Leaving ArthursPass Village it was frosty and crisp and sunny, the mountain caps were snowy. The village really was no more than 40 properties and most of them were single skin corrugated iron huts that were knocked up for the tunnellers in the 1920’s when they built the train tunnel up there. Must have been harsh. Some time after, the small corrugated huts were clad and enlarged to make ski accommodation for those that come up to the ski field here. Hence...

NOW THIS IS A REALLY QUIRKY PART OF OUR JOURNEY!! Really good time at Renwick, but off on to next adventure…………&# 8230;drove down the coastal road with native bushland coming right down to the sea, you would be hard pushed to notice that there was a small road between the bush and the sea……which we were driving along……huge rollers on an angry sea, some spray hitting the car, the road seemed never ending, we st...

So we left our nice Napier home and Sal and Alan to driveoff south to Wellington. The day started fine and sunny, lots of cows and sheep, and small quaint towns. As we got to Wellington it got very windy . Our motel was in Thorndon, very much the Hampstead of Wellington, boutique restaurants, and antique shops, and a very old Speights pub which served us well fortwo nights eating. We were based half way down the Botanic Gardens towards Wellington City, so we ...

So coming to the end of our static 2 weeks stay here in Napier, the flat has been a great place to be based. We have got ourselves into such a routine now its as if we know the surround very well and even have our favourite morning coffee place !! The weather got better as time went on, and has been very hot this last week as in red, red, red sunburn hot, i did go to the pharmacy to get more sun cream and was told they arent allowed to sell below 30 here, troubl...

So after a stay at Waihia and then a stay at Gisborne we are now at Napier and been here one week , so one to go. Met some black swans before we got to Napier as we ate our sandwiches it was clear they wanted them............ Arrived at Westshore Napier at Sally and Alans abode. They have a big house which they have made the downstairs a comfortable stylish flat, all the extra touches and we have made ourselves at home! Sally and Alan are just as ni...