Home From home

With plans for being back in Wanganui for bonfire night we hit the road and enjoyed a couple of days travelling. Discovering the sites on the central west side. Visiting beaches, Waitomo Caves and more beautiful waterfalls. We soon arrived at Raglan, a surfing community which is known for some of the best left hand breaks in the world only to discover the sea was as flat as a pancake!Te Waihou Walkway felt like a hidden wonderland, and as the sun shone we were amazed by the the blue spring, and the crystal clear water which is taken further up stream and used by a water company. Lee couldn’t resist a quick dip even though the stream maintains a temperature of 10°C come summer and winter. The local thought he was crazy to be in there this time of the year, I agreed and kept him talking as Lee retrieved his clothes.Laster in the day we arrived at Wharepapa South and enjoyed our first proper rock climbing venture in NZ at a crag called Froggatt Edge. Without a guide book we just attempted what looked good and as it was bolted we just relaxed and enjoyed the climbs. Lee missed the little nest in a crack of the wall, however I was delighted to spot some chirpy little chicks but moved on quickly as they looked hungry.The drive back to Wanganui took us alongside the Rangitikei River, which carves through the land. We stopped off at a golf course in an attempt to get access to the river and the owner was more than happy for us to wonder around the green and do just so. As his front room view he also explained the change in the rivers path over the years.Bonfire night turned into a good party at Ben and Sarah’s, with many of the friends we have already met turning up. The fire was an impressive size and Maxine couldn’t control her excitement and started the fireworks whilst it was light, but there was more than enough to keep them going on through the night.The celebrations continued on throughout the weekend with an art exhibition being held for the 2010 graduates from the local art college, ‘A Bourgeous Spectacle’ which included the work of Iva Leonard. Rumours spread that it was an occasion to dress up for, and even though traveling can usually excuse your appearance on a daily basis we couldn’t let the side down. Much thanks to Maxine who whipped a little number out from somewhere, and giving Lee a few options, even though he did opt out of wearing them. It was my fault I couldn’t stop laughing at seeing him in a tight purple top with a funky waistcoat, i’m sorry there is no photo. The Japanese drumming was an incredible opening, and the work was impressive. Our evening finished off with kebabs and the Wanganui firework display, which we had the best view of from Libby’s back garden.The following week we were welcomed in by the Mokha family, who moved over from England to enjoy life in the countryside and develop a small hold. Prabh, Emma and the two girls Katja and Yelena made us feel very welcome. Along with Nippy and Lucky the horses, Rocky the Pony, Whizzy the golden lab, Pixie the sheep who thinks he’s a dog, Lottie the blind chicken and the cats O’Marly and Shelly. As a first for them and us we arranged to be there as woofers as well as friends. Being fed well and being given the opportunity to go horse riding we were delighted to be there and help out with some light decorating.After developing some trust with Nippy over the week, I was so happy to of saddled her up and headed out for a ride alone, its a first and as a horse lover, a dream come true. It was really cool seeing Lee up there and enjoying it too, although he was glad to get stuck in with some jobs and even went over to Ben’s to help with some fencing.  As our relations have developed with so many people in Wanganui it has become a home from home, and invitations to go back are sure to be followed up.We have now gone on holiday, to stay at Ben’s Bach. A lovely holiday home hidden away on the side of Lake Taupo in a place called Kuratau. The sun has been shining and it has been such a relaxing few days. The garden was a bit of a jungle and with garden tools collecting webs, Lee was eager to get them out. Grass cutting, tree trimming, wood chopping and brash burning has kept him sneezing with his heyfever, but he loves it, and when it gets cooler in the afternoons we have been out in the canadian canoe on the lake. Whilst we are here we hope to do the Tongariro Crossing and visit the North Islands top climbing venue, but for now we are content to just be.Thinking of our family and friends at the moment and just send lots of love and thanks for reading.xxxx

