Rapaura Water Gardens, North Island

Left Whitianga by 0900 and drove across mountainous road from Coroglen to Tapu.  Unmade steep and windy road.  Few other cars but some 4 x 4s.  
Arrived at Rapaura Water Gardens which were absolutely delightful, peaceful and quiet.  The gardens started as 64 acres of scrub and grazing land in the Tapu valley in the 1960s.  Today they are an international attraction and well worth a visit.  


We left rather reluctantly as we had quite a drive and stopped in Waiomu on the Thames estuary (see extras) for a light bite and drink.  From there we drove on to Hamilton where we have a lovely apartment for Christmas week.


In the evening we went out to dinner with No 2 son and a friend and her husband from his course.  Nice evening and I had snapper for the first time.  Very tasty.