DAY EIGHT - 30TH AUGUST  -- WHANGEREI TO WHANGAPARONO

Being monolingual I'm finding it impossible to pronounce the names of where we visit. The guide at the cave yesterday tried to explain Maori pronunciation but I sill don't "get it!". So if I make a spelling mistake it won't surprise you at all. I spoke to a very well educated man today from the Islands. He had a very cultured British accent as he had loved in England for several years. He couldn't quite "place" my accent........I told him it was "Greenacre via Wiley Park Girls"

Views from the road leaving our overnight stay. Again the day ranged from sunny, but never really warm and often windy. It would have been a hard. drive for Gary as we visited off main road places and many of the roads here are windy and barely two lane.

Our first stop was the Waipu Museum which celebrates the early Scottish settlers in the area. A really interesting story of early migration and survival! Of course our coffee stop here was great too!

Driving in the back seat in this vehicle you just look at so many beautiful green pastures, cows, sheep, forests and farmland! We were planning to stop to photograph sheep (after all we are in New Zealand )... but luckily we found "Sheepworld".......no one to take our entrance fee and plenty of photo opportunities. There was also a 1--15 minute walk through their native regeneration area...very reminiscent is sights and smells of Minumurra. Glad I took my camera here for closeups. I am using my phone a lot but the camera is great for closeups and landscapes. Loving my black sheeps face and my moo cow.

We had a brief stop for a bread roll as we are going to have dinner out. Then on tp tonight's very well appointed lodge. The rooms in general are large, beds are comfy and the have a spa;l kitchen/microwave so we can make a easy breakfast.

Front of the Lodge. We decided to get takeaway Thai and had it in Gary and Helen's room.They had bought it several days ago and it was a fine end to another busy scenic day.