South Island - Our Intrepid Journey Day 14, 01Nov09

Otaki - Kapiti - Te Horo - Southward Car Museum - Paraparaumu - Battle Hill Farm Park

Before heading to the Otaki markets and factory shops we made a quick trip to the beach.  

Kapiti Island in the background.  A view of the South Island is still proving elusive.

The Otaki market was really very good and they ended up with some of our money.

 After gathering some local fennel.

We headed on down the track. 

Stopping at Hyde Park, Te Horo.

 We found Mihi Wai getting her gallery ready for opening.  

Her gallery promises to be really worth the stop.

 After a stop at the Southward Car Museum.

 That had a great many on display.

 And many that were quite unsual

We passed through Paraparaumu.

Where most seemed to be enjoying the good weather.

 We ended up at the Battle Hill Farm Park for the night (01Nov).

A picturesque spot.

Under the close scrutiny of an inquisitive local.

South Island - Our Intrepid Journey Day 11 -13 29 - 31 Oct 2009

Marton - Feilding - Foxton - Shanon - Mangahao

After spending the night, 29 Oct, at a POP in Marton.

 The following day, 30 Oct, we first headed to Feilding.

 Where we were in time to catch the local market restocking with a few items.

 Passing through Palmerston North we headed to Himatangi Beach for night. 

Due to a lot of sand blowing around I didn’t take any chances with the camera. Again we stayed at a POP.

 31 Oct we headed for Foxton Beach and then toFoxton. 

The town is dominated by a working flour grinding windmill.

 And the locals quite friendly.

 From Foxton we headed to Shanon.

 Where the train no longer stops.

 However just out of Shanon is the Mangahao Power Station.

 Where the white water of the tailrace and stream is enjoyed by those in kayaks.

 We could have free camped the night but in the end decided to head to a POP at Otaki.

South Island - Our Intrepid Journey Day 9 -11

South Island - Our Intrepid Journey Day 9 -11

27 - 29 October 2009

Stratford to Wanganui

After spending the night in the Top 10 Camp catching up on domestic matters we visited the local New World (and the local bottle shop) to restock with some basic supplies

And a short visit to the McCollough Rhododendron Dell. 

We headed to Wanganui.  It was so windy you could almost surf on the waves on the cattle troughs.

Arriving late in the afternoon of 27 Oct we headed to a POP of Karen and Jens Bukholt (Viking – Danish hosts) for the night. 

A great POP, $10 for the night, includes power and water, a 9 hole golf course using 3 greens.

Deer in their adjoining paddock.

Interesting gardens to roam.  Thanks Karen for the silverbeet, parsley and lemons.

If you are ever in Wanganui visit a top cafe, Reflections Café, next to the Winter Gardens.

Where we met a couple of the locals.

Waiinu Beach

28 Oct we headed back some 40km back up the coast to spend the night at Waiinu Beach sometimes mistakely named as Wainui Beach.

Camping at the beach is by donation with a limit of 2 months, yes, 2 months.  The wind blew like crazy that night swinging to the south.

Back To Wanganui

First thing we headed back to Wanganui to view some of the sights.

We cruised the river road.

And watched some street racing.

Marton

Then off to Marton for fish and chips and a POP for the night, 29Oct09

South Island - Our Intrepid Journey Days 8

South Island - Our Intrepid Journey Day 8

26 October 2009

Day 8.  We left New Plymouth heading to Stratford where we planned to stay the night at a motorcamp that we had stayed at Christmas 2007/08.  Two stops were planned, Hollard Gardens and Dawson Falls.  The day started out fine however rain was forecast.

From the Dawson Falls carpark.

We headed off through the Goblin Forest.

 

Crossed a river strewn with boulders, more than once.

Viewed Wilkes Pools carved out in solid rock by the water.

 

Finally after a couple of hours we ended up at Dawson Falls. The path did go to the bottom of the falls, so did I, 98 steps to be exact.  Whilst the water flow was quite low the falls were quite impressive close up from the bottom.

Hollard Gardens

 These gardens are well worth visiting not far from Kaponga.  The few pics I have included simply do not do justice.

The entrance from the carpark, where one could park over for the night, gave nothing away.

 I really don't have the blog space to go into a lot of detail.  I am trying to keep the limit to about four pics for each specific location.  Unfortunately these gardens deserve better than what I have given them.

The gardens were extensive through wetlands, exposed and usual protected areas.

Flowers everywhere.  Rhododendrons, Azaleas,Camelias and zillions of others.  Check out my hayfever for confirmation.  The colours where across the spectrum with scents that some times overwhelmed.

 As with all the parks we have had the pleasure of visiting in Taranaki the attention to detail and layout is fantastic Auckland is so far behind in every way when it comes to engaging free public areas for all generations.

Got to go dishes to be done.................!