few bits here - pix to follow D

The top of Northland.

After a splendid drive up round the scenic route with no mad Kiwi driving we arrived in Kaitaia. Kaitaia, let’s just say it’s an odd sort of place where all walks of life live and very little goes on. A little unfair I suppose as it was Easter Saturday. However, evidence of the loony driving antics was apparent here with some of the local types.

The hostel was OK, we had a nice room but it was huge compared to Rons place with 70 beds. It was also full with apart from us a group of Indians originally from Mumbai and now living in Auckland up here on holiday for a few days and a large group of overseas students on an organised weekend away. The kitchen was busy at meal times but there were some splendid curry aromas wafting around even at breakfast time.

We “did Cape Reinga” when we were here last time so this time we wanted to look at what else was in the area. Cape Reinga is the cape at the top of the ninety mile beach peninsula where the Pacific on the west meets the Tasman from the east. It is also a Mauri spiritual place where it is believed all Mauri souls go to after they die.

Ninety mile beach is in fact ninety kilometre beach (I guess mile sounds better, it also competes in length with its Aussie comparator.) It is literally sixty kilometres of straight beach and sand dunes all the way to Cape Reinga.

On the day we arrived after getting established we had a walk into town where nothing was happening apart from “the Warehouse” where we had a final fix then we drove out to the coast at Ahipara to watch the sun go down and see all the locals driving up and down the beach on cars, 4x4’s and quad bikes. It was like the M1 back home!!

We went back after sunset and slept well. The following day we went to look at the southerly entry/exit road to ninety mile beach (see pix) where road rules still apply and some fool had gotten stuck in the sand in his car. The tide was coming in so we had a walk down the beach and had to keep avoiding traffic, unusual for a beach.

We then went back to Ahipara where we had been told we could go dune boarding which involves sitting on a board and hurling yourself down a giant sand dune at breakneck speed. Armed with our dune boards borrowed from the digs we set off on what we were told was a 40 minute walk to the sand dunes. Over an hour later and dodging 17000 4x4’s hurtling down the beach we arrived at aforementioned sand dunes.

They were big see pix but for some reason we couldn’t get the speed we got last time we did it. Could be that last time we had lay on dune boards and these were sitters (techy dune board stuff.) Oh well we tried and had a great walk in the hot blazing sun down a lovely coast. We set off back through the onslaught of cars, bikes and quads then headed back to the digs for a big shower and dinner. Tomorrow we are heading south on the last part of our trip back to Auckland stopping off at Dargaville on the way for a night.

Pix are – first 3 are at 90 mile beach – 2 of folks on the dunes. 2 movies of the dunes.

The Bay of Islands

First things first, the drive up to the Bay was the worst experience of crap driving we have encountered the whole trip so far. Some of the kiwis drive in the boot of your car, flash you, blast you, wave you forward to go faster and just generally can’t wait to get past. No wonder there are so many signs here about driving too fast and the consequences. Coincidentally, as this blog is a few days behind where we are, the Easter weekend has been dubbed Black Easter. This is because there were so many road accidents, deaths and serious injuries on the roads over the Easter weekend. According to the local rozzers all un-necessary and most speed and alcohol related. What a race of speed junkies!

Arriving at our one night stay at the pickled parrot in Paihia we found a lovely little hostel and again some more interesting people to talk to. We had a walk around the town which is next to the Waitangi Treaty grounds where the treaty between the Maoris and the British was signed back in 1840. Anyway, it all happened here many moons ago and now like lots of other places Paihia plays host to tourists and all things watersport.

Across the bay is “romantic Russell” as it is known locally and where we will be staying for the next two nights after here. Coincidentally it is our wedding anniversary whilst we are in Russell so how fitting…..

To get to Russell from Paihia it is a ferry trip across the bay or a hell of a long drive round. So I braced Mrs D for the high seas and we went on our short ferry crossing and all went well. We found our home at Wainui Lodge which was a small 7 bed hostel in a beautiful setting in regenerating bushland overlooking the bay. The owner Ron and his German wife Elke were very friendly and Ron was extremely helpful and knowledgeable about the area and it’s wildlife.
We went on into Russell for a look round and had a beer in the oldest hotel in NZ before returning for some dinner. The digs were superb and we were the only ones in ‘til late when a nice couple from Switzerland arrived – Siegfried and Briggitta. We sat chatting with them with a beer before bed in our bushland hideaway it was wonderful.

