Bring on the Bank Holiday Weekend!

We have Brian waiting in storage now for our summer holiday and we set off next Thursday for a jaunt around the British Isles for 10 days.
Hopefully the weather will be kind to us as we are meeting up with our good friends and staying on an open and exposed camp site, chosen mainly for its views out to sea. My fingers are crossed!

16th March - Home!

We would like to apologise to everyone and say sorry it has taken such a long time to finish our blog.
We have decided to keep it ongoing as we are planning our next trip.

Since we have been back we have both returned to work and been extremely busy.
Our jet lag took us at least two weeks to recover from, and during that time Paul had his 30th birthday party.

We have managed to book up all our weekends with weddings, christenings and meeting old friends and then  we moved house.

Unpacking all our stuff from my parents loft that had been in storage for nearly two and a half years was very strange and hard work. It took us two days to move all the stuff, then we had to decant our belongings from Brian the van.

Brian is now residing in Skegness by the sea, at Paul's Mum's house, and we are getting stuck into the summer.We haven't even printed out any photographs out or thanked everyone for their help and advice.

So in no particular order, and without much over-dramatic crying, we would like to thank everybody for making our trip so special.

We have tried to give a special mention to all:

Phil and Kate - for all the work that Phil did on the van enabling us to spend 5 months travelling in it, allowing us to store the van in Spain over winter, and driving it back a two weeks ago.

Ann and Stan - for putting us up in the UK, helping us to save to go away.
For meeting up with us in France and letting us stay at the apartment and treating us to a bit of luxury on the road!
For cushioning the fall when we got back, driving the van to Spain initially and helping us move out!

Thank you to Jacqueline for letting us stay at the apartment.

Marion and Godfrey -  for letting us spend time in their house in the south of France, and Marion for driving us to Antibes.

Dominque, Annique, Lucas, Lorent, Laura - For inviting us to stay and showing us around Pibrac and Toulouse, and giving us the opportunity to practice our French on your kids, sorry!


Glen and Kirsty for encouraging us to climb mountains and making our first weeks in Melbourne so much fun.

Laurel and Dale for inviting us to stay with them at Christmas. Taking us to meet all their family, driving us to the Blue Mountains, driving us around Sydney on several occasions, taking us to watch the Sydney to Hobart boat race and making us extremely welcome away from home.

Peita and Kel - for inviting us into your home on Boxing Day and treating us to an experience we will never forget in the lighthouse

Chris and Kristie - for having us for Christmas dinner and making us feel at home.

Tamsin and John - for putting us at ease and making us laugh on Christmas day, plus the pavlova that I could eat several times over!

Ray and Pam - for inviting us to stay for a New Year's Eve party, letting us stay in the house, and then their camper van, taking us to see avocado fields and mango trees,and making us think outside the realms of possibility for the future.

Jen - for your very good advice regarding mosquitoes!

Andrew and Jessy - for telling us about Perth and Western Australia - we shall return and visit.

Louise and little one - for a very good night of pool and housebuilding tips. Sorry we didn't get a chance to meet again as planned - we will return.

The 60s party posse - for a very fun night - can't remember the names of any of the games that we played but it was hilarious and the punch was excellent!

Elgin and Bjorn, Sparrow and Matchi- for making the Whitsunday's trip so special. My memories will never fade from that week.
Joules - for booking all our tours and squeezing in as much as we could possibly manage whilst we were in Cairns.


I apologise if we missed you out - as you can see we are very thankful to everybody that made our trip so fantastic.

14th March - Melbourne Zoo

Text still to be added... once we've moved house!

Mali the baby elephant
Was pronounced dead before birth, then proved everyone wrong.

A high speed, low-light snap of the illusive Duck-billed-platypus
before it disappeared underwater again

Cassowary 
Incredably rare, prehistoric-looking, huge flightless bird

13th March - Back in Melbourne

Text still to be added... when it's written.

Mind the Wombat - we're back in Australia...

Hired a small car

Mount Dandenong overlooking Melbourne CBD in the distance

We really liked the general feel of Melbourne,
as illustrated by this chance sky writing!
(Technically it was a Lipton Iced Tea advert)

12th March

We took off again - this time from Christchurch heading for Melbourne, and saw the rising sun hit the clouds and the tops of the mountains of New Zealand. The three hour flight went very slowly and we arrived about 10am. We picked up a hire car from the airport and drove this across Melbourne to the backpackers in Collingwood where we had started our trip.

Leaving New Zealand:
flying over the Southern Alps as the Sun emerges

Unfortunately, this time round we weren't given a good room and it was quite a shock to go from a Presidential suite into an 8 bed dorm which had permanent residents in. With it being a Friday night the backpackers was going to be heaving with drunken teenagers - not our seen. We headed out in the car to St Kilda and spent a few hours on the beach. 

