Auckland to Hawke Bay and back.

[drron]

We looked around the major town Oneroa.

.
An amusing name and a sculpture.

.

.

.

.

.
A good wine store where you could taste a variety of Island wines.

.

.

 

[drron]

It was time for a late lunch.nothing took our fancy there and we had already made a stop at Ostend where they advertise seafood for eating and oysters.No cooking so no fish and chips.They also advertise an Italian bakery and we had visions of some nice Italian pastries-pretty ordinary.We didn't really feel like going upmarket-besides the Mud brick winery would by now be living up to it's name-mud.So we decided to go back to Onetangi beach for lunch.

.

.

.

.
Passing another hop on hop off bus.

.

.
We decided to go with the restaurant closest to the bus stop as frequent showers-our view.

.

.

.

 

[drron]

So lunch at the Boatshed.naturally a bottle of Sav blanc plus shared a dozen oysters.

.

.
All right but obviously not the best grade of local oysters.
Mrsdrron had the caesar salad.Asked if she wanted it with chicken-said no so it came with chicken.

.
I had 2 entrees-kingfish cerviche and salt and pepper calamari-a glutton for punishment.

.

The kingfish was nice but not a cerviche.The calamari at least looked right but was tough.Just OK.I wouldn't go back.The sevice was also slow.
Now I was interested in watching the gulls.This was obviously the alpha male.

.
Yes he had just relieved himself.No one else was allowed near him.Every so often he would take to flight and chased all the other gulls away.But always came back to his perch.

.

.

.

 

[drron]

Back on the bus.With showers getting more frequent.
NZ ferns.But no silver ones!

.

.

.

.

.

.
Then raining.

.
MudBrick Vineyard.Didn't get off the bus.Quite a lot trying to get on to catch the 5pm ferry.

.

.

.

 

[drron]

The rain eased off.

.

.

.

.
On board the ferry.

.
Rained for the rest of the trip but fortunately stopped for our walk up Queen Street so able to enjoy a little music over the road from the 4 Points entrance.

.

.
Our last day in auckland and i picked up a car so as to have an early start in the morning but also for mrsdrron.There are 2 Ezibuy outlet stores in NZ.One in Christchurch.However when we went there one of the more severe aftershocks commenced so we virtually walked straight back out.So now to attempt the Auckland one to the north.Well she didn't find anything to buy.

a bit more of a drive around.got a park in a nearby underground car park-$NZ24-half the price of the hotel.Once again decided to eat in but this time a pinot gris.

.
Mrsdrron ordered the penne with mushrooms again.very disappointed as nothing like the first dish with very few mushrooms.I had the lamb with spiced dukkah.Very nice.

.

 

[drron]

So now it was time to go for a drive.took quite some time getting out of Auckland and then a fair bit of roadworks to Hamilton.We stopped there to drop off a bag at the Novotel to pick up on our return.Then a stop at Tokoroa for coffee and scones.Thought we might get some fish and chips in Napier but the place we went to 8 years ago had gone.drove around a couple of times and mrsdrron took some pics.

.

.

.

.
Saw nothing inviting so off to Havelock and stopped at the supermarket.If you like green lipped mussels you would be in luck.

.
Personally we find them chewy and much prefer good black mussels.We bought some refreshments,stopped at a couple of fruit stalls including Te Mata figs and had a lunner after we checked into our accommodation.

.

.

.
Cheeses,fish,salmon and mussel pate plus venison salami-delicious.

 

[drron]

We stayed at Chambourcin cottage.review here-
A wonderful cottage in Hawke's Bay.
On arrival there were some goodies-

.

.
And in the fridge milk,butter and fresh bread.
A few photos not in that review.

.

.

.
Mrsdrron is annoyed that i didn't take pics of the rest of the bathroom and the laundry-they were great.

.

.
in the garage were bikes that you could use.also provided a picnic basket,beach towels and a beach tent.
A separate little table in the bedroom.

.

.

.
A great place to stay and thoroughly recommended.

 

[drron]

Even some herbs and small citrus trees in the garden.

.

.

.

lots of birds.

.

.
Even a family of quick rabbits.

.

 

[drron]

Some of mrsdrron's photography art.

.

.

.

.
And after the rain.

.

.

 

[Milboo]

If anyone is reading this TR for future reference - the place in Napier for fish and chips is The Flying Dutchman in Ahuriri. Short walk to the Ahuriri foreshore/ Perfume Point to sit in the park or beach to eat them. Followed by an old fashioned ice cream cone at the Cool Cat.

 

[drron]

The next morning we had a drive around the local area.lots of apples.

.

.

.

.

.
harvesting was starting that day.

.
Drove as far south as we could along the coast.

.
And back to the Elephant Hill vineyard where we had lunch.

.

.

Review of lunch here-
Regional NZ Restaurants
Fantastic.But you need to book.

 

[drron]

After lunch we drove back via the village of Haumoana and then to their beach.

.

.

.
Views to Napier in the north and Cape kidnappers to the south.

.

.

At least this fellow found something to do on the beach.

.

 

[drron]

I then dropped mrsdrron off at the cottage and i went to a little museum very close by.

.
Interesting for me,maybe not for most people.Also a little sad.Run by a fellow probably in his 70s who seems not to have any direct family.A little shrine inside to his dad who was a motor mechanic as was this fellow.His life's work but what will happen when he is no longer around.
There are lot's of cars,not always shown off well.

.
but some beauties.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

 

[OZDUCK]

I would love to go there. I see at least one Vanguard and probably a couple more - my fathers car when I was very young (1948/49 Phase 1). Once he becomes incapable of running it the collection will probably be split up and lots of rare and interesting cars lost to public view.

 

[drron]

We certainly have something in common OZDUCK.Our family were brought up on English cars.My aunt loved her Austins,my other aunt her morris whilst my father was a Standard man.The first car I remember was a Standard 10.A most memorable overnight drive to melbourne the "back way".Stuck with floods north of Wagga.Two stock transporters arrived and we got hooked to both merrily swinging in between as we crossed the stream.my parents and the first 3 kids in this-

.
But when the Vanguards came out my father was hooked.I think it was the proudest moment of his life when he bought his first new car-a Vanguard Spacemaster.
Standard Vanguard Phase 2 "Spacemaster"
Top speed 80mph and 0-60mph in 20 seconds.phew!

 

[drron]

So starting off with the Vanguards.

.

.

.
I remember well following the exploits of the Vanguards in the Redex trials.
But on to other cars.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

 

[OZDUCK]

Yep BX6167 looks to be very much a Phase 1. It was so luxurious that you had to turn the taillights on by a little switch on the outside rear of the car. But it did have 'synchro' on first gear when my 1961 EK Holden (in the shed) doesn't As regards the Phase 2 Spacemaster (because it actually had a fair size boot) there is, or was until recently, a restored one that lives just a couple of KM from me.

My father claimed that his Vanguard was slower off the mark than the FJ Holden etc but held the road better and over a longer trip was quicker. My Aunt had a Morris Minor Ute for years. In the 1970's there was Nash Metropolitan that I saw parked near our office at Perth Airport a lot.

I used to love the look of the 1945/55 Riley Pathfinder 21/2 L. I drove one once and it was nice, if a bit heavy, but too expensive for me then - mid 1970's. Riley RM - Wikipedia

 

[drron]

More cars.

.

.

.

.

.
This is probably no more than a third of the space.

.

.

.

.

.

 

[VPS]

I can see why you left @mrs.dr.ron behind

 

[drron]

A bit of rubbish as well.

.

.

.

.

But some treasures as well.

.

.
This one is still used-obviously most recently for a wedding.

.

.

.

.