Grandpas Guide to Driving in Gisborne
Hey there! Grandpa’s back, fresh from flipping through a couple of photo albums that have reminded me of my adventures during my younger days. Oh, how I miss my youth! I always used to be up and around but I simply don’t have that kind of stamina anymore.But it’s alright, though. Spreading the word about great places to visit is just as fun as actually visiting them myself. I’ve circled and seen these places before so now, with the right guidance, it’s your turn.
One of those cities I’ve had the pleasure of visiting is Gisborne, New Zealand.
This city boasts to be the first city in the world to watch the sun go up everyday. We all know that the run rises in the east, right? Well, you can find Gisborne on the east coast of the Eastland region and it’s no surprise how it’s one of the brightest and cheeriest places in the country.
Listen up. Gisborne, being a popular holiday spot, has a variety of tourist attractions and activities with something fitting for people of every age, gender and class. You can crank up on adrenaline or relax and chill out with a piña colada, there will always be something to do in Gisborne.
But first, hook yourself up with a great, reliable car. Look no further than
http://www.vroomvroomvroom.co.nz where you can get the smartest auto deals on the web!
Once you have a proper mode of transport for the city then you can now start the sight-seeing!
1. Captain Cook’s Landing SiteHead off to the Turanganui River and you’ll find Captain Cook’s Landing Site. There stand granite monuments of Captain James Cook and Nicholas Young, members of the crew that first sighted this land.
From here, you can go to Titiringi Domain, Kaiti Hill to get the best view of the white cliffs of Young Nick’s head. Ride up from Ranfurly Street to stop at the various lookouts or save up on gas and take the walkways to enjoy the picnic places and the resident trees. You’ll collect a lot of pretty images on your way to the summit.
2. Cook Memorial ObservatoryWhile you’re still in Titirangi, you can drop by the Cook Memorial Observatory. The observatory’s prominently dubbed as the most easterly observatory in the world and it’s got three telescopes that the public’s free to use to get a closer look at the night sky.
You might want to pay it a visit during the evening. It’s when the sky and the stars are at their best and most beautiful. It’ll be such an experience, scoping outer space!
3. Tairawhiti Museum
Your next destination has to be Tairawhiti Museum because it’s one of New Zealand’s best! The museum and gallery offer Kiwi contemporary art exhibitions, successfully holding Maori cultural festivals. It’s a brilliant place to get a taste of New Zealand’s culture, heritage and history.
4. Montana Gisborne WineryIf you have a taste for fine wine, Gisborne has some of the most remarkable wineries around. Come over to the Montana Gisborne Winery, a mature vineyard spanning across 253 hectares. Get a chance to sip world class Chardonnay, the wine which the land is so famous for.
5. EastwoodhillAfter a 30-minute drive through vineyards and farmland you’ll have to make a stop at Eastwoodhill, New Zealand’s National Arboretum. It’s a big and quaint place, covering 135 hectares and pulling in 8,000 visitors from across the globe each year.
What’s great about this place is that there are walking trails depending on a person’s fitness level. If you’re an oldie, like I am, you might prefer a tranquil and less intimidating trail. Maybe you’re younger and are looking for something more intense, there are challenging hiking trails there as well.
Whatever walking trail you choose, be sure to have on your most comfortable footwear. The last thing you want is to get blisters!
So now you know where to go when you visit one of the sunniest cities around. Hope you have just as a smashing time as I did the last time I went there. I have to take my afternoon nap now. Like I said, my old stamina is nowhere to be found. Happy travelling, friends! Cheers!
- Gramps Ben