Whilst we were laying in the sun two dolphins came in to the beach and nearly grounded themselves on a sandbar - damn them! They disappeared just as Paul got his camera out - they weren't stuck at all.

St Kilda was very cosmopolitan so we walked into town for an inexpensive bite to eat just behind Luna Park.

Luna Park at St Kilda

Melbourne, viewed from St Kilda

After our food we headed out to the jetty to watch the sun go down and spotted a sign saying that there were little blue penguins present. We set up to see the sun set on the Melbourne skyline and began to see the little penguins nestled in the rocks.

Little Penguins at St Kilda

We waited until 9pm for the local volunteers penguin watch support group to arrive and they used infra red lights to shine on the little penguins as they came out of the sea. It was worth the wait.

As expected, when we got back to the backpackers the party was in full swing and quiet finally came at about 5am when the last member of our dorm returned to find his bed - we set our alarms for 8am the next day - not out of spite as such but sometimes you have to make a point!

11th March

Flying just after sunrise we had spectacular views of the North Island and then Marlborough Sounds. We came into land at Christchurch just as it had started to rain so we didn't get to see the glaciers plus it was freezing.

Flying over Marlborough Sound -
both NZ islands visible; South immediately below; North on horizon

The Holiday Inn staff were very helpful when we arrived. They upgraded us because our room wasn't ready. The next available room was on the top floor and still being cleaned.

So we left our bags at reception and wandered the streets of Christchurch in the rain, seeking refuge and a bite to eat in a Greek Cafe. We both tucked into a Giant Souvlaki ( A fresh made hot meat and salad sarnie wrapped with a large pita bread) and fully refreshed returned to the hotel. We got our bags and key and made our way upstairs - we only got the blooming Presidential Suite!

It was massive - with a double door to enter, a kitchen, a large dining area, a sofa and large TV, study desk,  a guest WC and a massive bedroom with enormous en-suite and jacuzzi bath!

We rushed out to get supplies - namely a bottle of bubbly and a roast chicken with salad for tea and treated ourselves to a damn good wash and brush up with a hair dryer for me and a shave for Paul! We were set for our flight back to OZ the next morning.

Presidential suite at Christchurch Holiday Inn;
cost = free (loyalty points), reason for enormous room = unknown (luck?)

Christchurch

10th March

That morning we tried to visit the Honey Centre but got there too early. Instead, we headed for the sea taking the scenic drive to Auckland - we got lost and found the beach at Te Henga instead.

Te Henga beach - West of Auckland

We went for a morning stroll on one of the most dangerous surfing beaches in NZ. There were signs up everywhere and you could see the rips in the water - yet there were nutters out there regardless , apart from me paddling that is.

Speaks for itself

On leaving the beach and getting back in the van I noticed this sign next to the road - Mum and Dad this is for you! Please note that we heard no sirens but were listening to the radio that day too.

Sadly, that afternoon we had to give the van back. We checked in to the Holiday Inn in Auckland, dumped our stuff emptied the van and took her back to the depot - it was a sad afternoon.

9th March

Despite not having showers we didn't smell to bad (we think) and headed bright and early to the Kauri Forest (Waipoua Forest)

We wanted to visit the largest tree in New Zealand, Tane Mahuta, "Lord of the Forest". We were lucky because just as we got there a tour guide arrived and burst into Mauri song, which lasted for nearly ten minutes. It was very eerie how the guy's voice , that was very deep,  hung in the forest. It felt like it echoed all around us and made the hair on my neck go funny - very surreal.

After such an experience we had to see the Yakas Tree ( which is in the photo below). It was a forty minute walk but well worth a visit. On the way we trekked along a well carved path through many Kauri trees, including Cathedral Grove which was an area of about 8 trees all growing close to one another.

Kauri tree in Waipoua forest

Ferns

We headed on through the Kauri forest and drove up to a lookout just before we left. the aim for the rest of the day was to try to get back near to Auckland so we didn't have too far to drive the following day and drop the van back.

We found a camp site at Muriwai. Chosen for our last night as Paul wanted to be on the west Coast for a proper sunset to see the sun plummet into the sea. What we found was completely unexpected - a site right near to the sea, within walking distance of a black sanded beach. 

We got talking to another couple on the site who commented on the quails I was feeding, saying " if you like those you have to go up to the cliffs".

Although I had read about sea birds nesting in the area I thought that we had missed them all, as they should have left by the end of February.

Quail

However, our luck was in yet again that day - there were hundreds of gannets nesting right in front of us just twenty minutes walk from the van - and blimey did they smell!

We found a spot and tried to prefect our gannet shots as they flew in front of us at eye level right in front of the setting sun. What a night - our last sunset in NZ!

