Who says you can't go swimming in the winter?

August 23, 2010

Who says you can't go swimming in the winter?

Last weekend was another great adventure with "my girls" - Vicky, Gritje and Raissa. Vicky and I started the weekend on Friday after work when we just wanted to go to town to have a hot chocolate. Who would have thought we wouldn't get home from that hot chocolate until after midnight?

I really wanted to go to the Irish Pub in town, McMorrissey's. I love Irish pubs, my last Guinness was a while ago and since Vicky was driving - why not enjoy one? And guess what - we actually ran into Aaron, the couchsurfer we went to the Whangarei Night Markets with last weekend, and his wife Morgan and a few of his friends. One of the guys was celebrating his birthday so Vicky and I spontaneously sang Zum Geburtstag viel Glück - the German version of Happy Birthday.

Went to an Indian restaurant afterwards and after saying goodbye to some of them five of us headed on to the Butter Factory - another pub I had heard of many times but haven't been to yet. Really loved the place! It's very rustic with comfortable sofas, tons of wine bottles along the wall, nice music and a campfire for those who want to sit outside during the cold days.

Vicky and I with birthday kid Sean (right) - who invited us to dinner at his place maybe this week - his flatmate Tom (left) and Jackie, who's lived in Germany the first few years of her life and still remembers bits and pieces. We're going to have a German Food Night at her place some time soon!!!

On Saturday the weather was so gorgeous that Vicky, Gritje and I decided to go to the beach. Raissa had to work and was supposed to meet us afterwards. So the three of us headed out to Tutukaka Coast and ended up on Matapouri Bay. There are soooo many beautiful beaches along the East coast of the Northland it's so hard to chose from. And now that the sun was shining it felt like heaven on earth... And even though the water was still pretty cold Gritje - who was clever enough to have taken her swimsuit - and I - sacrificing my underwear - went for a swim =D Vicky was happy enough taking pictures of us crazy girls and taking a sunbath.

The dark side to this wonderful day - I got bitten by sandflies again. I couldn't feel them biting me but the bites now are worse than those of mosquitos. A big area around it is hard, swollen and looks even bruised ;-/ Bought some insect repellent today so hopefully next time I'll be alright.

After a night at our "favorite" club danger danger - which closes at 3am!!! - we slept in on Sunday and went off to the beaches again. It was a lot colder today, so no swimming. Instead we found a few great walk ways, did heaps of funny pictures...