We boarded the Happy Ferry and went across to Russel, once known as Kororareka, the ‘hellhole of the Pacific’, filled with pirates, deserters, prostitutes, gamblers and other n’er-do-wells.  Well today it’s filled with cafes, tourist shops, tour operators and other pickpockets.  Which is a bit of an improvement on the original, since the houses have been rebuilt in a more genteel fashion since the place was shelled and levelled by the British Navy in 1845 (and good riddance you may say).

Seeing little to interest us except Sally’s eponymous cafe,

we had a coffee and read the guide book.  Which came up trumps with a suggested visit to Bishop Pompallier’s house, at the end of the street.  Where we spent the rest of the afternoon in a most fascinating place.