Taupo to Cape Reinga, NZ and back.

Pt 3: Wellsford to the Kai Iwi Lakes

Jan - Mar 2012 we travelled with friends, Chris and Kev, from Te Anau, for 8 weeks from Taupo to Cape Reinga and back to Auckland.  Following are some of the pics and places where we stayed and visited.  Enjoy the journey with us

The Kauri Museum at Matakohe is a 'must stop'. 

There and a great many outstanding displays depicting the age of Kauri milling.

All the models used in the displays are fashioned from local people.

On the road from Matakohe to Dargaville you pass a well known landmark called Toka Toka.  That's the pointy one in the distance.

The challenge was to climb Toka Toka to see the view and find the geocache at the top.  This view is to the North with the Wairoa rive in the background.

This pic gives an idea of how high.  In almost the centre of the pic at the edge of the bush you can just make out the two motorhomes, 'Dora' and 'The Italian Job.  This view is to the East.

A similar view to the above pic looking more to the Sou-East.  Again you can see the motorhomes.  Certainly wouldn't like to make the steep climb after some rain.  Yes we did find the geocache.

A night in Dargaville and a geocache or two and it was off to the Kai Iwi Lakes.

Via a short stop at Bayleys Beach for lunch.

After a bit of a stroll on the beach.

To the Kai Iwi Lakes for a few nights.

A swim at the Lakes was very refreshing. 

With a nice fish around 4LB spinning. Well done Kev.

And one a bit smaller fly fishing.

For Pt 4 we'll continue from the Kai Iwi Lakes up the Kauri Coast to Opononi.

Taupo to Cape Reinga, NZ (2012) Pt 2: Waikite Springs

Taupo to Cape Reinga, NZ and back.

Pt 2: Waikite Springs to Wellsford.

Jan - Mar 2012 we travelled with friends, Chris and Kev, from Te Anau, for 8 weeks from Taupo to Cape Reinga and back to Auckland.  Following are some of the pics and places where we stayed and visited.  Enjoy the journey with us.

From Waikite Springs we had to pass through Rotorua.  There's pictures of Rotorua in other blogs but not one quite like this.  I mentioned that we were geocachers and yes there was a geocache in one of the tubes on top.

We were on our way to catch up with great friends, Rob and Jane (that's the two in the middle), who we had all spent some great times motorhoming together  in the South Island.

Rob and Jane have bought a lifestyle property not far from Te Awamutu and a couple of really enjoyable days were spent with them before we moved on.  Without doubt Rob excels in fun game charades.  He'll remember - or will he?

The Rob & Jane reservation - plenty of grass so where's all the bison?

Notice how I cleverly got myself in the picture - cunning huh!

Rob and Jane are also keen geocachers - there's one here around the giant cicada!!!

All to soon we have to be on our way.  Off to meet Kev & Chris' friendd out of Cambridge.  On the way it was a quick tourist stop at the Karapiro Dam.  To skinny for motorhomes to cross.

Looking for a geocache gave another view.  Supposedly it's good trout fishing down there.

Out of Cambridge saw us at the roads end, that's the white dots in the middle.

A bit closer.

Parked up for a very rural evening.  Hope the weather holds.

There's not many places in town or city that could offer this fine rural dining.

A couple of nights stop at Ray's Rest on the Seabird Coast.

And a reward from the sea.

And it was a fast pass through Auckland to the Matakana Farmers Market.

A short distance out from Warkworth.

A bit of sightseeing.

An interesting place to 'spend a penny'.

Then just out from Matakana is Morris and James.

To spend much more than 'a penny'.

From Matakana the destination for the night was Maungaturoto with a quick stop looking for a couple of geocaches on the way through Wellsford.  Pt 3 will start at the Kauri Museum at Matakohe.