pancakes, birds and Arthur...

We were out of the van by half seven for a walk down to see ‘The Pan Cake Rocks’. These are a collection of oddly shaped rocks just off land that are called ‘Pan Cake’ because of how they look. They aren’t flat as I had imagined (flat as a pancake?), they’re made up of distinct layers, like a stack of pancakes. Geologists aren’t completely sure why but it’s to do with when they were formed and a different type of rock eroding away to reveal the layers. Or something. I don’t know ask Ollie, I just thought they looked like an ancient tribe had made them! We spent ages looking at them and watching the waves crash around, whirling round a surge pool and just being generally ferocious. The sun hadn’t appeared from behind the mountains and the air was icy fresh. According to the information there, there is also a blow hole at the site but the tide wasn’t in so we didn’t see it. We were back at our van and off on a morning drive further south to Greymouth and a much needed holiday park for a shower! We hadn’t had one since we left Wellington and it was about time we got clean again!

It was a lovely drive along the coast, around the side of mountains and past signs asking us to be careful of penguins. Penguins? I know! But we haven’t seen one yet! We reached Downinthemouth (I came up with that one!) and it was almost as drab as Westport but a bit bigger. We stocked up on food and found the deserted holiday park. Nothing amazing but it had electricity, hot water and washing machines! We had an afternoon of much needed cleaning of the van, ourselves and our clothes and then took advantage of the internet to plan and book various onwards parts of our trip. It wasn’t the most exhilarating of days but after being in the wilderness for three days it was good to come back to reality and get some things sorted out. We even watched a bit of television!

* * *

This morning we topped up our fuel tank and set off for a bit of a drive east into the middle of the island to find ‘Arthur’s Pass’. I don’t know what made me decide I wanted to go there, maybe it was the name that made me laugh! The road quickly took us into the mountains of the Southern Alps and we made a steady climb as snow caps surrounded us. We passed a lookout called ‘Deaths Corner’ and that really scared me! Later I found out it was named after a coach that turned over on the old route killing a child. What a lovely commemorative name ‘Deaths Corner’ is! Waterfalls tumbled at the roadside into the valley and river below as we passed under bridges that were there to protect us from rock slides. Eventually we circled our way to Arthur’s Pass (Arthur’s Pass...ed away, Arthur’s pass...ed his sell by date, Arthur’s pass...t eleven) and found a tiny village hidden between two massive mountains. Even though it was small it was way better than Wesport, this village had a railway station! 

The mountain views up here are incredible and it is weird to think that although we are at the base of them, we are actually really far above sea level ourselves. We put some more clothes on (it’s cold up here!) and looked in on the visitors centre to get some ideas for walks we could do. Eagerly we both chose an ‘Avalanche summit hike’ that would take six to eight hours. However on closer inspection we found that that particular walk was for expert mountaineers and we had none of the appropriate gear required. I was annoyed because I must have left my pick axe and snow shovel at home.

We chose a more novice walk to go on tomorrow and decided to do a few smaller walks this afternoon. Firstly we visited the base of a high waterfall known as ‘Punchbowl falls’ and to get to it we had to walk up what felt like a million steps. But it was probably in fact only 999,999. Lately I’ve been having a battle with my body because it is very lazy and chickens out at the vague sniff of exercise and tries to convince my heart that it will indeed explode if it is pushed. However this is not the case and with a bit of mind power I manage to win my body over and it actually starts to enjoy itself. It can’t sit around in the van forever! 

Next we started along a track that would eventually lead out onto a snow field way up in the mountains but as it was now late afternoon we decided it wouldn’t be a great idea to take a three hour walk in search of them. Instead we found a rock and sat down to look out over the valley. I think we could have sat there forever. There is something hypnotic about mountains I swear! Back at the van we made a friend. This friend had amazing green and red shiny feathers and a very scary looking black hooked beak. Our friend is known as a Kea. He, or she, but probably a he because they always get to be the most colourful, was not afraid of us at all and was even considering joining us in the van. I started out all nice and ‘hello birdie aren’t you lovely’ before turning into more ‘Um Ollie, he’s coming a bit close, help me’ as the Kea and it’s beak started to eye me up. Ollie wanted to lead the feathers on even further by giving them some bread but I remembered a sign I had seen earlier which said to definitely not feed the Keas. Like Seagulls apparently but far, far more good looking! The bird looked very much like a parrot and looked like far to much of a show bird to be wild. I think I got a bit of bird envy! Lots of the birds we have seen here are really big and the type that eat other birds not worms! I don’t have a clue of names but I know they are definitely more Eagle than Sparrow!

22/7/12

them Bloody Swans!

Last night we parked the van on the side of a mountain road. I love sleeping in the middle of nowhere, far from any towns or cities because of the darkness. Because of the stars. We got out of the van and stood for awhile just looking up. The amount of stars we could see was immense, there were even clusters that formed what looked like galaxies, although I know they weren’t. Like something you might see on Star Trek when they arrive on another planet. I haven’t been able to see stars that clearly in years, it’s so hard to get away from artificial light. But out there on the mountain we were surrounded by nothingness. A black so dense it was scary to lie in bed, I wasn’t even able to see Ollie a few inches away. It was so dark it felt as if it was midnight when we pulled over when really it was only half past seven. It’s amazing how ones body is effected by the light it’s in, as if light and not time dictates how we feel.

Unfortunately we had picked a spot on a slope and I spent most the night feeling like I was on a fair ground ride that was tipping me gently backwards, my balance was a bit freaked out, but we coped! We dressed and drove a few kilometers down the road to an entrance into Nelson Lakes National Park and one lake in particular, Lake Rotorua (Not to be confused with the lake of the same name on the North Island). Everything was still wrapped in the morning clouds but the lake itself looked amazing. We walked along the little pontoon so we felt like we were standing in the water. It was another amazing view as the cloudy mountains fell into the water surrounding the lake and the bush over hung the shore line. A couple of black swans were taking their signets for a morning paddle and the sight was extremely cute until they turned for me. I wasn’t doing anything inflammatory, just observing, but they obviously decided they didn’t like me because they paddled in my direction and at quite a pace! Due to a childhood incident with a swan I was immediately alarmed and grabbing for Ollie I ran backwards down the pontoon as fast as I could, all the while with the swans advancing! Lucky for me they weren’t about to continue the pursuit on land and I was left to compose myself.

We set off along the ‘Nature Trail’, Ollie with stick in hand (he found us walking sticks the other day, mine is called Gwendolyn but I left her in the van) and me with my miracle shoes that had dried overnight! We are used to trails being fairly well marked out and with proper paths but on this walk we realised that wasn’t going to be the case. This trail had a general direction but you had to figure the walk way out for yourself and there were arrows every so often on trees to let you know you weren’t lost. We were up for the challenge and it made for a far more interesting experience! Trees had fallen over that we had to climb, rivers had made a home in the walkways and foliage and roots sprung form every possible angle. It was a constant battle to move anywhere and after ten minutes we had got hardly anywhere! It was super fun though and with Ollie and his stick to help us we soon got our brains in gear to figure out a way through. It was great to be lost in the undergrowth, to see tons of little rivers forming and to have the lake on our right, ever present and ever calm while two idiots tripped and fell forward.

