After leaving Hot Water Beach, we took a slow drive down the East Coast towards our next destination - Whakatane (which is pronounced nothing like it's spelt). The view above is the one from our lunch time picnic stop.
OK, OK, I had sherry, while Marius planned our route. If I'd known when we bought that sherry that we wouldn't be able to find more, I'd have bought a whole lot more...
Another coffee stop along the way...
I loved all these little spots we found - they were little hidden gems on our travels...
We were very lucky with the weather while we were in New Zealand. It was very cold, but we always seemed to miss the worst of the rain. The weather's also funny there - it pours with rain and then a few moments later, the clouds move off and the sun comes out. Somehow when the sun's shining, it doesn't feel that cold. And waves!! We saw waves...
Something that we found strange was the trust - there were so many stalls like this on the sides of the road, where people were selling home grown produce. You just had to leave your money and help yourself. Apparently nobody steals..
We spent the night freedom camping just outside town alongside a bay - hard to believe that this is the sea...
The sunset was gorgeous and we sat outside until it got dark and finished off our sherry. It wasn't enough to keep us warm and we went inside to make dinner...
It rained a lot during the night, but we woke up to crisp clear skies. It gave us the opportunity to see our neighbour's van - complete with a chimney and pot plants on the back. I think he actually lives in his camper van permanently...
We had a long drive from Whakatane to our next stop in Napier, which is along the south coast of the North Island. It took us most of the day to get there, but we loved the drive - I think it was the prettiest road we traveled during our entire holiday.
This is the view looking back towards our camping spot, with the sun rising...
We drove through the most gorgeous gorge. It was miles long and I think we saw another 2 cars the entire trip, but it was so pretty...
We were freezing here, but the river had been winding along the road the entire journey, so we had to get photos when we could...
And only Marius would go barefoot in shorts when its 2 deg C outside...
We found this random coffee stop along the road too. The woman running it has lived in the gorge for 24 years. They're one of just 5 families living there. we chatted a bit and enjoyed stretching our legs with a cup of flat white (like a latte)...
This doesn't do the gorge any justice...
Another little stop along the road...
And YAY! More sheep...
Stunning autumn colours - the Kiwis are big on hedges...
We
learnt a lot of things in New Zealand too - like how to pump our own
gas. Well, Marius learnt. Least he knows he has other job options if
ever needed...
New Zealand's not a very old country, but some places, like this one who's name I never learned, seem stuck in a time warp...
I've
mentioned it so many times before, but the scenery is ever changing and
we went from really wiggly, winding roads through forests and mountains,
along coasts, to farms and flat lands with very little along the road
side. Wherever we went though, we were left in awe of the beautiful
scenery...
We road the Pacific Coast Highway...
And found black beaches...
Somehow I can't imagine ever tanning or swimming at one of these black beaches...
We'd eventually reached Napier...
It was late in the afternoon and our first stop was the pub on the water's edge - so like Cape Town's Waterfront, don't you think??
Marius had a beer and I had a cider. We sat next to the fire place and used the free wifi to catch up with the kids...
Hahaha... This is an old "Try Pot" - which they used for testing out and boiling blubber. On second thoughts, now that I haven't had 2 ciders, that's a pretty disgusting pot to be sitting in...
More up soon...
Love,
Sue XXX
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