Tour Day 4 - Rotorua to Waitomo

Geo Thermal and Volcanic Day 2 

Fozzie gets a name

Before leaving we serviced the RV, empty grey water, fill fresh, empty toilet canister and recharge chemicals. get rid of any rubbish.  The joys of van life.

Our motorhome is now named Fozzie. We were being highbrow and giving it a Mauri name and had decided on Waka, meaning canoe which is how the Mauri explored new worlds. However, we couldn't get out of our heads Fozzie Bear saying what sounded like Waka, Waka and gave up our lofty intentions and settled for Fozzie.

Thermal Wonderland

 A good fun few hours at Thermal Wonderland. There is the Lady Knox geyser which is seeded at 10am every day which we had as a target time but on arrival we decided to head into the main volcanic area while everyone else drove or walked to the geyser 'experience'. We have seen large geysers in the US and felt we could forgo it for the pleasure of wandering a quiet park which was a good decision as it filled up as we were leaving.

As you browse the photos, remember blogs only contain the best. We really enjoyed our few hours at Thermal Wonderland largely because of the long walks up and down through bush and few really good features.

characteristic of this volcanic area, steam randomly appearing in the undergrowth

minerals creating colours

high and low bush whilst exploring

blue pool

orange bands when steam blows away

On the way out of the park we diverted to a mud pool which was free yet one of the best features we saw with amusing plops of mud burping into the air. 

bubbling mud

Shop stop for stores and Lynne highly amused by returning the 'trundler'

Statistics: Miles today: 129 ; Miles so far: 421 ; Fuel added so far: 63 litres ; North Island; Time Zone: UTC +13 New Zealand Daylight Time (NZDT )

Tour Day 3 - Rotorua

 Mauri Village and Geothermal Day

It was quite cool overnight but still my first night of something like proper sleep since leaving home and most welcome though only 6 hours.

Miserable weather, dull, misty and continuing rain with no prospect of improvement.

We landed lucky at the Mauri village with an excellent guide and the rain stayed light during our tour. It is odd living in a village environment with random bits of ground emitting steam and dangerous 100C bubbling pools. We had a good morning exploring the site which was very atmospheric with a combination of light rain and steam.

During the tour we were given sweetcorn just lifted from the boiling water as villagers had cooked for years. It was very good.

ANZAC memorial arch in memory of villagers lost

crusty volcanic pool

view across site with features and steam from vents

geothermal oven for cooking food

mauri traditions stories, song, dance, performance. Surprisingly excellent.

look back exiting geothermal area

We returned to the RV and moved on to another Geothermal park a little South but decided it looked too busy and bought a good coffee from the kiosk at accompany an omelets that Lynne knocked up in the van before continuing to the afternoon entertainment.

Hell's Gate geo-thermal Mud Bath and Spa

The weather continued wet and we nearly didn't go to the Mud Spa but we were so glad we did. It was fun and physically enjoyable. 20 minutes in the mud bath then as long as you liked in the warm Sulphur spa pools and the cold fresh water plunge pool. Far from our normal thing but we made full use of all and loved it.

Mud Bath

View from Sulphur spa pool

Happy faces in the Spa 

Cloudy skies and light rain didn't matter

general view

After a good day in spite of the weather we both felt down in the evening. A mix of extreme tiredness and disappointment at the weather over the last few days. Journeying is more taxing than anticipated.

We found a local Dominoes pizza for our evening meal which left enough for tomorrow's lunch.

10:00pm bed again. We seem to be settling to 07:00 to 22:00.

Statistics: Miles today:39 ; Miles so far: 331 ; Fuel added so far: zero litres ; North Island; Time Zone: UTC +13 New Zealand Daylight Time (NZDT )

Tour Day 2 - Hehei Beach to Rotorua

 Rainy Day

We were up early and the forecast was for rain so we grabbed the chance and had a pleasant  amble and paddle before breakfast. By the time we headed back to the van, the drizzle had started.

Breakfast eaten and a bit of a clear up and we drove out into the rain at 10:15.

High winding roads through fern trees and palms and through pasture with lots of smallish cattle. We guessed young beef cattle fattening up on the lush grasses. Later we encountered fruit growing areas with garlands of Kiwi vines sheltered behind crazily tall hedges.  Adverts for Kiwis and Avos (Avocado) local sales along the roadsides.

Most of the day's drive was in heavy or torrential rain and very tiring .

We arrived at All Seasons site in Rotorua 5:30-ish and chilled with a cider before using the rest of the chicken with a pasta sauce.  No wine as we were heading out in the RV again later.

