Welcome to gorgeous Gisborne, the “Chardonnay Capital of New Zealand.”

Gizzy is also the “first city of the sun” because it is the first city in the world to see the sunrise each day. The entire explanation for this gets too complicated for me. I’ll give you the Just Pete summary: It’s a combination of Gisborne’s easternmost position within New Zealand, its time zone, and the Earth’s rotation. For more detail…Google it.

Captain James Cook was the original globetrotter. He really got around…as in around the world. He visited virtually everywhere we’ve been on this adventure. Minus the luxury cruise perks of the Nautica.

The area around Gisborne was one of the first places Captain Cook visited in New Zealand. In 1769, he landed at Kaiti Beach. The area is called Poverty Bay because Captain Cook and crew didn’t get the provisions they expected. This was the result of a little misunderstanding that led to a Maori chief’s untimely demise. Awkward.

Kris and I decided to walk today after our kayak adventure of the prior day. We hiked up to Kaiti Hill, the highest point near the city. That provided breathtaking views of Gisborne and Poverty Bay, with a side of “I climbed that!” bragging rights. Worth every step.

Forestry is an important industry in the region. When harvesting a pine forest from the hillside, they only bring down the trunks of the trees. All the limbs and branches are left lying on the hillside. When big rains occur, this debris is washed down toward the city, clogging rivers and causing major flooding. This mess eventually winds up on scenic Wainui Beach and in the ocean. Not a big fan of this style of lumbering.

After our mountain climbing, Kris did what she does best – shop – while I took a stroll along the beach.

Gisborne was an absolute treat, from Katie Hill to Wainui Beach.

Now we must sail on to the next adventure. Catch ya later, mates!