After a couple of hours we stopped to eat our lunch on a tree branch and took a moment to take in our surroundings. The forest was wet and water leaked or spat from every available hole or crack. You could feel how alive the trees and plants were, hear them growing and expanding. We had to walk back the same way as you couldn’t walk around the entire lake and to get to the other end took five hours, so if we’d walked there and back it would be ten hours and we’d have got lost in the dark! I took the lead and I was doing really well, remembering the way we had come and how to over come the different obstacles. We got to one particular swampy section and I told Ollie I could recall the exact bits of wood to step on that would get us through. Ollie disagreed with my recollection. Of course that only fueled my determination to prove him wrong. ‘Yes, yes you go here, here and he....OH CRUD!’ It became instantly clear that I had been wrong when on my final lunge my foot disappeared into the muddy swamp and I began to sink rapidly. Instead of help, Ollie just laughed. I don’t think I’ve ever used the term (if it can be classed as a term) ‘crud’ in my life before. Retrieving my very disgusting shoe we continued, me at the back again. I wasn’t angry at myself, just disappointed that every time I try and take charge, something goes wrong. 

Finally we emerged from the bush once more and found the end of the lake. By now it was afternoon and the clouds had vanished to reveal a bright blue sky and a spectacular view. Now we could see the mountains surrounding us in full. They were so high and had snow caps that bounced off the lake beneath them. The view was a postcard. I sat on the pontoon and just stared. I wanted to carve the picture into my mind to stay forever. Beautiful. But then the swans appeared from nowhere and began to charge at me once more. Bloody Hell! 

We dragged ourselves away from the park and hit the road, this time heading for the west coast. Usually we listen to the radio and sing along to the songs word for word (because over here the stations repeat songs a ridiculous amount of times) but now we’re getting further from major towns the signal is rubbish and there is literally no radio. We have an ipod shuffle but it only holds so many songs and we’ve listened to them far too much! So we practiced the art of conversation and got into deep discussions that then turned to mild hysteria as all conversations do on long journeys. We reached the first of the coastal towns on our route, Westport, or as we renamed it, Dissapointingport. The place is nothing much, just a piece of mining history eternally stuck. We drove straight through. It was one of those places that looked like it would eat anything that wasn’t a local. I think I even saw someone point an axe at our van. Anyway we continued our drive and along the way stopped shortly to observe a Seal Colony sprawling on some rocks (as seals do) and messed about on a windy wild beach for a while. 

We were looking for a place to park up for the night but signs were being a real pain and not allowing us to. Eventually we found a spot in Punataki across from the car park that said no overnight stopping. Well it didn’t say it on our side of the road! But I didn’t have the best nights sleep because I kept waking up thinking someone was coming to move us on. I guess that’s the price you pay for a free nights parking!

20/7/12

Please note - The grammatical error in the title is deliberate!

South Island baby yeaaaa!

Our alarm went off at 6 A.M and then the next went off...and the next. I had set three different ones the night before to make absolutely sure we woke up in time to catch The Interislander. We got dressed and drove 500m up the road to the ferry terminal, arriving not just early but very early for our check in! We waited at the front of the line for over an hour as other cars, vans and lorries pulled up around us. Eventually the time came for us to load on to the boat and we found ourselves parked right in the bowes of the ship along next to the massive trucks. We were the only camper van on board! 

We were traveling on the biggest of the three ferries and it had everything that the ones to France have on them. Of course the first thing we did was find where the cooked breakfasts were being served because Ollie was desperate for one and some meat! As he placed his order the guy serving us couldn’t help but smile as Ollie’s plate disappeared under a mass of food. Next we explored the rest of the boat before heading out on to the top deck to watch us leave Wellington behind. For most of the Cook Straight crossing we sat and watched the sea out of the window but as we neared the South Island we went outside once more in expectation of the stunning views we had heard about.

Mountains on our right and left, a glassy sea beneath (that felt more like a river) and the sun beating down on us, it was the perfect day to be taking the ferry. I have never seen anything quite like what we experienced on the second half of our ferry trip when we had entered the fiords. The landscape was almost unbelievable and impossible not to stare in wonder at. Everything was so natural and the only evidence of humans was the occasional fishing boat that might pass or a single house surrounded by a forest. Beautiful doesn’t come close to describing it. The crossing from North to South Island definitely has to be one of the most beautiful ferry trips in the world!

Arriving in Picton, a tiny place considering it is the ferry port, we disembarked and after a brief look at our map, chose Nelson as our town to head towards. As we wove in and out of mountains, looked up at snow caps, down at the little bays and ocean below and tried to  take in the dense forests, what we saw literally took our breath away. Now I’ve heard people use that expression before but I didn’t know it was actually possible. We had only just begun to experience the South Island and yet already I had seen a landscape I could have only ever imagined. The dramatic nature of the mountainous infinity surrounding us, the amount of untouched forest and bush, the endless amounts of coves, inlets and bays, they were enough to bring tears to my eyes. It was almost impossible to take the beauty in. It made me shiver. That there are actually places left on our plundered and exploited planet that still look as they might have done thousands of years before. It was then we realised we were to be in a complete state of awe for the remainder of our time here. 

We reached Nelson in the early afternoon and pulled over for some lunch. We had decided to spend most of our time on the island walking, exploring and taking in the more natural side of New Zealand. So although Nelson seemed a nice enough place, we didn’t really want to spend too much time in the town. There are some fantastic wineries in the Marlborough region but knowing all to well that if we visited, we’d end up buying, and trying our best to save money we had to restrain ourselves and stay away. Instead we drove up towards the Abel Tasman National Park as research had told us it was the smallest yet most popular park in New Zealand. We planned to walk in the park the following day so that evening we headed even further north and stopped just outside a town called Takaka (Or Shakaka as Ollie named it after Ace Venturer) because nearby there was a large natural spring we wanted to see.

The sun woke me. Blasting through the curtains, I was sure it could burn a hole in them if it wanted to. It was another glorious day. Even warm enough for shorts! After saying good morning to a herd of Alpacas (very popular over here!) we set off the Te Waikoropupu Springs, or the Pupu springs as they are locally known. The spring holds the clearest water in the world and although not the largest it is pretty big. The only other water as clear is under an ice flow in Antarctica somewhere! Maori tribes hold the waters as sacred and used to hold birthing ceremonies and other special occasions at the springs. The waters are heavily preserved and no one is allowed to go in the water. 

We walked down the bush track and as we approached the waters edge we could immediately see why this spring is so special. The water was so clear we could see to the bottom of a 2.7m base with absolute ease. Because the clarity gives a depth illusion, the spring actually looks far more shallow than it actually is. Every pebble, rock, grain of sand or patch of algae was brought to the surface as if we were looking at it through a pain of glass. In the centre of the pool was the spring and we spotted it because it was at the centre of the ripples. That spring pushes out 14,000L of water a second from beneath rocks. Incredible! The ducks swimming about on the surface were very lucky ducks indeed!

