Well we started today again in pissing rain so there are basically no photos from this morning. We drove to Opotiki, also in the Bay of Plenty, a nice little town where we went to the museum – full of old domestic stuff (ooh my gran had one of those) and someone’s shooting collection. We then went over the road to the church, founded by a particularly pig-headed missionary who, having been informed by the local Maoris (who were in dispute with the government) that they suspected him of being a spy because he had taken money from the governor-general to build the church, very properly left the town. Two years later he insisted on going back where he was killed, decapitated, his blood drunk from the church chalice and his eyes eaten. Yuck and double yuck. Now buried next to the altar – martyred for his faith.

We then drove through the gorge to our next town, Gisborne. The gorge is beautiful with many scenic stops for photographs. Difficult to see through driving rain. We stopped once, to look at a bridge. Having slid downhill through mud, leaves of interesting native plants and the berries of the most poisonous plant that not only killed Captain Cook’s sheep, but an elephant from a local zoo; no bridge. Ah, we stopped at the wrong place. Flat refusal by any of us to get out anywhere else on the grounds that we didn’t know whether or not trench foot was covered by insurance.

Gisborne is a wonderfully old fashioned place and the first place Captain Cook actually landed. Back to the discussion as to whether this should be commemorated or not. The bay is called Poverty Bay as the locals had no surplus to trade. Up yet another hill to look at the view – sun had come out by then.

Dinner in a nice restaurant by the harbour.