Day 24 - The Best Place to be to Escape the Festive Season Rush!

Laura2484
Level 10
Ohope, New Zealand

Day 24 - The Best Place to be to Escape the Festive Season Rush!

So here we are the day before Christmas and the Festive Season is in full swing,rather than join  the queues of people at supermarkets, shopping centres or traffic congested roads , my family and I decided to take a picnic and escape for a spell.

Our otherwise small seaside village of Ōhope where 3500 locals call home, visitors flock to spend their summer holidays here. They arrive in car loads  and camper-van loads with trailers attached ,towing boats , filled with camping gear , bicycles and everything else possible. 

 The Cafes & Eateries are booming with business and all the Campgrounds, Motels  & STR properties are fully booked. It's a hectic time and as many as 4000 visitors stay for a week or two. Our beach is one of NZs favourites and mostly these visitors have been returning here traditionally year after year.

 Coming here with their parents as youngsters and with time returning with their own families and later with grand children . It's about family time and connecting with people.

So today we have packed a picnic taken our togs (swimsuits) and will escape to a nearby secluded bay. It is a hidden gem and it is on our doorstep to enjoy.

 We have family visiting , wanting to enjoy a Summer Christmas with us and it is always a joyous time. Ōtarawairere Bay is possibly the best place to be , the 20 minute trail walk is worth the steep climb with countless stairs. 

Bush clad with native fauna , vistas of expansive sea views and sounds of the native birdsong &ocean waves crashing is part of this hike . The only way to access this bay is by foot or by sea and we come here often. 

The shoreline is covered with washed and polished shells, with a sprinkle of sea glass that sparkle when wet. Old and majestic Pohutukawa trees provide shade and at this time of year their red blossoms are dotted along the escarpment .

It is a hectic time of year,  the Festive Season rush too, but here we can find our quiet and time to reflect.

We celebrate today with the people we love and it is a poignant reminder to enjoy our family time.

 

Wishing you all a fabulous Festive Season.

Warm wishes and greetings?☀️?

Laura

 Ōhope Beach NZ

 

Day 24 - The Best Place to be to enjoy family timeDay 24 - The Best Place to be to enjoy family timeŌtarawairere Bay a.k.a Shelly BayŌtarawairere Bay a.k.a Shelly BayBest Place to be to Escape for a spellBest Place to be to Escape for a spell

22 Replies 22
Miloud0
Level 10
Rabat, Morocco

Salute, 

 

Many thanks @Laura2484 for this great and interesting aricle. Really, it is so beatiful place and photos. 

 

Marry Christmas. 

 

Thanks, 

Miloud

Salute & Kia Ora @Miloud0 

 

Thank you for your compliments.

 

Enjoy your Festivities 

Laura

John1080
Level 10
Westcliffe, CO

@Laura2484beautiful! I find it kind of sad how stressed people get this time of year and how much emphasis place on the commercialization of Christmas. 

 

My partner and I don’t partake in what I call ‘the frenzy’ and typically take a trip to a remote place. This year, we blocked off our Airbnb cabin and holed up there for a week.

 

We worked, read a lot, watched a few movies, hiked to our heart's content, cut and split wood and did a few other odd jobs that needed attending to. 

Always good to get away and refresh!! Happy hosting to you in 2020! 

Sometimes it is well needed to just find your own quiet @John1080  and as you say refreshing!

 

Happy hosting 2020 to you both as well.

 

☀️Laura 

 

 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Laura2484  Nice post. Similar here where I live- busy tourist town that is full up right now, and most of the winter season (which is the dry season, as opposed to the hot, humid summers). Beaches in town are packed, as are the streets and restaurants. But I can drive 15 minutes and then hike a few minutes through the jungle paths to beaches that tourists are totally unaware of, and have almost the whole beach to myself.

Sounds like a great option @Sarah977 when you need a place to escape to. Post a photo or two the next time you are there, I am most curious to see this beach you mention.

 

Thanks for sharing

☀️Laura 

 

 

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

Ohope Beach drive through Pohutukawa / Metrosideros trees 1937

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19371102.2.37.1

 

Picturesque Ohope Beach - Are these buildings still here @Laura2484 ?

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19350109.2.22.4

 

Who are these people staying in a caravan at the height of The Depression era? - 1932

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19320104.2.17.7

 

Surf Guardians - 1934

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19340201.2.31.3

 

Cloud of Vapour on White Island seen from Ohope Beach on 29  December 1936 - keep an eye out to see if it happens on the same date Laura.

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19361229.2.119

 

Toward East Cape

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MS19370204.2.46.1

 

 Lost in the Bush

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/PBH19090505.2.32

 

 

 

Great scenery from another New Zealand local further down the North Island

 

@Laura2484- You can find more history and fun facts from the past about Ohope Beach and surrounds, including stories about beach races, drownings, grazing of cattle to prevent fires etc using related keywords in Papers Past NZ.

Maybe you can find some information about your family and others to share in Ohope Community & for your listing - maybe print some articles and pictures off.

Enjoy!

 

Central To All Home & Location,

Remuera, Auckland, NZ

 

Oh thank you for this information , I will definitely have a look and check out the historic events.👍🏾

 

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

It's a pleasure @Laura2484 

There's brilliant info in PPNZ, If you click on the page of the article it often has amazing photos tucked away

 

A little tip you may not be aware of , when replying to posts if you include the @ and the person's/ people's names you are replying to it tags them so they know you have mentioned them.

 

Best

a thing worth living for...

Clara116
Level 10
Pensacola, FL

@Laura2484  Lovely to share your getaway in the summer Christmas of your land.  The pictures are beautiful. We are in a Florida tourist town but its winter here but still wonderful with white sugar like sand, beautiful ocean waters and sea shells but not so many tourist mostly families coming or visiting families. We too truly chose the low key Christmas - keep the stress down and relaxing - and last night my husband commented how nice it was to have our time without any hassles, rushing or such...........working in the garden, picking wonderful veggies from his winter garden and sharing those with  family and just reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas. I could share beach pics.........

well, just one picwell, just one picnah, how about these instead? garden1.jpgCouldn't download more veggies ??  Fabulous lettuce of several kinds.Couldn't download more veggies ?? Fabulous lettuce of several kinds.

Thank you @Clara116 for sharing your photos and a snippet about yourselves. Amazing how quickly we appreciate the simpler things . Fresh vegetables yum!

 

Enjoy the New Year ahead!

☀️Laura

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Laura2484 

Nice one Laura, make the most of those times!

You won't remember what day you bought that new lounge suite, or put in some new bathroom taps, but you will remember what you did on Christmas Eve 2019 at  Ōtarawairere Bay for ever more!

 

As I have said before, things come and go, but memories are forever.

 

Have a great New Year Laura!

 

Cheers......Rob

Appreciate your kind words @Robin4 and yes great memories are always remembered.

 

 

Wishing you all a wonderful 2020

☀️Laura