After the peace & tranquillity of Kinloch we find ourselves back in the suburbs of city life in the Bay of Plenty,back at Sue & Michael's home.
After breakfast on the morning of Thursday (18th.) Sue, Anne & myself went for walk along the board walk, around the mangrove swamps which are inland from the port & harbour of the Bay of Plenty. Across the road from Sue & Michael's house you can look down on the board walk,which takes you around the outskirts of the water way.
After lunch we went round to Sue's mum, Ruth, who lives about 5 minutes away from her by car. We caught up with her and her husband, Freddie, last time we were here. Unfortunately Freddie died last year & Ruth is living in a lovely care home nearby.
I had an early start on Friday morning, leaving the house at 7 o'clock,in the car to head the 90 kilometers back to Whakatane to catch the 9.15 ferry out to White Island,some 30 kilometers out to sea. White Island is a volcanic Island that is still active. The last major eruption was in 2000. The tour is dependant on sea conditions and after anchoring off the island we had to transfer into a dingy to reach the jetty. There use to be a factory on the island that extracted sulpher from the rock formation and then ferry it to the Bay of Plenty. The remnants of the factory are still visible. Anne wasn't keen to breath in sulpher fumes due to her asthma, or negotiate getting on & off the island so her and Sue hit the shops in Tauranga.
Arriving back home at 6 o'clock, I was introduced to Aart & Magda, who had been invited round for tea. They are friends of Sue & Michael who emigrated here from Holland.
After lunch we went round to Sue's mum, Ruth, who lives about 5 minutes away from her by car. We caught up with her and her husband, Freddie, last time we were here. Unfortunately Freddie died last year & Ruth is living in a lovely care home nearby.
I had an early start on Friday morning, leaving the house at 7 o'clock,in the car to head the 90 kilometers back to Whakatane to catch the 9.15 ferry out to White Island,some 30 kilometers out to sea. White Island is a volcanic Island that is still active. The last major eruption was in 2000. The tour is dependant on sea conditions and after anchoring off the island we had to transfer into a dingy to reach the jetty. There use to be a factory on the island that extracted sulpher from the rock formation and then ferry it to the Bay of Plenty. The remnants of the factory are still visible. Anne wasn't keen to breath in sulpher fumes due to her asthma, or negotiate getting on & off the island so her and Sue hit the shops in Tauranga.
Arriving back home at 6 o'clock, I was introduced to Aart & Magda, who had been invited round for tea. They are friends of Sue & Michael who emigrated here from Holland.
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