The old Tomarata Hall

On the road to Mangawhai, I came across the Tomarata Hall where my old schoolmate Howard and i used to attend country dances. Most of the action took place outside the hall, where we would try to entice girls into Howards parents family car - a 1957 Ford Prefect - with the promise of beer from quart bottles or very ocassionally, blackberry nip. Our less than subtle attempts to lure members of the opposite sex seldom worked.

CYCLE TOUR - BEAST OF BURDEN & RIDER PUT TO TEST

October 16th 2009
Testing Time The time for talking was over. Time to put feet to the pedals, bum to the seat etc and go for it. The goal was straightforward - from Parakai near Helensville to Warkworth via Highway 16, then north for a few k before turning right to Mangawhai. My guidebook ("Pedallers Paradise") describes the route using phrases such as: "There starts a 2 and a half kilometre clim ... read more

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island

The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year... ... read more

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