Five weeks touring in the North Island

Fab 5 plus others at Anglers Lodge - Amodeo Bay

We crossed over to Wellington mid-January, staying 4 nights with Shannon and AC. Weather was great to get out and about. We caught up with John and Sarah for lunch out at Plimmerton, a lovely little coastal village. Shannon and AC knew of a Polish restaurant, so we met there. We enjoyed trying the different Polish dishes but unfortunately Bill couldn't try the Polish Beer as it had been taken by Pirates in the Red Sea caused by issues in the Middle East! Shannon organised an early morning Sauna for Bill & I and her, across the road from their apartment, to coincide with high tide for a cold plunge. It was a great way to start the day. Amazingly the session was fully booked with about 10 people, Wellingtonians like to start their days early!

Lunch at Topor Bistro - Plimmerton

With Highway 1 having a section closed for a couple of months south of Taupo, we had to change our plans and headed up the West Coast, going via a night at the Wanganui Golf Club, then Piriaka NZMCA the next night, another in Otorahanga, and then up to the Bombay Hills, where we were having a night with AC's parents & fellow motorhomer's, Margaret & Alan. The last time we called in here, it was bucketing down and couldn't see their lovely rural views out over the Waikato. The weather was perfect this time, but not warm enough to hop into their pool.

Whanganui River

View from the Bombays

From the Bombay Hills we headed over to the Firth of Thames, to Kaiaua NZMCA camp, where we met up with my brother Allan and Nicky, and their friends Suzie & Rick. A&N had their new motorhome - a change from the earlier caravan. They seemed much happier with this mode of camping compared to caravanning.

Kaiaua with Allan & Nicky, Suzie & Rock

The next day was rather wet, perfect to stay in bed and read for the morning. With predicted gusty wet weather, we decided to stay another night at Kaiaua, so headed to the pub next door in the afternoon to play cards. We were fortunate this coincided with the televising of the America's cup.

Farewelling A&N and friends, we headed off the next day over the rugged Kopu to Hikuai Road to Sam & Pauline at Hahei.

Wendy's Banana's

This was not without drama as we descended the steep roads a very loud cabin alarm went off sounding a brake issue of supposedly urgent nature. We were towing the Suzuki. After many soothing sounds and murmurs to quell Sheryl's hysterical sounds, we carried on albeit using the gear box to good affect for braking.

A good catch up with SAM & Pauline was had after they were having a big year with issues affecting us all at this time of life and deciding it was time to make life easier and downsizing their business interests in Hahei.

Hot Water Beach

The next day we popped over the hill to Cooks Beach and at a well-appointed Motor camp, we awaited Sheryl's school friend Julie & hubby Steve to arrive from Auckland - on Bill's birthday, he wanted low key. We had 2 days doing the local sights. We walked on the "still officially closed" Cathedral Cove track for a swim on the beach with hundreds of other holiday makers as well as a visit to Hot Water beach. We have visited there a few times but caught the right tide this time and remembered to take our shovel and luxuriated in the hot water albeit briefly. 

Cathedral Cove

The timing and dug holes need to be spot on as not enough introduced water you risk a scolding. Also, we visited the Pour house for a well-earned beer after our walk to cathedral cove. A nice catch up with Steve & Julie before we again headed south to Waihi Beach with the luxury of staying at our Fab 5 friend's house whilst Wendy was visiting family in Aussy. Caught up with GMan & Claire. having a meal with them at the Bowentown boating club then headed inland to Rotorua. A convenient stop over on our way to Taupo. 

Petanque near Bowentown

Bill relaxing at Lake Taupo

At the top of lake Taupo, we enjoyed a swim here once again. We love this DOC camp, hopefully people keep respecting this area to keep it available to everyone.  

Repairs through the Napier / Taupo Gorge

On through to Napier to catch up with Debs and a wine tour with Shannon and AC.  Unfortunately, we had a breakdown near Tarawera. A bad oil leak. I had spied an issue and had my thoughts on it, and bought a hose incase. Unfortunately, I didn't have the right sized socket, and it was in such a remote spot at Tarawera. Luckily, we had the Suzuki to be able to return back to Taupo for a specific sized socket and affecting a repair to see us on our way again the next morning to Napier, in time for breakfast. And then onto Deb's new house. Good timing as Deb had hurt her back and needed to move a few bits of furniture, which Bill & I could help her with. Plus, the two special cookies in our freezer that she had given us two years earlier, came in very handy when she asked for them back. 😉

Black Barn Winery with Shihad

We then checked into another swish camp where we met up with Sheryl's nephew Paull & wife Marta, just outside of Havelock North.  After a drink & nibbles, we made our way to the Shihad concert

at Blackbarn where Shannon & AC met us. It was a great final concert for this band, a stunning venue and loud headbanging music, right up our alley. 😕 Sheryl's FOMO again leading us into a place we would normally fear to tread.

