The road is fantastic, wide and with plenty of passing lanes, very necessary when there are so many ups and downs on the way and it is a major north south route.
The Mangaweka Gorge views are worth a stop. It was tempting to set off on a walk along the gorge but we were due back in Katikati for ukulele practice at 7.
At Irene’s we picked up a bag of iris plants she kindly left for me hanging on the front gate.
It was so exciting to get a first glimpse of Mount Ruapehu in the distance, peeping over the nearby hills covered in yellow broome. This time the mountains and the snow were in full glorious view, with just a few patches of cloud to add interest.
We had picked up some delicious croissants at the Brown Sugar Café in Taihape and stopped again at Robert’s favourite spot on the Desert Road. Despite the sunshine there was still a cold wind off the mountains. I am in the woolly jacket, Robert is made of sterner stuff! A hot cuppa from the thermos was most welcome. What a great place for a picnic with the three mountains, Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro laid out before us.
Lake Taupo was also looking its best. This time we didn’t take the new bypass but went through Taupo. Along the lake side people were sunning themselves and some hardy souls were in swimming already. It looked very tempting and the water may even have been warm, as hot springs come up through the lake in some places. We detoured off the road to visit the impressive Huka Falls and spotted the jet boat, doing wheelies in the foam at the foot of the falls.
Our afternoon tea stop was beside another pretty little lake fringed by flax bushes between Taupo and Rotorua. This new travel blog down under is opening my eyes, to just how lucky we are to be living in New Zealand.
Even here in the North Island, there are a lot of exciting places waiting to be explored. No need to rush off to the South Island just yet!
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