As one of New Zealand’s fastest growing districts, the Western Bay is a shining light to the rest of the country in the way it is planning for its grown over the next 50 years.

Historically regarded as the “rural neighbour” of Tauranga City, the Western Bay is characterised by its four towns set within a rural landscape featuring pastoral and dairy farming, horticulture, home based cottage industries and diverse rural lifestyle.

The District is home to more than 42,000 people, covers 212,000 hectares from Waihi Beach in the north to Otamarakau in the south east and basks in between 1900-2300 hours of sunshine each year.

Within the District’s boundaries are the World’s Kiwifruit Capital Te Puke, the Peninsula paradise of Omokoroa, the Mural Town of Katikati and the coastal havens of Waihi Beach and Maketu.

Our prowess in horticulture, agriculture, tourism and the marine and food sectors makes the Western Bay the economic engine room of the sub-region.

Here you have the opportunity to relax on our gorgeous beaches, adventure in our native bush and regional parks or explore our interesting towns, the Western Bay has it all.

The fireworks were just as good as last year but we had a better time. This had a lot to do with this being our second time to the show so we were better prepared. Shanny kept wanting to go to the swimming beach, since she remembered that from our visit here last month. Eventually, with all the lights flashing and booming taking place, she forgot all about that!

I’ve actually been considering going on a touring holiday this year as I got some great motorcycle luggage from my other half for Christmas so I’m looking for a good excuse to put it to use. The problem is, I can’t make up my mind where to go so no doubt I’ll end up doing what I did last year and just jump on the bike and head off in to sunset with no fixed destination.

The other day I went to the fishing pier in Myrtle Beach State Park. This was the first time I tried this and I did catch a few fish! I also talked to some of the salty veterans while I was there. They told me that the pier acts as a fish attractor for a few different reasons.

One is the structure itself. That makes sense to me. Fish like to have things to be able to maneuver around to help them avoid predators. The other is the structure serves to attract organisms that live on structure like pilings that are always underwater. Barnacles, algae and other piling living critters then serve as food for certain fish. These fish that graze on the living- on-the-pier-piling organisms in turn serve to attract predators. This means there is a nice fish community around these piers.

I will go back again next weekend, to learn more and hopefully catch some big fish!

There is a wide variety of available options that can protect travelers from almost any conceivable situation. Two of the best companies are Trip Guard and World Nomads, who both offer multiple levels of coverage. Travel insurance is very affordable for the benefits it gives, and it is just another element of making sure a trip goes off smoothly. A small fee in the beginning will save a huge loss in the end.

Their pack sits high on the back and has good padding as well as ventilation, so you won’t get that nasty sticky feeling in the center of your back after a couple of hours. It also has outer pockets for quick access to things, be it snacks or your water bottle, or maybe your camera if you need to be able to snap quick photos. The pack is truly versatile and is relatively cheap, so check out Gregory’s site if you are in the market.

Areas like the South Pacific still have very good spots, such as the Phi Phi islands in Thailand. It is an oasis amongst islands that are already renowned for their natural beauty. The islands of French Polynesia are another set of good tropical islands to visit. These islands are very remote so it is best to fly there, but once you arrive there it is very inexpensive. Try to plan and book 6 months in advance to guarantee the best airline pries. Keep in mind that right now prices are cheaper than ever due to the recession and falling tourism, so strike while you can!

Without doubt my favorite city in the Languedoc Roussillon is the Catalan city of Perpignan. As I come from the major city of London, I’ve always enjoyed a bit of hustle and bustle, having said that I moved to the South of France because living in such a large city was becoming unbearable. Perpignan, for me, offers just about the right amount of excitement and color without being overwhelming.

The city centre itself is very self contained, you can easily get a sense of the layout within a day. There are lots of funky boutiques and restaurants to choose from and my favorite pastime is to sit with a coffee in one of the bustling squares and watch the world go by. As the city is close to the border with Spain, Perpignan is half French half Catalan and this gives the city a diverse atmosphere that is quite different to the other major cities in the area like Carcassonne or Montpellier.

Bumping into someone else’s property and causing damage or even worse, hitting another road user can result in a lawsuit which could end up costing you far more money than you can afford. So its better to get things in order in case the worst happens and sort out mobility scooter insurance. Premiums for this sort of insurance are relatively cheap in comparison to potential legal costs so it shouldn’t be probatively expensive compared to your new scooter.