NZ - Day 7 - Taupo to Havelock North

Thursday, 30 January 2020

We started the day bay packing up our little house in Taupo. It's been a nice place to stay and quite the opposite style of the house we are in tonight (more on that later).

Once we left our first port of call was McDonalds as it had an actual retired plane attached to it which looked pretty cool. 

 

 

Actually the kids went and checked it out while Jon and I went to get him some coffee. 

 

Then we went to a souvineer shop where I failed to prevent Jett and Jon buying some NZ themed 'comfort' socks..

 

Next stop was the Craters of the Moon geo thermal park - which was a bit like what we saw yesterday only a bit less spectacular and a fraction of the cost. 

 

 

 

 

Then we went to a spa pool place - De Brett's Thermal Spa. It was ok, but only 1/2 as good as the one we went to in Hamner Springs a few years ago. It was a nice way to soak our still sore muscles while the kids did waterslides as well.

 

 

Next stop was the supermarket for lunch supplies followed by Aratika Rapids.  The attraction of Aratika Rapids is that the dam above it releases water every two-ish hours so you get to watch a fairly benign steam become a raging torrent in a matter of minutes.  I took the before photo on the left but the after photo on the right is from the website because my phone went flat at the critical moment!

 

After that we ate our picnic lunch in the carpark then jumped into the van for the 2 hour drive over to Hawkes Bay.  This was uneventful but nice easy driving (particularly compared to some other roads we've been on so far) - and it was interesting to see the sheep filled hillsides give way to vineyards and orchards as we got closer to the east coast.

We're now at our AirBNB here in Havelock North - just south of Napier.   Zali and I found it really hard to find anywhere to stay this weekend as there is a Michael Buble concert on - so we were lucky to get this place even though it's not really our style - it's filled to the brim with arty nic nacs so that we're all in fear of breaking something or spilling something or even just mistaking something decorative for something useful and accidentally using it.   Nevertheless it's a lovely place and it's got an excellent deck that I'm sure we'll get to use over the next few days. 

 

 

Before dinner we walked down the the registration to pay our entry fees and check out the local village. It's very quaint and we'll be racing through it on Sunday. 

 

 

 

