When we last left our intrepid travellers, they had just tucked in for the night after performing a haka and enjoying a Maori feast ...
Maori Cultural Experience, Tamaki Maori Village - February 2014
We were up early the next day to get on the road to Gisborne and a long anticipated visit with old friends. We weren't up too early to get pies, though. I'm not sure who, but someone suggested we stop at Gold Star Bakery and Lunch Bar for Patrick's Pies. Since 2003, Patrick Lam has won 61 awards for his pies, including 5 Supreme Pie medals in the the Best Pie in NZ competition. This guy knows pies ... and we didn't. At this point, we had been in New Zealand almost a week and we had never heard of Kiwi pies.
For those of you not from New Zealand, imagine a single serving savory pot pie, then imagine it being the best tasting thing you have ever put in your mouth. That's a good pie, but it ain't no Patrick's Pie. Not even close. The first thing we did after we got off the plane when we returned to NZ in 2016 was get some pies. Unfortunately, we were in Auckland, so they weren't Patrick's Pies. Since moving to NZ, we have become quite the pie connoisseurs.
These are not Patrick's Pies - Piccolo Morso pies, New Plymouth NZ - Dec 2016
The plan was to spend two days/1 night in Gizzy then keep on heading down the highway. One of the many reasons we chose to travel by caravan was so that we could have a little more freedom to change our plans on a whim; move on if we found ourselves somewhere we didn't like and stay a little longer if we found somewhere we wanted to linger. We ended up in Gizzy for two nights and the better part of 3 days.
When Kari and I first started talking about moving to New Zealand, a friend of mine from Hawaii (now living in Japan) mentioned that other friends from those years were living in NZ. Alyssa is a doctor and works as a hospitalist. She introduced us to the ED and to a group of local physicians. The introductions were made at the local Farmer's Market on Saturday morning, and later at the Wine Centre. Funny thing, memory ... when we left Gizzy after our three days there, we liked it but found it a little too small and isolated from the rest of NZ. When we recently returned, Gizzy seemed bigger and more vibrant than we remembered. It's definitely on the short list for our next job search.
One of the many advantages to riding in a caravan is the ability to get out and explore. We had no bookings (and no reservations). There was no pressure to "be there by" or "make it to". Driving along in search of our next destination, we were free to explore smaller highways or to just get out and walk.
Exploring a stream and suspension bridge ... somewhere between Gizzy and Napier NZ - February 2014
Black sand beaches, Napier NZ - February 2014
We continued following the coastal roads through the Hawke's Bay Region towards Napier and Hastings. Napier has the largest seaport in Central NZ and the second largest port on the North Island. As such, it serves as the nexus for the largest wool centre in the Southern Hemisphere. It has another claim to fame, though.
The Heretaunga Plains is one of the most seismically active areas in New Zealand. In 1931 the Hawke's Bay Earthquake razed the city and it was rebuilt in a predominantly Art Deco style. Napier NZ and South Beach (Miami) Florida are considered the two best preserved Art Deco towns in the world. Some of the buildings have been rebuilt or replaced, but since the 1990's this unique setting has been protected and restored. Kari was fascinated and could have walked around all day. I'm not much for standing and staring at buildings and by this time Little H was about ready to have a meltdown, so it was on to the main attraction for the day ... the Nat'l Aquarium of NZ.
Art Deco architecture, Napier NZ - February 2014
National Aquarium, Napier NZ - February 2014
We spent the night freedom camping on the shores of Hawke's Bay in Clive NZ, and the next morning had another lazy cafe breakfast ...
Beach side freedom camping and morning cafe, Clive NZ - February 2014
I typically let Kari do the navigating when we travel. I tell Little H that Kari's job is to tell me the way and my job is to get us there safely. Sometimes I put a little too much faith in Kari's ability to read a map! Directions are no problem ... it's her inability to judge distance, time, or road types that sometimes gets us into trouble. On this morning she decided that she wanted to go to the top of Te Mata Peak in Havelock North, NZ. Off we went.
