Almost home again

So the last time I wrote, we were in Kaitaia. The following day, we headed up to the Northern point of New Zealand where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. We saw some really nice beaches, very big sand-dunes and the lighthouse at the top. We drove down to the Bay of Islands, had a look around Paihia and Waitangi and settled in for the night in a motel called Edelweis...
Sunday wasn't that interesting since we drove down all the way down to April and Leo´s farm in Pirongia. Monday we spent driving down to Wellington, stopping for some beautiful views of Ruapehu (highest mountain of the North Island). We stopped less then one hour North of Wellington at Paraparaumu and stayed in a motel near the coast.
Tuesday we drove into Wellington and went to the national museum (Te Papa) and basically spent the day there. Late in the afternoon we went to the weta cave at the weta workshop in Miramar, a suburb of Wellington.
We stayed at the same motel in Paraparaumu that night (and the next) and went back to the city on wednesday. This time we saw more of the city centre and took the cable cart up to the botanical gardens and walked around there.
In the afternoon we went to a great car museum (Southward car museum) near Paraparaumu where they had lots and lots of really nice, old cars.
Thursday we drove back up to lake Taupo via the desert road and went swimming in one of the hot pools (vulcanic activity makes some of the ground water really hot, which they then use for swimming pools and spas).
Friday we spent the morning and part of the afternoon in Taupo. We had a look at the Huka falls and the Aratiatia dam, which they opened at 10.00 which flooded the rapids behind it (very impressive). We did some souvenir shopping and headed up to Ngaruawahia, where Charlie and Sophia live.
Saturday (today) we dropped the car off in Hamilton and went to the museum and franklin market with Sophia. We had a look at where Charlie works in town and later also where Sophia works. Now we are enjoying a calm afternoon and repacked our bags for the trip back.
We leave tomorrow morning and will be back on Monday morning in Amsterdam (if all goes well).
Bye bye!