Sunday, 21 February: Today we drove from Feilding to Whangamomona. The treat of the day was being able to see Mt. Taranaki in its entirety. This mountain is so often shrouded in cloud and mist that some travelers never get to see it. Whangamomona claims to be a separate Republic within New Zealand...long story. One gets there along Road 43 called the Forgotten World Highway because of the remoteness of the area. We arrived in mid afternoon and settled in for our two night stay. The hotel is over 100 years old and is simple...a real country hotel/pub.

Monday, 22 February: After breakfast this morning, we set out for an adventure: The Forgotten World 20 tunnel tour. We walked from the hotel to the railroad siding where we boarded golf carts fitted out to drive on the railroad tracks. This rail line was used to transport mostly coal from the mines in the area to the main rail line. It was abandoned by NZ Rail, and this guy had the bright idea of making a tourist adventure out of it. We boarded our carts after a brief lesson in driving, and about 30 of us headed off. The rail line goes through a series of 21 tunnels as well and over 61 railroad bridges and through some of the most beautiful native bush in New Zealand. Our guide, Terry, was fun and knowledgable. We made several stops along the way to learn about the area and were served morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea. The ride goes from Whangamomona to just outside Taumaranui where we were met by a bus and brought back to Whanga. A good meal at the hotel capped off a fun day.

Tuesday, 23 February: Happy Birthday Robyn! Back to Feilding to do laundry, and repack for the next several days on the road. We stopped in Wanganui on the way to visit the lovely Lake Virginia Park and Gardens. In the evening we had dinner with good friends Darcy and Phyllis Ross.

Wednesday, 24 February: Happy Birthday, Joey! Joe and Mary said their good byes to Cathy and Max, and we headed to Napier. We stopped in Woodville on the way to check out the second hand shops and then just enjoyed the ride. We checked in to our motel in Napier, ate our lunch there, and set off to have a walk along the Marine Parade and a look in the shops. Napier was the scene of a severe earthquake in 1931, and the city was rebuilt in the Art Deco style. It is still referred to as the Art Deco City, and the influence can bee seen everywhere you look. After a walk around the city, we needed a nap! In the evening we celebrated Joey's birthday with dinner and another walk along the sea front.

Thursday, 25 February: The road from Napier to Gisborne is full of twists and turns. We stopped a few times for photos and for our usual picnic lunch and were in Gisborne by 3pm. Our lodging, the Oasis Motel, is a little bit out of the city,has a small pool, and free unlimited internet access! Swimming, reading, resting took up the rest of the afternoon. In the evening we went into the city for dinner and a walk along the shipping channel and the seafront.

Friday, 26 February: Gisborne to Tauranga via the inland road is about a four hour trip. We stopped at Ohope Beach for our picnic lunch and a walk along the beach and arrived at Audrey's mid afternoon. We were welcomed warmly, as usual, and were pleased to meet Audrey's granddaughter, Anna, and her partner, Dane. We relaxed for a while and then went to our lodging at the Greerton Motor Inn. Audrey and her friend Ed Collins met us at the restaurant of the Motor Inn for dinner, and we all ate too much at the bountiful buffet.

Saturday, 27 February: This morning we drove to the Tauranga Historic Village where Buzz had organized a meeting with the people at the Rock and Mineral Club. Unfortunately, the village has become a ghost town with only a few open shops remaining. When we first went there many years ago, it was a thriving attraction. Buzz stayed to talk with the people at the Club, and Joe, Mary, and I went into the center of Tauranga to walk around the shops and have lunch at our favorite Fish and chips place on the wharf. We had a relaxing afternoon, made a light dinner at Audrey's, and back to the motel for an early night. Auckland tomorrow.