Day12 Mount Maunganui to Whakatane 84km
I've decided that cycling a flat day is worse. Harder on the hands and butt as there's less variation. Anyway, it was at least fast. We arrived in Whakatane by 2pm despite a really long stop (I mean really long...) in the kiwi fruit centre.
A short aside on food. We've been eating very well. Lots of salads and fruit. Easily achieving our 9 a day. Bit there's been a running refrain. Meat pies are advertised all along the roadside and at least once a day Mark says "I think I'll have a pie". So far he has resisted. Well, he did actually have one in the Kauri museum teashop but apparently that doesn't count as it was homemade and healthy and had a kumara(sweet potato) topping. Anyway, today he had one! Mince and cheese. Apparently the best. After wolfing it down he said "I need another one". Thankfully, he resisted.
Anyway, here we are in Whakatane (pronounced Fok-a-tan-ee, meaning 'act like a man'). Maori women do not row boats. Or stick their tongues out in the Haka. But when the men landed here centuries ago leaving the women on the boat, the wind changed blowing them out to sea. The leader woman shouted 'whakatane' and rowed them in to safety. So that's it.
A picnic supper on the beach. Mark planning to go to Harry Potter 7 tonight. I'm not sure what I'll do, but it won't be that. Tomorrow we head off the beaten track into the Eastern Cape and Maori territory. Can't wait....