NZ's primary museum is called "Te papa", and proved to be excellent (and free), which modern, interactive displays. Quite an achievement for a relatively small country.
One of my primary motivations for spending time in the north island was that it is apparently home to some excellent windsurfing. Unfortunately, there is a complete absence of hire kit, although there is shop with excellent kit, although at quite a price. It was gutting to look out across the bay at a particularly windy day and not be able to sail.
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| Mt Taranaki |
Heading north, we stopped at Mt Taranaki, which also promised windsurfing, but again the conditions delivered, but the kit availability didnt. There is an Mt Fuji esque volcano here though, so had I not been so perverse we could have done some excellent altitude hiking
With time running short, we continued north to Paihia, in the "bay of islands". We had two things to do here:
1. As a boat obsessed teenager, I always wanted to have a go on a big racing catamaran. In activity obsessed NZ, trips on such craft a readily available, irritatingly the boat was not available at the time
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| On the Edge - No show! |
Famously sunk by French secret agents in 1985, the rainbow warrier was relocated and donated to the ocean as an artificial reef, and is now a famous dive site. We booked in to dive it on a rainy but otherwise ok looking day, and got up at 6 (ish) to join the group heading there via minibus and then a RIB speedboat. With the northisland run of luck continuing, the fog prevented the boat from getting to the reck, so we had to dive an ok reef instead (good puffer fish, octopus and conger eels though)
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| The Rainbow Warrior Memorial |
Looks like you are having a great time mate and by now, you have probably heard, that in great "British" tradition after a bit of snow the UK has ground to a halt.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy a Warm and Sunny Xmas and New Year.