Wairarapa

We havent had a decent summer but this week's been as good a spell of weather as we've had, and the 400 km swoop down to Tauherenikau on the CB today, to watch one of the nags run was total joy.
Southern Wairarapa's really swinging as a tourist destination, sign-posts point the way to a multitude of off-highway diversions, including local museums, wineries, farmy stuff, and even NZ's own Aotearoa Stonehenge, a plywood mock-up.
Carterton, Featherston, Greytown, and Martinborough have pursued the boutique shopping/cafe experience, and even for a Monday, were quite busy.
Going over there feels like a trip to another country, its got that Canterbury feel about it, without the South Island extensiveness. Its looking a picture this year, having got its share of the good rainfall the country's had.
Well worth a long weekend.
Or two.