A quieter day

Saturday 13th. Last night Glynis popped her head round our door to see if we wouldn't mind waiting till 8:30 for breakfast. One couple needed to get away early, the Chinese family would be taking up the breakfast room and it was all getting a bit complicated for them fitting everyone in. Of course, it didn't matter to us when we had breakfast. In fact, it was rather nice to have a lie in. Anyway, when we did appear, David had set our table in the conservatory and had made us a stack of pancakes which, with maple syrup and yogurt, went down a treat. He also has a super duper coffee maker that makes beautiful flat whites. We were in heaven! Well worth the wait. 

After that we helped clear the tables and stack the dishwasher, took some of his homemade rolls for lunch and set off for Hokitika Gorge bush walk. 

When we got to the gorge, the sound of the crickets was deafening. One landed on me and it was a large beastie! Couldn't photo it but I managed to take a picture of a dragonfly that rested near us for all of five seconds. 

The walk went along the gorge across a swingbridge and down to a rocky area where we enjoyed the view. 

And the other tourists. Never mind, everyone was having a good time. 

We then went round to Lake Kaniere where we stopped at Dorothy Falls. 

Don't know why but I took a picture of some stones. 

We then found a small beach where we had our rolls for lunch together with the last of the fruit we bought earlier in the holiday. 

This time it wasn't tourists that sent us packing but three joyriders doing wheelies on the gravel. They were only youngsters having a fun Saturday afternoon at the lakeside and it was time for us to move on. So we walked down to Canoe Cove. It's quite amazing but all principal walks have gravel pathways and boardwalks over any boggy bits. 

We arrived at a small deserted beach until a couple of jet skis came straight across the lake with a cool box on the back, intending to have an afternoon enjoying themselves. Good for them. Three canoes also came poodling past as well. So we set off back to the B&B for a quiet cup of tea and a little bit of peace and quiet in the garden. Peace at last! 

When we had recovered enough to venture out on the town again we decided to eat at Fat Pipi Pizza. Although on the Main Street it backs on to the beach and has the atmosphere of a beach cafe. We sat out in the open while we waited for our pizzas. 

The lady behind the counter told us the house rules: help yourselves to plates, cutlery, napkins, water and condiments because we're all too busy cooking pizzas to waste time on that sort of thing. Waiting time will be 40 minutes we're that busy. Make yourself at home. 

So we did just that. 

Brigid's was a seafood pizza 

and I had whitebait on mine - mind you, their whitebait is much smaller than we get in England. 

Another lovely sunset as we walked home.