After a quick trip to The Turangi Library for some free internet, I headed east for a scenic 2 hour drive across New Zealands Central Plateau, thru the Ahimanawa Range and over the Maungaharuru Mountains, to the coastal town of Napier. I was anxious to keep moving south, but had heard good things, and I'm glad I made the trip. Napier sits in the Hawkes Bay Region, and is known for its vineyards, fruit orchards, and sheep farms as well as being the Art Deco Capital of New Zealand. In 1931 the city was destroyed by a massive earthquake (7.9), leaving much of the town to be completely rebuilt. Art Deco was the style of the times and Napier has kept much of its historic center intact making it an attraction for architecture buffs from around
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