Abel Tasman Park is situated on the same Northern coast line as Nelson and looks out onto the Tasman bay. The boundaries of the park start right on the coast line and end somewhere high up in the mountains to the west. We had driven over one of the mountains on the way to Takaka and although the views were awesome I spent most of the time gripping my seat as the our van creaked and groaned its way up steep hills and around 90 degree turns. Yucky! Anyway, we wanted to take a coastal path along the edge of the park as it was meant to be one of the best trails. At the start of the track there was the chance to walk over a lovely sandy beach so obviously we chose that. We spent a good while inspecting drift wood (more Oliver than me), kicking dead crabs (again only Ollie), and ooooing and arring at giant muscle shells (oh yep again just Ollie). 

By the time we looked up we had neared the end of the beach and it was time to find a way back onto the main path. After my failed attempt to get us back on the trail, Ollie took charge and noticed some steps just across the river that ran onto the beach. The water was covered in rocks and boulders and we would have to find a way through. At this point Ollie took the lead as it is an unspoken given between us that I am not always the steadiest person on my feet and so should always stay close to Ollie so he can help me out. So following gingerly I jumped, slipped and tiptoed my way behind Ollie, always at clingable reach to him. We were just starting to cross the most difficult section of the river, me holding Ollie’s arm, when all of a sudden there was a ‘arghhh’ and before I knew it Ollie was flaying about in front of me as I stood calf deep in the river. Using me to right himself he turned around to see me looking helplessly back. ‘Amy your shoes!’ was his response as he tugged me back onto a rock. I couldn’t stop laughing. And although Ollie will never admit it was his fault I ended up with soaking wet shoes, it was hilarious to me how he had used me to make sure he didn’t fall in without realising his ‘slip’ had pushed me in already!

Once on the other side we managed to regain the path and found a bench so I could sit down for a moment and sort myself out. I rang my socks out as best I could and tipped out the remaining water from my shoes. As it was still warm and I was keen to carry on walking I bravely put my sodden shoes back on and we set off again. The walk took us in and out of the wonderful bush and gave us fantastic views of the coast below. There were lots of little islands dotted around and boats were moored up at them. We wished we had our boat to go exploring too! The sandy beaches were golden in the afternoon sun and the sea was flat calm. We walked for over an hour before taking a steep track down to one of the beaches. It was the perfect place to have a rest, take in all that was around us and to enjoy the last of the days sun. 

It was at this point I made my mistake. I took off my shoes, paddled in the water and then decided I would walk the rest of the beach barefoot back to the main path to give my shoes chance to dry out a bit. What I hadn’t realised was that the sand now out of the sun was absolutely freezing and before I knew it I felt like I owned ice blocks instead of feet. I looked down and declared to no one in particular that my feet had gone purple. By this time Oliver had lost patience with me (even though it was his fault in the first place I got wet shoes) and so he gave me his socks (ahhhh and pooy what’s that smell?!) forced my wet shoes back on me and marched us back along the trail to the van. So all in all it was a tremendously lovely walk!! No really, it was.

19/7/12

Wellington. Like the boot?

I was really looking forward to Wellington as Ollie had told me so much about the little city and it is after all the capital of New Zealand. I’d also seen pictures of the city on the television weather reports and it looked an awesome place tucked around a bay at the foot of the hills. So you can imagine my disappointment when we arrived in torrents of rain and cloud that met the water so that we could see absolutely nothing but grey. ‘So this is the harbour’. Grey. ‘This is the water front’. Grey. ‘This is the centre of the city’. Grey. Wet. Grey. Wet.

After that marvelous introduction, Ollie decided he wanted to visit the museum and so we found our way there and hurried in out of the rain. Considering it is a free museum, the place was brilliant and we spent two and a half information cramming hours there; we left exhausted! We learned how the land of New Zealand was formed, all about its volcanoes and earthquake history (which is very violent and still extremely frequent) and all the animals that have been and gone. Including a massive bird called a Moa which looked like a giant Kiwi and was hunted by a huge eagle! Intriguing stuff! We then got to see the only viewable Colossal Squid in the world and stand beneath the skeleton of a blue whale. Now I know I sound as excited as a small kid about all this but it was all so interesting! Plus just like the aquarium it was nice to learn something new and that wasn’t about Europe or the second world war! Which is obviously marvelously interesting and harrowing but after about twenty school trips on the matter it becomes a little tiresome! And don’t get me started on the thieving British Museum! O.K moving on...

Next we walked around a Maori history exhibition and learned more about the fascinating culture and history behind how they first came here. After that we had a look at a few more exhibits before Ollie declared he was ‘Museumed out’ and in desperate need of a coffee. I could have stayed there all day but I am a factaholic! He took me to a coffee shop he’d found when he’d been working in the city and thought I would like it. It was a cool place with mismatched vintage furniture (something I love!) and lots of records and memorabilia on the walls. It was independently run and owned (always a bonus), oh and the coffee was excellent! 

By the time we left the cafe the rain clouds had given up and blue sky was appearing in patches across the bay. We took advantage of the new sunshine and set off on a walking tour of the city led by Ollie who I found out knows all the best places to eat and all the bars where you can get a pint for two bucks! But he did also show me the lovely harbour (again) and we drove around the bay to take a walk along a beach where you can see the mountains on the South Island. And that got me all excited for the next part of our trip!

As our final treat on the North Island, Ollie took me to one of his favourite restaurants for dinner. We had our final proper shower for the next few days and tried to make ourselves look as decent as is possible when you’re getting ready in a tiny van! We walked across the city, which looks great at night (New Zealand really does great looking cities at night well!), and went to an Asian restaurant that was called Dragonfly. It was two for one on cocktails so I chose a really girly one only to find out that to get the offer you had to have two of the same. So unfortunately for Ol’s he had to spend the evening sipping on a ‘China girl’. A very tasty but very reddy/pink cocktail that was served in a wide martini kind of glass with a sugared rim. Didn’t do much for his manlyness but he carried it off o.k! The food was fantastic and it was nice to eat something that hadn’t come off a tiny gas stove and wasn’t served on a plastic plate!

The time has finally come to say goodbye to the North Island and we are both sad to think we are leaving. We have had so many great memories here and made lots of great friends, it’s almost a shame to have to go. I think there is even a small part of me that would quite happily see the last week and a bit as a holiday and would be back off to work again if I could. But I’m also super excited to get to the South Island and to go exploring in what we’ve heard is an amazing place. In the mean time though, thank you North Island for giving us an incredible last seven months. It’s been awesome bro!

17/7/12

excuse me Officer but I don't like your tone!

The sunrise was pretty cool! And I even woke up enough to see it, although I’ll admit my viewing was interspersed with dozing! But the pink and orange sky was definitely worth getting up for and the way the sun jumped out of the water was enough to make me believe that perhaps that was where it had slept! The flat stretch of horizon meant that the colours drifted on endlessly until finally they reached a patch of shore and dissolved into a mountain’s shadow. I wasn’t ‘with it’ enough to catch a photo but even if I had, the picture wouldn’t have done the scene justice. Well not ours anyway!

