Tauranga

I had an opportunity to travel to Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty area recently. I needed some R & R and decided to make a weekend out of it.  

Tauranga is quite different to Wellington and it really grew on me as I spent more time up there. :







I really enjoyed exploring Mount Manganui.





 
Some fellow Grovers very graciously hosted me, on very short notice, which I am immensely grateful for.  

The family I stayed with were amazing.  I also really loved the little details of home about their house from sewing supplies to kitchen timers.  They even had Cutco knives which are symbolic of my parents home town to me.
 
But one of my favourite memory blasters was this cookie cutter. I used the very same kind as a play dough implement when I was young.  

There were other interesting things to see including this animal loading area in the middle of a suburban development. 

And the random sights of travel including cranes working overhead

walking school buses

and police stations with unique architure

Last but not least here is an example of the fence buildling technology that we see everywhere, including the garden that Traveler (with occasional help from me) is building.