Wednesday – very rainy overnight, still lingering in the morning, Visited Huka Honey Hive, all about bees, who knew how many things honey could be used for or how expensive it could be! I think if you mixed some Rotoura mud & honey and bathed in it you could live forever! We hiked down to get another view of Huka Falls, steep, windy path in the drizzle so we opted for walking on the edge of the road on the way back to the vehicle. In NZ pedestrians ‘give way’ to vehicles. Went for a swim/soak at AC baths. Sampled the wares at Beehave Meadery. 

Headed out to Napier along Waipunga river valley. This area was devastated by cyclone Gabrielle. Lots of one-way lanes where repairs are taking place. Railway tracks partially buried and then just beyond lifted and twisted. Abandoned homes, windows gone, three feet of silt covering the yards.  It was a lovely, fertile valley but now looks like scenes from the apocalypse.

Arrived in time to have ice cream with real fruit, very tasty.

 Napier is the Art Deco capital of NZ, very unique buildings but the most iconic one was shrouded in scaffolding. Walked around the pedestrian street downtown and visited the i-site.  Camped ocean front, so hoping it’s clear in the morning. 

Sunny day! We headed off along Hawkes Bay to Hastings, 



I found a scarf to knit a row on, it's about 6 feet long and 6 different yarns, patterns, etc. 






Went to fish market bought mussels, smoked sea perch and shrimp & surimi (fake crab) salad. On the road again, stopped in Mangatainoka


 at the Tui Brewery

Ended the day at Le Gra Winery for a tasting, purchased some wine and spent the night. Denis says we got a hat trick: fish market, brewery & winery in one day.




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