Waitarere Beach - Tow Bars & Electric Bikes

Ohinemutu - is a living Maori village
(The original Rotorua Settlement) 

As we left the East Coast and headed inland, the rain stayed with us. Quite torrential at times - finally got into the NZMCA camp at Ngongotaha (Rotorua) mid afternoon. Thankfully the camp site is up on a plateau (an old cattle sales yard) as poor Ngongotaha was in a state of civil emergency after its streams flooded areas of the suburb (not that we knew till a couple of hours later).

Lake Rotorua after the storm
(with a lot of weed washed ashore)

Rotorua we had decided was a good destination to get our COF (WOF or MOT to you car/English vehicle owners) - so headed into town the next day, after morning tea (the Inspectors have had their coffee but before lunch) - and almost sailed through! Except for a leaky shock absorber at the rear of the bus! Damn.
As we were due for a service as well and Rotorua was too busy to do it in the next day or two, we booked into Palmerston North on our way through to our next destination of Waitarere Beach.
The weather couldn't have been more different as we departed from Rotorua - beautiful and sunny all the way through to Taupo and southward. We had planned a night in Turangi at the bottom of Lake Taupo. But after talking to some locals near the bottom of the Lake, we found a lovely little spot to camp for the night.
Continuing on down through the Central Plateau the next day, the weather was like a summers day with beautiful scenery of the majestic mountains in the Tongararo National Park.

Central Plateau looking at Mt Ruapehu as we
headed south- nice lunch spot

Waitarere Beach at John & Sarah's Bach once again was to give us a base where Bill could install a third solar panel and get our tow bar sorted.
Our Tow Bar saga: I'll try and keep it brief (you'll be pleased it's me writing this part of the blog and not Bill!) We had our Bus tow bar made and certified in Nelson by Engineer Peter Wastney whose work has now been recalled due to unsafe design practises - effectively cancelling the right for us to use our tow bar which we tow our Suzuki. We now were required to find another Engineer and workshop to build a new one - which we organised while in Palmerston North with it only being 40mins north of Waitarere Beach. 

Cycling along the River Trail in autumn colours

Palmerston North is a great city to stay over night in a motor home with parking right in the city - making it handy for us to drop the Bus off for it's service and shock absorber replacement early the next morning. And give our new Engineer  (David Manley) the opportunity to look at our existing tow bar & come up with a new design and organise with a workshop to build it.

The Riverside trail along side the Manawatu

So we had the day out & about Palmerston. We started off on our bikes riding 26km along the City's lovely river trail. It's a nice flat city, easy cycling. With a large Square at the heart of the town it was easy to find our way around, enjoying a bite to eat in the Square with its many eateries.
Finally we got away at the end of the day after an expensive service & repair bill (I thought he'd made a mistake with an extra digit in the figure!!) And a plan to get the new tow bar made next week.
It was then onto Waitarere Beach to catch up with John &Sarah once again over the weekend before they headed back into the Capital for another full on week of work in their busy lives.
Bill spent the week catching up on bus jobs (lights/usb chargers) and started on adding in an additional solar panel. I caught up on work online and started our EOY paperwork for the accountant. Not that that should take that long with our current lifestyle and income - but it all has to be documented correctly doesn't it!

Installation of the electric kit- Bill's new workshop

But the highlight of the week would be Bill fitting out his bike with an electric kit. It all came together pretty smoothly (a few You Tube clips helped out) and now he is away! But wait! What about me............ With my shorter legs and different style bike - I require a different kit that is cheaper but will take about 3 months to arrive (on a slow boat from China). Watch this space.

Bike complete with battery / display and knobs!

We had a brief stopover by Sam & Pauline (last catch up being Warbirds over Wanaka) as they were finishing 8 weeks travel in the South Island to return home to Hahei up the Coromandel. The neighbours here at Waitarere were probably getting nervous the Circus was coming into town with all these motorhomes arriving!
Vicki was up from Nelson visiting her folks in Palmerston North, so bought them through for a visit. It was lovely catching up with Max & Julie after quite a few years since we last saw them. And Vicki had kindly bought our mail - which these days is pretty boring as we have managed to reduce it with emails - but the likes of the LTSA that recalled our tow bar - still like the slow mail.
Sunday being Mother's Day we went into wellington to stay the night and catch up with Shannon & AC-had a lovely dinner at Tahi in Courtney Place- thank you S&AC. Also nice J&S joined us too.

