DAY 128
Week 19
ROTORUA (Bay Of Plenty, NZ) to NAPIER (Hawke's Bay, NZ)
Thursday October 26th, 2006
TODAYS MILEAGE – 147 miles or 237 kilometres
TRIP MILEAGE – 24574 miles or 39548 kilometres
Head East young man!!! 
Dougy Doug an I got going around 9:30 with the intention of hitting the East Coast of New Zealand and checking out the wine country of the Hawkes Bay region.
First stop of the day was a servo for some motion lotion (petrol) for the rent a wreck from Hertz. I also grabbed an ice coffee and a couple of Summer Rolls for the trip just in case we drove off the end of the island – again.
On the way out of Rotorua is the Te Puia Maori Culture & Geothermal Visitor Centre and as both of us were pretty keen on checking out the geysers, we were disappointed at being stopped dead in out tracks at the extortionate $28.00 entrance fee. Having done the Tamaki Maori Village last night, we were not real interested in the cultural part of the place. Seeing as both of us have been to see Yellowstone National Park and Old Faithful, we decided that we could put the $28.00 to better use.
The God's must have been smiling today as we had a gorgeous day weather wise, but not 30 kilometres down the road (and 6 kilometres off the road) we happened upon Waikite Valley Thermal Pools, which for my mind is a wonderful place to putter around for a couple of hours. You can walk the thermal (as in 95°C/205°F) rivers up to the source or hire a pair of togs and a towel to hang out in the thermal pools which are a lovely 35°C/95°F.
A quick trip down the road and we stopped at the Huka Falls lookout and strolled the 20 minutes down to the falls. As you can see in the photos, the colors are so rich, vibrant and absolutely amazing ... one word - WOW!!!
Lunch was had on the banks of Lake Taupo and what a grand vista we had from the deck of the Jolly Good Fellows pub. Across the lake you can see the snow capped mountains to the South and the rolling green hills that surround the lake. As lunch goes, what a place to park up for a nosebag. I had the Fish (John Dory) & Chips which both of us thought was awesome. Light, moist and very flavorful without being oily or greasy from being deep fried.
Back into the rent a wreck and East was the direction of the compass to the twin cities of Napier and Hastings. The terrain changed markedly as we crossed the mountain range and dropped down towards the Pacific Ocean. The countryside flattens out and you are met with vineyards for as far as the eye can see.
We pulled into Esk Valley Estate and had the place to ourselves. We were treated to a tasting and a history of the area as well the industry. Dougy Doug's pretty knowledgeable on the wine subject and enjoyed himself puttering around the vineyard and cellar, while giving me a vino education of sorts, which I enjoyed as well. I reckon he could be a "closet Chardonnay socialist", if you're asking just quietly.
The sun was setting over Napier, so it was decided to park up at the Bella Vista Motel, only because the have $5.00 internet access. In all honesty, it is a new, clean hotel with all the amenities you'd expect, except for a pool - but seeing as you're just one block from the ocean, it's a mute point.
Dinner was held at a joint call the Lone Star Cafe & Bar, which apparently is a New Zealand chain. Generally I'm real wary of the offerings from chain restaurants, but this mob blew Dougy Doug and I away. We were inpressed not only the portions of our meals, but how moist and flavorful they were. Do yourself a flavor and check them out.
For the record, Dougy Doug had the following — JOHNNY CASH STASH: Two tender breasts of chicken stuffed with mushrooms, spinach, cheese & sun dried tomatoes, corralled in a herb crust & served with a chunky mushroom sauce, a Lone Star coleslaw salad & buffalo chips.
I had the LASSOO OF HOG: 450 grams (one pound) of rolled pork loin with a prune, carrot & seeded mustard stuffing. Oven-roasted with crackling, finished with a fresh apple & ginger sauce. Served with buffalo chips and the Lone Star coleslaw salad.
Tomorrow we're off to the West Coast.
• WAIKITE ~ Thermal Pools (Bay Of Plenty, NZ)
• HUKA FALLS (Waikato, NZ)
• TAUPO (Waikato, NZ)
• RANGITAIKI (Waikato, NZ)