Clare writes:
we've had a lovely relaxed time for the last few days in lovely Napier - a city which was destroyed by earthquake in the early thirties and rebuilt in the Art Deco style that was prevalent at the time, so it's full of the pastel colours and distinctive lines of the style. Local shopkeepers and bars are often in keeping too, using the right fonts etc. Nice to stroll around - even if the lookout we sweated up to mainly has views of the containter port (it's a very NEAT container port!)
The leaves are really turning now - we went for a gourmet drive yesterday around the area (wine and cheese tastings in our own inimitable fashion - none of your organised tours!) and the colours were stunning - bright yellow poplars, red maples, everything in between. Even the vineyards were different colours depending on the grape - rusts, yellows, some still green others a deep red. Fab!
Today we're off to Rotorua which is bound to be the highlight of north island with it's geo-thermal wierdness... read on...