16/3/2026 Mission Bay

It's been overcast today, but very warm,and after a lovely long facetime it was time for  some execise and I decided rather than turn right at the end of the drive I'd go left, a controversial choice I know. Turning right takes me to St Heliers, to the left, Mission Bay. Kohimaram is bang smack in the middle of both places. 

The path is wide and as flat as the one to St Heliers, and again follows the ocean, which makes for a really nice and easy walk. It just feels weird to be walking what in my mind is downhill, even though technically it is uphill.  The walk was pleasant enough, but nowhere near as pretty as the one to St Heliers. 

Mission Bay itself is quite “touristy” there are a lot of large eating and drinking places, but there don't seem to be the lovely little local businesses along the main front.  The other thing it has is a large open park next to the beach with an outdoor gym and exercise area. It's surrounded by big shady trees and it's really pretty. However, for me, I much prefer to sit and be able to have an uninterrupted view of the ocean when I'm enjoying my coffee and beer and sadly I don't get that in Mission Bay. Don't get me wrong, it'’s beautiful, the Park area is stunning, and at the far end there is a large fountain that's really popular with little kids.  You could sit there with a picnic all day and enjoy the view of the ocean and Rangitito Island. On the weekends it's a really popular place. I think the fact that it has a few car parks is something that enhances the appeal and definitely the park is a big attraction for families as they turn up in droves with gazebos and BBQ’s

I found a coffee shop right down the far end and went in for a large one and it was ok, just not as nice as the ones in St Helier (obviously) or Kohi. On the subject of coffee, the St Heliers bakery sells big bags so I'm going to bring  home a few to go into my pink coffee machine. I digress, which I know is a complete surprise. So the coffee was nice enough  but I couldn't get a clear view of the ocean. There was a big old tree  in the way, and due to the crutches, taking the coffee to go and sitting on the grass or bench to drink it wasn’t an option.

That's just my perspective of course. It's a pretty little place, but even walking past the restaurants with the pumping music, it was similar to every tourist resort the world around. I drank my coffee and crossed back over to the ocean side and walked through the park. It was a nice change and it's something I will do again. There were a lot of people who were utilising the outdoor gym area which is always good to see, clearly i didn't give any of that nonsense a go at all.

I walked back  up to Kohimarama and went for a nice long swim. There was a lady there who was part of the swim group so we chatted and swam which was nice because you don't really realise how much you're doing when you're distracted. The other thing was she was wearing one of the floats behind her so any boats or jetski could see her, this made for a much safer swimming experience. We finished our swim and went to shower off. I dont think i mentioned before that all the beaches have outdoor and indoor showers and changing rooms which are brilliant. They are cleaned several times a day and it’s marked on a board the time they were done and by who.  Once I changed I started to walk back to the unit. I got totally distracted watching a parachute thing on a board, it was accompanied by a small motorboat, I guess in case the wind carried the rider miles off course. It took a long time for the wind to pick up enough to carry them across the bay, but once they were in their pocket, they were flying across the waves and I couldn't stop watching. 

I was so mesmerised that I kept on walking, it was only when I glanced away I realised I was almost at St Heliers. Ffs. What an idiot. I messaged Morgan and told him I'd meet him at the 4 square , obviously he shook his head in disbelief when I told him what had happened although I have taken it as a real positive and I must be gaining strength with the swimming and walking. The pain is high but  I think the new crutches are really helping me get about easier, so that's really good. 

Morgan and I went and picked up picky bits for dinner, just salad bits because there is loads of food in the fridge that needs to be used up. He'd had a long asse bitch of a day cutting concrete on his own so could barely keep his eyes open. He finally got his laundry done late Sunday night, but he wasn't happy, normally he said it wouldn't have bothered him as its a shared house and they have as much right to use the machine as he does, it was more the fact that it was the person who doesn't work doing her laundry and her inconsiderate nature. It's just exactly that , inconsiderate. 

We discussed a plan of attack for moving accommodation on Wednesday which I am quite looking forward to just  for the fact it will be a change and a new area to explore. I love Kohimarama but it will be nice to be somewhere else. 

A short and uninspiring update, but it lets you all know I'm still around. Unlucky! 

Much love

Mrs Leonard 

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