Got up and had another lovely swim before heading out...then Fred and I walked down the New Plymouth ocean pathway. Sea was much calmer than yesterday but still very rough. Amazing the huge pieces of driftwood lying on the banks...btw the banks were built with huge boulders, then the sidewalk, then another row of boulders, then a concrete wall...no erosion is going to happen here! But must have been expensive as path goes for miles! The drive was pleasant...very cloudy and misty so scenery wasn't as awesome as it could have been...but very lovely. Lots of valleys, a few mountains to climb, lots of sheep and cattle....really pretty scenery with different colours. Stopped to look at three sisters but could not find them!! But did find a beautiful river flowing in from the ocean. Got to hamilton about 3pm...we have a room big enough for a king! And so little furniture in it but what is here is really old fashioned...we had to put a pillow on the chairs to reach the table! Very odd...but right in the middle of the city so easy walking distance to anywhere. We went for a walk along the beautiful Waikato river, the largest river in NZ before dining out at Lone Star!