Journeys: Tauranga

It was Auckland Anniversary Weekend, and my family took me with them on holiday. The mum had been working away since Tuesday, visiting hotels for her job. We met her in Tauranga along the Bay of Plenty, and headed straight for dinner in the town across a bridge, beside the beach, under the shadow of Mount Maunganui. As much as it pains me to say, Texas beaches have nothing on this beach. We played with the girls in the sand, chasing the waves, and picking up seashells.

 view of Mount Maunganui from across the marina

 girls at the beach in Mount Maunganui

 at the beach

shells lining the white sand beach 

looking left from the beach

looking right from the beach

After sunset on the ride back from the beach, I checked in to my hostel. The sun was still going down, so plunking my backpack on the top bunk in my stellar flat (for a backpacker's hotel), I took a walk with my camera. Upon arriving back at the hostel, I made friends with a German girl and a Tahitian girl, then later got a guy from Taranaki to help me get internet.

 my hostel - top floor, overlooking the bay

 sunset from Mount going back to Tauranga

sunset over railroad tracks 

Tauranga water at dusk 

bird in Tauranga in the morning 

My night in Tauranga was beautiful. At some point in the next few months, I hope to return and spend a bit more time picking up seashells. :)