We were up early for a long day on the road. We left Feilding at about 6:50 AM, with our ultimate destination being Auckland. Driving from the Manawatu through the Rangatikei regions was magnificent in the early morning light. I did find it amusing at one point where we could have taken the ‘Alternate Scenic Route’ as if the drive wasn’t scenic enough. We had a stop at Waiouru for breakfast at the Angkor Wat Cafe, which is directly across the road from the New Zealand Army Museum. You get a good view of the Tongariro volcanoes and they do a good serve of bacon and eggs.
From there we drove past Lake Taupo, which was looking an absolute picture today, with yet another fine and clear day. This area through to Rotorua is famous for its geo-thermal springs and geysers. There are also a number of geo-thermal power stations in the area that account for around 13% of New Zealand’s power.
We drove through Rotorua, enjoying the lake views, made a quick drop off in Te Puke and then finally arrived for lunch in Tauranga with Deb’s ex-nephew (her ex-husband’s nephew) and extended family, which included some people we hadn’t seen for a long time as well as the contingent of young children. After lunch we took the children to a nearby park where the local railway enthusiasts have restored some miniature steam trains.
With one eye on the clock, we left for Auckland. I missed the turn for the flash new toll road, so drove up the the old road which winds around a bit, particularly through the Karangahake Gorge, just near Paeroa (of L&P fame).
We arrived at our our accommodation with one of Deb’s friend in Kumeu, which is a rural suburb in the north western Auckland.
The area is a well known vine growing area, so will be looking forward to discovering the local wineries tomorrow, as well as catching up some of the extended family.
Until tomorrow!
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