East Cape

The East Cape is one of the most sparsely populated areas, and rarely visited. However with hearing about its rugged coastlines and scenic landscape around the peninsula we knew it would be worth a visit.With the old girl filled with fuel, and the cupboards stocked with food we set off into the sunshine.Whangara is a small settlement by the sea, where the film Whale Rider was shot, as one of the inspirations for coming out here, I wanted to take a look at the place however it became apparent that access was only gained by being welcomed by someone from the village, and without a sole in sight we left it be.Tolaga Bay once visited by Captain Cook in 1769, then by us in 2010 is where we walked along the 660m wharf, the longest concrete jetty in the southern hemisphere. Although breezy, it would be a nice place to hang out with a rod and catch supper. Perhaps next time we will be better equipped, we would also be able to do the cooks walkway, which takes you through the bush to reward you with views of the bay, unfortunately this time is was closed due to the lambing season.To freedom camp around the cape you first have to gain permission from the council and prove to be self containing, with this we were then able to choose which glorious beach to camp out by. Tokomaru once a busy port is now a small Maori community and where we spent the rest of the day, idling in the sun and swimming in the sea. The next day we pretty much continued along at the same slow pace, we arose early to watch sunrise, as the cape is one of the first places in the world to feel the sun each new day.We did travel a little further on to Waipiro beach and found ourselves at a beautiful secluded inlet with a beach scattered with driftwood, shells and a huge bone!As well as a good name Tikitiki is a small village which has a restored Anglican church, although plain from the outside there is elaborate maori design and carving on the in, with maori designed stained glass to match.We also took the dusty cliff clinging 21km road out to the East Cape Lighthouse, where we welcomed the exercise of walking up the 755 steps. Perched on a hill is the most easterly lighthouse in the world, Whangaokeno island can be seen from the top and is the original home for the structure. The story is told of the tough island life for the families of the lighthouse, being isolated from the mainland and being exposed to the elements.As the sun reappeared we went in search of a water hole in Hicks Bay, and were delighted to find a rope swing ideal for a plunge with a difference.After being told about a brilliant new NZ film called ‘Boy’ we took advantage of being able to camp at Waihau Bay where many of the scenes were shot. As a small fishing community, we were extremely lucky to be there when Paul arrived. With a plentiful catch he offered us some fish for tea, a snapper, a gurnard and a freshly steamed crayfish all fresh caught 20mins before. The pictures reveal our enjoyment and delight, it also sparked our desire to get a rod and have a go. tucked up in the camper we laughed and cried our way through the film, of course we had bought it, luckily its a fantastic film and worth having.The drive to Opotiki involved twisting up steep bluffs and dropping down to desolate beaches, after arriving we then made the decision to take the winding road through the Waioeka Gorge back to Gisborne, with little reason to stop, we just took our time enjoying the scenery, following the river through the steep hills.Passing road cyclists at first we soon became aware of an endurance event taking place involving cycling, then paddling, and cycling again, down through the Gorge. The river looked good and a return trip to paddle it would definitely be worth it.We didn’t expect to stay for long in Gisborne, however a trip out to Rene Rock Slide which is as fun as it looks and more, is where we met Matthew and Cheree. An absolute lovely couple who welcomed us back to their place and with the sea on their doorstop we were soon all out catching waves, swapping surf boards and learning some moves. I’ve had some much appreciated girl time, going to a local Zumba class and joining in with her team to play netball. Lee is getting clued up with surfing and the importance of helping out around the house. Its bin really interesting hearing about growing up in South Africa and we hope to keep in contact as they take their own journey.Thank you again for everything guys, and on that note, with our new fishing rod in hand...I shall bid you farewell.Lots of love Emma and Lee xxxxxx

