A mixed weather trip

We headed north in the bus and stayed two nights in Paihia because we had a boat trip booked. This was with the Historic Places Trust and we visited places of historical significance in the Bay of Islands, mainly relating to the visit by Marion du Fresne in 1772. Then we went south staying overnight in Paeroa, at this camping place in town. It only costs $5 pr night, with power. 

The next day we went further south, visiting a bird garden at Katikati.

Next stop Plummers Point, near Tauranga. We were planning to stay overnight but arranged to meet Alan, who sells ebo ebikes that lunchtime. We bought one bike and were to pick up the other one later.

At Plummers Point

We decided to continue on and stay at Opotiki. Some of the the roads were flooded due to heavy rain a few days prior...

...but we made it!

Our next stop was Gisborne. The weather so far had been mixed, cloudy, rainy and sunny intervals.

Then - a lovely sunny day. We went to Wairoa where we gathered pumice from the beach for a garden sculpture we need to repair.

back on the road, lots of nice scenery on the way to Napier, where we had a soak in the hot pools overlooking the ocean and a nice lunch on the waterfront

The next day we turned for home, first stop Taupo. The whole country was suffering a very cold bout of weather and it was cold in Taupo so we carried on. We spent the night at Miranda, below is the sunrise the next morning, over the cloud covered mountains of the Coromandel. From Miranda we went into Auckland to pick up the other bike...

...and so, to home.