Once again breakfast was good.
We needed to get to the port and so we got a bus from just outside the hotel and it cost us all of 50 cents each - bargain.
I had bought tickets on a website called Grab One and they had cost me $15 each instead of $30 and we had to collect them from a special window but it was easy and no waiting.
We were more or less first on the boat and got good seats on the top deck at the front but as the boat filled up the sun became hotter and hotter and unfortunately we had not brought our hats but I did have sunscreen to put on which is more than can be said for the family sitting behind us with a little girl in a strappy top with no cream and no hat so I just had to let them have some of ours as I did not want the child to get burnt.
We eventually set off and the trip took 40 minutes and was very smooth.
When the ferry docked it was like hundreds of people milling around and then ten minutes later they had all gone. Unfortunately all the bus trips were booked, the hire cars all allocated and so we were left with two choices, bicycles or public transport! After a quick coffee we decided on the bus!!! We walked up to the town, Onerua, which took 20 minutes, had a look around and then caught the bus to Onetangi passing some lovely countryside and lots of wineries.
We got off the bus at the end of the route and found ourselves at a lovely beach 2.5 km long with lovely white sand but for a busy day it was very quiet.
There was a choice of two bas to eat at, one was really full and the other not much better. The lunch menu was not brilliant and Jon was not happy with the choices but it was a nice spot with good beer and the food was OK we had chicken liver pate and toast.
We bought an ice cream and then walked along 2.5 km beach and saw very big jelly fish. We found ourselves at the the bus terminus so waited for the next bus which was due in five minutes, we didn't want to miss it and have to wait an hour. When we got to the next stop, the one we had got off at, there was a huge mass of people waiting for the bus and we were glad we had walked to the end of the beach. He allowed as many as he could to get on and then radioed for another bus to come and pick up the rest - no real timetables here then! The bus took us back to Onerua and we found a little cafe to have a cup of tea.
We were about to walk the 20 minutes to the ferry when we saw a bus at the stop and although it was very full he let us on. Apparently, as it was a holiday and there were so many people they had put extra buses on, lucky for us. We arrived at the harbour with plenty of time to spare and were very glad to be at the front of the queue as the 5.00 ferry was obviously a popular one. We managed to get seats easily but it soon filled up and it was like watching ants walk down to get on they seemed to come from nowhere and were never ending. I was glad when we set off but was a bit nervous with so many people on board. However, the journey was much quicker going back.
We were by now very tired so caught a taxi back to the hotel and had a little snooze before having a shower and getting ready for dinner.
We decided to have a drink in the hotel bar as it is so nice. I ordered a G&T and it was brought over with the gin in the glass a little ice bucket and a little carafe of tonic all very elaborate but nice. Jon had a mojito. The waiter then came back with some nibbles, bread sticks, crisps and walnuts.
We intended to have dinner at a restaurant/wine bar behind the hotel but when we got out there it was closed so we caught a taxi down to the port again. We found and Italian, and the food was OK but the service really slow and to make matters worse the waiters were coming in and out from the veranda area and leaving the door open and it was so cold. The couple on the table next to ours got fed up waiting and were so cross about the door being left open they got up and left.
We didn't stay out long as we were tired so got a taxi back to the hotel and went to bed.
Another lovely day.
WEATHER
Hot and sunny all day 20? degrees, I haven't seen the TV weather today.
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