The evening adventure was an after sunset high level walkway through a redwood forest. Narrow suspended bridges swung between trees and platforms with decorative lighting above an below. We both found it most enjoyable considering I don't like heights and Lynne doesn't like rope bridges.

Feet in the Pacific. Pre-breakfast beach walk

Hehei Beach early morning before the rain

Rainy view through the window by breakfast time

Tropical roadsides (1)

Tropical roadsides (2)

Evening Redwoods Tree Walk at Rotorua

lit up forest floor below the  walkways

fern tree below walkway

Statistics: Miles today: 135 ; Miles so far: 292 ; Fuel added so far: zero litres ; North Island; Time Zone: UTC +13 New Zealand Daylight Time (NZDT )

Tour Day 1 - Auckland to Hehei Beach

Motorhome Pickup Day

We started the day up at 06:30. Having largely packed the night before, we enjoyed the SkyCity breakfast before meeting our driver in reception at 08:00.

We checked in at the Maui RV depot about 8:45 but didn't get on the road for another 1.5 hours. It turned out that the van we were allocated had just come in with the cover of the eclectic connection broken off. We helped ourselves to a few odds and ends, sugar, choc-peanut spread and some cloths from the returns shelves but that was about it.

It was bright and sunny as we joined the highway heading for our first stop at a large supermarket to lay in stores, A cock-up with Google navigation put us back the way we had come on the Highway instead of  into the car park but after a 10km loop we were in Woolworth's Countdown.

Somewhat brain frazzled from journeys, lack of sleep and just alien surroundings we spent well over an hour but cam back to the RV with a shopping trolley (Trundler) overflowing.

It was 13:00 when we finally began our journey East  across the long flat road toward Thames and the start of the Coromandel Peninsula. We could see the distant hill ranges to the North as we turned away from the flat open lands to work our way up the bays and inlets of the West coast.  The sun on the blue-green sea and the sandy bays were lovely to drive by. The population is well spread with small
 concentrations.

We overshot our turn East just to see Coromandel town which was very pretty and quaint, a sort of cross between and old Western town and a pastel shaded Disney creation.

The road over the peninsula East wound tightly up and down 'lumpy' ancient volcanic hills with occasional stunning views over the islands.

Our RV Coromandel peninsula West Coast

Coromandel peninsula West Coast looking North

Crossing Coromandel peninsula viewpoint back West to islands

Hehei Beach campsite; view from our pitch

Relaxing as holiday finally starts

Moon over the sea from our beach walk

We arrived at Hehei Beach about 5:30. It was a beautiful evening and our pitch sea view pitch was well worth the extra paid as we chilled with wine soaking up the sea view and small islands.

A great meal of ready roast chicken and garlic potatoes followed by a post-sunset walk on the beach with an amazing moon reflection before early bed at 10pm.

 

Statistics: Miles today: 157 ; Miles so far: 157 ; Fuel added so far: zero litres ; North Island; Time Zone: UTC +13 New Zealand Daylight Time (NZDT )

Auckland Recovery Day

Friday and a recovery day from flights, time zones and lack of sleep.

SkyCity hotel is just the job; big comfortable room and a really good buffet breakfast. Highlight of breakfast was watching the centre of operations for building a new convention centre with comings and goings of all sort of people and vehicles and the landing point for all the high crane ops.

We took our time before walking half an hour to the museum where we spent a few hours learning Mauri history as they migrated across the Pacific from the Philippines to Fiji, Hawaii, Easter Islands and eventually New Zealand.

Our walk took us across couple of parks and it was amazing to see flowers in bloom and small grass that was inviting to sit on.  I hadn't really appreciated the North-South hemisphere switch in the seasons. I knew it but to experience it was different.

It also struck me that the 12 hour time difference was nothing to do with the hemisphere switch but just being 180 degrees out around the spin of the earth and whatever was North of us was also 12 hours out but in the same season as home.

Busier bit of town with all the designer brands

SkyCity tower just outside our hotel. Looks reminiscent of Russian rocket boosters.

Auckland inner harbour and the city

looking out to sea

expensive boats

"Tepid Baths"! with a focus on Tepid. Looks a bit of a wreck from outside but there is a full size vintage pool - presumably containing tepid water. 

We finished the day with a great meal at Monsoon Poon though we ate so much we regretted it when trying to sleep later.

The piers at the marina were set out with food stalls, music and lights for a coming sailing week so we ambled around looking at the boats for a while before heading back for the night.

36 Hours of Air Travel

Tired - I'll sort the photos tomorrow. Night-night.

