Set off after breakfast for Thames. We stopped for our usual coffee at Orewa, a town we had been to before but we knew the coffee was good. Again the scenery was varied, from extinct volcanoes to farmland. We saw fields of fruit including kiwi fruit, avocado pears, lemons, watermelons etc.
We passed Auckland over the harbour bridge and had good views of Sky Tower and the city skyline. Mary wanted to stop but we carried on.
We arrived at our B& B in Thames. Our landlady Wendy welcomed us with tea and cakes, we sat by the swimming pool. The cottage was comfortable. It was run by a couple. Gary farmed nearby. Wendy kept a pet sheep Fluffy. In the evening we went into Thames. Gold was discovered nearby in the 19th century. Thames was a strange town with a mix of old wooden buildings and new. We had a meal in a restaurant and before we returned to the cottage we went for a walk along the river on a broad walk. We saw river birds and lots of stars. We did not recognise any constellations.
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