New Zealand week 1

Actually arrived on time and then had a wonderful wheelchair guide greeting Mom as  business class offload started so no waiting, and then took us to duty free, through immigration and customs - all speedy with no waiting. Wonderful kiwi lad.

Hobbitton - movie set in New Zealand

Picked up the rental car (actually great to have an automatic even though I only paid for a standard). Lots of mileage on it but handles well. We headed out crossing the north Auckland bridge and carried on the motorway towards Orewa, then onwards to Warkworth and finishing in Whangarei. Overnight for  one night at Lodge Bordeaux. Dined at a local restaurant: with lamb (rack for Mom and liver - eg 'fry' for me- really good). 

Next day it was an early start for the coastal drive first out to  Whangarei Head, then surfer beaches of Ocean and Sandy, and cross country over hills and cattle farms to the Bay of Islands and NZ's oldest European settlement of Russell (also NZ's first capital albeit only for one year before the capital moved to Auckland). Along the way we stopped at the picturesque Whangarei Waterfalls.

Christmas Tree on Tauranga Waterfront

Russell is now a big game fishing destination but was once known as 'Hell Hole of the Pacific' due to its rowdy whalers and drunken sailors - sadly those days are gone and it is gentrified with great restaurants and day trips to whale and dolphin watch as well  as fish. We arrived on Christmas Eve so made sure to stay up late to attend Christmas Eve Service in New Zealand's oldest (and tiny) church which now operates as a community ministry.  The Seaport Village upgraded our room so we had loads of space but no pool.... Not a lot of rest before our boarding of the NZ Explorer to do a 4 hour bay of islands water tour - under cloudy skies and sometimes rough seas we saw orcas, dolphins, seabirds, and many of the islands.   I managed to get a run in after the excursion and then relaxed with Mom before dinner and sunset. Dinner was at one of the few restaurants that opened on Christmas Day and they all were fixed price multi-course dining - with 'crackers' to pull for funny hats and gifts.

NZ Bay Of Islands

We slept in late on Boxing Day before hitting the road for the drive south. I miscalculated the land drive time so that we could not take in Pahia and the Waitangi Treaty Park (we get a return chance as it is stop number one on the cruise). Still a long days drive to reach Tauranga - with mostly clear skies except for an hours period of rain heading through a gorge between Auckland and our destination. The roads here continued to be the amazingly twisty switchback race course as they were on the drive north. It was also amazing to have posted speed of 100km on these roads that I only felt comfortable at under 80km - and that was before slowing dramatically when turns and curves were advised at lower speeds! The hotel in Tauranga (hotel on Devenport) is beautifully located within easy walking distance of the seafront, many shops, bars and restaurants. First night there we had Dinner at a seaside Mexican restaurant with a band performing live.

Next day we headed over to Matamata which is the village that contains the 500 hectare Alexander Farm: home of the movie set for the Hobbitton Village featured in The Lord of The Rings and Hobbit movies. The farm is the only remaining sheep ranch in the area and is so huge that Hobbitton is quite hidden within. The set is the rebuilt set used in the first Hobbit movie as the first set was built as very temporary only. It is interesting with the house/holes burrowed into the rolling hillscapes with garden patches, village green, meeting places and pastoral landscape. The tour ends in the Green Dragon Pub where you are provided with a complementary beer (light or dark local brew), alcoholic cider, or ginger ale - more available for purchase along with pies, scones, and other fare. Later that afternoon I went exploring the Tauranga Strand - beach front with loads of pubs, bars, restaurants and shops. Mom rested a bit but headed out shopping sometime before I returned. Chinese takeaway was our dinner this evening.

NZ Hobbitton

Onwards to Rotorua - smelly place the last time we were there. The drive was nice through farming country and dipping way down into and out of two gorges. We arrived at the Whakarewarewa (pronounced fak-a-ray-wa-ray-wa) Living Thermal Village just in time to make the cultural performance (Maori dance, stories, and the Haka). After the performance and while waiting for the guided tour the rains came and poured down. Off to the shop to buy rain capes. Fortunately as we got under way the rains gave out and left only cloudy skies. Our excellent Maori guide entertained us with descriptive narrative, family stories, and song as we walked through the village around active volcanic water holes and steam vents. The three hours went by in no time at all. Next we checked in to our hotel for the evening and then made a bit of a diversion for Mom to shop at a quilting store. Next was off to the Buried Village. Nice field walk and waterfall but otherwise I would not recommend it. So off to the grocery store for prime NZ sirloins for dinner as well as eggs & bacon for next days breakfast.

NZ Rotorua & Whangarewarewa