kia ora – part 2

We left Raglan this morning after checking the point break. It looked great if you are a grommet, small 2ft waves. As we are heading towards Taupo and had a few stops planned first was a waterfall called Bridal Falls beautiful walking into not far out of Raglan. Then heading towards thermal area what a sight in itself driving into with steam billowing into the air. Great for thermal energy. We decided not to go to Rotorua and chose a geothermal tourist site of Orakei Korako-The Hidden Valley it was really fascinating place to visit of gushing geysers, hot springs and bubbling mud pools. We stayed in Taupo for the night.

Taupo to Whanganui the drive not the best drive, I will take that back the scenery was magnificent as a passenger. But Camper van started to fail wasn’t sure it was the driver or the camper van itself. As the driver thought he was driving a sports car through the hills but camper van thought the other and said no sports car driver. Flashing engine lights says I will put a stop to that and give you no power. Good work camper van you win. So we limped in, in search of a caravan park near the sea. Whoops again chose the beach but dodgy part of Whanganui. Just for the night all will be fine. Called camper vans parents and they said to a repairer you go. So Camper van went to be repaired we wondered around Whanganui for 3 hours like homeless ones. But found smashed avo all was fine.

Mt Ruapehu, Wkakapapa

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So let’s talk about the good parts of the drive a bit to much focus on the dodgy part. We drove from Taupo to Wkakapapa- aka- ( fuckapapa) or Mt Ruapehu what a majestic sight with it snow capped tips. We had lunch in Whakapapa village it was yummy so many hikers doing their thing, hiking up, good work hikers in your hiking out fits. Lunch was done and on to the above paragraph. Wrong order but had to get that out. I am fine now if you are wondering.

New Plymouth & Oakura

We drove to New Plymouth and found a caravan park at the beach only to realise that it was next to the port those reviews are somewhat dodgy. It was fine. Got on our bikes after sitting all day and rode the coastal path to Belt Beach and back 16kms if you are wondering again, with a strong head wind. Found a great little cafe/bar for sunset drinks while watching kite boarders, tick. Back to caravan park, dinner, then we get the phone call and Mark & Kristen are outside our van we are snugged down with a movie. Awkward clothes on, so excited they made it. Kristen had injured her ankle at home in Byron Bay perving at a VW camper van – don’t ask – so they weren’t coming. Vino was had in celebration. We met them next day for a bike ride and we had the luxe time at ahu ahu beach villas for the next 3 days. So good to be out of camper van life.

We had fabulous 3 days hiking in Lucy’s gully eating out, driving up to Mt Taranaki for a walk but weather was raining but it was so fab to spend time with these two they are very special to us in many ways. We loved meeting the owners of ahu ahu beach villas David & Nuala Marshall what an amazing paradise they have created on a beautiful peninsular at Oakura. http://www.ahu.co.nz.

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Goodbye Mark & Kristen have a safe trip back to Byron. We left early for a 3 hour drive heading towards Waitomo Caves. That is what NZ is all about, adventure. So we signed up for 5 hours of wetness, darkness and glow worms and that is what we got. In super heavy wetsuits with white rubber boots that you would wear if you worked in a dairy. Just 6 of us in our group Mr & Mrs Hong Kong, girl & boy from bris-vegas (Brisbane) and parental gappers. We had a great guides Wayne, Lacey and Man (cause I can’t remember his name). We abseiled down a 35m gap into the depths of darkness shuffled along to a zip line and zipped into darkness cause that is fun, not so Mr Wayne guide. We jumped into freezing water with a ring to keep us a float and floated along like a chain of glow worms which aren’t actually glow worms its their poop that glows and they are maggots. Trudged along the caves it was fabulous really, squeezing through gaps walking along in middle earths streams. We got hot chocolate and snacks. Win, win. double tick

Waitomo Caves

We left middle earth  drove to Napier good 3 hour drive through a landscape mainly pine forest plantations so goodbye seeing the tree fern for now. Arrived in Napier and went for bike ride around the Art Deco township buildings as there was an earthquake back in the 1930’s and they rebuilt the town in that era and not my favourite architectural look. The tourist loved it as there was a cruise liner in and the old cars of the era were taking them on tour. Good for business I am sure. As you can see didn’t take one photo , whoops………

