Our First Visitors

Nat's friends from home, Kate and Tony, came to stay for a weekend. It was a grand affair...we got the hoover out and everything. Although, I would like to take this opportunity to apologise for the dead cockroach on their bathroom floor that we somehow neglected to clean up until just before they left - sorry guys.

Anyway, it was a great weekend. We managed to entertain ourselves for 48 hours, if not more, without leaving Ohope (about half the size of Grayshott or Sileby). They arrived early evening on Friday, when the entertainment started with showers and a bbq. That might sound a bit odd but they'd been living in a campervan (with a parrot) for a few days and needed a wash (in their own opinion, not ours).

Kayaking in the harbour (on the sheltered side).

Nat kayaking (while I was unknowingly filling up the dry bag with water).

The following day we went kayaking. It was meant to be a relaxing hangover cure and tour of the harbour but after Nat and I's Raleigh-esque safety brief, which included information about the local wildlife (hammerhead sharks, killer whales and stingrays), and then paddling in some pretty rough wind swell I think they were secretly pleased to be back on dry land. A jug of Pimms and a power nap rejuvenated us enough for an evening stroll over the headland to a secluded beach to look for some flowering Pohutukawa trees. With no luck (someone had told us porkies), we headed back for some fish and chips, which we ate around a bonfire on the beach with some toasted marshmallows for pudding.

The bonfire and caveman TV
(this looked like a flamenco dancer at the time, hmm).

After a few hours of drinking and watching caveman TV we were contemplating ways of putting the fire out. Covering it in sand is frowned upon incase someone walks on it and burns themselves. So, the next best option was obviously to fill up the empty beer bottles with the nearest available liquid...our pee! It didn't occur to any of us at the time that there was an endless water supply only 27 metres away (just earlier we'd had a bet on who could guess the distance of the sea in the dark). I should probably add that it was only the guys who filled the beer bottles...the girls used wine bottles!

The next day, in a second attempt to use the sea as a hangover cure, we went surfing. There were no waves but it was still fun just to get cold and wet...well I thought so anyway.

Then it was time for Kate, Tony, the Mo (Tony's Movember moustache) and their parrot (giant sticker on the side of their camper) to leave.

We had a great time with them, enjoying our favourite activities and places, and exploring new ones. But don't worry, if any of you are thinking about coming to visit we won't make you pee in bottles. You will, however, get your very own blog post. Definitely worth the trip I reckon.