The grass really IS greener on this side of the pond!

New Zealand is just so GREEN! All we saw out the window on our drive from Tauranga (in the Bay of Plenty region) to Napier (in the Hawke’s bay region) was green. Green rolling hills of soft, fluffy grass; green forest-covered valleys; green pastures dotted with sheep; green, green, green. And then at the end of it, after 4 hours on the road, the splendour of Hawke’s Bay…

And here are some highlights from our road trip today…

Hawke’s Bay is one of New Zealand’s prime wine regions. The area’s sunny and dry climate attracted wine growers from Europe early in the 19th century and today the whole region is peppered with wineries. It’s also a premier beach holiday destination, with the wide arch of Hawke’s Bay attracting visitors from far and wide – and even from not-so-far (e.g. from Australia).

We’re staying in Napier whilst we’re here. This small town is one of our favourites destinations in NZ – partly for its epic bayside location, partly for its great food-and-wine scene, and partly for its wonderful architecture*.

*Napier and its neighbouring sister city of Hastings are famous for their Art Deco architecture. Both cities were flattened by a big earthquake in 1931 and then rebuilt in the style of that era. The result is one of the world’s best Art Deco cities.

We’re here for 3 days and are really looking forward to seeing as much of the beauty of the area as possible. For today though, sunset down on the beach awaits…