Having a relaxing time in New Plymouth and glad to have an extra day here. Great catching up with another ex-London mate and former squash partner who returned to NZ a while back. Even managed a game of squash – my first for about 15 years. Got thrashed, but not too badly considering…
Other highlights of our stay here:
…Strolls along the coastal walkway which stretches for 10km…
Our harbour view pitch at the lovely, well located Belt Road campsite was just a stone’s from the harbour end of the walkway.
Port Taranaki & Sugar Loaf Islands
Visiting the Len Lye Centre at the Govett-Brewster art gallery. Arrived not having a clue what kinetic sculpture is (sculpture what mooves innit). Left completely in awe of Len Lye’s ingenuity and execution of the art form…
Festival of lights at Pukekura Park…
Delicious food at Chaos Café…
Beautiful walks in Egmont National Park – Wilkie’s Pools and Dawson’s Falls (via the Kapuni loop) – about an hour each, followed by a drive halfway up Mt Taranaki (very windy on the plateau!). The only sighting we got of the top of the mount was actually from town the previous day. Rest of the time she was shyly hiding under the clouds with the occasional very brief peep out.
There’s a mountain under there somewhere – Mount Taranaki under a mountain shaped cloud
Really hope the German couple stranded on the plateau at Mt Taranaki in their flip flops with a flat car battery found someone with a set of jump leads and have made it back down the mountain by now…