Removal of satellite dish & existing solar panels

We returned to Waitarere after a visit to Te Papa's renovated $8.4m Art Gallery (Toi Art) with 35% more space to show off the National Art Collection. We can't say we were as excited as we were expecting after Radio NZ's talk to the Curator back in March when it was opened. Art is like that isn't it - what appeals to one doesn't necessarily appeal to all. But it certainly is a great venue for exhibitions as they come through and rotate through the national collection.
Tuesday we took the Bus to O'Leary's Engineering for an 8.00am appointment to start on the tow bar - so we filled in another day in PN -this time with a movie (Rocky & Nick's recommendation - sorry guys a bit of a waste of 3 hrs!) and walks through gardens in the City etc. At the end of the day when we were hoping to pick up our Bus - we were told it wasn't going to be ready till the next day! Did the man forget we live in this Bus! No he didn't, he was happy for us to sleep in his yard - very kind but with half our gear back at J&S's Bach (like all our food), we grabbed clothes and headed back to Waitarere to sleep in the Bach for a change.

Third solar panel nearly installed

Cousin Sandra from Otaki came out for lunch before we headed back into PN to pick up the bus late afternoon and got sign off with the Engineer.
Bill continued the week working on the solar panels / I continued with some admin work and cooking & cleaning for Bill in the lifestyle he has become accustomed now that we have defined the Pink and Blue jobs (actually it's more Bill has the blue jobs - the rest are purple I would say!)
Catching up with old friends Chris & Marie for lunch at the Quarter Acre Cafe was enjoyable, as always, at the end of the week before taking the Bus in for it's recheck with it's new shockies. Now we are all legal once again, so can start to plan our next destination. We have enjoyed our stop over Waitarere (thanks again J&S) and the opportunity it gives us to catch up with Shannon & AC with its close proximity to Wellington. And Wellingtonian friends & family.
My eldest brother is keen to do some cycling around the Taranaki area so are looking at our options to travel up that way. Bill with his electric bike may be a bit hard to keep up with. For now!

Fab Five do East Cape (16th to 29th April)

Tolaga Bay Wharf at sunrise

Rendezvous:  Taradale RSA - Napier : one Bus & Car / one Car & Caravan and one Motorhome.

The RSA was a convenient "Park over Place" plus they did meals to make the first night easy. It was also handy to cousin Kevin & Deb, so they could join us and give their expert experience of travelling around the Cape ( although K hadn't disclosed till tonight he hasn't actually gone all the way around the Cape!) 

Examination of Wendy's PINK Tool Kit 

As G&C are new to caravanning - Bill is offering dumping advice.

The team consisted of brother Graeme & Claire from Waihi Beach borrowing a friends caravan and their friend Wendy in her Motorhome (a Nurse whose services we hopefully won't require (but she has prepared a special fish hook removal kit!). They may have made a mistake staying at a 10 Star camp the previous night in Taupo, on their way down. Will update this comment later on in this blog.

Day 1 Napier to Lake Tutira

After grocery shopping we headed down to Napier Marine Parade to dump tanks / replenish fresh water, then we were on our way. Destination was a Doc camp at Lake Tutira on the side of Highway #2 inland approx 20km. This time of year it is very pretty with the autumn tints and lush green paddocks. The weather had warmed enough to feel like a summers day - Napier was 24 deg by 9.30am.

We set up our camp and celebrated the first day on the road without too much stress with a lovely local Rosé before doing an hour loop walk up and around the hills. A brief shower of rain past after dinner, then the sky came out in a mass of stars. I thought only the South Island put on such spectacular night skies.

Day 2 Lake Tutira

A day for exploring / photography and hopefully catching some fish! Claire drove us around to Waikare Beach (13km gravel road from Putorino) where it was a 15min walk from the Doc carpark

Early morning at Lake Tutira Doc camp

Lovely Nikau walk at Morere Springs

down to the beach. G&B set up their surfcasters and waited. Bill was the only one rewarded with a good size kawhai- even though G informed C that it was only the current - no fish! But B proved him wrong. G marinated it with lemon juice and coconut milk (Kokoda in Fiji) for an entrée later - Yummy. By the time we returned to camp, we had decided on another night at this lovely Doc camp although the temperature had dropped considerably. It was on with longs and beanies for the evening.

