…and walking through the puddles!
We made it back to Takaka in time for a chocolate gelato ice-cream. We had prepped Jack that it may just be fruity ice-creams as we were heading to real fruit ice-cream shop but “they have chocolate” I heard Jack ecstatically scream from across the road while I was sitting in D waiting for Lucy to wake!
Then we parked up at Pupu springs – the clearest spring water in the world – for the night. A nice walk around the springs before dinner helped finish off the kids for the day!!
From Pupu, we headed further north. Collingwood was our first stop, for a play at the playground (Trevor lives at Collingwood!) and fluffies to warm us all up. Today the wind came out in full force and it was pretty cold. I think the thermals may come out soon.
After Collingwood we drove to Puponga – as close to Farewell Spit as cars are allowed. Then down yet another unsealed road to the start of a very very windy walk to Wharariki beach. Thankfully the beach was beautiful and there were lots of seals and their pups frolicking in the waves and on the rocks.
After a night stop at another beachside spot, we headed to Patarau River. It was a very scenic drive through Whanganui Inlet and across numerous causeways, despite it being another unsealed road – yes D really needs a good clean! This afternoon the kids had great fun running about on the beach and trying not to slip on the rocks! Both in bed fast asleep by 7pm…Jack currently snoring, sounding a bit like the mother seal, he’s going to make a fine catch one day!