After washing my hair in our sink (a complicated exercise involving various body contortions and pains coming from under used muscles I didn’t realise I had) and getting told off by Ollie for causing too much white splash on the concrete when I spat out my toothpaste, we drove a short way back into the town centre in search of a farmers market we’d seen advertised the day before. I must admit we were expecting more than a handful of stalls but in the early morning sun the tables set up beneath a corridor of trees did look quite sweet. Perhaps even a little French. After the usual initial quick perusal (this one being roughly thirty seconds), we took a closer look. Our mouth and bellies immediately found love at the bakery stand, the waffle cart, the cheese table and the cupcake stack. Ollie of course spent a long while sniffing around the smoked fish vendor and the dried meats. Everything was fresh and looked so yummy! Controlling ourselves to a donut and a waffle (oh man they were good) we pulled ourselves away. We had a date with something else just as alluring up the hill in wine country!

It did feel a bit odd thinking of a wine tasting at half ten in the morning but as Dad always says, ‘it’s six o’clock somewhere in the world’, and with that thought things felt much better! First of all we had a look round the oldest winery in New Zealand known as The Mission. It was set up by Monks in the middle of the 19th Century and was initially there to produce alter wine. Obviously they decided to move on to making other wines too (They were Monks after all!) and today the vines spread all across the hill behind the very lovely green and white building. We couldn’t taste any of the wines but I did learn quite a lot of the history behind the New Zealand wine industry and what a ‘Maryist’ was. 

Back down the hill and along the way a bit is Church Road winery. Here we decided to pay for a tour around the grounds and to learn about their wine making process. Having been on a similar tour around a winery in Kefalonia a few years before we both knew at least something about the wine making process. However this winery was much more picturesque and less factory like and you could literally see the care and attention that went into making the wine. Back in the cellar shop we finally got to taste some wine and after trying three whites and three reds, all given in very generous tasting sizes, my head was admittedly a little light! There were some wines I loved and others that I really didn’t but in the end Ollie and I decided to pick a white to take home. Even though it was my favourite, we chose a hand picked (that makes a difference you know!) Sauvignon Blanc as New Zealand really does make superb wine with these grapes. As I have known for a while now! But this one was particularly yummy.

On the way back to town we passed a small chocolate factory and stopped off to grab a bag of Hokey Pokey chocolates (Honey Comb for anyone who was wondering) and despite our best efforts, the whole lot was gone in five minutes. Even then Ollie couldn’t decide if it was good chocolate! There was an aquarium on the beach front and as it wasn’t too expensive we decided to take a look. It was a pretty cool place and there were a surprising amount of fishies to see. What I liked in particular was that the species on show were completely different to the ones you’d see in the UK and so I learnt a lot of new facts and information. The little turtles were my favourite and seeing them try and swim about was really funny! The Piranhas were ugly and fierce and I didn’t know that their teeth can even bite through bones!

The best bit in the aquarium by far though, and it wasn’t even sea creature related, was the moment when for the first time since arriving in New Zealand, and even though it wasn’t in the wild, Ollie and I got to see...a KIWI! Wow! They are so weird! So prehistoric looking! So furry and fuzzy! And what a beak! We didn’t think we’d even see the bird because it was in a large darkened area and when there is ever a viewing area like that the animal everyone most wants to see never appears and everyone is left disappointed. But not then! As Ollie and I stood quietly waiting, suddenly from a pile of dry foliage appeared Mr Kiwi. Shuffling his way forward using his almost blind eyes he walked right in front of us and ate some of his food. In total wonder we stood staring, paralyzed to the spot, not even able to think to grab a photo. And then just as magically as the Kiwi appeared, he was gone. Back into his den. It was so wonderful to see the amazing bird and as people pilled up behind us, the Kiwi now out of sight, we knew how lucky we had been.

* * *

Sunday morning we visited our second market of the weekend, the oldest in New Zealand, which was just down the road from Napier in Hastings. This farmers market was much bigger than Saturday’s and although there were a few of the same vendors, there was far more variety and things to look at. We wanted to buy some really good cheese and bread that we could enjoy later with a bottle of red wine we were going to buy from a winery that afternoon. After enjoying the free tasting that everyone offered (Maybe enjoying the free cheese and avocado a little too much) we finally selected a wonderful mature cheddar cheese that had those awesome crunchy bits you get in tasty cheese. Don’t know what they are but it’s probably mold aye! I wanted the vintage cheddar but it was a bit too much for Ollie. Next we bought two lovely fluffy rolls of bread before discovering the home made jam and chutney stand. We tried out a few but I decided on a ‘Mango and Ginger’ chutney that I thought would go perfectly with our cheeses, we had also got ourselves a real stinky smoky cheese that I was extremely excited about. Yes, you can get excited about cheese!

Not allowing ourselves to get carried away and spend loads of money on wonderful food we left the market and set off for a region just outside Hastings that is renowned for its red wine. Unfortunately as it is winter most of the wineries are closed but we did find one that was open and a very nice woman who let us taste a few reds. As we chatted about England, Auckland our accents and of course, the weather, we tasted three different bottles. Ollie had initially wanted a Merlot but after trying their best label Syrah he changed his mind. It was a very good wine and after a very, very, very long decision process he finally settled on the bottle. Meanwhile I was again feeling the effects of wine tasting on an empty stomach.

That afternoon we said goodbye to the east coast and set off in our van towards Wellington. As we drove the weather got worse and worse and soon the wind was trying to push the van over. Ollie had been driving carefully anyway to conserve fuel and we always pulled over when we had formed a small queue behind us. But the wind was pretty bad over some of the hills so he had slowed to about 80 Kmph. We were happily singing along to the radio and then suddenly blue and red lights were flashing behind us, the siren came on and Ollie informed me we were getting pulled over by the cops. Ollie already knew he was going to be accused of driving too slowly ad causing a queue but there hadn’t been a suitable place to pull over for a couple of kilometers. He was a bit annoyed as he waited for the policeman to come and knock on our window. 

When he finally strolled over and asked the proverbial question ‘How fast do you think you were going back there?’ (I know that’s what they always ask ‘cos every time I’ve been in the car with Mum when she’s been pulled over they ask her that!!...O.K Mum just the one or two times!) Ollie barely had a chance to say before the cop launched into an attack about how it was 70Kmph and no buts it was and how we were causing a hazard and if we were going to continue to drive like that, people on the way home from their holidays would have to take hazardous risks that could end terribly. Oh and that we should have pulled over a couple of hundred meters back. And when Ollie replied that he didn’t think there had been a suitable place as it was too narrow the cop started laughing at him and asked how long he had been driving and how old he was. Not that we could see any relevance in asking and were pretty annoyed to be getting laughed at for being careful. When Ollie mentioned the wind and how it was really pushing the van about the policeman just laughed more. He finally let us go but we were both pretty annoyed. He was basically asking us to put ourselves in danger just so other people could get home. And the fact was we’d never gone as slow as he had said because Ollie had known what speed he was going the whole time. The cops i’d seen on T.V shows over here were always nice and good looking but this guy was an idiot and really not!