Surf & Sun

We are currently sat in the evening sun along the beach at Wainui, watching the talented surfers still in action. After seeing the outstanding surf earlier today, we bought a bodyboard from Gisborne, getting a surf board would of bin awesome but I think one of us would of needed to give up their bed space.We have both been enjoying surfing for most of the day, taking it in turns to face the waves, which were quite daunting at first having not truly experienced the Pacific in action yet, we soon got into it and took the knocks along the way. Apparently there is going to be a casting competition later with loads of fishermen hitting the shore hoping to get the biggest catch.Before leaving Taupo we visited the Travelling Gypsy Fair to take a glance at the numerous art and crafts on display and to witness the live music and fire show. It was also interesting to see the vans and motorhomes in which they travelled in, some are literally a wooden house on wheels, with bits sticking out here, and bobs sticking out there. If you wanted, you could join the clan to get away from the rat race, as long as you had your own transport to live  in and a product to sell, which is not already on offer. I suppose we are halfway there, just need a product now.On the 3rd we set off, heading towards Napier in the Hawke’s Bay region. The drive over was fantastic, and we got a taste of the ‘vastness’ that NZ has to offer.Napier is a unique town, it was rebuilt in the early 1930s following an earthquake which measured 7.8 on the richter scale and the newly built buildings reflected the styles of the times. Any guesses? Nope, well Napier is known worldwide as the Art Deco City, and some of the buildings are beautifully done, and we trundled around town snapping up some of the finest examples of the movement.We spent the night just outside of Napier, and met some clued up motorhome caravaners who taught us some tricks of the trade and suggested a number of spots to freedom camp, they also offered us a driveway to stop  for the night, later in our travels.New Zealand is the place to travel in a caravan and its well set up for it, with overnight stops all over the show ranging from free basic ocean view to more luxury holiday parks. After our night by the sea we headed north to Gisborne, the gateway to the East Cape.The East Cape is one of the lesser travelled areas on the North Island. People say that the Cape has its own timescale ‘Cape Time’ as way of life is that little bit more chilled. Alot of the Marori are based along the Cape and much of the land has significance to there culture and history. Although we are only at the bottom, we are looking forward to travelling north over the next few days and checking out some of the beaches, mountains and forests, as well as a number of film locations.Numerous films  such as the ‘Whale Rider’ and the recently released ‘Boy’, directed by the folks who made Eagle Vs Shark, have been filmed on along the Cape.Anyway all the fishermen have began to arrive, might see if we can buy some tea!Tallyo for nowEm & Leexxx

