Mount Maunganui: This must be the place!

When I was planning my NZ trip back home, I chose couple of places as a possible candidates for my summer long-term stay and Mount Maunganui was on the top of this list. I don't know why, but I just had this feeling that this place is somehow special even back in Slovakia when seeing the pictures of the Mount... And after 2 weeks I spent here I must say that it is special...

Mount Maunganui is placed on a beautiful peninsula ended by the mighty Mount (the hill on the picture below). The Mount offers beautiful views over the town and surrounding bays. The town is rather small and not really crowded yet (I suppose it gets much crazier during the summer holidays) but it has a magical chilled atmosphere that make this place special.  

Upon arrival to Mount, I've spent two days in one hostel that was not really my cup of tea, so I decided to try the other one (there are only two backpacker hostels in Mount) and that was where the real Mount life started :) 

Sunset and the Mount - beach view. This picture was done right after I arrived to Mount. Love at first sight.

The main beach in Mount - 5 minutes walk from the backpackers where I'm currently staying :) Mount is a surf-town (that is also why it was on the top of my list), however there were not many days for surfing since I arrived here - the ocean is too flat all the time. Hopefully it gets better...

View over the town from the Mount and Chris "Ze German" 

Mount backpackers backyard. One of the most magical places in Mount for me. Of course nothing special about the backyard as such, it is the people I met here that make it special :)

In mount I finally started to play football from time to time :)

My first surfing lesson. Totally unplanned. It was fucking freezing without a wetsuit. Since then I managed to go surfing once more (this time with a wetsuit and some bigger waves) and I must say that I fell in love with this sport right away, but also that it is pretty difficult. But I managed to catch few waves and stand up on the board :) beautiful feeling.

Mount bike gang :)

Maclaren falls - supposed to be lazy sunday there, but it ended up by jumping to the freezing water from the rocks (or even a bridge for some crazy guys). The picture is downloaded as I didn't have my camera with me)

Oh yeah. And I got my first job :) I'm working on a kiwifruit orchard - helping the plants to grow the most beautiful kiwifruits. It is really easy and relaxing job and as I work with 5 other friends, we have a lots of fun and laughs during the time spent in the orchard :)

So, as written in the headline, I think this must be the place for me to spend the summer in!