Day 3 Lake Tutira to Mahia Peninsula via Wairoa

Left Lake Tutira after a crispy start (the lake looking picturesque with its autumn tints) meeting up in Wairoa (the birth place of my father - but exactly where!!!). The town was looking a little brighter than when we last drove through approx 8 years ago in Big Yella. Coffee time was down by the river and main entrance into the town, where G & I did some more research as to where our father was born or lived in Wairoa. We knew we had one uncle still remaining from Dad's 7 siblings whom we thought was currently living in Mahia Peninsula just up

the road. When in doubt and Bill doesn't know, we Google!. What a shock it was to see his death notice where he had passed away only 3 days earlier! And quirky as he died in Waipukarau the Monday afternoon as we passed thru on the way to Napier for the rendezvous. What a way to get out of seeing his relations!! Bit sad we only just missed him after all these years

A little puha please!

Bill found his mate Wal in Gisborne

We drove on down to the river mouth of Wairoa which was idyllic to have our lunch - and finish off the fish from yesterday’s catch. It was only another 45mins onto Mahia Peninsula our next destination. And what a beautiful spot this was too. An energising walk up the nearby hill at the end of the beach gave wonderful views out over Mahia and out to sea. Stunning colours in the evening sunset. G&C elected to put out the longline, to little affect, as a better use of their time.

Day 4 Mahia Peninsula

We decided to stay two nights as it would give us a chance to go around the other side of the    Peninsula and other beaches north. Very little traffic or people around even with the school holidays. We drove up to Mahanga where G tried out the Contiki once again, but sadly once again very little - just a baby shark not worth keeping.

Top of the hill looking back to Mahia Beach

Whilst here at Mahia we (I) had hoped we might have seen Rocket Lab launch a rocket as we were in a window they had planned a launch. But sadly that morning I read where they had moved it into early May. Maybe next time.

Day 5 Mahia Peninsular to Tolaga Bay via Gisborne

Another beautiful day as we headed north. Stopped for a 20 min walk at Morere Springs which was delightful with all the Nikau Palm trees. It was a bit early for a swim for us - interesting how back in the late 1800's the European tourists were stopping here for a swim also.

Gisborne we did a bit of shopping, looking around, eating and G&C even managed a bike ride around Gisborne. It is a lovely town so will have to return when more time allows hopefully in the next month or two. Graeme was also on a mission to find the address of his birthplace.

Onto Tolaga Bay and its historic Wharf - all 660 meters completed in 1929, an icon  instantly recognised.

First catch of the trip - and also a first for Bill
Catching a fish surfcasting.

How can I make him look bigger!

Day 6 Tolaga Bay

A truly super human effort was made by all to get up at 6.15am to watch the sunrise - luckily the rain didn't come in till about an hour later, after many amazing shots were taken as the sun came up over the South Pacific Ocean. The wet morning was spent in our own vehicles waiting for the sun to return which it did just after lunch.

Looking out from Cooks Cove

The afternoon was spent walking over to Cooks Cove where Captain Cook landed in 1769 - this was a bit of a trek up and down a steep hill between Tolaga Bay and the Cove - 6.4km from the camp taking just under two hours with all the photo stops.

Looking back through "The Hole-in-the-wall"
Te Kote o te Whenua

The "Hole in the wall" still looks pretty much the same as when Sir Joseph Banks (Cooks Botanist) sketched this formation scenic rock .

We returned to Tolaga Bay ready for a wine on sunset and joined G&C who had their contiki out. More stunning photos of Tolaga Bay Wharf as the sun set behind us. This time success on the contiki - 3 good size snapper (photographic evidence further down)

Another amazing meal - thank you Wendy
Lamb shanks cooked in a Quarter Acre Pot

Contiki out - waiting .....waiting....waiting!

Day 7 

Tolaga Bay to Tokamaru Bay

Another short day popping into the pretty small bay of Anarau. Lovely but with the Doc camp being seasonally closed there was very very limited parking options. A shame especially as G&C had had another extended scenic trip here to arrive only in time for us to advise them we weren't stopping. And so on to Tokomaru Bay with freedom camping being permitted on lovely beach reserve. Stunning.

G&B put the long line out that evening and had some issues.... the first being it appeared to be stuck out at sea then inexplicably run out as though we had, as Maui did, caught the mythical big one. Then we were stuck again and with a retrieval system failure under load, 3 local boys turned up on their Quad bike saying a contiki had washed up a km along the beach and did we want them to retrieve it for us. Well.......yes..... please... so they duly turned up with it!. A broken line and a large kahawhai. We hand wound in some hundreds of metres of line pondering how it all happened and gradually coming to the realization that these entrepreneurial lads were probably hauling it in at the far end of the beach long before we knew we had a problem. And indeed they were the mythical large catch that had us so excited earlier......  G man rewarded them handsomely and they kept the large fish, everyone was happy or.....were we the victims of an elaborate con........!

