Headed South

Fast facts:

* You’re never more than 128 kms from the sea anywhere in New Zealand.

* All of the Lord of the Rings Movies were filmed entirely in New Zealand.

* Greeting at New Zealand retailers: Welcome to Wool Mart.

I have some catching up to do to get back to real time so this is going to be whirlwind.

After breakfast and posting the winning postcards for the question of the week, we’re in the car for a long drive. We’ve left the northern part of New Zealand and doubled back, going south. We’ll go by Auckland again before heading east to the Coromandel Peninsula. This is a long day. Over six hours of driving and much of it through windy steep areas. There are almost no four-lane highways in New Zealand. Most are at best two-lane and much of it up and down mountains making for some breathtaking views as well as breathtaking turns, especially when driving on the wrong side of the road. We’ve driven through a lot of rain and the last hour is torturous. A very long day. We arrive in Whitianga an apparently dreary small town of 3,580 poor souls on a gray windy day. The Mercury Bay “Resort” turns out to consist of six housekeeping units wedged between the road and the beach. OK in it’s own right but after the combination of nice weather and the opulence of the first two hotels this is a real let down.

However, after a two mile walk along the beach into town followed by a surprisingly excellent meal and hospitality at the Fire Side restaurant things began to look up. This is also the beginning or our little ritual of either the Hills or the Barnetts hosting a little get-together before going for dinner by finding a new and unique New Zealand wine then pouring in their hotel room. More on this ritual and the wine later. True, we blew a fuse as we prepared for bed that night putting half the room in darkness and true we couldn’t sleep because of how loud the Pacific Ocean was crashing under our window but it could be worse.

Next day, the sun comes out. We find that little Whitianga, a natural and pretty marina and harbour is much more charming than first believed without being touristy. Jill decides to check out the nearby Hot Water Beach. At the Hot Water Beach there are thermal waters just below the sand. Apparently the way you enjoy this is around low tide to dig a hole, and then lay in the hole pretending you now have a spa. Finding no redeeming value in this activity, Claire, Gary and I decide to find a golf course, a very redeeming activity. The nearby Dunes golf course advertised themselves as one of the 10 best courses in New Zealand. What it should have been “dune” is spending some money on maintenance and accoutrements. We needed to rent clubs but the “good clubs” were out when we arrived and we had to pick out half sets from some bags. They weren’t bent all that badly and I know if I’d tried harder I could have learned to use the left handed putter in my bag but it wasn’t our best golf day. The course was poorly maintained and not particularly interesting. It was built adjacent to a grass air strip and several signs around the course reminded us that we had to yield to Dune Air during take-offs and landings. Still some comradary, a couple of holes with views or the Pacific ocean and the cold beer at the end made for a pleasant day. Dinner at a casual Indian dinner that night. (Claire and I have to practise for our upcoming travels).

I’m not unhappy that we went to Whitianga but I wouldn’t go back. However, Jill actually liked the area better than Pahia and would love to go back and explore. So the opinion wasn’t universal. In any case a couple of days here is enough and we’re looking forward to Rotorua a three hour drive to the south.

Rotorua (pop. 76,000) located on Lake Rotorua is a much more commercial and tourist friendly city. We check in to the modern Novotel hotel. When checking in we thought that rooms included luggage and clothes but learned that we were checked into the wrong room. Too bad. We could have used a change of clothes.

Rotorua’s claim to fame is that it has “the most energetic thermal activity in the country, with bubbling mud pools, gurgling hot springs, gushing geysers and evil eggy smells hovering around”. Makes you want to jump on a plane and fly over. Smell of sulphur lingers everywhere. A little like Saint John 20 years ago. Happy to find a plethora of cafes and restaurants in the two or three blocks adjacent to the hotel, where there was no smell. Next day was tacky tourist day. We had a five attraction ticket that took us to the Agrodome (a sheep show), Paradise Valley (Wildlife zoo kind of thing), Skyline Skyrides (A gondola ride) and Te Whakarewarewa ( A thermal reserve & Maori cultural area, and the Spa. We force ourselves to go to all but the spa. Pretty unremarkable and touristy except: 1) the girls thought the sheep show was cute 2) the geyser was pretty impressive and 3) I kicked Gary’s butt in the “luge” track at the Skyline. On the luge you get on a wheeled cart and race down the mountain on a paved track that winds back and forth. Way cool. We don’t have any pictures because Claire is still having a problem distinguishing between the shutter and the power switch. She’s getting very good at turning the camera on and off but has yet to actually snap a picture.

