Trip to Stratford, New Plymouth, New Zealand

The picture above is a pond equiped with Mother Ducking and Ducklings in the Rhododendrum gardens, Stratford.

We made a journey to Stratford, New Plymouth in 2016 taking our budgie Louis in the back seat. He is a very good back seat driver, saying all sorts of things in his own language and always cheerful. We have some friends that live in a life style block just before you get to New Plymouth.It’s a five hour drive south west from Auckland where we live.

You go through Te kuiti to New Plymouth. It’s 2 hours from Te Kuiti and you drive over Mount Messenger and there is places where there is no cell phone coverage.

This is a rest area where we stopped to have a cup of tea and something to eat from our packed supplies. This was just before you get to Te Kuiti.

We spent quite a bit of time going through the 2 hour journey and stopped to have afternoon with our friends just before New Plymouth

Then we got to our place where we were staying, a lovely holiday park in Stratford. The hosts made us feel very welcome.

In the morning I was told about a 3 bridges bush walk that takes you to the Rhododendrum Gardens of Stratford. It’s a beautiful walk.  The scenery is beautiful.

These are the Rhododendrums and then there is the pond as well.

Then we went to Mt Taranaki half way up the mountain by driving there, the wind was icy cold and the blast was very strong.

During the time we never saw the whole mountain, as it was covered in cloud and on the last day we got this picture.

We went for a day trip to a place called Opunake and here is a picture from it’s waterfront.

Opunake is a town with a few buildings and stores, not a big place.

Going to New Plymouth from Stratford there is a place that’s a nice town called Inglewood. I liked the old church.

Not the opportunity to see as much as New Plymouth but I managed to get this coastal shot.

Now I can’t get to finish without putting in Stratford’s Romeo and Juliet tower, every now and then a mechanical Romeo and Juliet make a Shakespearian performance.

I really liked Stratford and Ingelwood, I found the people friendly and welcoming and very helpful. After all that it was time to go.

This is one place we stopped at on our return, it was a coastal town called, “3 sisters”

This is a small coastal town called, “Mokau” where we stopped and had a cup of coffee, great place.

This is one of the views from Awakino Gorge, then it’s back through Te Kuiti to Auckland.