DOME FOREST

Ngawha (n-ga-fa) Springs:
Early start today (well relatively for us). Woke up to rain that had been going all night but we were planning on getting wet anyway so it wasn't too much of a downer! I was just a little annoyed as it was my first day driving and it chose to rain 😳😔
Arrived at 9 and enjoyed a dip in a few of the hot springs here for just $4...bargain! Very quiet place, mostly locals who were really friendly and welcoming. One man Stuart had been going there 50 Years and said it was once just mud pools (they now have floors to keep the mud settled). Now it is stinky, sulphur smelling black water that sticks to all your hairs when you get up so you look like a hairy beast lol 😝😆
It still felt natural though as the pools are small and there is nothing at all fancy about the place I like some of the others we saw advertised. Really glad we found it 😁 We started our dip in a pool which was 30 degrees but soon felt the need for more heat, especially as we were being rained on and there was a cool breeze. We got out and braved the cold to find a warmer pool.
Rob dipped his feet in 'the doctor' pool and now claims its namesake is for the need of a doctor after been in the thing. It hurt his feet at a screamingly hot 43 degrees! Eeek! We were advised to try 'the Bulldog' instead as it was just 40 lol. We had a go and although it took a little while to get in, with the encouragement of long time veteran Stuart we were in... it was lovely! Just had to watch for the hot spots on the floor as the water bubbled through.

Lunch at Mangonui:
Drove to a place called Mangonui for lunch today as many online sites rave about its fish and chips, fresh from the local sea. The rain continued most of the way there but cleared on arrival. Beautiful Bay, very small and quaint with turquoise water all around. We walked along the edge and round a corner to where the beat fish and chips were sold. I had Lemonfish and Rob had a battered sausage fish.
They were pretty good but after having had three fish and chips whilst being here we have concluded that UK fish and chips are by far the best. Larger portions, crispier batter and waaaay better chips! We are fairly certain these were McCain oven chips after seeing their ticket branding!
We ate them by the Bay and enjoyed teasing the poor little seagulls that are much smaller and far more patient than those in England. They got some scraps at the end but we made them work for it. Quite impressed by their flying agility as they kept catching them midair.

Doubtless Bay:
Next stop Doubtless Bay, named by Cook because "this is doubtless a Bay!".
Lovely and long beach that is also a road... awesome... and we went for a stroll along it. Realised there was an abundance of shells all in a nice line from the tide and I went back to being about 10 and started collecting as many of the pretty ones that I could carry. Don't get shells like this back home so made the most of it! Will post pictures ☺️
Walked back to the car as the tide started to come in closer and then realised I didn't have my phone. Next half hour or so was spent searching the car and searching the beach, Rob tried to phone it but it went to voicemail (we now know he rang the wrong number) and so we assumed it had been swallowed by the sea somehow. Still very confused as we were looking on the ground the whole time so would have seen it fall. Now we know it has not been swallowed by the sea we think it might have fallen out of the car and been swiped 😩😭😔
We went to another Bay around the corner whilst we waited for the tide to go out which took my mind of it because it was beautiful! White sandy beach and lush green surroundings, really small Bay and the waves were just right. Might have swam had we had the time.
Instead we drove back to Doubtless Bay, had a yummy pasta by the sea and then drove along the beach for one last search. No luck 🙁Read more