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AUCKLAND

LAST DAYS

So I have to start by apologising for not having added some dawn photos from Roselands Restaurant. No excuses, I just forgot. I had rendered and uploaded the video before I realised the beautiful morning was missing from it. But you’ll get to see them on the photo blog.

A beautiful, quiet morning in Waitomo this morning. Alain and I went for a walk and took a few photos before heading back to the camper-van for breakfast. Roselands Restaurant is situated in gorgeous, countryside surroundings. The light we had this morning made for beautiful photos. Some of my favourites of our trip.

Not much to show from our last three days in New Zealand. Which is why I decided to put it all into one video. We mostly shopped and ran around looking for specific things. So this video is a mish-mash of our last days.

We made a small stopover in Hamilton just to grab a couple of things. It was more a drive-by than anything else. Arriving in Auckland we stopped at a service station to empty out the grey water and toilets of the camper-van before returning it. We then made our way to the hotel. The Auckland War Memorial Museum is in the video because I’d intended to go to Mount Eden to shoot sunrise but because of the grey, overcast, rainy morning I decided to just wander around the city and found myself here. A decision I regretted as the sun poked through the clouds about an hour after sunrise. The park around the memorial is beautiful though. We checked out the Skytower and the casino where I got screamed at for filming. I stumbled upon the beautiful hall of the Grand Central Apartments which are situated next to Spark Arena. I met up with Jenny, a friend who worked at the Mexican Cafe, to catch on how things were going. Vegetation walls in a building and old architecture as I wandered near the quay heading back into the heart of the city. A DJ in a shoe store… nothing else to say about that. And on the eve of our departure, we had friend arriving to start their holiday. The teenagers wanted to checkout a nightclub but weren’t confident doing it on their own so we went with them. The teens were surprised that we recognised the music… at our age. Actually, they were old tunes remixed. No creativity these day. We felt a little out of place as we walked in when we saw we were the only “adults” in the joint. And felt even older when a guy walks up to us to say “Man, I thought I was the oldest guys here but you guys… f**k!”. We’ll just leave that as is. Early morning departure meant the oldies had to get their sleep.

So that’s it for our little camper-van trip around the North Island of New Zealand. Thank you very much for following us through my videos. I hope it’s helped you in some way, if not, then at least entertained you. I’m heading to Japan in a couple days but more on that on a later post. For the last time, a big thank you to Alain for the use of his videos and photos to help me tell a better story. Not to forget Manu and Paloma for a memorable trip and for letting me include them in the videos. And of corse to all of you for watching. Goodnight.

p.s. I haven’t mentioned it before, only because I hadn’t realised, but all the links I provide in my blog posts are NOT affiliate, commercial or sponsored links. I DON’T make any money from these links. I provide them as quick access to extra information, that’s it. If that ever changes, in any way, in the future, I will let you know. Promise.

MUSIC :

KALEGA by Rob Ruha & The Witch Dr.

WAITOMO - NEW ZEALAND

WAITOMO CAVES

Quite surprised to wake up on a foggy morning after day 10 ended in beautiful, blue skies. We head straight to Waitomo today to checkout the glowworm caves.

Not wanting to wake up the girls, Alain and I strolled to the Whanganui River which ran just behind the Taumarunui Holiday Park. I was hoping for a photo but couldn’t find an interesting composition. Alain took a couple then we headed back to the campervan. We had breakfast then headed off.

We bought the tickets at the Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. and also had lunch there. We took the option to visit all three caves, which would take us most of the afternoon.

Aranui Cave was the first we visited. Our group was small and our guide was wonderful which made the whole experience very nice. It starts with a small walk in the forest and a little story on the Silver Fern. Quite interesting. The cave is fairly narrow with a few high ceiling caverns. The stalactites are of every size you can imagine but I was less impressed than I thought I’d be. But I realised later that it was the smallest of the caves we visited. Still beautiful though.

