Hastings & Napier

After our successful trek we were now heading East, toward the coast to Hastings and Napier. This was about a 2/3 hour drive toward Taupo and then south east to the coast. The drive was again just stunning, the first part a mass of pine forests and then into twisty, turney roads through hills, fields and farm land. I lost count at the number of cows and sheep there were along the way, needless to say there were a lot. Although there is a lot more dairy farming than sheep, which surprised me, but according to my sources (Coralie) there has been a big shift.


We arrived in Hastings mid afternoon and took a short trip to the sea, a little bay called Te Awanga. We then headed in to Hastings to meet up and stay with an amazing lady by the name of Coralie Curtis. Coralie welcomed us into her home with open arms and Kip and I felt for the first time since we left in September that we were at home. We spent the most amazing few days as guests of Coralie's and were spoilt rotten (Thank you Coralie!).


The next day we headed out for a day trip to nearby Napier, the Art Deco capital of New Zealand. What a place! After the wars and various earthquakes in the early 1900's (ish) Napier had been left in disrepair, so with the opportunity to rebuild large areas of this port town, architects set to work rebuilding in the Art Deco style. The results still remain to day and are great to see (mum and dad, you would love the place!).


The following  day was spent driving the local surrounds of Hastings. First stop was a great view point called Te Mata peak, where you can get a full 360 panorama of the area. Then to a lovely beach called Waimaramra, followed by a few wineries on the way back (well why not!).

That afternoon we spent at our new 'home from home', just pottering around in the garden, before having an awesome BBQ; and I have to say that the best sausages I have ever had (lamb & apricot).


Sadly we had to force ourselves to leave, otherwise we would have moved in and never left. So back on the road, our next port was to travel up around Hawke's Bay and the entire Eastern cape. We had heard that this route was not the road most travelled, but we were about to find out.






Oh yeah, i almost fogot, we stumbled across another Camberley and Frimley - would you believe it.