[Day 12-13] Grape Juice, Gorgeous Views, & Baby Bunnies

From Rotorua you cruise to NZ wine country: Hawke's Bay, located just outside the beach town of Napier. The trip is absolutely stunning as scenery here is magnificent and never gets old. Sunshine finally smiles down and reminds you of nature's vibrancy.

While driving you accidentally cut a car off. Immediately a scowling Maori boy no older than 5 sticks his torso out the window and flips you the bird! Brad & you bust up. They pull into the other lane, speed up and see you both laughing. In the passenger seat is another boy around the age of 8. His eyes become half-dollar coins as he also gives you the finger! You're in tears. The driving mother turns around to face you. A cigarette dangles from her lips as she shakes her fist and yells though the car's back window. This adorable family continues expressing such kind sentiments as they turn away at the intersection. Oh you crazy little locals! Lol.

Friends at the Auckland hostel recommended a bicycle winery tour... wine-tasting on bikes in the New Zealand countryside? Count it! You begin to realize that anything + 4 great Swedish girls sounds really cool. Lol. Anyways, you all rent bikes from a sheep herder and peddle a good 7 miles or so throughout the region. It's Springtime. Travel within thriving farms and lush orchards, down dusty old roads bordering blossoming gardens and never-ending vineyards. Ride between the grapevines, immerse yourself in the landscape. Beautiful. You try to capture the moment on video, slam into a post, and fly off your damn bike. Brad just laughs and speeds by. “YOU-ARE-AN-IDIOT!” he shouts. Haha whatever bro. I rode my bike between winery grapevines.



You all learn about the local wine industry, which predominately bottles Bordeaux blends, syrah, pinot gris, chardonnay, and viognier. You meet blissful orchard owners and experience the countryside rather than merely observe it from the windows of your cozy RV.

Lunch happens at the base of a huge hill. Feeling energized, 5 of you hike to the top, from which you experience a spectacular view of the entire region and 13 peculiar lanes of vine. Run down the middle lane. At the end you meet Carlton the farmer. He informs you that 4 baby bunnies are sleeping nearby and you can keep them all since they're a pest. WHAT!? You jog over and pick up these fantastically adorable little creatures (the tikes can't even open their eyes yet!) Bring 'em to back the group... everyone flips out and spends half an hour engrossed in the moment, playing and cuddling with 'em. Eventually you all return from dreamland and replace the furballs. Walk down the hill and continue the tipsy trek.

It's 4pm. Everyone returns to homebase and you chat it up with Mary the pretty rental girl. She graduated from nursing school the day prior and is in a glorious mood. Asks if you've checked out the Te Mata lookout point in Hastings (next town over). Nope. She insists on leading you all there. WHY NOT?! Everyone piles into the RV and drives the windy road up to the summit of Te Mata. You relax in the bed in the the back, open the windows, stick your head outside and smell the air. Suddenly the trees disappear and you're there. The view is among the most incredible things you've seen. Flowing mountains, a vast ocean, rivers, booming green grass, perfect view of PGA's #1 golf course (don't golf... forget the name... Mary said it was #1). It is entrancing. The moment fills with importance as you realize that pictures don't do the experience justice....