Over the mountains and down to the sea

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We left Rotorua early as breakfast in the hotel was 22 $ which is half our daily budget and therefore was a no no!

The drive to Gisborne was slow through the mountains but the road was completely clear of traffic. We stopped at the only cluster of houses on the 150km drive and had a just decent coffee from a ramshackle cafe served by a miserable Maori woman with dirty hands...beggars can't be chosers!

]t was nice to get back down to the coast, lakes don't enthrall me as the sea does.

Gisborne is sweet, built along the river estuary, ther are some very tidy houses and well kept public gardens. We had a great time winetasting ( 10 differentt local wines ) at the Gisborne Wine Centre but realized how hard it is to recognise a wine by the aroma and the taste.

our accommodation tonightbis fabulous again. Te Kura, a sort of mansion from a romantic English novel. Our host Paul is from Sheffield for goodness,sake and moved here for a,life change in 2000. I think he got it!

That 's all for tonight folks...photos on facebook...

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