Rotorua is a city to go visit once and move on. The next morning we did.

Short drive to Taupo (pop 21,000) on Lake Taupo. (Someone is going to have to work with these New Zealanders to inject a little more imagination in choosing names. We check into the Wairaki Resort and claim a small housekeeping chalet kind of thing. Great idea but ours was a little dark and musty. The Hills’ was quite pleasant. (It dawns on us that for each of the last three stays whoever checks in first has been getting the nicest unit. This inspires an early start each day.)

Taupo is known for recreational activities: Fishing, boating, skiing. Walked around the smallish city a bit; then Jill walks (tramps they call it here) to a Falls while Gary Claire and I tackle the Wairiki golf course. Decent course if pricey at $100 Cdn.. Front nine is OK but the back is quite challenging and enjoyable. Dinner consists of Thai food take-out eaten in the elegant Hills villa. Very relaxing.

Leave the next morning to head to Hawkes Bay area. We arrive first!!! But where we arrive is quite special, as is the entire area. Possibly my favourite. First the accommodation. We find very small inn, the Fairhill Estates. How small? Three rooms. But what a fabulous place! Nestled in the trees adjacent to the owners’ home consists of two ensuite bedrooms and a suite. (Guess who got the suite). Also a large common area and a fridge located in the large roomy hall. We were treated to a wonderful continental breakfast the next morning by our very gracious hosts. Can’t say enough good about it.

The area? Three communities. Napier, Hastings and Havelock North. (total pop. 185,000) Middle of major wine district with 31 vineyards in the area. Has it all. On a long beach. Vinyards. Napier and Havelock North are charming small towns with cafes and restaurants. And wine. Lots and lots of wine. This is died and gone to heaven stuff. Only problem is the Cape Kidnappers golf course is $250 per round. We decide not to go. Don’t really feel like golf.

Let me talk about the vineyards. Most have restaurants and wine tastings. Free wine tastings. They have all their vintages on display, perhaps a dozen. You arrive, they give you a glass and you simply ask which you’d like to sample. They pour you a little less than an ounce. You taste it. Then you point to the next sample. And so on. If you find something you like you pay the grocery store price and take it home. Later that day we have our little wine cocktail party showing off the wines we purchased that day. Tonight we split up and Claire and I eat at Craggy Range Vineyard, just about the most spectacular place on earth. We love it here in Hawkes Bay and hate to leave but all is pre-booked and we have to move on. After fresh fruit, muesli, hot from the oven croissants, fresh orange juice and French press coffee in the morning we say goodbye and leave. (We’ll be back)

On to Wellington, a couple of hours further south (actually the southern most part of this Island. Wellington is the second largest city in New Zealand, it’s capital. Accounts differ but probably between 300 and 400 thousand souls. Nice enough. A pretty fantastic harbour surrounded by hills. Reminds us a little of St. John’s, only nice. Lot’s to do. We do a cable car ride. Tour Te Papa, an outstanding contemporary museum. But we don’t find the same charm here as in much of the rest of New Zealand. Just a little more modern, urban than we’ve been used to. Hotels (we stayed in the Duxton) a little more featureless. Dubious highlight. Their parliament had opened its session the day before. We sat in on the second day during question period. These guys act just as stupid as our guys. Only difference is they let the girls play, the Prime Minister is a girl, sort of. Engaging but discouraging diversion for a couple of hours. We’re not unhappy to get ready to say good bye to Wellington and look forward to our crossing to the South Island the next morning.

No question or what I learned today this posting. We’re two weeks behind and I have to catch up. (Truly honestly we’re leaving for Viet Nam tomorrow even though the next posting will be pretending we’re still touring the second half of New Zealand.)