Friday, April 26, 2019

(Extremely) Slow Travel

Today we walked the tiny town of Rawene (pop 471).

Every time I wonder whether there will be enough to see or do on a simple walk I'm reminded that walking connects us to a place in a way that driving never can.

This campground is run by an extended family whose industrious members seems always to be doing something. One of them came trundling down the road on his mower as we headed for the mangrove boardwalk loop, stopping to say hello and talk about how the family moved a few years back to buy and manage the camp. He was just as nice as he looks.



Walking gives you time to get closer to a flowering tree.


What I know about mangroves could fit in a thimble. The walk was not only edifying, it was relaxing and instructive to think about the deep adaptation mangroves have had to make to survive.



The tide comes in and the tide goes out, relentless salty pressure on the mangrove, uniquely equipped to survive and reproduce.

Water surrounds Rawene.

Here's a map (click here if you can't view). Note the short car ferry route across the Hokianga Harbor. We'll be taking that 15-minute ride tomorrow.



Time for a flat white at the Boatshed Cafe.

  
A classic NZ villa, curled porch roof and all.


We stopped at an op-shop run by this church. We bought a $2 storage jar and then the woman wanted to give me food. Have you ever noticed how often people with the least are the most generous?

After several hours moseying around a bookstore, grocery, and fish monger, we headed home, filled with the sights and sounds of Saturday in Rewene.

Tenacious geranium.

Campground sunset

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