The Martins go to NZ (again): Rainbow Falls, Stone Houses, and a ferry ride (just no SD Card).

This morning saw us set off for Rainbow Falls, not all that far away from our place in Paihia - Jen at the wheel. Without warning, Jen let out a strangled cry of sufficient anguish that I assumed something small and cute had fallen into the path of our rapidly-travelling vehicle. It turns out that I may have been expected to keep an eye out for the turn-off, which may not have happened due to me not paying attention in the slightest. We quickly corrected our course and soon arrived at the Falls. For some reason, the car park was festooned with signs warning of people ransacking valuables out of parked vehicles. On a constant vigil, we made our way to a couple of pretty decent look-outs from the top of the falls only a couple of hundred metres away.

Hopeful we still had a mode of transport upon our return.

While the look-outs were a dawdle, to get down to the base of the falls required passing through some kind of scrubbing, disinfecting gate (to protect any Kauri trees from our obviously disease-ridden shoes). The squirt of the disinfectant was quite bracing...

Hamish thought it might be a great idea to make his way across the creek in an attempt to clamber underneath the falls. While he remained dry (his dexterity clearly not an inherited trait), several others ended up splashing about unintentionally - and he thought the better of it.

Our car was still waiting for us, so we made a quick trip to Keri Keri itself, calling into the Plough and Feather cafe for some morning tea. The food was delicious, but I couldn't help thinking about how cafes appear to just make up random word combinations when naming their venues. The Tractor and Tendril anyone?

Plough and Feather

Just across the road was the Stone House, which formed part of the Keri Keri Mission Station. There were oodles of wrought iron things inside, as well as a variety of music box mechanisms (which Josh took to with gusto).

Returning to Paihia, we had initially planned to take to some kayaks and splash about for a while. The gents at the hire place looked at us as if we were not terribly bright - gesturing at the choppy conditions that had sprung up and almost guaranteeing that we'd be swept out to sea as soon as dipping an oar in the water. A little disappointed, the kids took solace by flinging themselves into the water across from our apartment (more glassy than maelstrom-y if you ask me).

We were gifted with a spare afternoon, and thought we might pop over to the historic town of Russell by way of a ferry service located in the nearby village of Opua (insert children chortling here). The lady on the ferry insisted on us parking fairly close to the car in front of us - but we managed without any further cries of anguish.

Josh thrilled at the prospect of a selfie.

The other of the two ferries in service.

Arriving in a very touristy Russell, we somehow ended up on a small road that may have been more of a mall / walk-way, given the frowning looks we received by the crowds of people we weaved past. Fortunately, we managed to locate a park without incident and made our way along the shore walk.

The photographer*

There was some ominous looking weather heading across the Bay, which didn't turn into much - but did encourage most of the large crowds to dissipate (still muttering about that rogue SUV driving down the mall).