Left Rotorua and although the sun decided to make an appearance, the clouds didn’t clear enough to warrant a trip up the gondola. However we did manage a visit to the Government Gardens before we left, this is where the museum is, but it has been closed for renovation for 6 years and nothing much appears to be happening.
Took a leisurely drive to Thames at the bottom end of the Coromandel and managed to catch the sunset from the beach near our motel, but it was very cloudy.
Next day took a drive around the peninsula, stopping off for the various sights along the way. However a storm was brewing off the coast and it started to rain as we got to the east coast, where 6m waves were predicted later. So we decided against a water taxi to Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach and only managed to get back before the torrential rain started and it didn’t stop all night.
We had pondered about changing our plans to go to the Bay of Islands but the weather outlook appeared to be better there than the alternatives.
Set off next day, in the rain towards Paihia in the Bay of Islands, luckily for us Google suggested an alternative route due to hold ups which we took. Although this was 18km on unsealed road with the odd fallen tree we got back on the main highway, only to be told by the police that there had been 3 landslips on our original route which they were hoping to clear by the evening. Arrived into Paihia a couple of hours later than expected though.
Boat day for us, firstly a ferry to Russell Town, 15 mins each way. Russell is one of the oldest towns in NZ and was originally the Hell Hole of North Island. In the afternoon we took a catamaran trip around the bay and up to the hole in the rock.
Unfortunately due to the weather we could not go through the rock as it was too dangerous. Completely understandable as we could barely stand when the boat had stopped due to the swell!
On our final day we visited the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, where the original Treaty between the Maori and British Settlers was signed in 1840. Fabulous place with two museums, guided tour cultural experience and the largest waka (war canoe) built (it weighed 6 tonnes dry and 12 tonnes when wet and ready to sail – it is also longer than Captain Cooks Endeavour!
On our way now back to Auckland to see Katie and Tee before we set out on our cruise to Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, American Samoa and a tour around NZ before heading to Sydney.