Drove to Napier today via Wai-o-tapo and Taupo – and made sure we stuck to the speed limit all the way along State Highway 5, otherwise known as the Thermal Discovery Route (an absolutely lovley,scenic drive). Stopped briefly at Thermal Wonderland in Wai-o-tapo to see the Lady Knox Geyser. This is a huge geyser which ‘performs’ for the tourists at 10.15 each morning,
as they put soap into the head of the geyser to speed up the process of the hot and cold water underground causing the geyser to erupt. Very impressive, even though it’s got a Disney element to it. Then stopped for a coffee at Lake Taupo which I think is the largest lake on the North Island. Beautiful on a lovely sunny morning.
We’re staying at the Top10 again in Napier. They really are very good value and staying in self catering apartments and cabins in New Zealand is making a nice change from hotels for us. Napier is an absolute gem of a town. The whole town was destroyed by an earthquake in 1931 and rebuilt within two years, so it is supposedly the most complete example of Art Deco architecture anywhere in the world. 
Couple that with its location on the coast of Hawkes Bay (where most of our New Zealand wine comes from) and you have a really perfect little town.
It’s very trendy and laid back too, like a far less touristy version of Byron Bay – quite an ‘alternative’ town. We did the ‘Art Deco’ walk this afternoon and really enjoyed it then had dinner tonight in a quirky Mongolian restaurant, where you grab a bowl, choose all your own ingredients then give it to the chefs to stir fry on a hotplate for you. Lovely. That was followed by coffee on the pavement outside the Cri – the old Criterion Theatre, which is now the backpackers hostel, with a really great little folk band playing. Lovely weather made today another perfect day.
Sid wants me to add this footnote to the journey:
Idyllic scenery was only interrupted by Myra’s assurance that we were driving on a half full tank for the entire journey. ‘Oh’, she said, ‘The petrol light has come on’ (at this point we were somewhere in the mountain wilderness). I observed that her ‘half a tank’ reference was as a result of her confusing the petrol gauge with the temperature gauge. Fortunately, we survived the journey on ‘hot air’. In future, the petrol gauge will be checked at each stage of the journey.
Further footnote from Myra: I have never understood the phrase ‘head in hands’ before. But now I do. When I said, ‘Oh, the petrol light has come on’ (and we really were on top of a mountain about 50 kms from any town), Sid put his head in his hands. I don’t understand why he doesn’t just relax and go for the old adage, ‘don’t worry about what you can’t change’ and anyway everybody knows you can do at least 50 kms on an empty tank.
1 comment:
I'm with you Sid, my head would have been in my hands too, although I guess as you were at the top of a mountain you could have freewheeled down
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