Claire showing how to hold the catch at Tolaga Bay - what a woman

Day 8

Tokamaru Bay

Another stunning sunrise on the East Coast - but this time seen snug from our bed. Lovely relaxed day by the sea - decided around 3 pm to pack up and move on to Ruatoria for the dawn service for

Freedom camping at Tokamaru

ANZAC day in the morning. All packed and about to head off (Wendy had actually left to do her ablutions before leaving town) when Graeme then came across a local who couldn't understand why we would move on to Ruatoria when they had a perfectly good dawn service locally! So it was back out with the chairs & wine and Wendy returned to camp for us to settle back in for another evening on this beautiful coast line for the purported 5.00am Dawn Service ( can't believe people think 5.00 am is in the morning - it's the middle of the night!!)

End of another day - just waiting on the Sitters

Day 9 

 Tokamaru Bay to ........ Ruatoria

5.00am start for the Pakehas (we were first to arrive for the first half hour) as the service started at 6.00am! As expected it was conducted with a large Maori content, the locals losing many of their own in all the wars, we seem to be only too eager to send our men....... Some lovely singing voices.

Back at camp before 8.00am for breakfast. It was a nice relaxed morning with such an early start. After lunch and another walk along the beach, we decided to head off to Te Araroa so we could do the East Coast Lighthouse first thing in the morning to see the sunrise once again. But destiny didn't think so as 2mins out of Tokamaru Bay Wendy broke down in her motor home on the side of the road. A quick inspection found a broken fan belt.

St Mary's church at Tikitiki built in 1924 

Not something easily fixed on Anzac day well away from the well trodden state HW 1.  so the AA was called. Malcolm the mechanic duly arrived from Ruatoria with an ecliptic collection of belts but to no avail. This was a job requiring the right belt and a few more tools than on hand. So after some protracted scenario settings it was decided to be towed to Ruatoria nearly 40kms away, to await parts and be fixed the next day.  Wendy rode in our bus towing the car with Sheryl driving (something she has put off for ages) as Bill steered her motorhome being towed back to Ruatoria.

Raukokore historic church built 1930

Wendy & Sheryl arrived at our destination where Graeme & Claire already parked up and dinner all organised. A huge sigh of relief was heard as we had all  arrived safely, but  was short lived when Sheryl went to pull on the handbrake but plunged her fingers into our extraordinarily efficient rodent trap........a huge painful surprise with no recognition of the problem just eye watering pain as she tried to fling it off which she did eventually....The only trace of it being the peanut butter strewn up her arm, the only tell tale of what the hell almighty had tried to remove her finger. This story can only get better in the retelling and had us in hysterics on successive nights as the alcohol flowed freely. 

Lovely dinner followed thank you G&C

The Fab Five at East Cape Light House

Day 10 

Ruatoria to Te Araroa

Nice leisurely start to the day as we packed up to leave Mary & Ash's POP. Wendy dropped her motorhome off to be repaired on our way out of town. Bill & I picked her up as we headed off to Te Araroa (not to be confused with Te Aroha - which has nearly 4,000 people and the other 170 odd!) 

We stopped at Tikitiki on the way through to check out the old church which was beautifully restored back in 2002. Lovely integration of Maori & European cultures. Sadly we couldn't get up to the old cemetery and cenotaph which was overgrown. Nice to see the church looking so great and well looked after.

NZ's oldest pohutukawa tree named Te-Waha-O-Rerekohu 

Continued onto Te Araroa where we dropped bus & caravan off at our next camp just before Hicks Bay. Had a quick lunch then headed off once again in G&C's car out to the most Eastern Light House in the world! With 800 steps and beautiful scenery we climbed up to the light house which Bill & I decided must have been our 3rd visit over our life time. Back to camp calling into Te Araroa on the way through checking out the largest pohutukawa in NZ (more than 350 yrs old, 40m wide and 21.2m tall). Wendy & Claire headed off back to Ruatoria to pick up W's motorhome that was repaired and ready to go once again with a new fan belt. Bill went and checked out the beach, Graeme did their washing and I got on with dinner. Another pleasant evening finished off another beautiful day. 

