Northland Trip - Stage Eight

Near the end now. After leaving Pouto, I spent a bit of time in Dargaville, which looks rather nice from this angleIt was more than a little odd to go into the museum and find my childhood doctor as an exhibit, looking better than he ever did!I liked these as wellA Saturday afternoon in Dargaville has little to offer, even the tea rooms were shut so after checking out the Boxing Day sale at a pretty much deserted Warehouse, and a farewell look at the Northern Wairoa River I went to Bayley's Beach. Now that I am a proper camper and all, I checked into the camping ground and had my tent up and beer in the communal fridge within a matter of minutes. Dinner was at the rather wonderful Funky Fish cafe which was just through the wall from my tent; some thoughtful person had even installed a gate. Something must have frizzed my brain, as I have no photos at all. So, take my word for it that I drove on up through the Waipoua Forest, via Trounsen Kauri Park and Donnelly's Crossing.

North of there, at Morrells Cafe in Waimamaku, I found the best lamington EVER!It wasn't really like this one, except that it did have deep chocolate covering and the long cocounut shards. But it was huge, the sponge was as light as a Krispy Kreme donut while the chocolate was crunchy, providing a nice contrast. Surprisingly, when I bit into it, there was cream and jam in the middle - these things were completely indetectable from the outside. So good were these items that I drove back the next day for a second go.

Up the road, over a hill
and you have the rather fabulous Hokianga Harbour, with Omapere to the east a little of the entranceI would have loved to stay here
but it was sold out weeks ago. Instead, I found a nice old backpackers, the House of Harmony at Opononi, pigged out on fish and chips and all was well.