Gisborne weekend preview

We’re spending next weekend in Gisborne, NZ’s eastern-most city. It is around seven hours drive north of Wellington and while it is serviced by Air NZ, given the choice I much prefer to drive. Road trips rule!

Driving isn’t exactly an economical way to travel these days with fuel being so expensive (and to be honest, my driving style doesn’t help). The distance being travelled does mean taking a couple of days off work so it will be a four day weekend.

The reason for the trip is a gathering of family from my dad’s side – nothing too formal, that wouldn’t suit this particular bunch! Dad was born around the east cape and being one of 10 children there is still a lot of family scattered around the region. Despite the connections to the area I don’t get to Gisborne often. To be going there for the second time in three months is unusual.

It always feels quite remote, somewhat in the middle of nowhere, but like the Hawkes Bay to the south, Gisborne is famous for sunshine and winemaking. It also has some great beaches which makes it a popular summer holiday destination. When the year 2000 dawned, Gizzy was one of the places on earth to be. Since then the Rhythm & Vines new years music festival has started up and really taken off. Our last visit coincided with this, but we made the stopover on our way back to Wellington after Christmas to meet a freshy hatched baby cousin.

While the main focus of next weekend is catching up with family hopefully time and weather will oblige for a bit of local sightseeing too.

Wainui Beach, near Gisborne

Fireworks display on 1/1/11 above the rivers that run through Gisborne

Baby Grace, just a few days old when we met her at New Year