After the van issue was nominally sorted, we were without transport for the day. Our tour guides Robbie and Gail stepped in, having already fielded over 30 calls regarding our problem, and drove us into town.
Napier is on the east coast of the North Island, on Hawke Bay, a region well known for its wineries. We didn’t do any vineyard visits or tastings as chances were we would never find the wines again in France, so preferred to look around the town.
We started at the sea front where there is a lovely outdoor theatre building.
Napier is an Art Deco period town with a plethora of buildings from that period. Its one of those places where you should remember to look up, above shop front level, as the best features are usually above.
We had a good wander around and indulged in some more retail therapy – I came away with 3 more fleeces and B with one which after wearing once he decided was not for him, so I got that one too! It was not that cold there, but they had some nice ones which will be useful for our European camping trips!
We had lunch in another of the Deco styled buildings, as ever, it was somewhat larger than anticipated.
The following morning, an hour or so later than promised due to a traffic accident blocking a road, our replacement van arrived and we were off again, this time to Rotorua in the centre of the island.
