NAPIER plus

Camped in Napier a few days over the holiday season, enjoying the friendly town and the ‘fab’ scenery.

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Napier’s distance to others

 

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Napier shore

 

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Facing the shore, backed by giant cliffs

 

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Xmas parade in hot weather!

see traveltoon ‘Napier Xmas’ post

HOT WATER BEACH

Great place to relax in hot mud or hot water as indicated by the number of tourists drawn here from distant lands!

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Caravan park entrance

 

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Geo-thermal steam rises from sand

 

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Hot water (steam)!

 

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Hot Water Beach, NZ

 

WINDING ROADS

Never a boring drive and always fabulous scenery!

 

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Near Wellington, NZ

see traveltoon ‘Winding Roads NZ’ post

 

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Sheep don’t mind which side of rode they are driven on!

see traveltoon ‘Driver’s Ed’ post

Everyone we met advised us to see the Coramandel peninsula for awesome scenery—so we went but poor weather conditions, low-lying clouds, and road construction combined to make the journey rather, ah, unpleasant to say the least!                                                                       

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Slippery off-road camper van!

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Misty seeing me on the road!

 

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Post -Coramandel drive!

see traveltoon ‘Coramandel’ post

OREWA

Farther north on the east coast, strong winds kept us parked for days—an eternity in a small van! Ventured out but returned promptly as a high-top van is no match to gale force winds!

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We’re the lone campers in the wind

see traveltoon ‘Orewa – Windy’ post

 

PAIHIA – BAY OF ISLANDS

This beauty locale usually teems with boaters and tourists due to the many nearby islands. Our visit, however, was spent as shut-ins as rain dampened (!) any outdoor activity. Depressed to the point of seeking advice from a travel agent regarding FIJI—desperately seeking sunshine. Flight schedules were awkward and expensive so Fiji was shelved, and our road trip resumed.

Paihia, Bay of Islands, NZ

 
see traveltoon ‘Paihia, NZ – Rainy’ post