Napier

A busy Easter Monday started with a drive down the road to Te Mata Peak to catch a sunrise. Ended up a bit cloudy but still some interesting photos

Te Mata Peak is a favourite of Paragliders but at 7 AM we were joined only by a few tourists a couple of runners ( one 50 something maori guy running in workboots was a surprise !) and a group of teenagers who turned out to be American Mormon Missionaries

Stopped in Havelock North for a great cooked breakfast and then back to join the Taits - marvel at Taities amazing supermarket carpark skills and off to the cricket which was going downhill a bit !!

McLean Park the venue is pretty packed all test because of the number of English supporters (adding great atmosphere may I say) and because they are staying nearby and arriving in coaches and plenty of accomodation can be found in walking distance we were able to find free parking within 2 minutes walk of the ground and this added to a 15 minute drive on the Napier Hastings Expressway means it was by far the most convenient ground I have ever visited for a test. We even got over the limit of buying only two beers at a time pretty quickly.

After the Test we went to a $100 a head dinner at the Hastings RSA - MC Ian Smith - speakers John (Shake) Wright former NZ cricketer and Indian Cricket Coach and David (Bumble) Lloyd - ex England Cricket Coach - We tried to recoup the cost by drinking as much as possible but I still remember some of Bumble's great stories (a lot featuring Darren Gough the fat boy from Barnsley). Walked back to the hotel probably twice the distance we needed to !!