Sunday 16 Dec
We were waiting
for the clouds to clear around the volcanoes, so went for a wander in
Taupo Botanical Reserve. I had forgotten how much New Zealanders like
their Rhododenrons but there was also one of the largest collections
of Camellias in NZ – it was just a pity they were all pretty much
at the end of their flowering.
Eventually we gave up, as even though
the cloud had lifted, it was extremely hazy, so we headed for Napier.
Along the road were the pretty 40m Waipunga Falls.
Napier is a busy
port, but really offered nothing of interest to us. Just north of
Napier Darryl bought some fresh asparagus and apricots..they were the
best apricots I have ever eaten! Really sweet and soft. As we drove
further north there was another walk to two waterfalls – Te Ana
Falls, and Tangoio Falls.
We ended the day at Three Oaks Motel in
Wairoa, very quiet, clean and cheap.
Monday 17 Dec
Our first rainy
day, although it lightened as we drove north to Mahia Peninsula.
We
had a look at the surfing beaches, but it was too wet (the notes said
dangerous when wet) to do the walks, and then headed to Morere Hot
Springs. We didn't go into the baths, but drove up a road, which was
quite dodgy. Our wheels skidded on the vegetation and there were deep
ruts, but when I got out, Darryl was able to get up! At the top was
their cemetery!
There was a track from here into the reserve, and we
quite enjoyed the track which skirted the Hot Springs, enjoyed seeing
lots of Nikau Palms, and incuded pig ruts.
Back in Wiaroa we took a
walk along the riverbank before dinner, starting at their
light-house. We spent the night at the Three Oaks Motel again and
enjoyed baked Salmon with fresh fennel (picked at the cemetery) and
farm fresh asparagus.
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