A Wine Tour the next day was fun in a small van with some "out of the box strangers" where we all ended bonded, & promising to write often (not), a great day finished with a swim in our resort pool and to bed earlyish. A quick coffee and breakfast in the morning to say adieu to Shannon & AC, Paull & Marta, then on the road again.

Dale & Don's new home in Waipukarau

Next stop Waipukarau - to see Dale & Don, our neighbours and friends over many years. It was a gentle drive though less often travelled roads that took us to their, as yet, unvisited house in the country at Waipukarau. Plenty of room for a Bus. An evening catchup and an appreciation of their latest abode, all very convivial and relaxing. 

We made a decision to leave them with the Suzuki for our short trip back up north again to meet the Fab Five +2 at a Firth of Thames camp called Anglers Lodge. This was still 3 days away as we idled up country, firstly back to our favourite campsite at the head of lake Taupo, Wakaipo Bay, for a couple of nights and being 28C a most welcome swim, a 9.5km walk on the track to Kinlock the next day and more swimming, another night then moved onto TeAroha, via Matamata. A new place for us, Wairere Falls, a brisk walk up the side of the Kaimai Hills to see high waterfalls but lacking a good flow. Te Aroah was pleasantly welcoming with a NZMCA camp. We hung around the next morning to check out a few re use /curiosity shops and a walk thru the past - a famous Spa Resort area hosting an interesting museum and complete with a geyser.

Waiwere Falls

Te Aroha Spa Resort

From here, we dropped into Thames Pak n Save to replenish and on to the Coromandel NZMCA Camp. The next day was on to Anglers Lodge, where the Fab Five usual suspects, Wendy, Graeme, Claire, and friends Barb & Owen (neighbours of G&C we had previously got to know) were to camp after meeting everyone for lunch in Coromandel.

We spent 2 nights here, followed by 2 nights at Papa Aroha camp, just down the road, fishing off the rocks, (mostly unsuccessfully) but with much hilarity, swims, good company and mostly good wine. The fellowship, alas once more parting, the travelers to carry on their differing paths perchance to meet again, who knows where or even if😟. Wendy is to head off to Australia shortly, to live. Another destination maybe sometime for the Fab 5.🤞

Another day fishing on the Coromandel

Heading south we wended our way towards Napier initially to Horahora Domain on the side of the Waikato River forming Lake Karapio. Again, getting in a swim in balmy humid conditions before we were forced inside as a boisterous thundery front moved over us with much lightning & thunder.

The next morning saw us loosely following the Waikato River thru gently undulating Waikato back roads to Whakamaru where we cooked up a big brekky on the banks of a pond connecting to the dam.  It was very warm, and tranquil to eat our well-earned breaky.  We then pushed on to Napier once more staying at a very full NZMCA camp as the weekend saw Napier hosting its annual Art Deco weekend. 

Coromandel 

The camp had its share of era cars and caravans for the weekends dip into nostalgia, but not for us. Besides with our recurring brake alarm, and we had a pressing tyre issue which required a tyre shuffle and a new tyre for Bluey the Bus. This was accomplished before heading back to Waipukarau to collect our Suzuki from its little sojourn with Dale & Don. We were beating our track southwards with our bus Tyres thrumming instead of slapping the tarmac, making good time, and electing to spend a night at our friends, John & Sarah's beach house at Waitarere Beach. An often visited place on our meanderings. 

A little refresher at Waitarere Beach

This was merely a park up as the following day being a short drive down to their Ohau address, to spend another evening, wining, dining & reminiscing, catching up on our friendship. Our trip was now running out of island to travel after our double ascent of the island, heading towards Wellington and the ferry but not without a further catchup with Shannon & AC (especially as we were about to head to Aussy for an extended period). We again had a short drive, this time to the NZMCA Plimmerton camp, which is nicely located handy to the motorway into Wellington & the interisland ferry. This made it a little easier to see the "Kids" on our way thru as they came and joined us for some very nice F&Cs on the Plimmerton waterfront, gazing fondly on the distant silhouette of our home island Te Waipounamu. And celebrating S&AC's 7th wedding anniversary.

AC, Bill & Shannon on Plimmerton Waterfront

The Cook Strait again was calm as we crossed over to the South Island, electing to spend the night at our NZMCA camp, conveniently located at Koromiko. This makes the whole travelling small days, easy and enjoyable. The club is spending significant money on SH1 road alterations to make this now busy camp less risky to access from both directions.

The next morning was a short trip over the hills to Nelson to check into the Redwood Stables camp at Richmond racecourse to organise our next adventure to Western Australia, still not having access to our home, with tenants signed up to June.😶😎

NZMCA Camp at Piriaka