The invisible Mount Egmount and the Surf Highway.

Monday 09 March - mainly sunny, but breezy and cool - 16C Drove 189km

After a good nights sleep, we left New Plymouth and briefly tried to find Chaddy's tours to go and visit Sugar Loaf island. Having failed comprehensively, we refuelled and headed south on the SH45, known as the Surf Highway. We ignored the many turn-offs down to the beaches where apparently excellent surf is to be found. We did divert down to the lighthouse at Cape Egmount, the most westerly point of the Taranaki, but didn't linger long.

The Surf Highway follows a route around Mount Egmount some 2518 metres high, we could see the bottom of the mountain, but the top was sheathed in cloud and we never got to see it.

For reasons that we never fathomed, it was a public holiday in Taranaki and nothing was open until we left the area. Finally, in the small town of Panea, we found a cafe that served a simple but excellent lunch.

Not long after lunch, we arrived in the town of Wanganui on the banks of the river Whanganui. For reasons that I can't explain, the town failed to correctly name itself after the river, hence the two spellings. The town is very old and was one of the first settled by Europeans. The river was very important as it is the longest navigable river in New Zealand and allowed settlers to travel up river. An old paddle-wheel, steam-driven steamer, the Wairmarie, is still providing trips for tourists. The boat was built by Yarrow of London in 1899 to a shallow draft design and shipped out in kit form to New Zealand. The boat was in service until 1949 when it sunk at its moorings. The boat was salvaged in the 1990s and restored and went back into service in 1999.

When we stopped for lunch we had read some advertising about a Motel in Wanganui, so we went to investigate Anndion's Motel. The Motel was excellent and we immediately checked in. In addition to comfortable rooms, there was a small swimming pool, and hot tub, free Wifi access and very friendly owners.

As it as was still early, an exploration of the town was in order. On the south side of the river is Durie hill with a look-out on it. Access to the look-out is by a tunnel and a lift built in 1919, very odd. We chose to drive up and next to the look-out is the Memorial tower which can be climbed. One hundred and seventy-six steps later, the top was reached and very blustery it was too! The views over the town and down to the coast are spectacular and well worth the climb. The town is full of small shops many of which were clearly built in the early 1900s. It reminded us of a small town in UK about 30-40 years ago!

Back at the hotel, a sunny corner in the garden proved to be a great place to sit and read, followed by a long wallow in the hot tub. Suitably refreshed, we headed into town and had a pub meal with a couple of beers to wash it down.