Rotorua to Auckland

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4th March Auckland



So back to Auckland today,

I had a nice walk around the Government gardens and the sculpture park before breakfast.

The remains of the picnic from the previous night were packed for lunch on the go and we were off on our scenic tour back to the City of Sails.



We headed up to and skirted Tauranga, before arriving at Waihi. Gold and silver have been dragged our of Martha's mine since 1878, the town quickly built up around this new found wealth but the mine closed in 1952, open cast mining started in 1988 but a slippage has subsequently closed Martha's mine. There is a museum but little else to see, nearby Waihi beach is the place to go.



We were heading towards Karangahake gorge for lunch, when we arrived everybody else must have the same idea (no room at the Inn) so it was back on the road.



A brief stop at Paeroa, the birthplace of Lemon & Paeroa (L&P) an iconic Kiwiana that markets itself as world famous in New Zealand now owned by Coca Cola. I still haven't tasted it!!!



We finally stopped for lunch at a small one horse town called Ngatea which lies in the middle of the Hauraki Plains.



This is a Fertile valley. Backmto Auckland in time for tea!!!! fertile area with lots of dairy farms.

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