NZ Day 13 Russell, NZ


Spent the day in the quaint and tiny town of Russell, NZ – the first European settlement in NZ also known as the “Hell Hole of the Pacific” due to the lawlessness that prevailed. It started as a Māori village that traded with European sailors but became know for prostitution, fighting, and general lawlessness as it became more popular with sailors from around the world.

Today it is a cute little harbor town with shops and cafes. I took the short but interesting self guided tour, had coffee at the French cafe, lunch at the seaside cafe, and had to make mad dash inside after ordering drinks to stay dry from a sudden downpour – rain can come from seemingly no where. I have never seen weather change so quickly as I have in NZ. One minute it is sunny and hot, the next minute it is a deluge of cold rain and 30 seconds after that the sun is shining like it never stopped. After lunch I did some souvenir shopping and strolled through a couple of art galleries. It was a beautiful relaxing day

An American whaleboat left behind and now a museum piece
Beautiful succulents everywhere.