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.

South Island - Our Intrepid Journey Days 1 - 3

SOUTH ISLAND - OUR INTREPID JOURNEY Days 1 - 3

Day 1 and 2 19-20OCT09
We have plenty of time to get to Wellington so Raewyn and I spent the first two nights on the Seabird Coast between Kaiaua and Miranda.

The weather wasn't so great for photography however the above gives you a look north up the coast.

And south. The wind really blew strongly from the west for both days we were there so apart from enjoying the location and doing some planning there wasn't too much else to do.

I did however do some kaimoana gathering on the first low tide.  The end result was a nice little cook up of cockles (baby clams).  The brown planter by the wheel is a mobile herb garden prepared for us by son Craig.  For us it has quickly become our travelling family.  With this weather and the travelling the worry is enough sun.

Day 3 21OCT09
On this day the plan was to travel to Te Kuiti before heading to New Plymouth on 22Oct.

We took the long way down through Rotorua.  Rolled into Rotorua with the low fuel light on (since the Mamaku) and probably by the amount we took on there would have been about 20km left.  We left Auckland with half a tank.

Then via a quick visit to Lake Whakamaru where we spent a night last Christmas (free camping).

To Te Kuiti where we free camped for the night at Brooks Park.  Overnight camping (one night) is permitted.

Technical
Fixes to date are a fuse in the solar charging system and a pivot pin in the from hatch.  House power has been reduced each of these days to 90% but with some sun and the 3rd travelling we have reached 100% before sunset.

Easter 2009 (and a few days either side).

(These are just a few of the pictures taken during this trip. Some quality of the pictures has been lost as they are reduced to 25% of their original size. This blog extends from the Seabird Coast on to Coromandel, Otama, Oputere. View Broken Hills pics on a seperate blog.)

Seabird Coast, Kaiaua 3-6 April 2009

The week before Easter '09 saw us parked up on the shell bank between Kaiaua and Miranda on the Seabird Coast. Along with a number of other motorhomes we enjoyed great weather.

There was plenty of opportunity for simple photo opportunitieswhilst being observed by the most forward of the locals.Most of the time here it was a midday low tide that as you can see didn't provide much in the way of fishing opportunities.Glowing mornings looking east to Coromandelto bright sunsets over the western hills were natures show each day.
Ngatea Water Gardens 6 April 2009
The 6th saw us leave the Seabird Coast and head for Thames with a passing stop at Ngatea to visit the Water Gardens.Many pictures were taken of this extensive parkunder the watchful eyeof a number of the gardens inhabitants.
Thames, Thornton Bay, Raupara Gardens and Long Bay, Coromandel

After a nights stay at the Thames Golf Club POP, costs $5/nightit was off to Long Bay, Coromandel with a couple of stops on the way. First was Thornton Bay, looking back towards Thamesand to Coromandel in the north.A good oyster spat catch on the rocks ensures a good feed of oysters in the future, yum!A short diversion took us to the Rapaura Gardenswhich in my view doesn't compare to the Ngatea Water Gardens both in price and what you see.

Long Bay Coromandel

Final destination for the day, 7th, was Long Bay, Coromandel.There are a number of walks both round the bays and in the bush that provided a number of willing subjects.After saying goodnight at Long Bay tomorrow would see us travelling over the hills to Kuotuna and Otama on the 9th. Otama
I have blogged Otama before and don't propose to add anything again except to say that it's now a rip off. All you get are paddocks, bore water and a couple of long drops at the cost of $10/pers/night. Over the hill at the Kuotuna Motor Camp you get every facility for $13 and a little further south at Simpsons you get the same as Otama, right by the water for $5/van/night. Otama - forget it greed has taken over (and you have to pay CASH)!!!

Kuotuna

Whilst we were more or less trapped into staying over Easter at Otama (never again) we did spend the 14th at Kuotuna in the motor camp before heading south. The following pics shows some of the coast in the areaand the man made boat launching area.The rest of our time through to the 19th was taken up by drifting further south past Simpsons Beach through Whitianga to Oputere then back to Broken Hills and home via Thames and the Seabird Coast. The following are a series of location titled pictures.

Coroglen Cattleyards and river.

Oputere Flora and FaunaFor pics of the DOC park at Broken Hills see the seperate blog.