THE BEACH HOP AT WHANGAMATA

THIS BLOG IS BROUGHT TO YOU CARE OF QANTAS AIRLINES WHO HAVE DELAYED US AGAIN AT SYDNEY AIRPORT (THIS TIME EN ROUTE TO SINGAPORE).

Soon after they arrived in New Zealand in 2010 Nick and Lin had gone to the Beach Hop in Whangamata. Not knowing what to expect, they had been surprised by the scale of what they'd seen and had really enjoyed it. As we would be in the country for this year's annual event (the 11th), they suggested we go and see if we shared their view.

We'd been to Whangamata before (see earlier blog), with its long, US-style main street, fabulous beach and surfer culture. The Beach Hop was nothing to do with sand or surf boards, but an exuberant celebration of cars, bikes and rock music.

Sit back and enjoy the cars -and spot the number plates!!

Some of the cars could be seen parked along the road......

...........and others travelling around the town...

..... some of the cars had engines exposed.....

.... pert lights (Madonna or Monroe?)

The engines were so clean ...like new....

People also dressed up in 60s gear.  The girls in the back of this pink Thunderbird had matching pink wigs..

Beach hoppers are not very PC.....

This car was in the local paper...

It was not only American cars.  We homed in on this delightfull Hilman Sunbeam.  If only we kept the two we had in the 1970s...

.........but even in the '70s they hadn't looked as good as this!

And then there were the bikes.......

 Steve's dad had one of these......

And what better to capture the atmosphere of the '60s and '70s than the bands playing all along the main street. Everything from Buddy Holly and Del Shannon to the Eagles and Guns'n'Roses.

 

 We followed this couple from band to band as they made their request, stripped-off their cardies and jived in the rain.

Click on the video to get a sense of the atmosphere.