Napier is a coastal city set in the renowned Hawke’s Bay wine-producing region.  It is an eclectic town with art deco architecture created after it was rebuilt from the 1931 earthquake.  We found our way up the Bluff Hill to The Verandah, an Edwardian...

Going a bit further south from Rotorua we travelled to Lake Taupo, cultural grounds for the native Maori’s as well as a recreational hotbed.  The town is located on the shores of the lake near spectacular Huka Falls where the Waikato River ends its journey. ...

Moving off the coast we travelled to Rotorua, a major destination for both domestic and international tourists.  It is known for its geothermal activity, featuring geysers and hot mud pools as well as a Maori cultural centre.   Mountain biking through the...

Jet lag didn’t seem to affect our travel.  We seemed to be so excited to be there that adrenalin was powering us.  A couple of day to gather the supplies we needed an we were off to the Coromandel peninsula.   It is on the western end of the Bay of...

We left Aukland and headed south to Hamilton to connect with a university friend from years back.  Rohan and his wife Jo put us up at their house as we prepped for a camping trip to the Coromandel Peninsula.  I had fond memories of the area from a camping...