The much anticipated Glowworm Caves was next. Unfortunately we weren’t permitted to take photos so I have a nothing to show you but will briefly describe the experience. You start with a narrow descent along a metallic walkway until you arrive in the, so called, cathedral area. A huge cavern with very few stalactites. You also realise you’re not the only group there. In this cathedral they talk about the stalactites and stalagmites, the glowworms and you get to see how they hang by a silk thread, and you get to sing in the dark. Once again you make your way along the narrow, metallic walkway to the underground river. There, you hop aboard a small boat where you make your way farther into the cave. It is pitch black. You can’t even see your hands in front of your face. Then all of a sudden the ceiling lights up in thousands, millions of tiny blue lights. Like stars on a clear night. Absolutely wonderful. I’ve never seen anything like it. So beautiful. You slowly see daylight as you come out of the cave and that’s the end of the tour. You get off the boat and make your way along a path surrounded by trees back up to the main area.

The last but definitely not the least, Ruakuri Cave is a mix of the previous two, the Aranui Cave and Glowworm Caves. Large caverns, narrow paths, stalactites and stalagmites, silk threads and glowworms, and an out-of-this-world entrance. A long spiral ramp about 40 metres high. The history of this caves is very interesting too. I think it’s the longest of all the caves. There’s a lot to see in this cave.

I recommend doing all three caves. It’s well worth while and the money. There are other options for adrenaline junkies too. It was late afternoon by the time we’d finished the visits and opted for a free campsite for the night. We found the Roselands Restaurant who let campervans stay for free in their carpark. Very smart of them because we ended up eating at the restaurant. Couldn’t resist the buffet and the BBQ cooked meat on option. Not too expensive either. The place is upon a hill with beautiful views. They can organise all your outings too.

Well that it for day 11 everyone. Tomorrow we head back to Auckland for three days. Hope to see you then. Goodnight.

p.s. a big thank you to Alain for some of his pics.

NEW ZEALAND: NORTH ISLAND

WAITOMO CAVES

day 11

A fresh, foggy morning on day 12 at the Taumarunui Holiday Park. Alain and I went for a stroll to the Whanganui River. Today we keep heading north to Waitomo to check out the glow-worm caves.

We didn’t have far to go so we weren’t in a rush this morning. After breakfast we tidied up the campervan and all the necessary maintenance before hitting the road. We thought it was going to be overcast today, which didn’t bother us as we were going to be underground most of the day, but the clouds broke up and the sun peaked through throughout the day. It was a nice drive. We arrived in Waitomo before lunch but ate anyway because we didn’t know if we were going to have the time between caves visits. And we’re all glad we did.

Our first cave was the Aranui Cave. The tour group was small and our guide was fantastic, right from the get-go. We started with a little walk in the forest before arriving at the entrance. A fairly narrow cave that opens up into some high ceiling areas. A lot of small stalactites hanging from the ceiling and much larger ones on the walls of the cave. There were some beautiful formations. We were assured none would fall on our heads, hence no helmet, but nonetheless we were a little apprehensive.

The Golwworm Caves were our next visit. The entrance to the caves is a cocoon-like architecture over a wooden structure. There are cafes and souvenir boutiques and a large area sitting area. Unfortunately photos and filming are not permitted in these caves. A shame really because it’s beautiful but I understand why. There are at least three groups in these caves at once and if they had to wait for everyone, they would never get out of there. Apart from the cathedral area, a huge chamber, the rest of these caves and pathways are very narrow indeed. We finished this tour aboard a small boat in pitch darkness and silence, under millions of glowworms. Absolutely stunning! It would’ve been impossible to take photos anyway. Moving boat, low light (no light), handheld... impossible. Hence no video nor photos. This cave is very different to Aranui Cave. Though there’s limestone everywhere, there is very little stalactites and stalagmites. Very impressive nonetheless.

