Back to Auckland

We’ve had a wonderful stay in Napier catching up with all our friends, but now it’s time to return home.  First though, I had work to do, so we didn’t leave Napier until 10:50.  The first part of the journey went well, with just a sprinkling of rain on the Napier-Taupo Road.  We decided to stop for lunch in Taupo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Taupo), which was grey and cold, then walked around for a short while to stretch our legs, which is where we saw the fish sculpture in the blip.  As we set off from Taupo the rain started and became quite heavy.  We had a comfort stop in Tirau (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tīrau) and browsed the shop selling beautiful mohair/possum/silk garments, but managed to resist making a purchase.  The second photo in the blip was taken in the public toilets in Tirau - in desperation to have something to blip.  After Tirau the rain became torrential (just my luck to be the driver from there to Auckland), but eased by the time we hit the motorway back into Auckland.  It was dark by then and still raining so I attempted to drive to the conditions and stay in the inside lane by the hard shoulder, but a truck driver took umbrage and flashed his lights on high straight into my rear vision mirror, which was quite blinding, then hurtled past tooting his horn at me.  We weren’t quick enough to take a photo, but I felt he was completely out of order, especially in a large truck with a large trailer.  We eventually arrived home safe and sound at 18:50.  It was a long day, but we stopped twice and there were lots of road works that held us up, as well as the rain slowing us down. It’s good to be home.