park, decorated Christmas tree and put up our nativity scene.  Christmas  day was a lot of fun. Besides the family Nick, Carolyn and Martin came for brunch. Santa came too (with a hole in his trousers) but no one cared. Harry missed him for the second year in a row. Dinner was at Don and Judy's place. We are  now sitting in New Plymouth. Harry is making a cup of tea (well he put the jug on and then said he was off to have a shower). It is a bright sunny day for a change. The house looks over a wide expanse of bush that follows the river down to the sea which is a strip of blue just before the cloud hides the horizon. It was a long trip up yesterday. We crawled at snails pace up to Otaki, stopped for a few minutes to say hi to the Casey Cooper clan, had some lunch and then off to our holiday home. We got to our accommodation effortlessly and unpacked the car. After a cup of tea the first thing we looked for was wifi and who Place nicely positioned and quiet with deck though bbq is so filthy we won't use it and we need to suggest smoke alarms would be a good addition. To get over travel sluggishness we went for a long walk sort of following the river but not beside it. Now I will attempt for the first time to put some photos of on via phone.