Sometimes, when you are on a long vacation, you get to a point where you start missing home. You’re still having fun, but part of you is also looking forward to getting back to your usual routine. Not on this trip! We’ve been in New Zealand for three weeks, and away from home for almost a month, but when we looked at the calendar and realized that in two weeks we would be on the plane home, Jan’s only reaction was “awwww”. Looking at the weather reports from home helps, but it’s also because New Zealand is so amazing. We’ve found a good routine for this road trip. We each have our tasks, and when it’s time to unload, or to pack up, everything is going pretty seamlessly. Jan is now giving me the evil eye because I’m going to jinx things by saying that, but I honestly don’t believe I have that much power. I guess we’ll see.

We checked out of our hotel in New Plymouth and swung past New World (grocery store). I filled the car with petrol, and Jan bought ready made sandwiches for lunch. There weren’t any towns of significance on our route today, so bringing lunch seemed wise. We were finished and heading out of town by 10:20 AM, which for us is amazing.

One iconic landmark on our route was Three Sisters and the Elephant Rock. It had been raining, so we weren’t sure it was a good idea to stop, but we were right by it, so it seemed silly not to check it out. Unfortunately you need to walk across tidal flats to see it. The tide had just gone out, it had been raining, so everything was wet and we didn’t have the right outfits for the trek. We decided to leave it for our next visit. Here is a view of where we would have had to walk.

Bringing lunch was definitely a good idea – there really wasn’t anyplace to buy lunch on the drive. So we found a quiet picnic spot just off the highway beside a stream with stunning views of an eroded cliff face.

Then it was on the road again. The drive was very scenic, but the road was narrow and winding. And it’s summer here, so that means lots of roadworks. But we made good time and arrived at our hotel by check-in time.

The hotel we are staying at in Taupo is called The Retreat, and the name absolutely fits. We’ve had rain off and on today, but sitting here looking over the lake and listening to the rain on the roof was the perfect way to relax after a (reasonably) long drive.

We had a cup of tea when we arrived, then moved on to rose wine and another Old Peculier.

I’m looking out over Lake Taupo as I write this, sipping a Riesling we bought at the vineyard in Marlborough. It’s starting to clear so I can see across the lake now. It’s the perfect way to end today, which will be the final day of my 60’s. Tomorrow will be a big day. The forecast is for sunny skies and we’ve booked dinner at a lovely restaurant.