 Not so much a day of travel but 36 hours of travel.

4 hours at Manchester airport,  an 8 hour flight to Dubai, 2 hours in Dubai airport and then 18-hour flight to Auckland New Zealand. The last flight should have been 16 hours but as we reached the runway a medical emergency was declared and we had to return to the peer. We were two and a half hours taking off.

The Emirates A380-800 was very comfortable indeed. Though in economy there's a lot more leg space than in European flights and the food and service was excellent.

With such a long series of flights there was a feeling of detachment from any time zone made even more so by the blinds being kept down for most of the flights. I presume this is to help people manage adjustment when they get to the far end. 

Such long time periods in a plane seat certainly can't be described as comfortable but at least it was big enough to shift around and I was able to spend some time occasionally walking and standing around at the back to stretch and straighten up. I tried to watch films and TV but had no attention span and kept just playing on screen games or trying to snooze. The lighting levels were too low for reading but time passed. I think I managed about 3 separate 1 hour dozes in the whole journey. 

When we landed in New Zealand everything was very efficient and welcoming. The attention to bio-security was very obvious and the agent was clearly very satisfied we able to say that our walking gear have been thoroughly cleaned prior to departure. Sadly I had to throw away a hardy used but open box of Schar Curves* but a couple of nut bars in their original sealed packages were okay.

After a long wait for luggage with 500 people on the aircraft we got out to the concourse to be greeted by a very welcoming and Jolly taxi driver holding our names up. Due to everything matching passports I have to put up with 'Gerard' on everything which I normally only hear from family or hospitals being universally known as Ged.

It's odd in it doesn't feel particularly like a foreign holiday yet. Normally if we were on holiday we'd have flown from summer at home to summer at the destination, but we've gone from winter at home to summer here which is a bit freaky. The half hour drive from the airport to the centre of Auckland on the left-hand side of the motorway with familiar signage seemed very familiar apart from the vegetation around including many palms succulents and grasses. 

After settling into the SkyCity hotel we walked downhill to the old piers and quayside and settled and chilled in the Buffalo bar with two glasses on rose wine looking out across the bay on a beautiful barmy early evening.  

Wine finished we explored some of the shopping
areas on the way
back to the hotel picking up a takeaway pizza and a bottle of wine which were happily consumed in our large and comfortable room.

On the way back we were both tired and by the time we'd eaten I was shutting down mentally and physically. Apparently, I fell so deeply asleep in front of the TV I wasn't responding even to a gentle shake. 

A happy introduction to New Zealand and time to go to sleep properly.

* Schar Curves: a gluten free equivalent to Pringles. Potato based and very nice.

T-minus 5 Hours

That's it, we're packed. The bit of the holiday process I hate most is done. Thanks to Lynne for her extra-ordinary patience and belief that it will all go into the luggage.

Several months of research on Lynne's part and discussion between us as routes and driving times developed and we have a plan.  It's quite an ambitious itinerary but it is very varied and should be fun. 

We hadn't intended pre-booking more than a few critical overnight stops but as we found we needed to book some of our activities, the days began lock themselves in. We also had one town where we had difficulty finding a site as there was an annual agricultural show the weekend we were passing through. In the end we have booked almost all of our sites. It is a low stress solution as we don't have to start finding a site at the end of a busy day. 

Campsites in New Zealand have proven to be quite cheap compared to UK, Powered pitches in the region of £25-35 though odd ones in tourist hotspots can be £55-60. There are also many more basic at less than £20 and there are Freedom sites with no charge. 

Our RV, or motorhome is a mix of the 2 vehicles we have traditional hired in Scotland. It has the rear lounge of the larger vehicle to relax in the evening if weather or insects drive us inside, but it also has the drop down bed of the smaller vehicle which is great as you drop the bed and get in and in the morning, straighten the covers , push the button, and it goes up into the ceiling. It is also halfway between in sizes so I am very comfortable about driving it even of mountain roads.

Tickets, visas, customs declarations etc all sorted.  Taxi to airport in an hour or so then a 7h15m flight to Dubai, a 2 hour transfer, and a 16h flight to Auckland.

Emirates have been good so far, I have even been able to book gluten free* meals and they are shown on my tickets for all 4 legs so I'm hoping that I'll eat well rather than chomping some crisps and a nut bar.

Next post from the far side of the world :)

* I have celiac disease which is an autoimmune disease. If any molecules of gluten from Wheat, Rye or Barley touch my stomach lining my autoimmune system attacks and damages the lining of my stomach. There is no cure or medication so I must avoid any gluten for the rest of my life.