Along the East Coast

We continued along the East Coast from East Cape to Gisborne and then to Napier.

Along the way, we would often go for a swim or take a few walks. The scenery was impressive every time! I have met several people who said that the North Island is nice, but the South Island is even more amazing. It's hard to imagine because it's already incredible!

We spent New Year's Eve in Mahia, at a campground by the beach. It was pretty much like any other evening, except we had to wait until midnight to go to bed. ;-) At midnight, a few Maori people set off some fireworks next to us, and then everyone disappeared into their tents and cars.

The next morning, we had a relaxed breakfast and then went for a hike. Before that, we quickly called home because it was almost midnight there, and we wished everyone a Happy New Year. After the hike, we drove to a (breathtaking!) viewpoint. The 'road' there was a narrow gravel track, with a cliff face on one side and a sheer drop on the other. There wasn't much room to maneuver. I was sweating bullets as we drove back, but thankfully, we didn't encounter any other cars.

In Hastings, we hiked up to Te Mata Peak. It was quite steep, and it reminded me once again that I should do some exercise! :-)