Tegan and I had a late breakfast; she was playing in the
park at the campground and thoroughly enjoying the other kids this morning. We left Napier/Bayview at about 11am and
headed north along the road to the East Cape.
My intention was to make it up to Brian’s Place; a hostel/backpackers
located in Tokomaru Bay, East Coast, New Zealand. The reviews on this place really emphasize a
comfortable place to stay on the cheap.
On the was though we stopped off in Gisborne for some groceries and a
burger and shortly after Gisborne we stopped at Tolaga Bay, home of New Zealand’s
longest wharf.
The wharf and scenery are quite
impressive. The length of the wharf is
660 metres and it stretches out far into the bay. The wharf is in a bit of disrepair at the
moment, but work is set to begin on reviving the structure. I set to work to capture some long exposure
shots while Tegan combed the shoreline for shells. While I was shooting, I had to quickly call
to Tegan as I spotted an orca dorsal fin out in the bay; we learned later when
we went out onto the wharf that a pod of orcas had gone by the end of the
wharf. Too bad we missed that!
The wharf was filled with a half dozen locals
fishing likely for their supper. The sun
was just getting ready to set and casting beautiful colours across the beach
and rock cliffs.
When we resumed our
trip north to Tokomaru Bay, a double rainbow filled the sky as a short shower
passed us by.
We arrived about a half hour later at the
hostel and were offered choice of parking our campervan, sleeping in the loft
or having a room with 2 beds to ourselves.
I left the choice with Tegan and she climbed the ladder up to the loft
and thought that this would be an option that felt like home; since she has a bunk
bed. But the appeal of a room with one double
bed and a single bed just for her, won her choice.
Tegan
watched her Space Chimps movie while I prepared a super of spaghetti. After supper I let her finish the movie while
I rested, then off to bed we went; only Tegan never used the single bed.
We cuddled.