Lucky for us we had a good way to wind down after a frustrating afternoon and as the rain beat down on our windswept van we were tucked inside enjoying our bottle of wine. The chutney did go amazingly well with our bread and cheese and we had finished the whole lot within a matter of minutes. The wine tasted great and it was a perfect temperature thanks to my homemade wine warmer...putting it between my legs for a bit!

15/7/12

that lake is pretty big bro!

This morning we woke early and after admiring the view we had woken up to and without bothering to get dressed, we set off for Taupo and the massive lake we have heard so much about. Suddenly out of the mountains appeared this giant mass of blue and we started to see just how big the ‘Great lake’ was. I kid you not, it’s huuuuge! Driving up one side to Taupo we got time to admire the lake. The water was so clear and Ollie was very jealous of the boaties out and about fishing.

We stopped at the ‘Huka Falls’, a waterfall where the river turns into a small funnel and the water speeds up and flies down a small section of river to plunge super fast into the wider pool below. An olympic size swimming pool can be filled every minute from the water pouring over the falls and 220,000L pass every second. The noise was pretty loud! The water was a fantastic light blue colour but mainly a mass of white roaring crests. ‘Huka’ means foam in Maori and to see the funnel of water explains the choice of name. We drove into the car park but before we could get out, a ranger was over to tell us we had not parked in the designated camper van spaces and so we would have to move. He was pretty rude but I chose to ignore that and do what he said, even though it was half eight in the morning, no one else was there and we fitted fine into the spot we were in. Ollie on the other hand was not so accepting and let the man know this while I sat trying to hide my face in my dressing gown. Ollie got the man’s point but apparently he hadn’t needed to be ‘so rude’. Um...awkward!

Anyway we enjoyed a walk by the falls before getting back in the van and exploring further. We came across a small honey shop and took the opportunity to learn a bit more about honey bees, including the fact that they only make 1/2 teaspoon of honey each in their life time and that if they ate 30g of honey that would be enough to keep them going on a whole flight around the world. Oh and they are aerodynamically ‘impossible’ because they can fly carrying a load equivalent to their body weight. Gotta love nature aye! After putting my head through a hole and having my picture taken as a bee we moved on (I have a penchant for head through hole photos!) and found a park that had a thermal river running through it. As we walked along, steam was rising from the bushes and it was the strangest feeling to put our hands in a fresh water stream that was warm! 

I wanted to take a walk by the lake so we found a quiet spot and followed a footpath that brought us out on the edge of the lake. I almost wished it was summer so we could go for a swim as we found some places that would have been great for jumping in. We sat for a while and took in the amazing views and I chatted to a couple of ducks that paddled past. On the way back to the van Ollie thought it would be funny to run ahead of me and thanks to him I ended up taking a wrong turn and getting lost! When I eventually found him hiding in a bush I was not amused at all but he thought it was hilarious! 

It was early afternoon when we drove across to Napier and the sun had finally decided to appear for the day as we got wound round many, many mountains and long queues of cars formed behind us. In the distance we caught a glimpse of more snow capped mountains and discussed for the millionth time how crazy snow in New Zealand seems to us! Arriving in Napier our first stop was the harbour and a walking inspection of all the fishing boats for Ollie! That over with we parked up opposite the very, very long beach front and went into the town to explore. Napier is, according to its brochure, the ‘Art Deco’ capital of the world. While I’m not so sure ‘world’ is an accurate definition it certainly is Art Deco. Each building has its own unique features and they all go together to form a very impressive, colourful and stylish town centre. Most of the city’s buildings were destroyed in an earthquake in 1931 and so are all relatively new. Hence the heavy style influence. My favourite part of the town though has to be the beach front. There is a promenade, pretty gardens, kids scooter park, concert plaza and park, all kept in great condition and great to wonder about. The beach itself is a pebbly mass of grey meeting blue; large cliffs jutting out in the distance look a bit like the Seven Sisters back home. Basically Napier is Eastbourne but far more happening and a lot prettier! Like a good looking older sister!

We parked up for the night in a free spot facing out towards the beach with every intention of watching the sun rise in the morning. There was something about that perfect blue horizon that predicted the first appearance of the sun the next morning would be pretty awesome...

13/7/12

oooo shiny!

We awoke to find that some numpty had stolen my bikini that had been drying on the front of our van. I mean come on, who steals a wet bikini? Surely there are better things to pinch?! Especially seeing as that I have to buy different size pants and tops so if a girl was planing on wearing it she’d have to have a messed up body size wise like mine! What was worse was that the pants part was also part of another bikini set so basically I lost two bikinis in the theft! Utter rubbish! If it was a bunch of guys that stole it then that’s very pathetic and I hope they regretted their actions in the morning. Ollie did try and search for it but to no avail. So yea moving on...

We left Rotarua and began our drive across to the Waitomo caves as we’d heard a lot of good things about them and wanted to check the ‘Glow Worm’ cave out for ourselves. Along the way we spotted a small market at the front of a kiwi orchard that was selling them at 25c a kilo! Unable to believe the sign we stopped off and managed to pick up six kiwi fruit, three avocados and a bag of tomatoes all for just over seven bucks. Amazing! The kiwis only cost us 16c! So from now on road side stalls are definitely where we will be buying our fruit and veggies from. And to make it even better, the avocados were ripe and ready to eat, a real bonus considering there’s one on our dashboard that has been ‘ripening’ ever since we left Auckland. I’m starting to wonder if it’s just a plastic one!

The entrance to the caves looked like we were entering the Eden project. The huge transparent canopy held up by a large wooden frame and the out door cafe was very similar and the ‘eco’ kind of feel to the place was presented in the same way. We bought our tickets and headed over to wait for the next tour to begin. We had fifteen minutes to wait so Ollie said he would treat us to a coffee. It was a lovely idea but unfortunately the coffee was horrible and we waited so long for it to be made that we had to skull it so we could make the tour in time! I’ll add at this point that since working on my own coffee making abilities over the last five months I have become less and less tolerant of ‘badly made’ cups of coffee, much to Ollie’s annoyance! But even he had to agree that his coffee wasn’t great!

Luckily the tour was much better than their coffee and we descended into a magnificent cave system of limestone stalactites. There were even a few stalagmites (Do you know which is which??) which as all geologists know, are pretty rare! We weren’t allowed to take pictures in the cave which was a shame but as Ollie and I had learned previously, the flash of cameras can kill the glow worm. After learning about how the cave was discovered (A Maori dude who owned the land and a British Servyor dude found it together one day around 1870) we were led into a large tunnel that was called the ‘Cathedral’. A limestone rock on one side looked like a giant pipe organ and apparently some singers have given concerts in there and they hold a carol service every year. It was at this point that our guide asked if anyone in the group was a singer and wanted to try out the excellent acoustics. A two year old girl put her hand up and said she would sing twinkle twinkle little star. And what happened next had me nuzzled into Ollie’s shoulder trying to push giggles back into my mouth. 

