Maraetai Beach

Maraetai Beach

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Posted 2016-09-20 by SimpsonSfollow
My partner and I are new arrivals in New Zealand and from past moving experiences, we know that the only way to get to know your surroundings is to get in the car and drive.



This Sunday we chose . It was a bit of a dismal day, but we didn't allow that to put a damper on our enthusiasm to see more of this beautiful country. So we loaded the data into our trusty GPS and he showed us the way.

We followed Papakura-Clevedon Road passing through the very quaint village of Clevedon on the way. From there it was onto North Road all the way until we hit the coast and turned left onto Maraetai Coast Road.



The road winds leisurely around the coast, so take your time. There are a number a beautiful places to stop and enjoy the scenery. Maraetai is M& #257 ;ori, meaning "meeting place by the sea" and what a beautiful place to meet.



By this time, we were ready for coffee and cake and stopped off at the Wharf Store. My partner was really impressed with the coffee presentation. He likes black coffee and they served 2 shots in a coffee mug with a little jug of hot water so he could add just the required amount of water - just the way he likes it.



I had my usual cappuccino and the Gluten-free Orange and Poppy seed cake - which was very yummy. They heated it just enough so the cream-cheese topping had just started to melt and soak into the cake. Just writing about it is making my mouth water.



There is seating inside and outside the store. We sat inside at the window, which gave us a view of the bay across the road. The sun was out and there were loads of people taking the opportunity of getting outside and enjoying the opportunity of great weather.



While we were enjoying our coffee, two kids came in with their grandparents. They were all wearing wellington boots and the little boy was covered in sea sand, clutching a large seashell. His grandad grinned at us and said: 'Little boys and dirt. You can't keep the two of them apart, can you? But, he has a trophy seashell for all his hard work." We all laughed, because it is so true. What a great day they must have had.



As we were leaving a 'Veteran Motorcycle Gang' arrived. They were all built by Matchless Motorcycles London, from around 1952. They were beauties. I especially love the one in the foreground with the sidecar. It even has space at the back for luggage. How cool is that?



I can see this little town being very busy in the summer, so I'd advise you get there early in the morning to enjoy all that it has to offer.

#beaches
#cafes
#coffee
#day_trips
#escape_the_city
#near_auckland
%wnauckland
93360 - 2023-06-12 00:48:51

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