Back in Paradise

The whole concept of Islamic suicide attacks has always been a mystery to me. Why would you need 72 virgins? Just imagine, 72 women constantly around you, I bet you’d wish for your suicide vest rather sooner than later. Anyway, it’s all useless rubbish, because you don’t need to commit suicide by killing kaffirs, all you need to do is come to Ohope Beach. No killing, no religious bullshit, and probably very little virgins. But 11 km of beautiful, perfect beach, great surf, wonderful walking tracks, fantastic ice cream, fruit, and veggies and practically noone around. We’re here for the third time now, this time we’re staying at Surf’s Reach Motel, which is right on the Westend part of the beach, where the waves are best. Spacious, clean, and comfortable rooms, this is pretty close to perfection. (please install fly screens, will ya?) ☺ It’s super quiet too, only waves and birds to be heard. We’ve come to love these family run, non-chain motels, which are so unlike many of their American counterparts, we actually now prefer them over hostels and B&Bs most of the time. You meet many locals, no backpackers, you have kitchen facilities etc etc etc. Whakatane is the name of the small town and here’s the magnificent Blueberry Corner I have raved about often enough. They’re still every inch as good as I remembered them. In fact, I’d say that the baking has become better. Raspberry friands, Blueberry brioche, Blueberry muffins, Blueberry sorbet, real fruit ice-cream, ahhhh, have to go there all the time. Even better than Berrylands. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s also Julian’s Berry Farm, which is also extremely wonderful. Oh my. I will. Get fat and die happy.

So, got here Sunday morning, raided the Blueberry Corner and the local New World, checked into our motel room, jumped into my wetsuit and hit the waves with Harald. Back to room, relax, gorge on some local fruit, hit the waves again. Pretty perfect. Today was a bit overcast and windy, so no surf, but we walked around and on the cliffs to Whakatane and then along the Toi track back to Ohope, 19k altogether and what a wonderful walk it was. Beautiful native forest, lots of birds, wild raspberries, fantastic views. And afterwards for some ice cream to the Corner of course.