From the park's website:
A 'rite of passage' for local residents and visitors alike, the drive up Te Mata Peak is a real thrill and the views from the top are amazing. Watch out for sheep, walkers and tight bends on your way up to the top car park. From the trig point at the summit, the 360 degree views take in the beautiful Heretaunga Plains, the Ruahine and Kaweka Ranges, and on a clear day you can see as far as Mount Ruapehu.
"A real thrill" doesn't even begin to describe it! Manageable in a normal car, van, ute, or SUV maybe. In a motorhome it was down-right dodgy. One side of the vehicle felt like it was suspended over the cliff edge while the side-view mirror scraped the cliff on the up-slope side. I think there might have been a pull-off for slower vehicles/passing, but I don't recall there being room to turn around. Fortunately, we didn't meet any vehicles coming down on us. There was nowhere to go but up, so up we went. The views were definitely spectacular. We lingered there a little while so I could build up the nerve to drive back down.
Views from Te Mata Peak, Hastings NZ - February 2014
I managed not to drive us off a cliff, slam into oncoming traffic, or run over any hikers or sheep, so we were happily on our way again. We were hoping to make it down to Cape Palliser to see the seals and check out the lighthouse, then backtrack and cross the Remutaka Pass into Upper Hutt and on to Wellington. In keeping with our peripatetic style of travel, we didn't stick with the plan. Looking for distractions and things to do, Kari discovered the Pukaha Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre. We stopped to have a squiz (take a look).
The native bird preserve sits on 942 ha of forest reserve that has been protected since the 1870's. They have an active breeding program that seeks to release native birds back into the wild, as well as a free-flight aviary. In addition to the captive birds, we encountered wild native birds and long-fin eels as we meandered through the forest.
Tui, Kereru, and North Island Kaka: Pukaha Mt Bruce Nat'l Wildlife Centre - February 2014
Kakariki and Kokako: Pukaha Mt Bruce Nat'l Wildlife Centre - February 2014
Following our whim, lingering, swimming and hiking, and spending more days than we planned to in Gizzy meant that we were heading toward Wellington with only a couple of days left in our trip. We had a paid campsite booked in downtown Welly and we had to be checked in by a certain time so had to scrap our plan to head down to Cape Palliser. We did make it down there the first week-end after we moved to NZ in 2016.
The Lonely Planet guide warns you not to get between the seals and the water, else the seals are "likely to have a go at you". The horrendous smell was the first clue that we were surrounded by seals. The seals themselves appeared as just big lumps of grey rock. Once we spotted one, though, it was easy to pick them out.
The hike up to the lighthouse is 250 steps. At the top, "It's a beaut view from here, and a great place to linger if the wind isn't blowing your eyeballs into the back of your head." The views were spectacular, and the wind was blowing to the point of being treacherous. At one point I was blown toward a rather dodgy looking fence and Little Highstead had to crawl on her hands and knees to keep from being blown over. Standing and taking pics without holding on is not for the faint of heart.
Cape Palliser NZ - October 2016
We arrived in Wellington in time for our reservation then set on on foot to explore. The first order of business was to find a grocery store (buried in a historic train station) to stock up on food and wine. After stashing our supplies, we spent a little time on the piers. For dinner, I finally got to try the infamous New Zealand green-lipped mussels. Green-lipped mussel aquaculture is a $500 Million/year industry in New Zealand. Amazingly, 80% of the spat (mussel larvae essential to farming) is collected from seaweed that washes ashore on Ninety Mile Beach in the Northland.
We spent the next day exploring the Te Papa Museum and the Botanical Gardens. The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa naturally focuses on the natural and cultural histories of New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. It doesn't have the extensive collections, size, or grandeur of the Smithsonian museums or the Natural History Museum - London, but what it does it does very well. Given our shortened timeline, we were only able to spend time in the section that deals with New Zealand's natural world and in the small outdoor section. We have since been back and spent more time and still have not managed to see all the exhibits that interest us.
We caught the cable car (actually not a true cable car but a funicular railway) to Kelburn, a neighbourhood at the top of the hill and adjacent to the Wellington Botanic Garden. From there we wandered through the trees and pathways until we found one of NZ's ubiquitous amazing playgrounds where Little Highstead had her first ride on a "Flying Fox". We finished with a coffee and ice cream before heading down the hill and getting back on the road.
