Be Present @ Mt Maunganui
We started our adventure on the inaugural flight from Chicago to Auckland. It was a 16.5 hour flight. It was a long flight but the lines and customs process were really long. New Zealand is very serious about their biosecurity. During the customs process they removed some of our hiking boots for further disinfection cleaning in their lab. We finally piled into our minivan with too many suitcases and made our way to our first stop - Mt Maunganui. The beach has been named the best New Zealand beach by Trip Advisor and we all agree it is a beautiful beach. It is a hot spot for surfing. The locals call it the Mount. Our week started out with cooler temps and not much sunshine. But even with cloudy skies the beauty enveloped us and we slowed down, settling into the new pace and rhythm of being together on our adventure.
Austin is quick to find a spot to take it all in. With the cooler temperatures wet suits are a must for playing in the waves and surfing! The sun did shine bringing islands into view. We are navigating the balance of activity and relaxation so far. The rhythm of the waves are helping us slow down and be present with each other.
Our lodging:
For this location we used a local New Zealand lodging website. The local booking website has different options than Airbnb which enabled us to find a house on the beach. This house is exactly as it is advertised. The owner greeted us with the typical New Zealand warmth. It has plenty of room, a great location (close to the surfer safety club) and a view to remember.
https://www.holidayhouses.co.nz/new/listing/13786
Our activities:
Surfing, boogie boarding, jumping in waves, and building sand castles (digging huge holes) were the favorite activities for this spot. We also enjoyed a trip to the hot pools, a volcano hike up Mt Maunganui, a kiwi orchard tour and two day trips to Rotorua for some rafting, jet boating and swooping (swing like bungy jump).
Mount Hot Pools
On one of our rainy days we enjoyed the Mount Hot Pools. They are geothermal hot pools. They were plenty warm and a picturesque spot to relax. https://mounthotpools.co.nz/
Mt Maunganui Volcano Hike
The volcano hike is full of breathtaking views. The elevation makes it a bit challenging, but it isn’t too long making it a great hike for the family. It was a training hike for us for the Routeburn hike we will be doing in a couple weeks.
Kiwi Farm Tour
The kiwi farm tour was quite informative and the fruit sampling was delicious. We all got a kick out of the Kiwi carts that we rode in on the tour.
Kaituna Falls is a one hour rafting trip full of serious rapids and waterfalls. It includes the highest rafted waterfall in the world which the picture above captures. Jason is in the blue helmet with Sierra and Jack in front of him. Austin joined in after the waterfalls.
Birdie and I were the cheerleaders!
Fancy Meow Cat Cafe Rotorua
Yes it’s a cafe with a bunch of cats. So fun and so bizarre. Maybe we should open one in Oconomowoc. It was very popular and I have to say quite entertaining for the cat lovers of our family.
Favorite Spots in Town:
Bamboo - a fun Asian influenced menu that was super good!
Latitude 37 - reminded us of Reveres in Delafield, really good fish n chips.
Flour + Water Eatery - a bit pricey but super cute spot.
Astrolabe Brewbar - a fun bohemian spot with great deals, Tuesday’s a burger and beer for $10 NZD.
88 - this was our favorite local breakfast spot.
Fish Face - we enjoyed some tasty mussels and loved the charming back patio.
Wildones - is our favorite lunch spot - so healthy and so delicious. The spot was decorated with simplistic style.
Reusable shopping bag stand in town
We are getting our bearings in New Zealand. Jason is managing driving very well on the other side of the road. The people are very friendly and welcoming. We didn’t expect the cruise ships coming into town making us far from the only foreigners. What has caught our attention the most so far is the New Zealanders environmental consciousness as shown by the many outdoor dryer lines, their very tidy care of rubbish, and the very few lights on in homes in the evening. It is a consoiousness we admire and plan to bring home .
We’ve been diffusing Christmas Spirit as we prepare for a kiwi style Christmas. We have loved our time at the Mount. Next we head to Auckland for a bit of city life then on to our farm stay. We are doing our best to be present and are all so grateful for the adventure.
If you are interested in the meditation I recorded this week, click here and then click - Present Time.
May we live in the present moment,
noticing the beauty that surrounds us,
connecting with the people around us in
meaningful ways.
May we be present,
bringing light and peace to the world.