Gannet colony at Muriwai beach

8th March

We drove onwards and upwards, heading further North and stopping in Kawakawa, to see the toilets.

There was a fantastic butchers, over the road from the mosaicked designer toilets too, that sold all sorts of meat surprises, pork wrapped with sausage meat into a pretty parcel, bbq marinaded steaks - you name it.

New Zealand most famous toilets!
Found in Kawakawa, designed by Hundertwasser.

From Hunterwasser we drove to Waitangi, to visit the Treaty House. On the way we had spectacular views of the Bay of Islands. The sun was out if full force - it was so hot we had to sit in the shade!

Waitangi Maui centre and treaty grounds

A big, fat Tui bird - the first we'd actually seen
They make really odd noises! CLICK HERE

Whilst walking around the Treaty House grounds we managed to get a picture of the infamous Tui bird and tried to record his beautiful bird calls. He sounded like he was sitting in every tree and was singing two different songs - something to do with having two voice boxes that he can project I believe. ( enough of the geeky stuff though).

Omapere, with huge sand dunes in the distance (left of shot)

We were having to cover a lot of ground as our flights were booked for leaving Auckland and heading back down to Christchurch so we ran out of time to visit the Northerly peninsular. 

Instead of driving for an extra two days, we cut across the top of the island and headed for the small towns of Opononi and Omapere. They are both located on an estuary that leads to Hokianga Harbour. Opononi has a claim to fame of a dolphin that was murdered on its beaches and Omapere looks across the harbour to mountainous sand dunes.

We found a camp site - which was very shabby and completely overpriced - suffice to say even if they had a refit on the toilet block I wouldn't stay there again!

So despite needing showers and having washing to do, we went without, particularly given the drought in the area and the threat of only three days of drinking water left. We would have a "Pommy" wash instead, recyle our socks and sip much white wine, before watching the sun set behind the dunes.

Wander down the beach after food

7th March

Just before sunrise in Northland

Sunrise

Paul woke up very early and managed to catch yet another sunrise - mean while I got us ready to get on the road and planned our route to take us to Whangerai. It took us about an hour and as had plenty of time before our appointment we headed just out of town to the Bird Sanctuary and Kiwi house.
The Sanctuary was closed because it was the Sunday, but we were lucky enough to get a sneaky peek of our first Kiwi - unfortunately it was camera shy - I do have a very poor quality video if anyone doesn't believe us!

Kiwi teases us with a little show then hides from the camera (ISO 4000)

We sped off through the country side to Zion Wildlife Park - many people have seen the place on TV's Lion Man. Paul had arranged a  Big Cat tour which was a two hour walk around with the keepers of the rarest collection of cats, including white lions, and tigers, a black leopard, a gibbon and two wild cheetahs.

Suzy's favourite - Tigers!

I was spoiled - given that tigers are my favourite cat I was very surprised at the size of them up close. 
We were introduced to Ash - the main keeper from South Africa and he explained very clearly and concisely the history of each animal, their likes and dislikes and the plans for the future of the park.

Zion Wildlife Gardens
former home to The Lion Man of daytime Sky TV fame

I was slightly upset given that the animals needed larger enclosures. The park had recently acquired land and there were plans in place, however, all of the cats were used to human contact. Sadly, in consequence to the death of a keeper this was now prohibited.

Feed me...

...feed me...now

At the end of our trip,our group had dissipated and we waited to feed the baboon. It was only Paul and me left and as a result we were treated to a cheetah experience. It was their turn to be fed and in we went.

I have never been so scared, so in awe, so completely in an unsafe situation... needless to say, whilst the keepers fed the male cat the female basically pinned Paul and me to the fence until she was fed -  by hissing and growling at us.

We had to get down low so we didn't threaten her, until Ash put bloody great steak of meat in my hand. Before I knew what had happened the cheetah delicately took the meat and ran off - phew! Then she came back for more and it was Paul's turn.

OK

We left the enclosure and headed in to the baboon's cage to feed the female ex-circus animal. She only liked male attention and wasn't happy with me as I gave her some medicine. She loved Paul though who had to sit and groom her for a while.

We finally left the Zion Wildlife park at about 5.30pm - I was ready to drop everything and work there forever - so was Paul. I still might go back for a volunteer post - you need a month minimum though so we pondered this and found yet another camp site by the sea at Whananaki.

Camping by the Sea

6th March

Auckland Botanical Gardens

From Omani Beach we drove along the coastal road and found ourselves in Auckland. I tried to navigate us to the central park area so we could visit the fernery and botanical gardens - it took far too long as the one way sytem in town was all undergoing roadworks - needless to say we got there eventually!

