Beaches

Saturday and Sunday were beach days.

On Saturday morning we went off to St Heliers Bay beach with Sally and the girls. Emily generally kept awat from the water, but Zoe could not get in far enough.

On Sunday Ian took us with Zoe to Piha.

St Heliers is on the east coast and Piha is on the west coast at the other side of the Waitakere Mountain Range. The sand is shelly at St Heliers and it is generally calm, whereas the west coast has black sand made from volvanic rock and the shore is constantly pounded by waves. A sea mist hangs near the ends of the bays and surfers find this to be paradise. many bachs hang off the mountain side.

Zoe was more careful about the sea at Piha and spent time digging into the black sand.

The Beach at Piha

After our morning we headed back. We stopped at a cafe / restaurant in the mountains. The food was plentiful. The starters were meals in themselves. The place was called 'Elevation' and the view across the forest and city was spectacular.

View From Elevation Restuarant

On Saturday afternoon Ian and I went off shopping. A huge box of Tomy trains which were supposed to be $300 were on sale last week for $200. On Saturday they were $100. That is £30.

We also bought two sets of curves to go up. We had a rough go at the weekend. Today I have rebuilt the track. I now want somebody to explain why; whichever direction you put the engine on the track it always finishes going the same way. That is; if you pick up the engine and replace it facing the way in which it came, when it comes back it is facing the way it arrived in the first place.

Tracks plans are going - at a price.