 January 29th: On the way to Welly
We spent the morning looking around Napier. There were a few galleries that caught our eyes - 'Statements' was one, some beautiful glass pendants by Anna Palmer.
We drove through Hastings, more agricultural than Napier and made our way in land and down past the Raukawa Range.
North east of Palmerston North we went through Manawutu Gorge and saw the vast red rocks.
About 15km north east of Palmerston we saw the Tararua Wind farm high up in the mountains, reported as the largest in the southern hemisphere. We had intended to go to the right of the Tararua Mountain range, but missed some how and went on the left hand side and ended up going through Palmerston North and out onto the west coast! But the beauty of being on board the Maui, it didn't really matter.
We stopped for a brew break at Otaki along the breezy coast, close to Kapiti Island a protected wildlife reserve. We chatted to a local guy out walking along the sand dunes. He sported an Australian baseball cap and voiced his displeasure with the wind and salt that continues to destroy the roof on his house, just down the road he pointed! He wants to go to Australia.
On our new route on the west coast we saw a holiday park sign at Paraparaumu a kind of northern suburb of Wellington and pronounced pah-ra-pahra-oo-moo. I made some shocking attempts at saying it.. and failed quite miserably.
The Lindale Holiday Park is full but we are squeezed on sideways, literally. Yet again pointing down a hill, oh for a level bed! We chatted to an Auckland couple while I contemplated our washing bag which was at bursting point. Harsh realities - I hit the laundry room just as it started to hose down. I noticed an American flag flying on a pole in the grounds of the park, strange. At 10:30pm I scuttled back to the camper with clean but semi dry washing.
 January 30th: Sirens and wellies
At 5:30am we are woken by a sound that must have been familiar to our elders - a siren. It sounded like an air raid siren. I'm all confused in my bleary state and not sure what to do - so I fell asleep again.
We left the park, but before doing so ask about the USA flag, apparently his wife liked the colours and the siren, an alarm for the local fireman to gather as they are all volunteers.
We followed SH1 into Wellington. Surprisingly it was tiny. We found our way to the Museum of New Zealand, parked and found the tourist office. Hungry we found Floriditas a stylish cafe and restaurant in Cuba Street. It has a old style european feel to it. We chomped through a rocket salad with feta, along with a bowl of slender fries with garlic and mayonnaise - perfect.
We wandered off to the Museum - Te Papa and looked around the three storeys of the imaginative and interactive museum. The gift shop was brilliant!
We stayed the night at the Top 10 Hutt Park. - comfortable and cozy but strange place. It is 20 minutes outside Wellington but right in the middle of an industrial estate, not a holiday destination but handy for Wellington and catching the ferry to the south island.
Martin rustled up a swift chili - his signature dish. |