The following day the Swiss wanted to stay another night as it was so nice but Ron said he was booked up as it was Good Friday and they had to move on. It was a shame as we would have enjoyed another evening with them. Also as it happened Rons guests never showed so they could have stayed anyway, what a bummer.

We breakfasted looking out over the bay then I finally got to go kayaking on the sea in the bay which was great fun. (Surf spiel - The only time we were like interested in the tide time man, as it had to be like 3 hours either side to get near the sea!) We then had a lovely walk along the coast and then back to the digs for a celebratory bottle of fizz and dinner alone as there was no-one else at the hostel. It was wonderful here and we didn’t want to leave.
The next day was up and off to Mainstreet Lodge in Kaitaia at the bottom of ninety mile beach via a scenic route which Ron told us about.

Pix are – across the bay from Pahia – the oldest church in NZ in Russell – giant fig tree next to Russell police station – view from Russell flag pole – some fool in a kayak – our hideaway at Rons – local sign – Rons place in the bush – we thought Corfu bamboo was big – boardwalking – guess who – view from our hideaway.

Kiwis and the Coromandel

An early start today and breakfast on the hoof so we could get away from “cool” Raglan. We found a lovely breakfast stop too – see pix. Also we were detouring a bit so we could see some live Kiwis before we leave NZ.
The Kiwis have a special place in our hearts (the feathered ones on this occasion.) The little guys (not so little actually) along with a few others have such a struggle against all the land predators around the island in particular the bush tailed possum from Australia. Bizarre really as the same possum in Oz is a protected animal yet over here in NZ there are millions of them and a nuisance they are too. I digress, we called in at a Kiwi house on the way to Thames in Coromandel. Here they had a healthy breeding programme under way and were doing their bit to stop the guys being wiped out totally. Albeit in a managed environment but still quite a good one with far better chances of survival.
There was a brown kiwi and a spotted kiwi here and both were foraging around their domains. Their day had been turned around so that we could see them so our day was their night and our night was their day. It was as always a great pleasure to see these wonderful creatures. There are some similar birds wandering around the island and plentiful in number, flightless and minus the famous kiwi beak and they are called Weka see pix. Sorry no Kiwi pix as the flash would upset them
So, after our kiwi fix we drove up to Thames and the Coromandel peninsula. We stayed here last time and at the same place as it is well placed to explore the area. Once again when we were here last it was wet and we couldn’t do the pinnacles walk so I was hoping for a better time this time.
On arrival at Sunkist we noticed it had been tidied up a bit but the owners were still the same and the dog was still sat outside the kitchen. We were actually put in the same room as last time which was OK.
So what about Thames, (education time) the region was built on logging the 4 to 5000 year old Kauri trees which were abundant in the Kuraranga Valley. In the early 1900s the trees were almost logged to extinction but some area in this and other regions were saved. Kauris are very tall, very broad , straight and knot free so ideal for ship and house building. The logging stopped around 1930 (there weren’t many left by then to cut down!)
This was followed by a mini gold rush bringing more folks to the area. Nowadays Thames plays host to many a traveller looking to explore the area. Most of the buildings in town are made of timber and it has the look of an old western type town.
For us this time it was a D type walk one day and a drive round the peninsula calling at Whitianga the next, weather permitting. The first evening we sat with a lovely couple from Melbourne who were over on holiday and wanting to come and live out here and the second night we sat we had a BBQ and the third we sat with a couple of guys from the states who were motorcycling around the world. All entertaining stuff.
On the day of the D walk it was as usual cloudy……so off we went up the valley to the car park. Yet another 10kms of unsealed road, I hope these hire cars don’t have trackers on them or we’re stuffed! We set off up through the bush over a couple of proper rickety looking swing bridges. We are actually following the route the supply ponies used to take once a week to the camps up in the hills where the guys would live for 3 months at a time. The track was very uneven, bouldery and rocky and heaven knows how those ponies managed to get over and up as we were struggling.
The pinnacles are limestone pillars pushed up through the volcanic era and a favourite with trampers (walkers to us Brits) as the last section is quite steep and the views rewarding (when it is clear.) Onwards and upwards and no grumbling at the back today. Well, that was until it started raining. We sheltered for a while then set off again and it started to clear. I forgot to mention that this route is so popular that DOC as it’s know out here (Department of Conservation) built a trampers hut with basic bunk and cooking facilities up here at the base of the final climb.
As we approached the hut Mrs D was not interested in going any further and went to look at the hut and set off back down. I like the fool I am decided to do the last bit and go up for a look as it was now clear. It was a hell of a stiff climb firstly through open scrub then over what seemed to be millions of wooden steps then finally up some rock ladders and rock bars to a platform at the top!! I was knackered!! However the views were worth it. After the obligatory photo shoot and rest I set off back down. Good start to return journey slipping down on my arse, what a muppet, I then tried to keep a mental tally on the steps ( as I had nowt better to do) and lost interest at 500. That’s over 500 up then the same back down, my poor knees were shot.
I eventually caught up with Mrs D who was ambling along back down and we headed back to Thames for a beer and some grub. A splendid day was had by all and a good high up fix was achieved.
The next day we set off to do a walk to a small Kauri plantation, one of the few left in this area followed by a drive over to Whitianga. The walk was short but excellent and the drive to Whitianga was scenic and enjoyable, well that was until the fuel gauge plummeted to the bottom and I gingerly drove round the coast slowly on fear of running out of gas!! However we made it and fuelled up in Whitianga.
Lovely place, typical tourist resort just up the road from hot water beach. This is where the old geothermals – remember them – come up through the crust and heat the water below the sand. You have folks sat around in self-dug sand pits bathing in hellish hot water. You can actually hire a shovel on the beach – only in NZ!!!
We got a ferry across the bay and a walk then back to the car and on to Thames for the usual evenings lemonade and food fix. Next day was a longish drive up to the Bay of Islands a beautiful area where we were rained off last time so let’s hope it’s better this time.

