Well its half way over booooo. I could stay here for ever. We waved goodbye to wellington and got on the kaitaki ferry. Its the largest ferry in NZ waters with room for 1600 passengers and 600 cars on 3 decks. We got the lounge and free breakfast woot. Sailing across Cook strait the journey was about 3hrs long.

Into Picton and off we go. Heading down the coast through Marlbourough country. And we know what that means lol. Lets drop some names….2 rivers, Brancote estate, cloudy bay. The list goes on. So we wended our way up vine surrounded roads into the heart of the Brancote estate. Wonderful countryside. Walked up the hill to try some sauvignons and pinots. And not the lesser stuff sold to us brits. Over 600,000 vines at Brancote, mainly sauvignon and all replanted in the 80s. With grafting they can last 40 yrs plus and they number each one so they know which part of the vineyards the grapes come from. Wobbled a bit back onto the bus and onto a chocolate making factory. What more can I say.

A Trek down the coast past seals lounging on the rocks after a hard day and into Kaikoura. Went to the local pub for pie & chips and to many beers. Think I might give 7am breakfast a miss.

Early start. A quick walk round Napier and we are off for a long old trip down to the Capital and the ferry. First stop at Norse wood for Coffee. And yes the name says it all. Scandinavian settlement in the middle of nowhere. Nice coffee shop though. Onto the kiwi sanctuary . It’s set against a backdrop of the primeval 942 hectare Pukaha Mount Bruce forest, into which native wildlife is being returned.

Here was lunch but also the famous white kiwi in the kiwi house……Sorry no pictures allowed we saw a brown and the white kiwi. Being Nocturnal everything had to be kept Dark. The poor old kiwis tend to get picked on by the bad boys of the animal world the possum and the rats who steal there eggs and young. Don’t forget these bad boys where introduced to the wild by the Europeans.

Up hill and down dale and into the hinterland of Wellington. Named after the famous duke, in 1865, Wellington became the capital city of New Zealand, replacing Auckland, where William Hobson had placed the capital in 1841. It is at the south-western tip of the North Island on Cook Strait, the passage that separates the North and South Islands. We went through the highly decorative streets and up to the mountain  lookout. what a view.

Down past the LOTR theater where Peter Jackson presented his trilogy to the world and into the Bolton Hotel (what a fabulous hotel & free wifi too. You other hotels pay heed). Got a guided tour of the city after dinner with Subs. Thanks mate. Fly safe.

Leaving behind the busy town of Rotoura (was a canoe conference on….) We set off to Orakei Korako, the local geo thermal site. On the way we stopped at some very hot mud pools. Not for facial use. Orakei Korako (Maori for “The Place of Adorning”), is a highly active geothermal area most notable for its series of fault-stepped  terraces, located in a valley north of Taupo on the banks of the Waikato river. All very spectacular. Long walk around but well worth it. After a coffee and some carrot cake we had of to Napier.

A quick detour to Haku falls and a ham roll and another set of beautiful falls in the wilderness and we reach lake Taupo. With a surface area of 616 square kilometres (238 sq mi), it is the largest lake by surface area in New Zealand,  According to geological records, the volcano has erupted 28 times in the last 27,000 years. Thats alot I take it. Must have been a site for sure.

Then onto the highlite of the day.The winery at Esk Valley. WooT. loverly wines and tasted most of them lol..Dragged ourselves into Napier the Art Deco Town.

After the Earthquake leveled the city in 1931, they rebuilt the place in 2 years and most of the buildings are still there in good nick. It all looked quite 1930ish. Had a guided tour. Nice. Dinner and Bed…long trip to Wellington in the morning. Meeting a friend there for dinner. Should be fun.

Again a late post. The itinerary was very tight today for sure, but a day filled with fun. We headed down to lake Rotikki after breakfast and climbed on board a luxury catamaran. Floating out in the lake was something else. We headed towards the hot water baths taking more magnificent photos while sitting on beanbags on the deck. Bit early for beers lol. The baths where quite hot so we went in the lake as well to cool off.

from the lake back to the trial and onto lunch at Daves house. And what a house. Ive filled in the application form for a water taxi driver. Dave and his Maori wife run trips to the volcano mountain which is where she was today. But Dave & his family where the perfect hosts. (I want to live there) Best place ever to have lunch.

After a quick visit to the Bath houses in Rotorua we went back to the Hotel to get ready for our evenings entertainment at the Mitai Maori Village. A Dinner show I suppose but with a difference. Show was Fantastic (first time I have seen the Haka live) Dinner was Very nice. Cooked in the ground. Then we headed for bed rather later than usual. Another 8pm start in the morning. I might skip Breakfast lol.