Rose early and continued south along the State Highway 1 towards Hamilton. Diverted around Hamilton on the State Highway 39, with good views of early morning mist on the low lying fields and clouds on the prominent Mount Pirongia. Through Huntley the local coal mining town on the River Waikato, towards Ngaruawahia, passing a Mouri Kings burial site near Taupiri. Filled up with diesel at Ngaruawahia and stopped again at Te Kuiti
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| Mist in Fields, Te Kauwhata, Lake Waikare |
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| Mist in Fields before Huntly |
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| Mouri Kings Burial Site near Taupiri |
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| Mount Pirongia from near Whatawhata |
Stopped again at Te Kuiti for Chris to increase his mileage tax for the bus. Followed railway tracks for most of the way, with lots of tracks at Te Kuiti, but still no engines spotted. Continued on State Highway 3 with wonderful scenery after Te Kuiti, especially around Totoroa Gorge and Awakini Gorge. At one point the road uses a tunnel, only just wide and high enough to accommodate the trucks. More magnificent coastal scenery from Awaikino for many miles.
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| Railway Crossing Entering Te Kuiti |
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| Mangaotaki River Gorge, Highway 3 |
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| Mangaotaki River Gorge, Highway 3 |
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| Tunnel by Awakino River near Summit A8Q8, Highway 3 |
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Pahaoa A8QH Ridge, from Awakino River Plain
Highway 3 |
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| Makau River Estuary, Highway 3 |
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| Makau River Estuary, Highway 3
|
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| Picnic Area, Makau River Estuary, Highway 3 |
With the magnificent mountain of Mount Egmont (Mount Taranaki, new name) prominent on the skyline, road into New Plymouth easy and interesting. Parked in main street for some shopping before parking in Kawaroa Park on shoreline for lunch. Tried to transfer money from UK bank account to currency card for New Zealand dollars, but bank said not possible. Travel Agent advised me to load currency card at the location I purchased the card. Very difficult from the other side of the world.
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| Mount Egmont (Taranaki), before New Plymouth |
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| Approaching New Plymouth, Highway 3 |
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| Liardet Street, New Plymouth |
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| Sugar Loaf Islands from Kawaroa Park, New Plymouth |
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Sugar Loaf Island & Port Taranki from Kawaroa Park
New Plymouth. |
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Ship in North Taranaki Blight, Tasman Sea
from Kawaroa Park, New Plymouth |
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| Kawaroa Park Canon, New Plymouth |
We admired the view of the Sugar Loaf Islands from Kawaroa Park, then continued south on State Highway 3. After discussing time schedules, we decided to retrace tracks a little and drive west on Highway 45. Good decision because the wind was westerly, giving little cloud cover over mountain in the west.
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Mount Egmont (Taranaki) from Highway 45
New Plymouth |
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Mount Egmont (Taranaki) from Highway 45
New Plymouth |
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| Mount Egmont (Taranaki) from Highway 45, Okato |
+from+Highway+45,+Rahotu.JPG) |
Mount Egmont (Taranaki) from Highway 45, Rahotu |
Stopped at a good location for mountain photos by a farm gate. Would you believe it, the farmer wanted to take a tractor through that very gate. Good roads around the Cape Egmont and most of day's journey down to Wellington. All the roads left off Highway 45 directed the traveller directly to the centre of Mount Edmont. Very strange. Passed Middleton Bay near Manaia, where a Pohutakawa Tree was still in full bloom. Other trees around the country were in bloom at Christmas.
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| Mount Egmont (Taranaki) from Highway 45, Rahotu |
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| Mount Egmont (Taranaki) from Highway 45, Rahotu |
+from+Highway+45,+&+Tauru+Road.JPG) |
| Egmont (Taranaki) from Highway 45, & Tauru Road |
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Middleton Bay Sign at Junction Tasman Street
(Highway 45) & Heaphy Road |
Continued on Highway 3 to Highway 1 at Bulls. More good roads giving time to spare, so we stopped for coffee at Levin. First moving train spotted approaching Wellington near Waikanae, after seeing hundreds of miles of track. Good practical cycle rack sited near Waikanae railway station.
New Bike Rack, Waikanae Railway Station
near Wellington
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| Tararua Range by Paekakariki |
Roads clear into Wellington so good time was made. We were expecting to catch the 10pm ferry after having a meal in Wellington, but when we arrived at the harbour we saw a ferry in the docks and our enquires revealed that the ferry was leaving at 8pm. We just had time to get aboard, which meant we arrived at Picton just before midnight and had time to drive to Blenheim. Good to watch ferry leave Wellington Harbour before the light faded. Filled bus with fuel and got a pie to supper before retiring.
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| Roseneath, Wellington Harbour from Ferry |
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| Wellington Ferry in Harbour |
25 degrees C, 30% Cloud
Warm & Sunny
No Rain
+from+Highway+45,+Rahotu.JPG)
+from+Highway+45,+&+Tauru+Road.JPG)
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