Well we watched Pretty Woman last night and I loved it! Up leisurely and off to Russell today. We drove to Opua and took a car ferry across. We went to the museum which had lots of great things in it...lots of Maori tools including fish hooks, 1/5 scale of Cook's Endeavour, whaling day artifacts and video of history of Russell. Russell was the first capital of NZ and was known as the Hell Hole of the Pacific because it's past was full of deserted seamen, runaway convicts, grog sellers and settlers and traders. With the treaty in 1840 and justice brought in, the capital was moved to Auckland. The Maori's resented the move and 4 times destroyed the flagstaff....eventually in 1846 Russell was rebuilt and gradually turned into a popular summer holiday and retirement place. Today Russell has a population of 1,000 and it's people are involved in tourism, game fishing (sword fish) oyster farming and cottage industries. We toured the shops...some very nice art work and glass work!...drove up to the flagstaff and then to Tapeka point...what a beautiful spot to live! We then headed to Kawakakawa where the Hundertwasser toilets were....pretty neat! A must see if in area! Home, a walk along beach and relaxing evening with video.