Surfs up man in Raglan………

Raglan is famous for its surfing beaches and the longest surf wave ever recorded featured in a 1960s cult surfing movie. So much so that Raglan has hung its hat on this fact and most of the hostels in the area keep a copy of the movie on site for you to watch.

Neither Mrs D or myself are surfers which may come as a surprise to some but we just came here to look at the west coast and Raglan. Now then, this is the first hostel we have been to where we did not fit in and it was not because we were old buggers either. We just didn’t surf, understand this new language of surf pikes and breaks, nor did we care what time the tide came in (which was actually a good time as all the surfers had cleared off out to surf!!”) We should have guessed actually when we were signed in and he said “oh, we don’t get many Brits here!” Obviously not many Brits surf either.

The hosteliers all ate, drank and slept all things surf. Well I’m sorry but it’s boring! Even the young hostel manager was the same, all he was interested in was a) the surf & b) all the surfing girlies parading around in their bikinis in front of the male “surfing dudes.” Whilst I’m on a roll what is it with the youth and this other Americanism “like.” Just how many ‘likes’ can you fit into one sentence, it seemed to be a competition here as every 4th word was “like” it drives me nuts. ‘Basically’ was bad enough in the UK but this is worse.

Anyway, the hostel was nicely laid out the facilities were good our room was good and looked out over the bay (so we could keep on eye on the tide and report in.) Raglan itself is a pretty town set in a large bay leading out into the Tasman Sea and the “big surf, dudes.”

We had a lovely walk along the beach on our first day and borrowed a couple of bikes and went cycling the second to see – yes you guessed – the surfers in action. No, no, not that, out at sea. It was a beautiful day, scenery was good and the surfers to be fair were pretty good at their chosen sport.

On the way back we saw a shed load of guys kiteboarding the waves, never seen so many at one time and most impressive too. We didn’t meet any people of note here as no one spoke to us (apart from Suz, she was OK the co-owner of the place.) After an evening wander around town we dined and couldn’t wait to leave the following morning heading off to Thames via a Kiwi house. Or should I say in the spirit of things – “we were like fed up man and like ready to move on because it was so like you know unfriendly here. So the following day we like checked the surf times man, checked out and like cleared off sharpish as we just weren’t interested dudes!” Until next time…….

Pix are from top left – footpath sign at Raglan airport, Raglan, a feathered friend, 2 of the surf and surfing dudes, the kiteboarders and the view from our room.

Taupo, the lake and a geothermal day out.....

Now Taupo is the biggest lake on NZ which is allegedly formed from volcanic explosions many moons ago, when the ash filled crater became full of water and the lake came to be. It is a busy tourist town with all things adrenalin and shuttle buses into the Tongariro crossing. A bit of a poor mans Queenstown. Last time we were here we stayed in a Mauri hostel in the centre which was very good.

On arrival at our digs this time, it was once again run and owned by Mauri but the place was a little tired and needed a few bob spending on it. Still the sheets were clean and as a place it was OK. It was a good forty minute walk into town along the lakeside. We had a shuffle round town a glass of pop and a curry before returning to our digs in the pouring rain!! We arrived back a little damp.