Wellington NZ - February 2014
Reid's Farm Campsite is a free campsite on the shore of the Waikato River in Taupo, NZ and it was our next destination. (If you are planning to camp there, check to see that it is open. Recently, there was some talk about closing the site). Taupo is a popular lakeside vacation spot with plenty of opportunities for swimming, fishing, and boating. It's also a favorite destination of cyclists and triathletes. We would be arriving too late to enjoy what the lake had to offer, but we did have plans to visit Huka Falls the next day. Personally, I haven't been too impressed with Taupo and Huka Falls and really have no desire to ever go back, but Kari liked it enough to see it again when her brother came to visit a couple of months ago.
We also visited the Waitomo Caves. The ticket package we purchased included a boat tour through Waitomo Cave to see the glow-worms, and a walking tour through Aranui Cave. The glow-worms were really cool to see, but again I was pretty unimpressed. We here herded through the caves in groups of 30 and it was easily the most touristy and least authentic thing we have done in New Zealand. We've since discovered several spots to go spelunking and see glow-worms on our own ... and for free! If you're coming to NZ for the "trip of a lifetime" and are unlikely to ever return, spend the time and money and visit Waitomo. If you're coming to visit us, and you don't mind getting wet, sweaty, and dirty, then we will take you to some caves. Good times guaranteed, glow-worms not so much.
Lake Taupo, Huka Falls, and Aranui Caves - February 2014
Our last night on the road was spent on the coast of the Tasman Sea, at the Karioi Surf Lodge in Raglan. The Karioi Outdoor Centre opened in 1973 after a group of teachers from Huntly College formed the Huntly Karioi Outdoor Trust to create a facility where visitors would have the opportunity to learn about and explore the outdoors. It became the home of the Raglan Surfing School in 2000, broadening their offerings to include beach awareness and water safety.
We had booked a powered site for the night, but when we got up to the lodge we couldn't navigate the narrow dirt track in our caravan. We discussed several options with the staff, but the campground was full and there was no way to get us into a spot with easier access. Resigned to leaving the campground and finding a freedom camp somewhere, we headed back down the dirt road. As we were easing down the road, someone asked if there was a problem. We explained our predicament and wouldn't you know we were speaking with the site manager! They offered to let us camp overnight in the staff parking lot. Doesn't sound like much, I know, but the view was spectacular.
Views of Whale Bay from Karioi Outdoor Centre staff parking, Raglan - February 2014.
Karioi Outdoor Centre outdoor amphitheatre, Raglan - February 2014
We made one last side-trip tramp on our drive back to Auckland the next morning. An easy walk took us to the upper rim of Waireinga Falls where the Pakoka River flows over into the remanents of a volcanic vent to the plunge pool below. The hike down to the pool was a little more difficult. On the way back up, Little H challenged me to a race to the top. I don't think either of us made it running more than half way.
Waireinga Falls, Makomako NZ - February 2014
Our 2 weeks on the road in New Zealand only served to re-affirm our decision to move here for a longer term. Two years later, we finally had a job lined up and were able to come to stay for a year. We continue to explore the island and the culture around us as frequently as time and finances allow. Over the next few months, we have several groups of friends and family coming for a visit. Hopefully, this gives you a feel for how we built our adventure, and some ideas on how to design your own.
Lessons Learned:
1. Hire a caravan
- Stay in a paid campsite if you must
- Empty your grey water often
2. Get a paper map
- Cell signals and data are spotty and in some places they are non-existent
3. Get a paperback Lonely Planet (or similar guide)
- It will help you find hidden gems, free places to get a thermal soak, places to hire a spade, etc
4. Have a plan
- Don't be in a rush to make it to your next destination
- Be flexible and willing to change your plan as circumstances dictate
5. Stop and smell the roses
- Literally. Get out of your van. Go for a walkabout. Smell some flowers.
- (Goes along with #4 above).
6. Eat pies
