NAPIER, NZ

Today was another warm, pleasant day.  We were on a private tour that I'd found on the internet.  There were only 4 of us, and we were treated royally!  We learned about the 1931 earthquake that destroyed Napier by lifting it 2.5 m.  It used to be a peninsula, but now there is only water on the Ocean side.

We drove through interesting countryside and saw a lot of fruit-growing farms and many vineyards.  The highlight was driving up a mountain 399 m.  It was a steep ascent, but the view from the top was really magnificent.  We had a 360 degree view!

Later we had a very nice surprise--John, our driver, took us to a fruit stand and treated us to waffle cones.  We picked our favorite fruit (blueberries, boysenberries or strawberries) and these were blended into the ice cream for a great result!  Would that concept ever take off in Canada or the USA!

We ended the tour by driving through two towns adjacent to Napier.  They are big on building with an art deco style, so we saw plenty of examples.  We also went to the Mission Winery--a good view point and nice wine tasting.  Before we went to the ship, we went up a hill to a good viewpoint over the coastline of Napier. 

G'day!