I've been away on a road trip, as regular readers may have gathered. Me, my gut, my body odour and my dandruff. Oh, and the Girlie too. The Girlie and her bad attitude.

After going down the west coast, we stopped off for a couple of days in Wellington and came back up the east. Our final day was a mammoth drive from Napier to Auckland - via Gisborne and Opotiki.

The road between these two has to be one of New Zealand's hidden treasures. I'd never even heard of it before. The last time I was down that way it was to go around East Cape, as I imagine most people do.

But Gisborne to Opotiki includes the marvellous Waioeka Gorge, about half an hours drive alongside a clear river deep in the heart of some pristine forest. The weather came down a bit just as we were having a beer at the Matawai pub. I think that made the gorge even better. Here's a pic.