The guide and the girl started singing and then all around us other members of the group joined in until a shambled version of the song tumbled out into the pitch black we were stood in. But what made it funny was that not everyone new the words and half our group couldn’t really speak English. And if the lights had been on no one would have dared sing! My favourite part had to be ‘How I glunder bot moo par’. Classic! We pinched ourselves just to make sure we hadn’t just been transported into some random universe!

We followed the guide down another flight of steps and waited to board our boat. We moved off in silence across the water and it was pretty eerie. But as we drifted into the central part of the cave there above us shone tons of tiny little glow worms that formed a beautiful starry sky above us. They were mesmerizing and impossible to take your eyes off. As our sight adjusted, more appeared and soon the whole ceiling was lit up by the worms. It has to be one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen and definitely worth seeing. We got to spend even longer in the cave than we were meant to as well because we had a guide that was training with us as well and he wasn’t very good at steering the boat so we got an extra Tiki tour (strawberry shortcut) added to our boat ride! We emerged at the other end of the cave into a pretty river surrounded by forest.

We set off in our van once again, this time with Taupo as our destination. We wanted to see some snow though and so first we drove further south towards Mt Ruapehu and the National Park. The road down was a magnificent mixture of grassy hills, forests, snow capped mountains and many, many sheep and cows! The phrase of this whole trip so far has to be ‘wow’ because we say it around nearly every bend. The scenery outside the windows never has a dull moment and there is always something to marvel at. Having seen our first bit of New Zealand snow (a hard concept to get our heads around but still) we found a place to park up for the night. Naturally we chose a ‘Tree and a Bench’ area. 

To explain, whilst driving around the North Island ever since we got here, Ollie and I have always laughed at the sign posts showing a Tree and a Bench. Mainly because there are so many but also ‘cos sometimes there is only a tree or perhaps only a bench and it’s the kind of thing you find amusing when you’ve been driving for so long that you have a bit of cabin fever (A bit like ‘Stiker’ or ‘Buckland Monochorum’ for family in the know!). So Ollie and I shout out ‘TREE AND A BENCH’ every time we see a sign and then rate the site on how good it is, the size of the tree, condition of the bench etc. Damn silly I know but we have a laugh!

12/7/12

more mud please...

Ollie woke me when our alarm went off at 6.45A.M and I promptly went back to sleep for another hour. You see, we were supposed to get up to watch the sunrise over the bay but sleep was always going to win me over until a very annoyed Oliver woke me again and insisted that I get up! As he grumpily made us a cup of tea and repeatedly moaned that I had caused him to miss the apparently renowned wonder that is the sunrise at Mt Manganui I got dressed and enjoyed the feeling my nice long sleep had given me.

After brushing my teeth for the first time in two days (grosse I know!) and feeling much fresher, we set off for the base of Mt Manganui looking forward to climbing it. As we approached the first steps leading up to the path, a runner past us and sprinted up the twenty steps, taking off like an over coiled spring that has finally been released. If there’s anything that can make one feel unfit before a mountain climb that has to be it! Cursing under my four layers of clothing (that were all but one removed a few feet later in a burst of energy and morning sun related temperature increase) I walked on slowly, hoping this morning wouldn’t be a repeat of yesterday. 

I made Ollie select the easier route up the mount, fearing the worst and still really half asleep. But I’m glad I did because on our pathway we got to walk around the whole mountain and see the huge sand dune covered in pines that juts out into the bay, the docks (again) and look out across the sea to the point where it disappears into the sky. It didn’t take us long to reach the top and once there we were able to sit and enjoy the views in a perfect silence. As I looked out across the ocean I decided that in the future if I ever feel stressed out or need to take a minute to just relax I will return in my head to that spot on the top of Mt Manganui and I know that I’ll instantly feel more peaceful. There was just something about being surrounded in all directions by blue, nothing but blue that felt amazing. 

The walk back down was just as enjoyable and Ollie and I chatted away about the news, the radio and life in general. I realised how weird it felt to be talking about New Zealand news and knowing far more about that than what’s going on at home. As if the whole idea of ‘home’ was some how disbanding and moving to catch us where we are. We are so used to New Zealand now that it’s unnerving to think we will soon be leaving to start yet another kind of life in another country. When people ask us where we’re from it even feels a bit funny to say England...

* * *

Rotorua is just under an hour inland from Tauranga and we reached the smelly city, also known as ‘Rotavegas’ (not sure why but I suppose the tourist draw might have something to do with it!) just after midday. We had decided to do two activities while there and the first was to have a ride on the luge. Situated on the side of a mountain/volcano (never sure which over here!) the track is split into three grades of difficulty from scenic to advanced. To get to the top we took a gondola ride that over looked the city and Lake Rotorua beyond. While we were pulled silently to the the other end all I could think of was the scene in one James Bond film, possibly ‘Moonraker’, where Bond and Jaws have a big fight scene in and around a gondola while the helpless girl screams inside. So I was on the look out for a set of metal teeth as we passed other empty gondolas!

We selected our helmets and although I wanted to wear a green one, I ended up with red because I had to have a child’s size. What made it even more embarrassing was the fact that I had put mine on wrong and it covered my eyes. But luckily for me I have a husband to sort those kind of issues out and soon I was able to see again! We had bought a three ride ticket and decided to ride each track from novice to expert. We got into our luge’s and were off. They picked up speed pretty fast and soon I was bobbling down the hill, hands freezing, jealous of the kids with gloves and trying my best not to scream as I rounded each bend. Ollie meanwhile thought it was funny to try and bash me off the road and to do massive turns that pulled his cart half way off the ground. By the time we reached the end of the track I was feeling more of a pro and was even moaning to Ollie about the ‘stupid kids’ who had got in my way and slowed me down.

We had to take the chair lift back to the start and although I was a little apprehensive at the thought, the experience wasn’t that bad. I didn’t slip off as I had feared and I think I even enjoyed the ride! The second track was faster and by the bottom we were both definitely ready to take on the advanced course. It was our last ride and we wanted to make the most of it. Pushing off we raced as fast as we could (or I dared) and as I flew over one hill I even got a bit of air time! Of course Ollie was faster than me but I didn’t let myself down too much! I was surprised at how reckless I felt and what a need for speed I apparently harbour deep down...very deep down I might add! Deciding that the gondolas had excellent acoustics and wanting to demonstrate this to Ollie, I entertained him with a return ride full of nursery rhymes, and although his face looked as if it was slowly being peeled off with a blunt scalpel I think he enjoyed the experience really...

Next we drove twenty minutes south to a place called ‘Hells Gate’ where a flyer had promised a vast amount of ‘Geothermal activity’ for us to explore. We arrived to a car park full of steam and a bubbling river. We chose to take the mud bath and sulphur spa experience and were quickly led to an outside area where a woman handed us a plastic box and told us to put all our clothes and jewelry into it. It sounds a bit like we had just rocked up at a prison and it did feel kind of like that as I undressed in a freezing shelter. Ollie was ready much quicker than me (sometimes I wonder why I wear so many rings and earrings!) and by the time I was in my togs he was already enjoying a sulphur bath. It isn’t as poisonous as it sounds but they do stink! I only had time to dip my toe in before the woman came back and led us through to our very own ‘mud bath’. After informing us we had twenty minutes in there before we had to get out due to a risk of ‘dizziness and fainting’ the woman disappeared and left us to become pigs.