2016summary
Packing, shopping, packing. Sunday, 27 December 2020
Christmas Day 2020 Sunday, 27 December 2020
Adventures with GumTree Monday, 14 December 2020
Gingerbread House of Horrors. Sunday, 13 December 2020
Beautiful Summer Days Sunday, 13 December 2020
Before & After #48 : New Sofas! Wednesday, 9 December 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #38 Wednesday, 9 December 2020
Orienteering Christmas Event Wednesday, 9 December 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #37 Wednesday, 9 December 2020
Getting out Wednesday, 9 December 2020
The Two Capes Hike Monday, 30 November 2020
Crescent Beach Sunday, 29 November 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #39 Sunday, 29 November 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #38 Sunday, 29 November 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #36 Sunday, 22 November 2020
Hartz Moutains Sunday, 22 November 2020
My First (and probably last) Point to Pinnacle Sunday, 15 November 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #35 Friday, 13 November 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #34 Friday, 13 November 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #33 Friday, 13 November 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #32 Friday, 13 November 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #31 Sunday, 1 November 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #30 Sunday, 1 November 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #29 Sunday, 1 November 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #28 Sunday, 1 November 2020
Other projects Saturday, 31 October 2020
Streetscapes Saturday, 31 October 2020
All the things.. Saturday, 31 October 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #27 Monday, 12 October 2020
Back at home Friday, 9 October 2020
St Helens is Still Awesome - Part 2 Friday, 9 October 2020
St Helens is Still Awesome - Part 1 Friday, 9 October 2020
Yummy Bread Saturday, 26 September 2020
Misleading Claims Saturday, 26 September 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #26 Tuesday, 8 September 2020
Catnapping Tuesday, 8 September 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #25 Wednesday, 2 September 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #24 Wednesday, 2 September 2020
Happy Birthday Jett! Tuesday, 1 September 2020
Echidna in Peter Murrell Reserve Wednesday, 19 August 2020
Wednesday Walks Wednesday, 19 August 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #23 Monday, 10 August 2020
Dream Team Monday, 10 August 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #22 Monday, 10 August 2020
Accident on Mountain Circuit! Sunday, 9 August 2020
Freycinet Day 3 Monday, 27 July 2020
Freycinet Day 2 Monday, 27 July 2020
Freycinet in a Day Monday, 27 July 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #21 Tuesday, 21 July 2020
This time last year Tuesday, 21 July 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #20 Tuesday, 21 July 2020
Covid Benefits Tuesday, 21 July 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #19 Monday, 20 July 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #18 Sunday, 19 July 2020
From the bottom to the top Sunday, 19 July 2020
My Birthday and Recipe Challenge - Books #17 & 18 Tuesday, 14 July 2020
Local Adventures Monday, 13 July 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #16 Monday, 13 July 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #15 Sunday, 5 July 2020
Almost Disappeared Tarn Sunday, 5 July 2020
New Phone, better photos Sunday, 5 July 2020
New views Friday, 3 July 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #14 Friday, 3 July 2020
Cockatoos Thursday, 2 July 2020
Things (not) to take up a mountain Thursday, 2 July 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #13 Thursday, 2 July 2020
Loopholes Part 2 Thursday, 2 July 2020
Happy Birthday Robin Sunday, 28 June 2020
Snug Falls and Dave Burrows Walk Sunday, 28 June 2020
Loopholes Sunday, 28 June 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #12 Wednesday, 24 June 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #11 Wednesday, 24 June 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #10 Sunday, 21 June 2020
Dark OFO Sunday, 21 June 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #9 Sunday, 14 June 2020
Recipe Challenge - Books #8 Sunday, 14 June 2020
Recipe Challenge - Books #7 Sunday, 7 June 2020
Other things Sunday, 7 June 2020
Recipe Challenge - Books #5 & 6 Sunday, 7 June 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #4 Tuesday, 2 June 2020
Zali Saturday, 30 May 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #3 Saturday, 30 May 2020
Recipe Challenge - Book #2 Thursday, 28 May 2020
Challenge Accepted - Book #1 Tuesday, 26 May 2020
Back to Peter Murrell Reserve Saturday, 16 May 2020
How to catch a cat Saturday, 16 May 2020
Small Amusements Thursday, 14 May 2020
Home Things - Zali Thursday, 14 May 2020
Home Things - Pinto Thursday, 14 May 2020
Home Things - Table Soccer Thursday, 14 May 2020
Zali's Hair Boutique Saturday, 25 April 2020
Before & After #47 : Deck Projects - Part 2 Saturday, 25 April 2020
Pittwater Dunes Tuesday, 21 April 2020
Dumb. Tuesday, 21 April 2020
Still Running Tuesday, 21 April 2020
Before & After #46 : Deck Projects - Part 1 Friday, 17 April 2020
Cute Thursday, 16 April 2020
House Orienteering Monday, 13 April 2020
More Local Activities Monday, 13 April 2020
Satisfaction Saturday, 11 April 2020
Friday? Friday, 10 April 2020
So today is probably Wednesday then. Wednesday, 8 April 2020
Is it Tuesday? Tuesday, 7 April 2020
Isolation Activities Sunday, 5 April 2020
Coronavirus Bread Wednesday, 1 April 2020
Golden times - for some anyway. Wednesday, 1 April 2020
Coronavirus Outbreak Wednesday, 1 April 2020
Home School day 2 Wednesday, 1 April 2020
Home School day 1 Monday, 30 March 2020
Whitewater Creek Map Monday, 30 March 2020
Craft projects not cancelled. Monday, 30 March 2020
Camping Food Monday, 30 March 2020
Closures Monday, 30 March 2020
Family Dinner Monday, 30 March 2020
Meehan Ranges Run Monday, 30 March 2020
Bruny Island Day Out Wednesday, 18 March 2020
Melbourne Sprint Weekend Saturday, 14 March 2020
Cathedral Rock & Montague Thumbs Loop - take 2 Wednesday, 26 February 2020
Before and After #45 - Garden Project Tuesday, 25 February 2020
Sourdough Saturday, 15 February 2020
Wellington Falls Saturday, 15 February 2020
NZ - Day 11 - Hawkes Bay to Hamilton Tuesday, 4 February 2020
NZ - Day 9 - STB - Day 2 Saturday, 1 February 2020
NZ - Day 8 - STB Day 1 Friday, 31 January 2020
NZ - Day 7 - Taupo to Havelock North Thursday, 30 January 2020
NZ - Day 6 - Rotorua Wednesday, 29 January 2020
NZ - Day 5 - Part 2 Tuesday, 28 January 2020
NZ - Day 5 - Part 1 Tuesday, 28 January 2020
NZ - Day 4 - Lonely Mountain Sprints - Day 3 Monday, 27 January 2020
NZ - Day 3 - Lonely Mountain Sprints Day 2 Sunday, 26 January 2020
NZ - Day 2 - Lonely Mountain Sprints Day 1 Saturday, 25 January 2020
NZ - Day 1 - Auckland to New Plymouth Friday, 24 January 2020
Hello NZ! Thursday, 23 January 2020
Frenchman's Cap 2020 - Day 4 Wednesday, 8 January 2020
Frenchman's Cap 2020 - Day 3 Wednesday, 8 January 2020
Frenchman's Cap - Day 2 Tuesday, 7 January 2020
Frenchmans Cap 2020 - Day 1 Monday, 6 January 2020
Guessed blog by Clare the favourite family friend Friday, 3 January 2020