It was time to hit the road again. For our final two weeks in New Zealand we had decided to hire a car. Tom started off 22 December 2019 with his now routine run to collect the car, we pack up and check out. We are amazed at how quickly we leave Wellington and are soon on quiet roads winding through the countryside. As the scenery grows more and more dramatic, we make a stop at Remutaka Hill, a lookout point.

We decide to break up the drive to Napier by stopping at Pūkaha (translated as ‘windy mountain’), National Wildlife Centre, the Mount Bruce bird sanctuary for lunch and an explore.

We visited a series of aviaries set in a rainforest reserve, spotting the indigenous birds Kaka (bush parrot), Tui, Weta, Pukeko, Kokako, Whio, Pateke, Shore Plover – trying to identify the bird sounds we have been hearing each day. A highlight for Tom was putting on some waders and entering the water to feed longfin eels. Luckily he didn’t have to feed them the enormous rat, only mice and leftovers!

We were a little disappointed that the only Kiwi on view was white and quite hard to spot in its indoor enclosure. We are still unsure if the white blob was really what we were meant to be looking at!

Much of the city of Napier was destroyed by a major earthquake in 1931, after which its central streets were rebuilt in the 1930s signature Art Deco style. They have been well maintained, the buildings a delight. We had chosen to stay in Napier rather than neighbouring Hawkes Bay, which is a famed wine region but would have been a longer drive.

We were lucky enough to get a great view of the low rise Art Deco style buildings from a roof terrace our first evening, hosted by our friends Katy and Bob who were staying in an Air bnb apartment with their two children, Wilfred and Isla. We know them from Dubai – but they now live in Brazil – due to the wonders of social media we had worked out we were both in New Zealand over the Christmas holidays but were travelling in different directions, this was the only place we would overlap! It was great having a catch up over BBQ sausages and wine. They even had a Christmas tree!

We were staying far out of the city centre on the coast, at the Kiwi Holiday Park in Bay View, our cabin was basic but had sea views and triple bunk beds but no one ventured to the very top!

The next morning Tom and I both managed half marathon runs around the nearby airfield and through a bird sanctuary.

For lunch we drove to perfume point playground, grabbing some takeaway from Miss Browns. The afternoon was spent secret Santa shopping in town and visiting Napier Museum. Waking up the next morning, it was already Christmas Eve!