Our last visit was the Ruakuri Cave. The entrance to this cave is spectacular. A spiralling walkway heading down, I don’t know, about 40 metres deep. This cave is a combine of the last two. You get stalactites and stalagmites and glowworms, small passages, cathedral ceilings and great history to go along. You’ll notice there’s no video of it, that’s because my phone died. It pretty much confirmed the possible battery problem I thought I was having on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. I had a touch more time for photos on this tour as there was quite a bit of narrative. I was very lucky though, my second and last battery died just as we were leaving the cave. I didn’t think I took that many photos but I think the cold used them up quicker.

So the caves are a must and I highly recommend doing all three. It takes about 4 hours to do the walking tours of all three but may take longer if you intend on doing the abseiling or tubing in the caves. They cost more too.

It was mid to late afternoon by the time we’d finished so we searched for a free campsite for the night and found the Roselands Restaurant. They offer free parking for campervan in their carpark. Which is pretty smart because I think every campervan that was there ended up eating at the restaurant. We did too. They had a buffet but you could also pre-order your meat for a bbq that they cooked. It was well worth the price and delicious. We were pleasantly surprised.

Once again, the end of the day has arrived. Tomorrow we keep heading north back to Auckland. Goodnight.

p.s. you know what this is all about, a big thanks to Alain for the use of his material.

MUSIC :

Traditional Maori Sound Healing Session from The Sound Temple

NEW ZEALAND: NORTH ISLAND

TAUPO

day 09

We ended day 8 in Taupo and stay in Taupo today but end the day in the Tongariro National Park.

An early morning start, as I wanted to checkout a track I saw last evening. It lead me to a couple of lookouts that I could see from the Aratiatia Dam bridge, which is what I was hoping for. And what gorgeous views, from beyond the dam, down the valley past the Aratiatia Power Station. Magnificent! Pity I didn’t get nice light for my photos.

Our first unplanned visit of the day was at the Lava Glass gallery and cafe. For a small fee you can visit the workshop and watch the glassblowers do their magic and visit their private glass garden. Well worth the fee. Just stopping by for a coffee and browsing the gallery is worthwhile.

A second unplanned stop was the Huka Honey Hive. If for nothing else but the honey tasting, this place is worth checking out. There is so much more though. From well-being and beauty products to lollies and ice-cream. And much more. You’ll end up leaving with something, for sure.

Our first planned visit, Huka Falls. Impressive! Not just visually but the noise and velocity of the volume of water travelling beneath you... you can feel it’s power vibrating through your body. Quite an experience. But don’t stop at the bridge and the lookouts. Wander upstream a little and the atmosphere is quite the opposite. Calm, tranquil, peaceful. Beautiful. Worth the stroll.

Next stop was Taupo Bungy, for Paloma wanted an extreme experience. She went with the Cliff Hanger instead of the Bungy but later regretted her choice just a little. The Cliff Hanger wasn’t as extreme as she had thought, even though her cries say otherwise haha she did enjoy it.

After all that adrenaline, it was time for lunch and last minute shopping in town. Then it was direction Tongariro National Park, where we were staying the night. Oh what a scenic drive. Stunning views of Mount Ruapehu and just magnificent as the backdrop to the Chateau Tongariro.

We stayed the night at the Discovery Lodge Tongariro. We’re staying in the area because tomorrow we’ve planned an all day hike. So I hope to see you for day 10 where we walk 19.4 kms. Just to be precise. Goodnight.

p.s. once again a big thanks to Alain for his contribution to these videos.

MUSIC :

Whakaronga by TJ & Huri

Kapioioi by TJ & Huri

WAI-O-TAPU AND TAUPO - NEW ZEALAND

FROM WONDERLAND TO TAUPO

As you know from the video, day 8 brings us to Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland then onto Taupo.

As I mentioned on my video post, if you’re traveling between Rotorua and Taupo, the Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland is a must visit. And do take the time to check out Lady Knox Geyser, while you’re there. It doesn’t take long and you’ll also learn about how it was discovered.

