Friday 6 January Fly from Queenstown (South Island) to Wellington (North Island) and get the bus in from the airport. Grey clouds, and rain is forecast. Our backpackers, the Duke of Wellington, is, I'm guessing, a hotel from the 1920s or 30s, near the station and not far from the Beehive (parliament).
Service with a growl at reception, our room has a window but a view only of an office building a few metres away and a very tired bathroom. It reeks of cigarette smoke - how retro. And unpleasant.
To the nearest supermarket at Wellington station...and with station prices, to buy air freshener and food. Many businesses are shut for summer break until 16 January (very French to have a fermeture annuelle) so not all the bars and restaurants in the city are open yet.
Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 January it's the same sad cloudy weather. We visit Te Papa museum on both days to see several exhibitions, including a very powerful one about Gallipoli. It was very moving, they lived and died in some bloody tough conditions. Kiwis from all walks of life. Men, women, Maori and Pakeha alike. It took a bit of processing and really hammered home what it meant for Kiwis. In a lot of ways it was the birth of the nation. All working together as New Zealanders.
On the roof of Te Papa, overlooking Wellington Harbour
Mosey round town, including to Cuba Street and a couple of pubs - price of a pint is high at NZ$12 (about £6 UK) so we don't go mad!
Have a meal at Master Kong by the Queen's Wharf - I naively say that the decor is a bit muddled, and John has to point out that it is supposed to look like an Asian street market, with trailing wires, random corrugated iron etc, as they're selling Asian street food. Thankfully without some of the weirder street smells!
Monday 9 January - Pack the night before and walk to the intercity bus platform at the station to catch the 7.30 am double decker to Napier. We have 'gold' seats which are leather(ette), lots of leg room, USB ports, plugs and are downstairs. The trip takes 5 hours with several tea n wee stops en route.
Arrive to an overcast Napier and wander down the street to meet John's cousin Michelle and her husband James, and daughters (they couldn't make it to Cromwell for the reunion) for a coffee.
Michelle, daughters x 2, James & Lyndon
Very smart restaurant and we definitely get 'Looks' when we arrive with our backpacks! Lovely to see them and time for a coffee and quick catch up before they head off to a batch (holiday cottage) for their break and we walk to Toad Hall backpackers on the edge of town. Friendly and spacious; delicious breakfasts are included.
Go out later to Vinci's which is on one of the main streets and sells really really good pizza - we have a 'half and half's' so the carnivore and veggie are both happy. 18" pizza so is good on quantity as well as quality.
Vinci's pizza - John's hand for scale
Tuesday's weather duller than Monday and it rains on and off. Go shopping as Macpac have a sale and I buy a merino sweater.
Visit the museum and view a lot of information about the earthquake in 1931 - Marjorie, a friend of my mother's, was living here as a child when it happened. Many died, and it must have been very frightening. The town centre was rebuilt in Art Déco style (plus a bit of Spanish Mission, Stripped Classical etc) and looks very smart.
We go for a dip in the heated outdoor salt water spa pool - nice to have a water back massage while sitting in the rain.
In the evening we are collected by Georgie Fry, daughter of our friends Gill and Ian, who is living in nearby Clive, and her boyfriend Josh. We head for Te Mata peak to look out over the country side, but see nothing but cloud 🥺. Have supper at the Puketapu pub, a proper country inn, with good menu. Good to spend time with them.
Wednesday we get the bus to Papamoa at lunch time. No 'gold' seats on this bus, just scratchy ol' seat fabric like on the London Tube, limited leg room and no internet. Trip takes about 4 hours and 40 minutes via steamy Rotorua.
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| Interesting Architecture en route to Papamoa - Tirau |
Met by Auntie Margaret and Uncle Paul at Papamoa and we spend the evening with them at their home (new to us since they moved from Auckland).
Next day is overcast and not right for the beach which is a shame - North Island weather is not being kind to us. Paul and Margaret take us on a tiki tour around Papamoa, Mount Manganui and Tauranga stopping for lunch at the harbour.
The next day - Friday 13th! - our last one here and the sun comes out and we finally get the promised BBQ - for breakfast.
Sunshine at Papamoa Beach
On the 11.40 bus to Auckland, a trip which takes 6 hours 40 minutes including stops. A short walk (uphill of course) from the bus station to our backpackers.
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