THE WILD WEST
Of New Zealand's North Island

On 2010's new year's day we travelled to two beaches just north-west of Wanganui and discovered some amazing wild and picturesque beaches, Waipipi Beach and "Cave Beach".

Here are some of the photo's taken on the day...

Map to show where the treasures were hidden...



Cold, but not Blouberg...



On the rocks


Reminded us so much of Trekos!!!


This is why... Camp for free as you like. All they ask for is a donation you leave in the Honesty Box!


See, camping big or small, no problem. It's up to you!!



Gotta get me one of those!!!!



As close as we get to catching a fish!


Kids - know no boundaries!



Droom verlore...

CAVE BEACH...

Not too far from Waipipi Beach you get Cave Beach and Long Beach. These are the amazing views of "Cave Beach"...

Eroded structures from the top


Famous arch



When the camera itself is the auto camera-man you take the shot you get. The wind kept blowing the camera off the coffee cup it was balancing on!!!




They say life emerged from the seas. It then swam out underneath the magical arch to give it lungs to breath air and the ability to walk upright.


Splashing around to the caves




Eroded "caves"



Get your timing right, else you may get trapped by the water.




They say early man lurched about in caves!! :-)



Evidence of ongoing erosion.

New Year's Cheers

Like a moth drawn to light, we found ourselves mystically drawn to the magic appeal of open fire braais, sunny skies (If you are lucky!), the peaceful flow of the Wanganui river and the jolly company of friends old and new.

Yep, André and Martie's little settlement at the WANGANUI TOP 10 HOLIDAY PARK (Weereens, André, free marketing!!! :-)) was the host to our celebration of 2009 past and the advent of the much bespoke 2010.

Once again, we had a ton of fun, as we always do and wish to thank all of you who made the efforts to be there, to those who made all the efforts of arranging the stuff (SAMCA & Pierre en julle), and to André & Martie for putting up with plesierige afrikaners, again! Oh, and to all who actually take the time and efforts to read all the blah blah blah - may your 2010 be the year that fulfils all your wildest expectations (Whether that includes Bafana Bafana or not!) :-)


!!!!!!!!!!!HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Open Fire braai!!! Come on, admit it, it beats gas grills pants down!!!!


Getting to know each other is a crucial part of the ritual; cause soon we'd be dancing! And who likes to dance with strangers? Strange people, I guess...


Eating, what a wonderfull invention!! I like it...


Sports? For the energetic...


Sunset smiles... Belinda, Pierre & Tom.



Designated photographer for the night, or was he torn between two responsibilities? Depends on whether he is left or right handed; see, the beer is in the right hand.


And the dancing begins! Or is he pulling a resistant wife towards a place where she does not wish to go??

Oh, so it was the dancing thing, not the pulling thing, others joined in the same actions later on.


Some even met new friends on the dance floor.


If you are lucky, you get to keep the friend after the dance!



If you're not so lucky, you take your dancing off the floor and resort to alternative measures!



If you just don't get the "skoffel" thing, try a Head Bang - Air Guitar action to Dansvloer Treffers - moenie. Dis 'n gemors!!


Better to just smile and try to dance like everyone else, it might make the photographer go away... cause you blend in.




Or just pull faces at him and he might go away!!





At the end, being with family is what matters.




The morning after, we do reccommend you shade up, for the glare, you know. Oh, and avoiding loud noises helps too.



What would the blog be without eventually showing you the hosts, André & Martie - actually, Martie and André - it's important to get the gender identification correct!


The next night, the dance floor was turned into a grand cinema - eers gedink ons beplan 'n groeps woeps toe hulle al die matrasse neerlê!! :-)


En wie dan nou anders as Leon??? Wanganui se eie Cannes festival, featuring the Leon in all his disguises.