Mangonui - Northland

So I figured out why half of New Zealand heads up the East Coast of Northland as soon as summer hits.  It's super pretty, that's why!  Mangonui is like, the peachiest, perfect, pretty seaside town.

We didn't stay all that long.  After gorging on fish and chips at the renowned Mangonui Fish Shop (yum but super spendy) we walked off our full pukus' along the waterfront.  There are some beachy vibe stores, though nothing tempted us, and plenty of cute, old buildings to look at. The heritage trail looked interesting, but everyone was kinda done by that stage (we'd earlier stopped at the very beautiful Matauri Bay).

Definitely worth the visit and we'll 100% be back.

Matauri Bay - Northland

One of our 2017 goals is to explore our local region a little more.  Crazy that we live this close to so many pretty places, yet we never visit them...

Russell, Northland

These Spring holidays have been dreamy!  So much for that grim weather forecast, it's all blue skies y'all.  Today definitely feels like the kind of day that we should fill with an adventure, but in reality I will be cleaning out my car (overdue) and sorting through the kiddo clothing.  Is it normal that I'm looking forward to both of these tasks?!  

The Bayou

This is as close as I can get to the real thing.  A local Mangrove walk that we take from time to time.  Mangroves freak me out a little bit - esp. after reading The Mangrove Summer as a kid.  I've never felt the same about them since.

Mangrove-phobia aside, I love the eery quiet of this walk.  I'm glad that there are no real alligators in that oily water, not that it stops us pretending..