Te Horro, New Zealand, March 15th 2013

The Wrong Bus….

A small delay as there seems to be a passenger missing. Not on the Napier bus, still no sign as this bus pulls out of Taupo station. A scenic rive around the lake, a few campervans scattered around the place and plenty of holiday chalets and I suppose second homes, much like on the British North Norfolk coast. According to the driver, Lake Taupo is the only place in New Zealand where trout can be fished legally. Another 6 hours to go as the bus rolls south towards Wellington, around the lake an with mountains looming in the distance.

“your on the wrong bus”, mutters the driver to a Maori lady who should to be going to Napier. A

British couple also need to be on the Napier bus and the driver pulls over to make some phone calls. So far then, 1 missing passenger an 3 passengers on the wrong bus, with their luggage going to Napier! They all have to get off at the next town, wait 3 hours for another bus back to Taupo to connect with the next bus to Napier - a long day for some, glad I made the right bus!

Next major stop is Palmerston North, about 2 hours from Wellington. Passing through rolling hills, mountains in the distance and a couple of volcano’s here, one puffing out a little steam, nothing to worry about assures the driver. An hour of desert landscapes as the terrain plateaus, downhill from now on. Reaching Palmerston North and a handful of passengers get out, some leaving, others desperate for a ciggy.

Te Horro, a sign but that’s it, except for a roadside café - the only place I can see as the bus stops opposite, some 50 minutes late. Relieved to get off actually, and there he is, uncle Geoff, there to collect me as arranged and rive me to my lodgings for the next 3-4 weeks. “Te Horro is really just a small hamlet“, he explains as we walk into his house and aunty Ellen produces a plateful of spaghetti bolognaise - my favorite, how did they know.