Back to base

still messing about on boats
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We headed back to Tauranga to recoup and plan our next adventure, we also took the opportunity to go on some nice days out.  Most of the time we've been chilling out and relaxing on the deck at the back of Mike's house, it's a great view and always sunny and cool because of the breeze that whooshes up the hill.  Our first outing was with Graham and Rita (Mike's parents) as they came over and invited us to go out around the harbor in their sailing boat, Anthony did most of the steering while I tried to take the pics (see attached).  It was a great afternoon and a brilliant way to see the bay, a whole new outlook and very relaxing, the weather was great too.  That was during the day on New Years Eve and in the evening we went to the Mount (Mt Maunganui) to see in the new year, it was packed and very little in the way of parking spaces but we found one in the end and rushed back towards the Mount to catch the fireworks and join the crowd, we were against the clock as usual but didn't quite make it in time so we stood on the beach and still could see the fireworks, was a nice evening and after all the rushing around we went back to the house for a few drinkies.  Our next day out was to McClaren Falls in the Kaimai mountain range which is about 30 mins drive from where we've been staying, there is a waterfall and a nature reserve there and we went for a really nice bush walk and took so cool pics (attached) after the bush walk we went and had a bite to eat at the Kaimai Cafe (Laura's favorite eatery from her last visit here).  The next outing was over to Waihi to see the massive open cast gold mine and have a look around the information centre which told us all about how they had moved the Cornish Pumphouse over 400m into its new location a few years back, very interesting and a good visit (pics attached also).  We also visited Waitomo Glowworm Caves which was an excellent day out and we were very lucky to be able to lay down in the boat at the end of the tour which worked out well cos we got left behind as the tour group was too big to take us all on the boat at once.  Glowworms are only found in NZ, Australia and Alabama, really unusual.  It was amazing to lay and look up at them like a starry night sky on the roof of a really cool cave system with staligmites and stalagmites and all the dripping sounds from surface water filtering down from above and finding its way to the underground river.  (No pics we're sorry to say as they harm the glowworms but there are pics on their website if you wanna see).   We even had snow on the way back, don't believe me?  We have pics!!!!

Lots to see here...