Rotorua & Taupo

We have been travelling in the centre of the north island for just over a week, basing ourselves along the Thermal Explorer Highway. The region is world renowned for its geothermal sites, from boiling mud, lunar landscapes, bubbling pools, exploding geysers and multicoloured surroundings. In Rotorua, everywhere you look there are jets of steam escaping from the ground below, many of which are in peoples back gardens. How great would that be to have your own natural private thermal pool. The locals used to tap into the thermals below and use it to heat their houses, as a result the larger spectacular pools where lowering, so the council had to step in and stop them.We stayed in Rotorua for two nights at ‘Cosy Cottage campsite’ which had its very own thermal pool and natural steam cooker. At first we were engulfed in the well known eggy smell caused by the sulphur, but as most of Rotorua smells like this, you soon get used to it and don’t even notice after a while.The town itself is well set up for travellers with lots of backpacker hostels, cafes to socialise in and activities to fork out on, we settled for visiting the thursday night market, which starts at 5pm and continues on into the evening, we gazed around at the array of fresh food, clothing, music and products on sale, and as the school holidays have just begun their was lots of people out enjoying the evening creating a festivity feel to the event. It gave Lee the idea of a night carboot back at home! Although considering what time some people get up for the sunday ritual, you could still classify that as night time.Another evening we treated ourselves and headed out to the vibrant cafe ‘Fat Dog’ which had some funky music and a mismatch of furniture. Em settled for the Veggie salad taking the opportunity of stocking up on fresh vitamins and goodness whilst I went full on and had the ‘Dog’s Bollocks Burger’ I have never seen a burger so big, i didn’t know where to start.The campsite had a friendly atmosphere especially when you can chill out in the natural hot tubs chatting to other travellers and people on holiday. In the evening we joined a bunch of german lads, lord of the ring obsessed and had a soak, unbeknown that a few days later our paths would cross again in Taupo.In Rotorua we also met Seong Chan from South Korea as he drove out from the campsite trailing his power cable behind him as he forgot to unplug, so we chased him down and helped repair the damage. He later gave us some noodles which were super spicy but delicious and welcomed us over to south Korea, who knows one day we may just take up the offer.Just outside of town is one of NZ premier rafting trips, down the Kaituna river, the highlight being the grade 5 Okere Falls. We got to the spot of the falls which I recognised from the ‘Jack Osbourne Adrenaline Junkie’, even though we didn’t see any rafters, we caught a few kayakers heading over the falls. It would be good fun rafting here, as would a number of other ‘extreme’ activities but new zealand has so many of them to offer that it will be a case of checking them out and seeing which ones give the biggest thrills.You can’t visit the area without going to one of the thermal parks. Rotorua itself has a public park which is free to wonder around and check out the mud pools and thermal springs, but we also decided to visit the thermal Wonderland Wai-O-Tapu (sacred waters), regarded NZ’s most colourful and diverse volcanic area. Here we saw the largest bubbling mud pool, with its plops and slops which surprising sounded relaxing, the Lady knox Geyser which erupted to a height of 15-20 meters and then we were free to walk amongst the numerous hugh volcanic craters, with names such as Devils Home and Devils Bath and at the centre of the walk is the spectacular Champagne Pool, with a surface temperature of 74°C.For the past 5 nights we have stayed in Taupo, which is at the northern end of the largest lake in NZ, Lake Taupo. The only outlet for the lake is the crystal blue Waikato river, the river rages down the famous Huka Falls, the falls are not high but the sheer volume of water passing over the falls is well worth the sight, we’ve never seen a river so powerfull. Apparently a Maori chief tried to navigate the rapids in a wooden canoe, it almost lead to his death.  Further down the stream, is the Aratiatia Dam and Rapids, the gates of the dam are shut leaving a trickling stream below, but at least three times a day the gates open for 30 minute intervals. We joined a crowd of people and gathered on the bridge above to see the river turn from a deep boulder field to a thunderous torrent of raging waters.The reason for staying so long in Taupo is not only because its got lots of fun things to see and do its also got a free campsite called Reid’s Farm, a spot of land above from Huka Falls which was donated by a local farmer who liked travellers. But when we first arrived at the sight, it must of changed ownership towards the council, as it said NO CAMPING until 1st November. At first we were unsure    whether to risk it, as in many places where there is a no free camping zone, being caught can result in a $40 on the spot fine, and as the site was empty it seemed people were taking note, however a local checking out the river conditions said it was more a deterrent to stop youths hanging out here and that nobody official would mind, and as the sign also had a picture of a tent we thought technically we’re not camping. So we decided to stay and five days on, we are still here. Its been completely fine, in fact the site has become rather packed now, with numerous traveller settling down for the night. Another reason we haven't left, its just bin fun hanging out with people.We bumped into the German lads from Rotorua, Matinez, Philip and Pacel were in Taupo, pondering where to stay, we suggested Reid’s Farm and they followed us back. We ended up playing cards and eating popcorn in our camper that night. Then the past few nights we’ve been joined by Lee and Vicky, from Leicester who have been travelling since May through Asia, in India, China, Thailand and  now in NZ for three weeks before heading to Fiji and then Australia and then back home for christmas. Also last night Richard and Karen, from Tamworth, stayed at the site, and we all sat outside having a drink and shared stories about travelling.Hearing all the exciting tales about Asia has planted a seed in both of us, so who knows.But for now, lets continue with our NZ adventureLee & Emma