Napier                        

  Love this sign, the local footwear bar

After spending a night in Hastings it wasn’t a bad caravan park. We were given a shady spot and no neighbours thank goodness,  cooked an awesome meal of fish laksa quite impressed with myself as we have one meal out a day then cook dinner, with a couple of GnT’s or Pinot Noir  depending on what’s for dinner. We love New World supermarkets they have a Wine & beer isle, how good is that, not a thing at home. Come on Australia. 

 Most nights after a few games of backgammon by the way I am winning but its early in the challenge. Don’t count your chickens until they are hatched as they say.

Cape Kidnappers

 We decided in the morning to head for Cape Kidnappers for a look not the best day, grey dark and cloudy. We had look, not really impressed at all. So let’s head around to Ocean Beach cause what great name to call a beach. Great drive for one really good reason we past this impressive looking winery called Craggy Range Winery. Which I googled as you do. Owned by billionaires in Brisbane the Peabodys. Love ya work Peabodys. So went around to Ocean Beach beautiful beach with a small enclave of Bachs (shacks) very nice, loved it. 

Hastings                       

             

But Craggy Range was on our mind so we booked on-line quick wardrobe change in the van as you do.  We had the best food so yum, fabulous chef and staff the room was beautiful. So over a couple Pinot Noir we decided to step out of camper-van life for some luxe moments.  One night in their on-site cottages So, so beautiful, the rain shower was amazing, the best. Still dreaming of it sitting here in camper-van, Communal shower block isn’t our thing, so over that. 

craggy range winery

We headed to Martin-bough about 3 hours drive everything seems to be 3 hour drive. Tony has been driving all the time. More sedate than the usual rally car driving in a 7m camper van will just let your mind wonder about that.

  camper-van life

  Booked into a caravan site plugged in, got the bikes out as Martin borough is really flat so wine tasting is the order of the afternoon. We had a great lunch at Tirohana Winery really delicious with a couple of glasses of the their best. Ended up at square in Martinborough at the pub first then looked across to the other corner I think all the cool people were there so we needed to try and meld in with the cool people.

  Martin borough

                     

 After hanging the with cool people for a while and having a few Pinot Noirs. We thought should ride back to the camper-van as she might be lonely with all the other punters in the park and a lot more have gathered like bees to the manuka flower. BTW that Manuka honey is so dam good.

Next morning we headed towards Cape Palliser so then we would have been to the very north of Cape Reinga and the very south of Cape Palliser. Very baron landscape and extremely windy but we climbed the 237 steps to the top if only we had a step counter we would have nailed stair climbing today.   We pulled camper-van over had some lunch read books and just chilled that day. This isn’t our usual thing, we always looking at things and exploring. Rally driver is always looking at the tour guide for what’s next!!

  Cape Palliser

                         

  Lake Ferry

Tonight was our very last night in camper-van I am so glad that its over. I am totally done with dodgy caravan parks . Tonights tops the cake.  Lake Ferry, mmmm….. you need to do some cleaning and upgrading of your communal showers, eek.  What the funny thing is we didn’t have any cash to pay the owner so we paid in some left over coins as we would gather them in a tiny bag. Some caravan parks charge you for a 5 min shower so coin was needed 50 cents $1-2 it varied. So the owner was paid in an espresso machine we bought for the trip she got the deal of century. If I could add an, emoji here I would and it would be crying laughing one.

                      

  Wellington

                      

We are in Wellington for 3 days just hanging around looking not too much planned. Certainly enjoying the Sofitel so good to have a clean beautiful room for a few days.  We did go to great restaurant last night for dinner called Havana Bar recommended to us from a chef in Oakura we had lunch in his cafe. Great find, delicious food and service was fantastic.

We leave in a few days and bound for Bali.

  Ka Kite Ano –  (I’ll see you again)