mangawhai heads

today we went to mangawhai heads (pronounced ‘manga fie’) as we haven’t been on an adventure for a while which was a source of much sadness.

so, after a load of mad tidying for another open home, we hit the road for the hour and half drive up north

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first off we went to the information place where the volunteer called beatrice seemed a little unsure of what to recommend we saw (other than chocolate factory which she mentioned twice).

she did recommend we walked up a big hill though which wasn’t actually that big, but did have a great view. 

 

then we went for lunch at a lovely place which had been recommended in the news paper and in various guidebooks and things.  it was a french bistro type place with a genuine french couple working there (with fantastic cute french accents).  we had to wait a fair while for our food to arrive but it was lovely.

it was called frog and kiwi.  the salt and pepper were appropriately shaped.

then we went to the chocolate factory which wasn’t factorying, but was showing a video about making chocolate and did have a shop.

then we went to a lovely art shop place where they had these fantastic bird houses on a stick!

finally we drove down to the ‘heads’ and walked along the beach

 

kezia collected paua

 

and we saw what is a dead puffer fish. 

 

 

we then drove back in the pouring rain.

and this evening we’ve been having a final family push on the jigsaw.  we’re not quite there yet, but hopefully will be by the end of the weekend.

 

here’s a charity which sold everything including the kitchen sink.  in fact it had two kitchen sinks

and i got this hat for jane as a surprise birthday present.  but she found me with it in the shop and told me she hated it even though i’d just paid for it.  it’s made out of old shopping carrier bags, rolled up and tied together. 

 

we left it on the parcel shelf of the car and kezia said it made my car look like an old lady’s car.