Michelle, Glenn and Alexander recently hiked in the Himalayas and want to go back. So do we. It was

Flying was only part of what makes this trip to New Zealand so special. At Great Barrier Island, a lady at our Backpacker lodge took us along with her for a swim. She went to a sheltered cove known only to locals. Two little girls were swinging on a rope from the limb of a giant pohutukawa tree in the brilliant sunshine. The water was warm; the swim refreshing.
Next day, a Sunday, our flight plans to the west coast were changed due to low clouds. We diverted to Whangerai, the service town for the region. It is very interesting landscape with mangroves and a big river delta.
We went in to the airport to phone for a rental car. The rental desk showed Avis, Budget, Tilden and Thrifty. There was a courtesy phone – how nice. But two of the companies rome guided city tours were sold out, the third answered in Australia and said it was not possible to rent a vehicle that day and the fourth was no longer operating in Whangerai.
We didn't have any better luck with accommodation….or connecting with taxis. After forty-five minutes of trying to make ANY kind of arrangement, Ed went out to look around for information on busses to town.
A local man asked Ed if he'd had any luck and Ed said "None whatsoever!" This man was picking up his wife and son who had just flown in from Great Barrier Island. They talked briefly with each other and just as I joined them outside the airport, he said, "Why don't you come home with us? You could spend the night – we have an extra room."
Glenn, Michelle and Alexander are gracious and delightful hosts. They live in a beautiful spot in Ngunuru Bay. We ate an antipasto lunch on the deck, then Ed and I walked rome guided city tours down the beach and had a nap in the shade. For supper we ate cockles (or pipi as they call them) delivered by a friend, fresh picked off the beach that afternoon, followed by Michelle's chicken curry.
Michelle, Glenn and Alexander recently hiked in the Himalayas and want to go back. So do we. It was so easy to talk with them; we have much in common. We really enjoyed spending the afternoon and evening with them.  We hope they come to visit us in the Okanagan.