WELLINGTON to NAPIER and ROTARUA

We left Wellington this morning and headed north crossing through the Rimutaka Ranges which has some very high peaks. The countryside then levelled out to very picturesque hills and plains and very different to the South Island, most was nice and green with lots of cattle and sheep. As we got nearer to Hastings we saw where they grow a lot of fruit and vegetables. As soon as we got to Napier we had a High Tea (that was our lunch as we arrived at 2pm and hadn't had a lunch stop along the way) followed by a conducted walking tour of the Art Deco in the town. Napier was flattened by an earthquake in 1931 and what survived was almost burnt by a fire that followed. The town was rapidly rebuilt and was completed within 2 years. It used Art Deco features in the rebuilding of the town which the town is now recognised for.
Today we travelled to Rotorua stopping at Taupo which is a centre of volcanic and geothermal activity. We saw three volcanoes in the distance at Taupo. We then went and saw the Huka Falls. It is not very spectacular as waterfall height wise but 200,000 litres plunge over the rocks every second or enough to fill 5 swimming pools every minute.
Later this afternoon we are going to a farm for dinner about an hour away.
Photos
High tea
Building that withstood the earthquake due to having been double concreted
Lake Taupo
3 volcanoes in the distance to the right
Waterfall
Rapids after the waterfallRead more