Thursday, 12 January 2017
🚘 Arrived in Thames. Definitely the heartland: "How're ya goin'?" from the waitress at the Cafe Melbourne.
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 12, 2017
Friday, 13 January 2017
🚘 Spectacular drive along the east coast of the Firth of Thames this morning between Thames and Coromandel Town.
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 12, 2017
First beach. A stunning example at Kuaotunu. pic.twitter.com/dxlCVBI8Mq
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 12, 2017
Drove 9km up a gravel road and then climbed and climbed for 10 minutes to the amazing 1200-year-old "square" kauri (15th tallest in NZ). pic.twitter.com/FkibL6HYct
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 13, 2017
Re PT … here's a shot of the top of the tree from the road. And a sample of the stairs we climbed. It was a really beautiful spot. pic.twitter.com/Ipt3jJPsY9
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 13, 2017
Saturday, 14 January 2017
☕ Stopped at our favourite café in Tauranga (discovered last year) … on our way to Whakatane. Wonderful date scones. #16thAvenueCafé pic.twitter.com/cIbIrw5Fnn
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 13, 2017
🥂 We have just toasted "Whakatane, so far." First impressions are very positive, which is good as we are here for four nights … ☺
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 14, 2017
Sunday, 15 January 2017
Elevenses at @javamancafe. Today's treat – salted caramel eclair (they were all out of date scones!) pic.twitter.com/dQQMCQ1642
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 14, 2017
Wonderful views from atop Te Päpaka (above Whakatane): Moutohora Island; Whakatane River outlet to the ocean; historic Pōhaturoa (downtown). pic.twitter.com/y90we4eTKB
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 15, 2017
Pōhaturoa is "both an important landmark and a symbol of peace between Māori and Pākehā." pic.twitter.com/X5ne5zNgTo
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 15, 2017
Monday, 16 January 2017
☕ Having a delicious date scone (after a one day hiatus!) on the patio at #Baxter'sCafe. Nice acoustic folky soundtrack on a lovely day.
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 15, 2017
A different view of Moutohora Island, with another of New Zealand's fantastic beaches in the foreground. Ohōpe Beach in this case. pic.twitter.com/0QP2GYrKsc
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 15, 2017
Our onion bhaji starter at Spice Junction in Whakatane. Our best meal in NZ so far. Fabulous service in a great space as well as great food. pic.twitter.com/n4WENoOUek
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 16, 2017
Yet another view of Moutohora Island, with the Lady on the Rock (1965) in the foreground. Taken from a nice little park in East Whakatane. pic.twitter.com/MsQ6lj6K5w
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 16, 2017
Tuesday, 17 January 2017
Back at Baxter's Cafe for elevenses. Connected to WiFi right away. Nearly every café and restaurant here has WiFi. Decent speeds as well.
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 16, 2017
🌊 Hanging out on the west end of Ohope Beach, watching surfers trying to catch a ride. pic.twitter.com/gt10VaDNiJ
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 17, 2017
A wee bit of excitement today as we were stopped at three roadblocks this afternoon: https://t.co/orfoPw95Cx
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 17, 2017
Wednesday, 18 January 2017
🌊🚘 Beautiful drive this morning from Whakatane to Hicks Bay. Elevenses at Omaio Pa on one of the countless bays on this route. pic.twitter.com/vHTQsIbK0e
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 17, 2017
🍴 We are about to have lunch on this bleached piece of driftwood. pic.twitter.com/0iDrFGSZzT
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 18, 2017
Thursday, 19 January 2017
🍷🍴 Waiting for our lunch at @WrightsWinery … nice place, but they could use additional staff.
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 19, 2017
Lawrence did everything for @WrightsWinery today – tasting, cook, serve – & did it well. But he was too stretched and all suffered a little. pic.twitter.com/pTy12ZTDmz
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 19, 2017
Helping with the weeding in the vineyards around Gisborne. pic.twitter.com/d3ADq95imI
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 19, 2017
Always stop and smell the flowers. This was possibly a magnolia in the Gisborne Botanical Gardens. It had a lovely scent. pic.twitter.com/UODm4grChf
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 19, 2017
Friday, 20 January 2017
☕ Elevenses in Wairoa as we move on to Hastings today. FWIW, Steve's paternal grandmother was an Osler … ☺ pic.twitter.com/K1Eqv7jguz
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 19, 2017
Saturday, 21 January 2017
1/3 Meet the Jeffers! A day well spent with Susan's 4th cousins. Brothers Jade and Steve plus Jade's son, Declan. pic.twitter.com/mxoi5UWELd
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 21, 2017
2/3 Susan "met" Steve through a DNA match at Ancestry. They descend from sisters Deborah and Caroline ANDREWS in England.
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 21, 2017
3/3 Deborah ANDREWS Wyatt came to Canada (1870's), while Caroline's g-granddaughter (Elizabeth HASELDINE Jeffers) came to NZ (1970's).
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 21, 2017
Sunday, 22 January 2017
Cousin Steve Jeffers kindly gave us some Pacific lobster (known as crayfish here) which we are going to have for supper tonight. pic.twitter.com/AM4xX3MaJE
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 22, 2017
1/2 Skyla (at Coffee Club) noticed the maple leaf on the TFC jersey @StephGunther was wearing. She had lots of questions about Canada as … pic.twitter.com/Tin3pYGmdM
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 22, 2017
2/2 … she is heading to Gibsons, BC in March to work at a youth camp. We think she will be great as she is most engaging!
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 22, 2017
Monday, 23 January 2017
Stopped at cousin Steve's farm (nice spot) on our way out of Hastings. His wife Wanda is from Cape Breton! Dogs were a bit shouty … 🐕🐕🐕🐕
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 23, 2017
Tuesday, 24 January 2017
🌞☕ On a lovely day in Masterton, we've come to Ten O'clock Cookie for elevenses. The joint is jumping. pic.twitter.com/G0ivW1mS5x
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 23, 2017
Lovely scented roses in Queen Elizabeth Park discovered while scouting for picnic lunch locations. pic.twitter.com/JKbSE3W3KC
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 23, 2017
We spent most of the day in and around Queen Elizabeth Park included watching some girl's U13 tournament cricket. Wairarapa v Hawke's Bay. pic.twitter.com/1E6ZNEHCOG
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 24, 2017
Wednesday, 25 January 2017
🌧️💨🌞 A wet, windy welcome to Wellington after a very wet, VERY windy harrowing drive through the Remutaka Range. But now the sun is shining!
— Steve and Susan (@KnowmarkTravel) January 25, 2017