The following day it was cloudy but dry so we headed up towards the thermal capital of NZ Rotorua. We didn’t actually get to the town but to a thermal valley on the way. It was quite an experience going through with geysers, mud pools and hot springs everywhere and at the end you got the bus back to the car park!!

On the way back we stopped off at Kerosene Creek which is a thermal steam where you can bath in the hot waters. Sadly when we arrived there were some local “bad haircuts and check shirt brigade” who were drunk and abusive with wild dogs charging around so we didn’t hang about. We moved on to another geothermal area called Craters of the Moon where I wandered around whilst Mrs D stayed in the car as she was “thermald out!”

We then returned to our tired digs and ate in after hearing two French girls tales of their tandem skydive adventure. Another unknown destination tomorrow – Raglan on the west coast near Hamilton, surf country.

Pix are from top left – a pukeko on Taupos' shore, 2 pix from the volcanic valley and 2 from the craters of the moon.

Mountains and Volcanoes

When we were last in NZ at Xmas in 2005 we were booked in here at a different lodge for 3 nights over Xmas. We were here last time to do the Tongariro crossing which is allegedly the best one-day walk in New Zealand. The weather was so bad – due to the altitude of the village and the mountains we only stayed one night and checked out on Xmas eve and moved on. We did manage to do the crossing later last time from Taupo and yes it was superb.

Today it was windy when we set off and the drive up was good. We arrived this time and the weather was clear and you could see the whole range of Tongariro mountains. This time we were planning to walk at the Ruapehu end of the range but as usual all this depended on the weather. The Canadian girl who was on the desk at the lodge was very helpful and confirmed that the weather the following day was not forecast to be too good.

Most of the accommodation up here at National Park is of the ski lodge type as it is a big ski area in the winter. Plateau lodge where we were, seemed better than the last place we stayed up here namely Howards lodge. It was not busy and apart from two others we had the place to our selves. After dinner we sat and watched some TV before sleep time. Pure coincidence but Stephen Fry was on TV in search of the almost extinct Kakapo in NZ. It was a most enjoyable watch. We watched it with a Dutch girl who was moving on to Rotorua the following day. She had done the Tongariro crossing that day with a guide and was tired out with the days excitement.
Next day, heavy cloud and heavy rain, super!!!! I don’t have a lot of luck with this area. We had breakfast and drove down the valley to a town called Taumarunui. Luckily we dropped out of the bad weather so the day was not lost but I didn’t get my mountain walk.

On the way down to Taumarunui we stopped at a Raurimu where a railway spiral had been built in 1908. It was declared an engineering feat at the time as the three horseshoe curves, one complete circle and two short tunnels allowed the rail line to drop 320 feet.

Now, sorry to ramble back but last time we were here we came up through Taumarunui from Taranaki and Stratford. We came up what is known locally as the forgotten highway. It runs through a small principality where rumour has it you get your passport at the towns hotel. A weird place as all stops when you drive through and everyone stares. A bit like a Stephen King novel full of weirdos. Anyway, back up to date and after our little stroll around Taumarunui we drew the conclusion that some of the weirdos from the forgotten highway had escaped and taken up residence here. Some funny folk about (excluding us!!)

We headed back up to Tongariro where the cloud had lifted and rain stopped so we drove up to Whakapapa village to have a look at the place. This is just a resort built on the side of the mountain to accommodate the tourists and skiers!! We also drove up to the ski field which is a little higher and had a look at the volcanic summit area. Dinner was enjoyed back at the ranch and as the place was quiet again we sneaked a movie in before shuteye.

Another attempt at a Mr D type walk was thwarted by the weather so our proposed walk up to the tarns on the shoulder of the volcano had to be cut short due to the cloud rolling in like a tw*t! It was still a pleasant walk and I didn’t get myself in trouble for going too far.

The surprise came at the end when we got back to Whakapapa village and there was a break in the cloud so we drove up to the ski village above Whakapapa and had a walk up to Meads wall a hellish rock face and (sorry) another Lord Of The Rings location – wow what a setting. A good stroll around was had with excellent views over the peaks and the valley below so at last I got my “high up fix!!”

Back at the shack after some grub and beers we sneaked in a bit of TV as we were there alone again….was it something we said??? Taupo tomorrow and another “out of town” backpackers…….

Pix are from top left – Raurimu Station, Mount Doom – (LOTR), George in National Park Station, some old dinosaurs, George looking down Taranaki Falls and me looking up them, the volcano range, Meads wall and valley, a road sign.