The eastern coast of the North Island

     The Cook Strait ferries have had a rough few last days.  The seas have been terrible and one trip (that we thankfully missed) took over 7 hours and had most people sick and the cars, buses and trucks rolling into one another.  The pictures are amazing!  We had heard stories of a real back up of people waiting to get across to the North Island.  However our bus driver got us a confirmed ticket and then upon arrival, since we were "walk ons" they let us go on the very next one.  We were delighted as it was a beautiful day with calm seas.  We hugged Rachel goodbye, grabbed our back packs and with a few others jumped aboard.  We passed the time chatting with a great couple from Canada.

     Arriving back in Wellington we had a great "room with a view" this time and had a pleasant evening there before starting north in the morning.  Stu surprised us at the bus -- he is a South Island driver that we traveled with earlier and had been sent North to take out a Czech Republic Charter next week.  So it was fun traveling with him (and several other passengers whom we'd been together with off and on over the last 5 weeks) to Napier, the "Art Deco" city.  Apparently Napier was demolished in the 1930s when an Earthquake leveled the place and relocated the port.  It was rebuilt in the style of the time:  Art Deco.  It is weird to see!  Beautiful too though!  Our accommodations at "Archie's Bunker" were great.  There are other corny names like "Florist Gump" around the town.  We had a great walk along a beautiful black stone beach but the weather was still "dodgy!"

     Wednesday we moved on to the Mount Maunganui/Taurango area, the beginning of the Coramandels (Bay of Planty): miles of whitesand beaches along spectacular coastlines.  Staying at the Pacific Coast Lodge was a real treat as Murray and Heather are all that Rachel and Stu bragged about!  We went to a local bar and helped a team competing in a trivia contest.  We won prizes for being from America and "even Wyoming" itself (the area of the "infamous Broke Back Mountain setting"). 

     Today, Thursday, we prepared a hearty breakfast and then set out to climb Mount Maunganui (spectacular views up and down the coastline) and later to explore Motoraiki (Leisure) Island.  We were treated to a sunny and warm morning and early afternoon so our walks were great fun. 

     When we arrived yesterday the Diamond Princess was in port.  I guess because of our age, people kept asking us if we were "off the boat" -- what a joke:  Denny on a cruise ship?  especially the Diamond Princess?  It is UNREAL!  HUGE!  A smaller ship, the EUROPA came in later and it was dwarfed.  I bet cruising between the Australian and New Zealand ports would indeed be a great trip though...

     I sure hope the weather holds as tomorrow I am booked to go out on the Gemini Galaxsea, a sailing vessel, to go swim with the dolphins and hopefully to see whales!  :)  Denny will relax and read.  A sailing ship on questionable seas is not his "cup of tea." 

     We can't believe that we will be flying out Sunday!  This has been such a spectacular trip!  But we are eager to see you all again!  Soon!