Holiday: Day 14 – Nipping to Napier!

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5.55am: Welcome! or ‘Kia Ora’ as they sometimes say in these parts 😉

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Day 14 – Where are we?
(Tuesday, 12th November)

8.59am: It’s Day 14 and we’re leaving Taupō and driving to the coast of Napier using (mostly) the SH5 (State Highway 5) with the final few miles on SH2.

On our visit list today is: Bluff Hill Lookout, Mission Estate Vineyard in Hawkes Bay (with Lunch!!! 😉) and then, eventually, a wander around Napier on foot. We’ve then got a one-night sleepover in Napier at the Art-Deco Masonic Hotel (but I’m sure they’ll let us in!) – more about that later!

It was quite warm when we left (19℃) but as the journey progressed south-eastwards, it became cooler and cooler. At one point, the temperature hit 11℃. And later, it began to rain. On a positive note, if yesterday’s surroundings were mostly GREEN, today was different – YELLOW!

It was Gorse (of course!). I don’t think either of us had seen so much of it in one place and over such a distance – it certainly dominated the view for the first third of the journey.

The Waipunga Falls

9.40am: As we continued following the map towards our destination, we noticed a scenic lookout pointing to Waipunga Falls. We’d not come across during our research and decided it was worth a stop.

It was literally on the road we were already travelling on, so we didn’t even need to divert! It is formed by the Waipunga river, where the Waipunga Falls drops by about 120 feet, in multiple branches. Breathtaking and worth a look! 👏. More details HERE.

Our journey continued, but there was now some deterioration in the weather requiring the wipers to be working full-time. ☔☔

TODAY’S TRIVIA: The oldest organised sport in New Zealand is… cricket!

Bluff Hill Lookout

11.12am: Bluff HIll Lookout was once the site of an Artillery Battery (the 77 Battery 10 Coast Regiment NZA) and offers commanding views of the ocean. The biggest challenge was actually getting to it by car! For the final half-a-mile the roads were very narrow roads that were also very twisty and steep too. It was worth it though, for the views out to sea.

There is also an Ornamental Garden that was in good shape when we visited although the lawns looked very parched.

Another reason for taking in the view was the opportunity to spot whales and dolphins. In all my years and in all my travels – and in spite of going on quite a few ‘Whale Watching’ experiences, I’ve NEVER actually seen a whale in the flesh. Elsewhere, dolphins haven’t been so challenging, but these larger majestic marine mammals have always stayed hidden from me! So maybe today is the day, as Napier is well-known for the spectacle 🤔

Twenty minutes later, no such luck! (yet again!). Although to be fair, it was a tad misty out to sea, and maybe they could see me! 😉

Mission Estate Winery

11.58am: Our next stop was the highlight of the day – Mission Estate Winery (we’d call it a vineyard). We had booked Lunch here for later, and were looking forward to being pampered. The Estate here in Hawkes Bay was first established in 1851, so they know a thing (or ten) about wine. It’s New Zealand’s OLDEST winemaker originating, as the title suggests, from a group of Missionaries. They were known as ‘The Society of Mary’ and sailed from France in 1836 armed with a lot of faith but with few vines! Somehow, it all came together and today, the Estate is still owned by the Order.

TODAY’S TRIVIA: ‘Taumata­whakatangihanga­koauau­o­tamatea­turi­pukakapiki­maunga­horo­nuku­pokai­whenua­kitanatahu’
– this 85 letter-long word is a Māori name for a 305 metre high hill overlooking Hawke’s Bay.

Inside, we were free to look around – and there was plenty to see. Whether it was the history of the Estate itself or the range of award-winning bottles, there was something for everyone here, including tours and wine-tasting.

Lunch!

12.45pm: It was time for Lunch and we headed for the on-site Restaurant.

It would have been easy to overdo things – especially on the wine front, but we resisted the temptation, limiting ourselves to just a 250ml glass each 🤪🤪 (actually, some left in the glass when we left – honest!) 😉

We were truly spoiled. The service and the food (and the wine) was all first-class! The last leg was just a short twelve-minute drive to our Hotel for the night. A quick calculation revealed we’ve driven 945km/587 miles since we picked up the car last Thursday! 😲

Sleepover

2.25pm: We arrived at our bed for the night – the rather splendid Art Masonic Hotel (no special handshake required!). You can read about the history of the Hotel HERE.

It’s a fascinating building with loads of character. It offers 43 stylish hotel rooms, suites and a two-bedroom self-contained apartment, with all the conveniences you would expect of a modern hotel. 

Driving in New Zealand – The SH5 (and a tiny bit of SH2) to Napier

Road Name: SH5 & SH2
Condition: Very smooth in most parts.
Lanes: Occasionally two-lane, but mostly single (with passing places)
Terrain: As usual, lots of long straight roads punctuated with steep inclines and steep drops
Scenery: Yellow gorse for the first part. Familiar greenery thereafter, including lots of forest (and deforestation)
Filling Stations: 4 (mostly near the towns)
Roadworks: Occasional
Driver Courtesy: Everyone seemed to obey the speed limit and no-one was in a hurry
Speed Limits: 80-100 kph
Police/Speed cameras: None! 👍
Total distance driven today: 160 kilometres

Napier on foot

TODAY’S TRIVIA: There are no snakes in New Zealand!

4:05pm: After getting unpacked, we took a wander around the town. Napier is famous for its Art-Deco-style buildings. Since the massive earthquake in 1931, much of the area has been rebuilt in that style.

What a beautiful town! It’s a pity we’re not here for longer.

Tomorrow, it’s the big one in terms of driving as we head for New Zealand’s capital city – Wellington. It’s our longest drive of this holiday, some 320km/200 miles (about 4 hours in the saddle). We’re planning to leave around 8am (ish). See you on Wednesday in Wellington!!