Pauanui

Driving a few hours out of Auckland, we made our way to the small beachside township of Pauanui. Nichole & Jason had organised some wonderful accommodation for the bridal party to stay in - which was great. Arriving at the house early, Jason and I got things sorted, before chilling out and enjoying some fine NZ beer. Mid afternoon the girls arrived with the appropriate wedding gear in tow. Helping to unpack, we wandered around the area, before relaxing - a first in ages.

The next day came and we headed down to Hot Water Beach - named after the natural phenomenon that occurs when the tide is out. The sand retains heat somehow, boiling the water underneath. A quick dig with a shovel/spade and voila - instant spa! Something you had to experience first hand (not sure how many of the young ladies there would be impressed with me taking snaps of them lying in a natural spa......) Then it was off to Cathedral Cove - where a scene from Prince Caspian (Chronicles of Narnia) was filmed. A picturesque walk had us weaving up and down the hillside before entering a magnificent cove - great swimming and fantastic weather!!! Diving straight in to the cool and clear water, Josh and I soon found ourselves jumping from rocks - quite fun. After our swim we took a few snaps then headed back up the 30min trail - an enjoyable time.

Arriving back at the house, the boys were indulging in a few quite refreshments, so we joined them - it was the polite thing to do! Another day had disappeared from our relaxing holiday. Early morning the girls ventured out to do "nails and wedding stuff", so the boys decided to chill, play some cards and generally relax - as it wasn't far from the wedding now. A BBQ soon followed, with everyone retiring early, knowing that the big day was sure to drain everyone (boys were teeing off at 7:30am, girls had hair/make up at 8am)