We drove from Waitaki Valley and stopped off at the impressively forceful and deep turquoise Huka Falls set in a beautiful location. New Zealand’s longest river begins at Lake Taupo flowing to Port Waikato, a distance of 425km. The torrents of perfect blue water cascade 9m down the rock face over 200m3 per second which is very loud and powerful to witness creating a white foam at the bottom; this where the Mauri names comes from (Huka = foam). The rivers force supplies nine hydro-electric power stations.

​

We made a pit stop at the art deco town of Napier which was rebuilt by J.A Louis Hay following the devastating 1931 earthquake in Hawkes Bay, he designed and rebuilt the town in a modern -of the times- Art Deco style which still looks striking today.