Mercer Bay Walk Jan 2, 2014

The weather here is a little different in terms of summer than we are used to.  None of this "every day is nice, with varying degrees of hot and sunny".  Nope it rains here in the summer – often.  So when a good day comes along we have decided you have to use it to our best advantage.  With that in mind we decided on Jan 2 to go for a walk in the Waikatere Regional Park.  In deference to our not so fit bodies, we chose the Mercer Bay Walk.  The book describes it as an easy 40 minute walk with great views.  Good thing we chose an easy walk as the up and down about did us in.  A real trail is more difficult than the walks we have been doing here in Bayswater.   Regardless, it was a beautiful walk with excellent views.  I loved the textures of the hills, so different than what we are used to.  The picture doesn’t really do it justice.  After our walk, we decided to have our lunch on the beach we could see to the north.  Typical Kiwi humor – the black sand beach is called Whites beach – go figure?  And, I am pretty sure that of the 4.5 million people in NZ – at least a 10^th of them were at this beach.  There is only one road in and out, so I am glad we left before the hordes.  The road is windy and narrow – puts Patterson Pass to shame.  We saw one cyclist – definitely a risk taker.   Enjoy the pictures:

 Mercer Bay Walk - View to the south

Carol with the NZ Tiki (not the correct Maori word) woman.  Legend says she died of a broken heart on this cliff mourning for her husband who died out on the water fishing.

 Mercer Bay Walk to the south - higher up

The picture doesn't do the texture of the hillside justice, but I really loved the way it looked.

 Whites Beach from up high.  Sure doesn't seem crowded from up here

 

 

 

Whites Beach and the Hordes

Toes in the black sand photo op for all my friends needing to participate in a "Code Lime"