Intro to New Zealand

First day in New Zealand. After I arrived at Auckland and cleared Customs (!) Little-old-lady-with-backpack-who-doesn’t-do-drugs… found my friends and set off toward Tauranga via Paeroa, Waihi and not a few antique and second-hand shops. Ran across ( look Dad!) a convertible 1961 Series 62 metallic dusty rose Cadillac. How about that? Then a parade full of vintage cars stopped everyone in their tracks to watch as they went by. Quite impressive. Also spotted a volunteer fire department that seemed to belong to the old fire truck from the parade. Some small flowers crept out from beneath a building to take advantage of a splash of sunshine. Lunch at a little café and onward to more shops. Found a box of cool old glass bottles, a nice bracelet, a nice bracelet, comfy skirt and shirt. Sunday we drove around to look at the Mount by the beach in the fog and mist, then rented some videos including a good New Zealand one called “The Strength of Water” which we watched later. Monday morning off to soak in Ferndale Hot Pools then a drive through a lovely park with a wild waterfall whose name I will have to look up. Saw black swans so dark their feathers looked like carved coals. Beautiful rolling hills covered with green stuff and sheep. Very pleasing to the eye.