Ollie was immediately disappointed that the whole pit wasn’t just solid mud and that it was more of a mud and water combination. I on the other hand was perfectly happy with a 38C pool of gloopyness. We dragged our hands across the bottom and brought up the squigy mass that was laying beneath us. Rubbing it over our arms and chests we had a great time experimenting with the mud and seeing what different things we could do with it, which sounds far more dodgy than it was! It was as if I was a kid again and basically I was in my element! A small mud fight almost broke out but due to the fact it would have stung our eyes real bad it was a pretty tame one! Our time went far to quickly and soon a guy was there to lead us out. Now just before it was our turn to leave the mud bath we had seen two other women in the next bath along leave theirs and what followed sounded like the most hellish torture anyone could ever be put under. Once out of the bath, they made you take...a cold shower! Now that might not seem so bad, and I didn’t think so, but after hearing the terrifying screams and weird noises coming from the two women before us, Ollie and I were left in a panic.

We got out of the mud and followed ‘Raj’ to the shower. He turned on one and sent Ollie under. His face immediately turned to horror and he let out a loud ‘arghhh’. Then it was my turn. The shower went on and I pushed half my body into the water. At that point, and I’m sorry Mum, I let out a shrieking expletive that might just rhyme with ‘luck’! After 38C mud that water was BLOODY FREEZING! I could hear the group in another bath start laughing at me as I tried to persuade ‘Raj’ I’d done enough while he insisted that I get my head under as I hadn’t yet. Eventually I did but only for a second. Apparently the shower was to get our circulation running again and to stop us from feeling light headed after the heat and density of the mud. I was so relieved when Raj finally let me back into the lovely warm sulphur pool. I liked him again even more when he told me to hop into the pool next to that one as it was an amazing 40C!

Sitting there in the open air surrounded by the stink of rotten eggs was so relaxing and even when other people were having to leave the hottest pool because they couldn’t take it any longer, I was still loving it! That was until Raj told me to jump back in the cold shower because by doing that I would get my blood pumping to the surface of my skin and the next time I got in the pool it would feel even better. I was even more appalled when he suggested I repeat this process a number of times as it would make me feel even nicer. But he was right. Each time I dared to get splashed in the cold water, the hot pool felt even better and made every part of my skin start to tingle. The cold showers also helped me not to faint! The sulphur pool made me feel pretty light headed and at one point I actually thought I was about to hit the floor but luckily the shower sorted me out. Ollie and I were both so glad we had chosen to visit the mud baths and even though the first shower did feel like something close to ‘Hell’ it was definitely worth it. We left with super soft skin and both very stinky but we didn’t mind.

We picked a camp site near the centre of the town and arrived just as it was getting dark. We needed to do some washing and use some electricity so had decided to pay for a nights stay somewhere. In the middle of the complex there was two hot mineral pools that were open all evening and lit up with pretty blue fairy lights. After putting our stuff into the washing machines we quickly changed and hopped into the hottest pool (obviously). There we able to indulge yet again in an awesome bath while looking up at the stars. It had been a particularly awesome day and finally for the first time since we left Auckland I was starting to relax into the idea of traveling once again. 

11/7/12

watch ya head bro...

We woke to another beautiful morning. Cloudless and full of sunshine, yet totally freezing! We were in a valley at Karangahake gorge where an old gold mine used to be. After a quick cup of tea and wriggling into freezing clothes, we set off for what Ollie had planned as a ‘morning stroll’. Crossing the river by bridge and after learning a little about the mine that had once been there we picked the hour and a half route. Everything started off fine. We passed through the remains of the main mine buildings and followed the old rail track along one side of the valley until it met the mine shafts.

It was at this point we realised having a torch would have been a really awesome thing. The tunnels were pitch black, eerie, dripping with stale water and had incredibly low ceilings. Apparently miners were hobbits or hunchbacks! However, the one good thing about my shockingly bad phone (my other one got stolen about a month back and I don’t want to talk about it because I’m still grieving) is that it has a tiny torch light at one end. Using this Ollie led us through the maze of tunnels. I say led but it was more like he walked ahead as I clung desperately to his coat and saw nothing because I spent the whole time squeezing my eyes shut and hoping we weren’t about to star in a new ‘Descent’ movie. Anyone who has ever watched that film must be permanently freaked out about dark holes with no light at the end! But lucky for us there was eventually light at the end of our very real and not at all metaphorical tunnel! 

When we got to the next set of mine tunnels I announced that I wanted to be the leader this time. I was feeling much braver and this one was shorter because I could already see the end! Turning on the torch I began to lead Ollie into black. At once he was moaning about how much harder it was to follow than lead and I felt mildly triumphant as I found our way forwards. It was all going so well until just before the end of the tunnel when I decided to see how much of a difference the phone torch was making and so turned it off momentarily. Of course I found it did make a massive difference as we had been instantly plunged into darkness. Shouts of annoyance from Ollie made sure the torch went straight back on but during the time I hadn’t been able to see but I had already lost my balance and walked out of my safe path. I whacked my shoulder on a low part of the ceiling but it was worse for Ollie following me, he smacked his forehead on the rocks! Turning back to help him I hit my head and as we finally emerged from the tunnel both of us were in heaps of pain. Of course Ollie was not happy and the decision was made there and then that should any more tunnels come our way there was absolutely no way that I would be leading us. I didn’t even get to vote on that!

Continuing along the path and enjoying the astoundingly clear water of the river beneath us, I noticed a parallel path on the other side of the valley. Deciding that one looked more exciting than ours I informed Ollie that at the nearest opportunity we should cross the river and take the other track back. We had been walking for just under an hour when we reached the bridge that would take us to the other side. Eagerly I ran across the bridge ready to enjoy the path back that I knew must begin in a tunnel because I had last seen the path emerge from one. I picked the track that followed the river back and ignored Ollie’s questions about the time the path took and that the sign didn’t show our car park on it. 

The walk had turned into a steep upwards trek and after another hour both Ollie and I were feeling it. Our early morning walk had just transformed into a mission. We had lost sight and sound of the river, were headed in the wrong direction and could see nothing of anything because we were trapped in a dense forest with occasional warnings about fallen mine shafts. We both began to panic as fatigue (apparently a banana for breakfast isn’t enough to keep you going on a tough walk) and loss of bearings crowded in on us. Two and a half hours into our walk we were faced with the horrible decision; turn back on ourselves and retrace all of our steps or keep going and hope we find our way back. 

Silently the ‘keep going’ option was chosen and as my hopes were fast scurrying off into the undergrowth we finally heard it. The faint sound of rushing water. Suddenly we could see the sky, the valley and feel the heat of the sun. We could also now see just how far up we had climbed as we stood looking out over a cliff edge. The track began to take us downwards and in another thirty minutes we were back where we had begun, in sight of our van. We had made it. What had started out as a leisurely walk had turned into a three hour hike but it was definitely worth it to see the views from high above the river. But I’m just glad we found the way back because I really wouldn’t have wanted to be me if we hadn’t!