The thermal wonderland truely is a wonderland. And might I add, out of this world. You really have the impression of walking on another planet as you make your way through the park. The steaming holes in the ground, the mud pools and the stunning, vivid colours of the lakes make it equally hard to believe your eyes.

We didn’t do much in Taupo. It was towards the end of the day and shops were starting to close up. We took a short stroll along the shore, a quick visit in the town centre and did some grocery shopping.

We ended up staying at the free parking near the Aratiatia Dam. It’s also where the Huka Falls Cruise departs from on the Waikato River. We were only three camper vans staying the night in this peaceful area.

That’s it for the photos of day 8. Please join me for the next post where we see lava glass, bees, falls, a chateau and cliffhang. Goodnight.

p.s. again, Alain’s contribution was a big help in telling the story.

NEW ZEALAND: NORTH ISLAND

FROM WONDERLAND TO TAUPO

day 8

We ended day 7 with rain and start day 8 under blue skies. Today we leave Rotorua for Taupo but first we visit a Lady and New Zealand’s wonderland.

We arrived in Wai-O-Tapu just in time to see the Lady Knox Geyser erupt. It’s quite remarkable they can induce the eruption simply with soap. We got about a ten metre eruption. Impressive! The whole show last only about half an hour from the time you arrive to when you leave. It’s a must see so if you’re ever in the area, don’t even think twice about it. And that’s even more so for the Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland. Give yourself plenty of time as this can take easily a couple of hours. More if you’re into photography. Not only will the colours astound you but the beauty of the area as well. OK, you’ll have to deal with the smell of sulphur but you quickly get used to it. The mud pools are just as interesting and make you want to jump in. Not a good idea though. And there are plenty of signs to remind you too. Anyway, if you’re traveling between Rotorua and Taupo, Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland is on the way and a must visit. I highly recommend it.

Taupo isn’t too far from the wonderland. We didn’t do much apart from having a coffee and wander around town a little before doing grocery shopping for the next few days. We’d decided to stay at a free campsite for the night that was just at the entrance to the city but it was packed so we went a little farther to a parking next to the Aratiatia Dam on the Waikato River. A beautiful area and it’s where the Huka Falls Cruise takes off from. We got a couple of photos

Manu prepared a delicious dinner, mussels in white wine with wedges. We went with wedges for a change from the usual fries we would have back home. I tried to record it but quickly realised I wasn’t doing it justice. Sorry. I mean if that was a restaurant advertisement, I wouldn’t go there. But I can say that it was deliciously. Thank you Manu.

Time to go to bed my friends as day 8 comes to an end. Join me for the next video where we see how lava glass is made, cliffhang, visit bees, falls and drive by a chateau. Goodnight.

p.s. must not forget to thank Alain for his contribution to these videos.

MUSIC

Anei Ra Ouverture And Aria from Patea Maori Club

THE COROMANDEL - NEW ZEALAND

THE CATHEDRAL AND THE GORGE

I’ve added a few more photos here, to the one’s included in my last video. I had a lot more but it would’ve been too many to upload. Sorry.

In case you haven’t seen the last video or it’s your first time here, these photos are from the fifth day of a small trip around the North Island of New Zealand.

Today we wake up in Cooks Bay and visit Cathedral Cove in Hahei, the hot springs in Hot Water Beach and finish the day with stroll through Karangahake Gorge. The pics start in Cooks Beach on an overcast morning. My attention was taken by a wild mushroom, which was OK because I was having difficulties finding compositions for a photo. After breakfast we made our way to Hahei Beach where the forty-five minute walk to Cathedral Cove starts. I think it took me well over an hour to get there with all the photo stops I made. A beautiful walk with great water views. By the time I got back, it was past lunch time so we headed straight for Hot Water Beach for lunch at Hotties and to check out the hot springs on the beach. Though quite an amazing phenomenon, the hot springs area is quite small. We didn’t get to dip our toes in but that’s because we didn’t want to hustle for a spot. I found the boulders on the south end of the beach very interesting thus spent most of my time there. Karangahake Gorge was our last visit for the day. An amazing place, well worth the visit. A wonderful walk along old rail tracks and tunnels with gorgeous views down valleys and rivers. Multiple tracks available depending on the time you have. That night we stayed at the Paeroa RV Center, not too far from the gorge, in the town of Paeroa.

