NZ, Day Seven; Wellington to New Plymouth

After a short stay in the Wellington Waterfront Motor home park, we set off around 10 AM headed for New Plymouth.  We didn't get into the motor home park until 2 am as our ferry crossing was late, 10:30 PM, arriving Wellington around 1:40 AM.  We had planned this and leaving at 10 AM allowed us to get some sleep for what was our longest stretch yet.
It actually turned out to be the easiest drive, lacking the really winding, mountain roads that most of our drives have included thus far.
We made a grocery stop in Waikanae, getting some of the wines we were unable to purchase yesterday, Easter Sunday.  We were surprised at how quiet some of the towns we passed through were until we learned that today is Easter Monday, another holiday (fortunately grocery stores were open and we could buy wine).  The west coast seemed to be the busier side of the island however, even on a holiday.  We drove through a spectacular coastal area and eventually made our way to New Plymouth choosing to go around the west side of Mount Taranaki along the "Surf Highway," so called because of the popularity of the beaches on this side for surfers.  Mt Taranaki is unusual in that it is almost a perfectly shaped cone protruding from the surrounding relatively flat terrain.   Obviously volcanic in origin, Mt Taranaki is majestic in its isolation from other mountains and its  location on the coast.  When we drove by it, clouds were collapsing over its summit from the windward side and forming "long white clouds" on its lee ward side.  Upon seeing that, I wondered if that is how the Maoris came to name New Zealand Aotearoa, the land of the long white cloud.


Sunset from our campsite in New Plymouth



Leaving the Wellington Waterfront RV park



The "Beehive," the nickname given to one of the three Parliament Buildings in Wellington, the Capitol

 

Mana Island off the west coast, just north of Wellington



View from the coastal drive along the western shore going north



Bulls, one of the many small towns we passed through.  They have a cheeky attitude towards the name of their town, using "Bull" in whatever word they can, e.g. "reputa-bull."



A pub in Bulls



More in Bulls

Statue of a Māori canoe



Mount Taranaki with a long white cloud passing over its leeward side

 

Mount Taranaki stands alone on the west coast just south of New Plymouth

They make lots of bread here in Manaia!

Nice coffee stop in Opunake



Opunake Beach, popular with surfers in the winter months



Our view from the RV site in New Plymouth

Tanner and our trusty "Britz" camper van.  He came up with the name "Britzkrieg" to describe our adventure. 



Sunset from our site