Day 3: L3 - Pakiri Beach, and Horse Riding
Today I pushed on with projects, made good progress.
I didn't go down to the beach - weather a little gloomy - and was so busy making good progress I just stuck with it. It's ok.
So instead of Omaha photos, here are some photos of stunning Pakiri Beach, taken in February 2020. The distinctive Hen and Chicken Islands lie out to sea beyond it.
To be honest, this piece of coastline is still as pure and pristine as you'll ever find in the world. There's a holiday park and some minor development here, but mostly it's just the same as it ever was, centuries ago.
Part of Pakiri beach is ideal for surfing and beaching, and the rest of it (miles and miles and miles) is largely deserted, and actually dangerous for swimming - but perfect for horse-riding.
We used to have superb fun horse-riding on this beach a lot, in the early 1990s, before kids. It's freedom personified. It was 30 years ago - and it still is now. There's simply no better place to be on horseback and, if you ride nowhere else in your life, do it here if you can!
I used to ride a horse called Blaze - he ran fast, but he was also known to drop his shoulder at any moment. He threw me a few times - but I held on more - and threw him coz he didn't like it when his rider got the better of him!
Brett will often head to Pakiri to surf when conditions are right - or will head further north to Te Arai or Forestry.
Bottom line - the whole coast here is world-class stunning, pristine, remote and glorious. And only 30 minutes' drive from Omaha.
LUNCH: Pita bread and bits and bobs
DINNER: Spaghetti bolognese
Cooking for one is generally less purposeful than cooking for more. But you can still cook up a storm! My spag bol was YUM!
SHARE-NOTE OF THE DAY:
Horse-riding ...
Even though I had a fascination with horses since early days, my experience with them was limited to a few (very memorable) pony rides and horse treks during the school holidays when I was young. I secretly hankered for more, but those rides placated me as a young girl.
And then, when older, came the introduction to racing ... from my mum and my uncle who were right into racing. It kick-started my own racing passion. It is in the blood!
So back to riding ... I've loved recreational riding and all things horses all my life. Although I did get a horrid scare when I got bitten by one aged 14 - I was patting nice horsey over a fence and it suddenly lurched out and bit me on the emerging boob - OMG I've never seen bruising like it!
Undeterred by this hideous experience, and loving horses and riding, I always sought out recreational rides in the many places I've been all around the world and close to home: Cornwall, Wales, Gisborne, Coromandel, Hawaii, and goodness knows how many other places around NZ and the world. Fab experiences - and many of them kinda challenging.
Muriwai was where we rode for a long time. Riding thoroughbreds through the forest and along the beach. Brett and I used to go 2-3 nights a week (before kids) and it was such exhilarating fun.
I kept riding until I was 6 months pregnant with Sam.
But when I was struggling to mount the horse on account of large belly, I sensibly put my riding boots in the cupboard.
I also played golf until I was 6 months pregnant with Sam.
When I could no longer see the golf ball beneath my belly, and could barely swing the club, I thought "what the hell", and sensibly put my clubs away for a while.
So I stopped riding and golfing at 7 months pregnant ... and a month later, my beloved dad died aged 57. On 1st May 1993. 27 years ago. Unbelievable.
There is another horse aspect to all this, and perhaps I'll share it tomorrow, on the anniversary 27th anniversary of his death. It's a bizarre one for sure.
I didn't go down to the beach - weather a little gloomy - and was so busy making good progress I just stuck with it. It's ok.
So instead of Omaha photos, here are some photos of stunning Pakiri Beach, taken in February 2020. The distinctive Hen and Chicken Islands lie out to sea beyond it.
 |
| Pakiri Beach |
To be honest, this piece of coastline is still as pure and pristine as you'll ever find in the world. There's a holiday park and some minor development here, but mostly it's just the same as it ever was, centuries ago.
Part of Pakiri beach is ideal for surfing and beaching, and the rest of it (miles and miles and miles) is largely deserted, and actually dangerous for swimming - but perfect for horse-riding.
We used to have superb fun horse-riding on this beach a lot, in the early 1990s, before kids. It's freedom personified. It was 30 years ago - and it still is now. There's simply no better place to be on horseback and, if you ride nowhere else in your life, do it here if you can!
I used to ride a horse called Blaze - he ran fast, but he was also known to drop his shoulder at any moment. He threw me a few times - but I held on more - and threw him coz he didn't like it when his rider got the better of him!
Brett will often head to Pakiri to surf when conditions are right - or will head further north to Te Arai or Forestry.
Bottom line - the whole coast here is world-class stunning, pristine, remote and glorious. And only 30 minutes' drive from Omaha.
 |
| Over there is horse-riding territory |
 |
| Brett returning after catching a few waves |
 |
| Dudes heading for a surf |
LUNCH: Pita bread and bits and bobs
DINNER: Spaghetti bolognese
Cooking for one is generally less purposeful than cooking for more. But you can still cook up a storm! My spag bol was YUM!
SHARE-NOTE OF THE DAY:
Horse-riding ...
Even though I had a fascination with horses since early days, my experience with them was limited to a few (very memorable) pony rides and horse treks during the school holidays when I was young. I secretly hankered for more, but those rides placated me as a young girl.
And then, when older, came the introduction to racing ... from my mum and my uncle who were right into racing. It kick-started my own racing passion. It is in the blood!
So back to riding ... I've loved recreational riding and all things horses all my life. Although I did get a horrid scare when I got bitten by one aged 14 - I was patting nice horsey over a fence and it suddenly lurched out and bit me on the emerging boob - OMG I've never seen bruising like it!
Undeterred by this hideous experience, and loving horses and riding, I always sought out recreational rides in the many places I've been all around the world and close to home: Cornwall, Wales, Gisborne, Coromandel, Hawaii, and goodness knows how many other places around NZ and the world. Fab experiences - and many of them kinda challenging.
Muriwai was where we rode for a long time. Riding thoroughbreds through the forest and along the beach. Brett and I used to go 2-3 nights a week (before kids) and it was such exhilarating fun.
I kept riding until I was 6 months pregnant with Sam.
But when I was struggling to mount the horse on account of large belly, I sensibly put my riding boots in the cupboard.
I also played golf until I was 6 months pregnant with Sam.
When I could no longer see the golf ball beneath my belly, and could barely swing the club, I thought "what the hell", and sensibly put my clubs away for a while.
So I stopped riding and golfing at 7 months pregnant ... and a month later, my beloved dad died aged 57. On 1st May 1993. 27 years ago. Unbelievable.
There is another horse aspect to all this, and perhaps I'll share it tomorrow, on the anniversary 27th anniversary of his death. It's a bizarre one for sure.
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