Our ferry across Cook Strait from the South to the North Island was calm and uneventful. And we soon learnt that the North Island is a lot busier and also less tolerant of slow campervan drivers than the South - Kevin getting ‘the finger’ from a not so welcoming local on the first morning!
Our first day was spent exploring the capital city, Wellington, in the pouring rain. We spent an enjoyable few hours in the wonderful national museum, Te Papa, learning a lot about New Zealand history (short) and culture (there is some). But our attempts to tour the government buildings were thwarted, closed because of Level 2 restrictions. Yes, we did try and swap Boris for Jacinda but there were no takers, and apparently we weren’t the first to have asked.
You’ll need to concentrate on this section...while we have been away Kevin’s brother has had his DNA tested (for family tree research purposes only!) and came up with a connection to our great grandmother’s, brother’s, granddaughter who just happens to live in North Island. Anyway, Jacque and husband Bruce were kind enough to invite us to for a short stay and make the family connection so it was a nice treat to meet our whanau (Pronounced far-no; Kiwi for family).
Our next stop was to explore the wineries of the Hawkes Bay area, so off we set on another tour, although this time on foot rather than bicycles. It has to be said that in our opinion, Marlborough white wines are superior, still can’t get chardonnay down without a struggle and the local reds will probably be ok with some age. Proving what a tiny world it really is, a Kiwi who worked at one of the wineries turned out to be the wife of a former neighbour from home. What odds would you get on that ? (For readers in Christian Malford, John Chamberlain is alive and well!)
We then set off inland exploring areas of mountains and lakes, and were pleased to discover that the North Island does indeed have plenty of lovely scenery too. Waterfalls, lakes, snow-capped mountains and forests abound. There are also a number of geothermal spa areas, one of which in Taupo Kevin was even brave enough to sample.
New Zealand’s only native land mammals are bats, and any others that are here such as ferrets, stoats, possums, rats, rabbits, etc. have been introduced and are considered pests. This is due to their predation on native birds’ eggs and young birds. On our travels we have sadly seen many possums as road kill, but while walking along a lakeside beach came across a very much alive one, just nibbling on some plants, and not in the least phased by us watching him from only a few metres.
We depart for Rotorua tomorrow, and, in an unexpected change of plan, due to campervan complications, we are off to Hamilton on a bus from Auckland next Friday to go to a rugby match. And not just any old match … read more next time!!