Driving down the east coast to Napier there are many fabulous bays to explore. In the Tolaga bay is the longest wharf of New Zealand (over 600 meters)

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Right next to it starts a nice walk to Cooks Cove:

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There you can also find the famous Hole-in-the-Wall

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Next stop was another walk to the Shine Falls, located in Hawkes Bay. Just sitting next to the path a New Zealand falcon (Karearea) did let me get close enough to take a picture:

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And the Shine Falls itself are quite impressive with a height of 58 meters

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Spending the night in Napier I tried to find a restaurant with the help of good old google. So far google never let me down, so let's drive to the nearest Italian restaurant. Oops turned out to be a residantial house. OK next one.... it's not there as well...I'll give him another chance. This time the restaurant is there but unfortunately closed. One last chance! ... Also closed. Eventually the traditional way of parking and walking down on the main road was more successful.

The next entry will be about the Great Walk in the Tongariro National Park and on the way from Napier to Whakapapa was only time for a stop in Taupo to visit a geothermal area, the so called Craters of the Moon.

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