Today we had an early start an took the ferry across the Cooks Strait into Picton stopped at a winery for lunch saw the very different scenery and saw seals along the coastline .

Left Napier in the drizzle with an amazing view from Te Mata Peak .... Traveled miles and miles and miles mostly in heavy rain... Stopped at a bird sanctuary but spent more time in the cafe than looking at birds because of the weather .Now very briefly in Wellington before a ferry ride in the morning ,hoping for better weather tomorrow x

Today we had our first really wet morning as we left Rotorua .....we stopped at Orakei Korako and explored the geothermal terraces and mud pools, heading towards Napier for a wine tasting along the way. Napier is rather nice with an Art Deco quarter that was rebuilt after the 1930s Earth Quake.

Yesterday's highlight was meeting at a village beside Lake Rotorua and being introduced to a young couple of Maori men who introduced us to there culture.... Along with there modern day RayBans ! Today has been more leasurely with lunch overlooking Mount Tarawera that erupted in 1886, followed by the afternoon on a cruiser with sunshine and wine with a pit stop at a cove to bath in the thermal springs ....... Tomorrow we move on to Napier x

We have had an amazing couple of days travelling around the North Island....some breath taking sights , saw our first Kiwi albeit in a bird rescue centre ...... As they are nocturnal it's highly unlikely we won't see any in the wild , been to some glow worm caves , some beautiful water gardens and now at Coromadel Peninsula with beautiful beaches.