The Alex & The Eleanor + 1

Dec. 27 2007
Rotorua to Napier via. Taupo.
Sunny. Time for sunscreen

Up nice and early again and head out, the drive to Napier is only about 2.5 hours, but there are lots of cool stops on the way. And the best news? Alex is starting to feel better! Yeah! The first stop we make is a geothermal area called Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland. A series of walks through some cool sinkholes and pit of boiling mud and wacky orange smoke. The pictures really say a lot more then words. Next we stop at the Prawn Farm for lunch. Mmmm. Prawns, and a really lovely setting. Right next to the that is a Bee center, so we stop in and try a bunch of types of honey, and some mead (not amazing, but better then other meads I have had in the past) and get some fabulous honey ice cream. Just before Taupo we stop off and see the Huka Falls, not so impressive as we don’t catch it when the dam is released, but cool all the same, the water is a cool blue green color. We get into Napier about 5:30, check in and try to figure out dinner. We luck out and get a last minute reservation at Terrior the winery restaurant of Craggy Range. It’s a bit of a drive, but when we get there – WOW! The Craggy Range (which is Te Mata) is amazing. And the restaurant itself is very nice too – Alex and I both compare it too Blue Hill Stone Barns – modern rustic is how I would describe it. The have a somewhat disappointing selection of wines by the glass available. I get the yummy Sauvingon Blanc, and start with Smoked Salmon with potato pancake. The pancake is very weird, mashed potatoes instead of grated, and not very successful. I then have a glass of Merlot with bacon wrapped pork. Tasty, but something was not quite there. I will admit, I think one of my prawns was not a happy prawn at lunch, because my stomach is not feeling all that perfect, so my tastes were a little off. Another early night, which is good because it’s a long day of wine tasting tomorrow.