back in Raurimu

The second week of my small trip brought me from Gisborn over the East Cape to Tauranga. The drive from Gisborn to the East Cape is mostly along a rough shore. It's nice to look, but I didn't find places worth to stay longer than a small brake. I climbed up the litle mountain with the lighthouse at East Cape which got a nice view. The coastline between East Cape and Tauranga is much more interesting. Long sandy beaches, nice waves (good for surfing) small towns. But the most scenic drive I've done so far was from Opotiki to Matu. The "old Motu Road" is partly 4WD track trough beautiful steep valleys and native Forrest. It is still part of the Te Urewera National Park. And after 70km gravel road you arrive in Motu. A very small old town. I drove the State Highway back to the coast and further to Tauranga where I spend my last to day lazy at the beach watching the surfers, reading and chilling. On Sunday I hat to leave the summer (22°C) and drove back via Taupo to Raurimu (10°C). It felt freezing cold.
Back here at the Slalom Lodge the everyday life with working started. Easter is popular for the Whanganui River Trip and we had to fix quite a lot of Canadians. But by now, the most stuff is done and the show can start on Friday morning.