Day 11

Perfect framing Wendy

Te Araroa to Maraehako Bay

After the Girls (C & W & S) headed off into the big smoke of Te Araroa, B & G took Bus / Caravan off over the hill into Hicks bay to catch some fresh fish. The Girls called into a Cafe selling Manuka products ( Health remedies of manuka honey – a big antibacterial product ). Then onto Te Araroa Market for some Fish Chowder (Mussel / Crab etc),a few wines and then onto Hicks Bay to join B&G for lunch. A bit of surf casting fishing didn't produce anything. Off to Maraehako for the next camp (and next bit of drama). We all decided it was best the others followed B&S after a few extra km's taken by the others (excluding W). Fairly smooth run in the late afternoon through to Maraehako, stopping at the historic church at Raukokore. W joined us for a photo shoot, G&C continued on..... with only a few k’s to go they couldn’t possibly get lost! At the time we thought we couldn't lose them as we were so close to camp. Not the case!!

Lovely fire on Maraehako Beach

When we came across the camp it was hard to identify it and almost missed it ourselves but had time to signal Wendy who was following us that this was the camp. We had to carry on along the road a further 5 mins before turning around. Wendy was about to leave as there was no sign of G&C and thought we had the wrong camp. We set up camp and awaited G&C's arrival. Thought they must have overshot the camp (as was there modus operandi) But as time went on we started to get concerned. Finally Claire turned up in a strange vehicle asking Bill to come and help as G had got stuck further up the road. Off they headed and no more than ten minutes had passed when G turned up with his car and caravan! No Claire! No Bill! It was like one of those plays. G asked where they were - and we couldn't believe C&B had missed a car towing a caravan!! How can you! Finally G headed off to find B&C - only to pick them up 5 mins up the road. Once all was calm and back to normal lovely seafood chowder & fresh homemade bread with lots of red wine to get over the stress of the end of the day. Our first opportunity to have a fire on the beach – lovely.  

Day 12(The Last Night): Ohiwa Beach

The most expensive camp of the trip with the worst weather – bit of a shame as it looks a lovely location. Another time. Sadly we arrived at camp after an unexciting trip along the last part of the East Cape we had to cover. We had stopped in Opotiki for a late lunch in the Guinness Masonic Hotel - I had the best pick - delicious roast Duck.

One of G&B's excursions with the contiki

Strong North Easterlies had followed us down the coast. Rain came in once we were set up so it was a cosy evening in Wendy's once again with cheese & onion toasties (My mum would have loved them). An early night as we decided with the change in the weather to head off early in the morning - G&C and W heading back home to Waihi Beach and us off to Rotorua to head back to the Kapati Coast.

After a night of heavy rain, thunder, lightning, strong winds we woke all a little shattered and in the rain packed up and headed off. Not until W's last issue - her battery disconnected once again just when it rained it's heaviest.  

Great trip Guys – look forward to next year’s trip in Northland.

Another lovely stop over in Wellington

AC coming in after a pleasant paddle in Evans Bay

We crossed back over into the North Island on the 12th April, thankfully two days after the storm came through so we had a calm crossing even though delayed with the back log of travellers.
As we've mentioned in earlier blogs, the Evans Bay Marina is just down the road from Shannon & AC's home -

Parked up with others - bit tight at times

View back across Wellington Harbour

a great spot to park up for a few days. We wanted a few days to catch up with S&A - and for Bill to give them a hand restaining their decks. The only job that Shannon felt their new home needed attending to.
Friday after a walk around Lyall Bay, we went for a bike ride past Wellington's Airport, onto Seaton, and back around the Mirama Peninsula (15.9km ride).
As S&A worked late, it was easier for me to do the evening meals and I enjoyed the use of the larger kitchen and stunning views. On our bike ride we passed a French Rotisserie Cart who was selling chicken and duck. Duck! I love duck. So we picked one up the next night which made dinner simple after S&A&B had stained the decks. Sadly the duck was disappointing - not a lot of meat and a bit overdone! But the decks looked great.
Saturday night before S&A headed off to a party, we visited their local in Hataitai. A little Brewbar called Waitoa Social Club. An interesting, if not noisy wee bar but enjoyable.

Boys hard at work

Sunday after a brunch in town with S&A and two nephews with partners (James & Katie and Dean & Jamie) it was time to head north to Otaki and have a catch up with cousin Sandra. 
The next day we headed to Napier to meet the East Cape Gang.

Oriental Parade looking stunning on my morning walk