Hastings to Gisborne NZ

The Land of the Long White Cloud

Saturday 5/2/2011

We explored the town of Hastings and found it to be a very clean and very friendly place .It seemed to be a place where a lot of indigenous New Zealand’s work, as it has the seasonal apple and stone fruit picking area. The streets are lined with hanging baskets all with flowers blooming very pretty.

Our Motel was next to a rail line that had two or three trains running at all funny hours, it was comfortable but not 4 star.. maybe 1 star.

The White Cloud has lifted as we set out on our journey from Hastings to Gisborne on the East Coast.230klm

Following the Highway along the East Coast pass many little villages hidden in the valleys of great mounds we meandered through some very picturesque places and seeing the Pacific Ocean for the first time glistening in the sunlight. Though a gorge where Vic thought he was on a bike as the road just had so many twists and turns and no traffic, the scenery was just beautiful, it’s funny how the sunshine puts a different slant on holidays.

Arriving in Gisborne in time for lunch we head to the fish markets and have our first taste of New Zealand Greenlip mussels and a small bowl of sea food salad, and watched a speed boat race on Poverty Bay with all the action with Helicopters and all.

We went to the Fisherman's Club for Dinner and watched the Sevens on the TV and back to our Motel, no air conditioning as the Kiwis seem to lean towards the cold weather; it is quite warm about 26deg c.

Sunday is a rest day and Sunday in Gisborne is dead stop. Not too many places open but free parking. Gisborne also boasts about having the first light in the world, as the sun hits this place at sunrise.

 We park our little rental under a huge fig tree, and we stroll along the shortest river in New Zealand, we watched a twin hulled canoe loaded with women; it was quite comical to watch then out to  Poverty Bay , passing a great statue of Captain Cook then onto the beach where family’s were enjoying the sunshine and beach. We sat on a park beach in the cool breeze.

Lunch at a beaut cafe on the waterfront and watched the kids playing in the mud flats of the river and jumping off a disused rail line.

Petrol is quite expensive $2.00 a litre and main food dishes about $25-38 but it all good

I could live here as it seems that clothes only come in X Large..

Off to Whakatane tomorrow for 2 days as we are going to White Island to see a volcano that is still active..