Christchurch - Auckland - Thames - Ohope - Gisborne - Napier - Turangi/Taupo - Rotorua

So we arrived in Christchurch and took things easy walking around town and checking out the botanical gardens and art centre. After a few days we flew to Auckland to buy a set of wheels. We stayed on K' Rd which of course is full of weirdos so we were glad to get out of there asap in our Mistubishi Delica van complete with bed and headed East to the Coromandel Peninsula and stayed a night in Thames. It was good to be back in such a familiar spot but also a little sad. We stayed in a holiday park at the start of the long gravel road which lead to Tararu Valley where we have volunteered. We decided against going up to see what what there as it had been sold off to another conservation trust over a year ago plus we didn't wanna bugger to van making some hairy corners. I like to remember it how it was.

From Thames we headed to the East coast and drove down the Bay of Plenty and stayed at Ohope which is right out on a spit so looks to a lagoon to the West and the Pacific to the East. We stayed for a couple of nights waking up to the sounds of the waves. We took a a day trip to Opotiki which was once a large Maori settlement and has been the area of much conflict in the past with the arrival of the Europeans. We spent THREE hours in the museum as we got a new guy to show us round and he was rather enthusiastic to tell us as much as possible not only about the displays but also about is own life. It was pelting with rain so it was time well spent.

We then headed south into wine country and spent a a night in Gisborne, further south, again staying in a holiday park on the beach. From there we drove to Hawkes Bay and spent the day checking out the art deco town of Napier. We headed inland to Lake Taupo, watch a few crazy people bungy with no inclination to follow them and then headed to Turangi to stay at a quiet little park with hot pools and mentally prepare for our 19km alpine crossing. Tomorrow we head to our first wwoof host just south of Rotorua. See ya x