Three weeks later, I’m back in Auckland again — but not before a pit stop in Napier (on the east coast of the North Island). Napier’s big tourist draw, besides their vineyards, is their architecture. In 1930 an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale leveled the place and raised a shallow bay up above sea level. The entire town was rebuilt in the next few years and the style of the time was Art Deco. There are still many buildings left from the period and they’re all preserved for showcasing to the towns visitors. The formerly submerged bay is now their airport. It was a nice little town to duck into for the night on my way across the North Island to Auckland.
Tomorrow I hop on a plain for Nadi (pronounced “Nandi”), Fiji. I’m looking forward to the warmth, even though Auckland feels pretty good right now.
