Sunny Otaki

Otaki has a great selection of parks for the kids, and this little spot located on the main highway, near all the shops is a fantastic place for a quick stop. Whether your other half is shopping at Otaki's outlet stores or your taking a quick break before getting back on the road, the kids will love having a run around in this sweet little park.  There are plenty of picnic tables and park benches to sit down relax and the kids will enjoy playing on the round-around, red tractor, giant rocking horse and swing. This park is also known as the Otaki i-Site playground.  The big red tractor My little boy especially loved the big red tractor and spent most of his time " Driving the Farmers Car ". Look out for further blog posts on the other great children's parks in Otaki and Te Horo. 

My First Fishing trip at Otaki River Mouth with Nanna and Poppa, it was pretty successful, I managed to find two sticks, five rocks and Nanna and Poppa caught a bucketful of fish for my dinner. I wasn't aloud in the water, but Nanna did give me a bath when we got home, I was covered in sand and shells.

What is Summertime and Christmas without a yummy, scrummy ice cream and in Otaki we have the best ice cream in the whole, wide world!  Ice Cream, Gelato, Sorbet, in so many of your faverite flavours, Chocolate, Strawberry Ripple, Peanut Butter, Ginger Crunch, Coconut, Mint Choc Chip, Rocky Road, Blackberry, and any kind of berry, if you can dream about it, then you'll probably find it in Otaki at Koru Ice.  

I love Christmas, it's a great time of year to spend with your family, relaxing, eating yummy food, having a few drinks, and exchanging some presents, all in the beautiful surroundings of Otaki and that warm summer sun.  Using social media, I found my faverite photos that to me represent Christmas in Otaki.

My last blog post, Around the World in Otaki  was so popular, I thought I would create a part 2.  Otaki and Te Horo have some beautiful landscapes, varying wildly from sunsets, kite festivals, forests, rivers and churches which rival that of other locations around the world and you can visit some of the most famous locations around the globe right on your door-step! Check out Around the World in Otaki Part One here .

Otaki has come along way, the beautiful Rangiatea Church was destroyed in a horrific fire, but rebuilt by the community, there is amazing shopping on the main highway and on Main street, the Beach Pavillion is still used the by public.   It may not be a post office anymore, but it's a well used and well loved building housing cultural art work. We've put togther a couple of then and now photographs. What do you remember from this wonderful town ?

Pavola, the traditional Kiwi Dessert, no party is a success without one!  Te Papa, New Zealand's national museum in Wellington, celebrated its first birthday in February 1999 with the creation of the world's largest pavlova, named "Pavzilla", which was cut by the Prime Minister of the time, Jenny Shipley.

Retracing your family steps and finding out where you come from can be an amazing step back into history. Otaki and Te Horo both have a wonderful and rich history, and using the local resources available you'll be able to research your family tree. Who know's who you'll find...

National pride is always something that comes in abundance of enthusiasm, and when it comes to your flag, you want to feel as though it represents you as a nation.   There is plenty of discussion about New Zealand's current flag, and whether you love the flag or want a new look, it's important to take a look back at the history of the current flag and consider all the facts before making a decision.

How many different ways can you photograph the word Otaki, we've put together a few to get you started, what can you do, shells, sticks, water, leaves, people, what ever you can get your hands on, photograph the word Otaki with what you can find...

One mum, one uncle and two nephews, our walk in the Forest at Otaki Beach near the Otaki Health Camp.  It was a beautiful day and the boys loved exploring the forest, running through the pine needles, playing in the trees, Mr 8 Months had a great time hanging out in the baby pack, first with Mum, then with his Uncle.

Every country develops its own slang, which can make it difficult for overseas visitors to understand. New Zealand is no exception, often the same word, for example "True" can have three very different meanings.

Our Shopping Day to sunny Otaki!  So many shops and so little time, we love a day of shopping at Otaki Outlet stores so many lovely things to buy! Dad heads to the SciFi and Geek store, Hunting and Fishing while Mum and I always make sure we visit the Bendon Store and Pumpkin patch to pick our bargains! Check out all the Otaki Shops here . Enjoy your shopping trip!

This is an oldie but a goodie!  Can you add any more to the list, how about specific words we only use in Otaki and Te Horo?

There is an abundance of Festivals and Markets in Otaki and the Small Producers Market  is no exception. Rain or shine, every Saturday between 9.00am - 12.00pm you can head down to the Small Producers market, there you will find food stalls which are centred round the La Casa Romana restaurant.