War Memorial

Honey shop, with several hives

After our lunch break at Orewa beach - a short drive outside of Auckland, we got back in the van for an hour or so and stopped off, as it was too hot to sit in the van, for refreshment at a honey farm.
Several spoonfuls and a few jars purchased later, we stopped for food supplies in a strange town called Warkworth.

Camping by Uretiti

Our destination for the night was Uretiti Beach - a DOC site located in sand dunes right next to the sea. After an early tea we went for a dusk walk along the beach and watched the sun set behind our van, perched up high on a sand dune - we prayed it didn't rain as we would most certainly get stuck!

5th March

As part of our non-existent keep fit regime we got up early and took the path to the Wentworth waterfall.It was nearly all up hill and took about 45 minutes to climb - I can't say that the view was worth it but the walk definitely got our hearts going!

Hot Springs beach

From Wentworth Valley we drove to the Hot Springs Beach which you are supposed to visit at low tide - we arrived at the peak of high tide much to our dismay. Instead of digging a hole in the ground and wallowing in a hot water bath we went for a walk in the very hot sunshine along the beach. We took in the adventures of those who dared to surf and swim despite all the warnings of serious rips and dangerous rocks and had a picnic lunch in the shade.

We briefly headed up the Coromandel peninsular but the roads were very windy weavy and we needed to make up some time for an appointment we had booked in Whangerai, so we doubled back deciding to return to New Zealand at a later date to explore the Coromandel at a leaisurely pace and drove across the Broken Hills down to Thames, around the bay to Miranda and alongside a Wetlands reserve.

There were mangroves everywhere and mudflats, which as usual meant a plague of flies and insects - definitely not the place to be. Except that as  we drove along the coastal road we found a site where there were at least 30 camper vans wild camping right next to the water. It looked like they were on private land so we pressed on driving until 4pm. 

We found a camp site that was part of the DOC scheme but managed National parks at Omana Beach. It was a good place to stop as we were outside of Auckland and didn't want to drive throught the city during rush hour or find ourselves driving in the dark through suburbs looking for somewhere to stay.

We chose a spot right next to the cliffs overlooking the sea from a height of about 50 metres and ran up the hill to a lookout post to watch the sunset behind Auckland.

Looking West at Sunset over Auckland

4th March

We woke up early and managed to navigate ourselves to the correct port and jetty just in time as we were the last passengers to arrive. Our trip was to be accompanied by a DOC inspector - who was from the UK and was living her life in New Zealand by jetting around on charters ensuring that no-one touched the dolphins. Unfortunately, I think it was her that jinxed the trip as we saw nothing but a lone little penguin.

Sun rising at Mount Maunganui beach

We sailed for nearly eight hours, had morning tea, a wonderful buffet lunch and chatted with all on board including a guy who was involved in mining for nickel ( a high tech process involving lots of acid - not sure which kind though).

 All I can say is that I was glad to get off in the end, suffering from sun burn, sea sickness, wind burn and a touch of " I bloody hate dolphins" syndrome I think that really the trip should have been cancelled given how choppy the sea was and the 25-30 knot wind that didn't let up all afternoon.

No dolphins 

Needless to say, when we finally got back to land we had to find somewhere to stay the night. Having checked out of the camp site before its office opened we had to return to get our deposit back for the key to the shower block and then from Mount Maunganui we drove up the coast. 

We passed through Waihi, then stopped outside a house to pick up some fruit and some delicious avocados. We had dinner right by the sea parked in a car park at Whangamata and watched the sun go down. 

Dinner by the sea at Whangamata

We felt that the town was not too keen on Freedom camping and headed inland to a DOC site at Wentworth Valley.

The camp site was accessed by driving along a gravel road for what seemed like ages in the dark, we met a land rover coming too fast in the opposite direction on a blind bend. Then we were confronted by a fairly fast flowing ford. "what the heck" we agreed out loud - we had come to far to go back.

At 8pm we arrived and the office was still open, we found a space in the dark and spent the evening sipping cold beer and watching the night sky stars rotate around us - just beautiful.

3rd March

Camping at Lake Rerewhakaaitu

From our wonderful pitch next to the Lake we travelled for about twenty minutes back on ourselves to get to the Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Park in time for the the Lady Know Geyser demonstration at 10am. We arrived early and had a chance to visit the park before it got really busy and too hot in the sunshine.

Green suplhurous waters

The Champagne Pools - fizzing bubbles of carbon dioxide

The steam over the water

Brief twister

The geothermal site was amazing - everywhere you put your feet was hot and smelled of sulphur - very surreal but enjoyable. We stayed for a very long time before heading off towards the Northern coast and a place called Mount Maunganui, not far from Tauranga.

We booked ourselves for a dolphin tour at the tourist office which would leave early the next morning and found a camp site right next to the sea.

 Quick jaunt up Mount Maunganui before dinner