Back in the van we had a quick lunch of bread, cheese and very unripe avocado before setting off for Tauranga and Mt Manganui. As we drove we passed one kiwi fruit orchard after another, all surrounded by ridiculously tall trees that were there to keep people with sticky fingers out! It was lovely to be sat in the van on such a sunny day in comfortable silence. And after only about an hour we had reached our next stop. Ollie, who had been to Tauranga for work, showed me around as we drove towards Mt Manganui. Obviously the main part of his tour were the massive docks and I got a lecture about the difference in size between those ones and the Auckland docks and how the workers in Auckland were stupid to complain and compare. But I won’t get into the argument as it’s complicated and Ollie listens to Newstalk way too much! His tour over with, yes it was just the docks and fishing boats, we parked up at the beach and took a walk along a sort of island (sort of because it was attached to the beach by a tiny stretch of rocks) which was quite pleasant really and made me feel like half of an old couple! Mainly because the majority of other people on the rat’s tail (I named it that) were of a certain age!

Feeling in a sea side mood we found an ice cream van going by the name of ‘Mr Whippy’ and got thoroughly ripped off and half enjoyed a not very good ’99’. Afterwards we commenced on a travelers main priority, a search for the nearest toilets, and then took a walk back along the beach to our van. The sand was freezing but it was nice to sit and chat for a bit on a bench we had made out of drift wood. In the evening we cooked our dinner and took advantage of the free internet I managed to find before playing the family friendly game that goes by the name ‘Shit Head’. It’s a card game for anyone that doesn’t know! I’m embarrassed to say we were asleep by 9P.M but all the fresh air in the morning had worn us out!

10/7/12

the northland rocks again!

So it’s three days into our journey across New Zealand. Already we have completed a circuit of the Northland and are now somewhere in between Paeroa (Home of the divine L&P) and Tauranga, hopefully amongst some mountains if Ollie has parked us in the correct spot. As it’s dark however we won’t know until the morning! Do I trust his sense of direction is the question!

Saying goodbye to everyone was painful. Well more than painful. From work colleagues to amazing friends and our wonderful family here, it was so hard to finally leave. In fact we ended up saying goodbye to Char and Nige three times! Once on Saturday morning when we ‘officially’ left and then twice in the space of about ten minutes this evening when we popped back in on our way past Auckland and then as we drove away, Ollie realised I had thrown away his old wallet that still had one of our credit cards in. So while Ollie spent a final few minutes saying goodbye (again), I waded my way through two bin liners to find the missing wallet. Thankfully I found it!

So what have we been up to? Well firstly Ollie had to play one last game of soccer, so before we could go anywhere he played his match. Luckily the team won 7-0 and Ollie was made honorary captain for the game and his team mates even let him keep the band which was so nice of them. Not sure he deserved it though seeing as he spent most of the match yelling at the referee and ordering him about!! Finally we were on the road though and headed for Dargaville and our campsite just beyond. Our first night in the van went without serious incident although the same can’t be said for my card playing skills. Lastcard/Pick up two is always hard when you’re trying to remember the rules from years ago!

The next morning we headed off early....ish! to visit the Kauri forests, in search of Tane Mahuta, the oldest and tallest tree in the Waipoua forest. The tree (also known as Lord of the forest) was sooooooo tall and wide and has stood in that forest for around 2000 years. So it might have even been there around the time Jesus was alive! That’s a crazy thought! Although on a side note, teachers were telling me that Jesus was alive 2000 years ago when I was at primary school and that was about twenty years ago so surely it’s longer than 2000 years ago now...just wondering how long it will be before someone ups the time difference!!

Sad that I couldn’t actually hug the oldest Kauri tree, we said goodbye (well I did, not sure Ollie talks to trees) and set off without much of a plan but headed across country anyway in the general direction of Paihia on the other side of the coast. As we pulled up to the little roundabout in front of the huge bay it felt like no time at all had past since Ollie and I last visited way back in February, or was it March?! The only difference was that this day was far more sunny and beautiful than the one back in the summer where the rain and wind had, to be completely cliche, ‘dampened’ the astounding impact of the Bay of Islands. In fact as we ate some lunch on the balcony of an upstairs cafe I actually felt as if I was being slightly burned. Oh how I’ve missed that feeling these past winter months!!

As we were there again I really wanted to visit the Waitangi treaty grounds as I felt it was important to learn more about how this country came to be governed, especially as the country that had rocked up and claimed ownership back in 1840 was my very own! And as we entered and paid the wincing fee of $25 per person we really wished we were New Zealand residents. Apparently they get in for free!! But it was definitely worth the money. Set in amazing woodland and wonderfully cut lawns, the treaty house, Maori meeting house and actual spot where the treaty was signed on 6th February 1840 can be found. There is also a huge Waka that’s in the Guinness Book of Records for being so long. I think it takes over 80 people to row it! Sadly the real treaty can’t be viewed but we did get to see a replica and although that was obviously not as good, at least we saw what it said. As for my opinions on the treaty, well, I won’t go into those here!

For one last treat before we live off pasta and beans, we visited the Thai restaurant we had been to last time for dinner. Unfortunately for me the scary Jim Carrey lookalike waiter was working but I coped! Back at the van we played a few intense rounds of Black Jack that I didn’t enjoy too much. I had made the rule that the person who went bust had to eat a sherbet Banana (you know the ones everyone leaves in a packet of lollies?). Of course I went bust nearly every time and each banana went down worse than the last until I simply refused to continue!

The next morning was sunny and again surprisingly hot...shorts hot! We tidied up the van and took the car ferry over to Russell (Or Wussell as I apparently call it). Along the way we saw a sea gull with only one foot and some early morning boaties. The sea gull with only one foot was pretty sad...especially when it tried to scratch itself! Unfortunately Russell was just as disappointing as the first time we visited, even though it wasn’t raining this time. There literally is nothing to do there! Back in the van we headed off for an awesome journey along the coast, winding our way gradually back towards the south. One of the best things about New Zealand is that you never know what’s going to be around the next bend. Whether it’s a huge mountain, giant forest or a magnificent view of the sea. We found an amazing beach where the grassy hills literally rolled into the sand and the water was a wonderful bright blue. A group of bulls were living on the sand and it has to be the first time I’ve ever said the phrase ‘mind the cow pats’ whilst walking along a beach! We spent a while playing ‘chase the waves’ and enjoying a winter paddle in the surprisingly not freezing water. It was such a lovely beach and I could have stayed there all day just taking in the scenery and enjoying the crashing waves.

We continued our journey south and were soon back in Whangarei and fast approaching Auckland for the last time. Stopping off to say goodbye to our favourite Indian family we found it hard to finally leave. Leaving Nirvisha has to be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done but with promises to see each other soon, Ollie finally tugged me away. We were now starting our real travels and filled with a huge mixture of excitement and sadness we set off down the motorway...

9/7/12