As mentioned in the last video post, our next stop is Rotorua where we spend two nights. See you then. Goodnight.

p.s. can’t forget to thank Alain for letting me use some of his photos and video clips.

NEW ZEALAND: NORTH ISLAND

The Cathedral and The Gorge

day 5

I want to apologies for the time it took to get this video out. I’ve been having difficulties colour correcting the videos and am still not happy with the outcome. I thought I’d better stop fussing about and just get it out.

So here we are, day 5 of our little trip around the Northern Island of New Zealand. Again, picking up from the last video , today we do a small hike to Cathedral Cove, visit the Hot Water Beach and explore the Karangahake Gorge.

As with every morning, I got up early to explore the surroundings. Cooks Beach in this case. It was an overcast morning but warm nonetheless. It was sooo quiet and calm as I walked along the river to the beach. Even there it was surprisingly tranquil. Not a soul to be seen.

Though it was a beautiful area, I had great difficulty finding a composition. So I snapped a couple of photos just to document the area. I did find a wild mushroom, which took all of my attention. I must have taken half a dozen shots of it. Trying out macro photography. I quite like the photos.

After breakfast we headed to Hahei Beach where the track to Cathedral Cove starts. An easy walk that anyone can do. A couple of small, steep hills but take your time and you’ll be just fine. The breathtaking views make it worth the effort. The first thing you see as you arrive at Cathedral Cove is the Smiling Sphinx Rock, seemingly floating in the water not far from the beach. Then you notice the hole in the cliff and wonder how it’s possible. At low tide you can make your way through it,to the other side, where the Te Hoho Rock sits, just like the Sphinx, in the middle of the water. The late morning and the amount of tourists, including us, didn’t make for beautiful photos. Quite happy with what I took but I’ll have to come back here to get the shots I was looking for.

By the time I got back to the campervan, where my friends were waiting in hunger, it was already past lunch time. We took off for Hot Water Beach for lunch and the hot springs, of course. Lunch was delicious and so was the local beer at Hotties. The hot springs though, we never got to try. Though the beach is, I don’t know, a kilometre long, the hot springs’ area is tiny. There were sooo many people there in a frenzy digging up holes everywhere that the wonder of it all had quickly disappeared. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a must do but maybe in a period of the year where there may be less people. What did amaze me though, were the large boulders on the southern end of the beach. That was beautiful.

Once over our disappointment of the hot springs, we made our way to the Karangahake Gorge. There are a handful of tracks ranging from an hour walk to eight hours. I can’t remember if we did the Rail Tunnel Loop or the Windows Walk Loop but, either way, it was absolutely amazing. A wonderful walk through tunnels with beautiful views down the valley and the Waitawheta River. It’s a pity we didn’t have more time, I would’ve loved to do the four hour track.

It was late afternoon and we needed to find a spot for the night. We chose the Paeroa RV Center because it was close and had powered sites and most importantly, a laundrette.

That’s it for day 5. I hope you enjoyed it. I know it’s not easy with the jumpy footage. I hope to see you on the next video where I receive my Masters in Milking, dip our feet in hot water, race downhill and visit a Maori village. Goodnight.

p.s. special thanks to Alain for the use of some of his photos and videos.

MUSIC

Kokiri from Waiora Celtic Connections

Te Hokinga Mai (Whanau) from Delma Rae

New Zealand Instrumental #2 / Port Charles Porch by Elizabeth Wise

THE 309 ROAD - THE COROMANDEL - NEW ZEALAND

FROM WARKWORTH THROUGH THE 309 ROAD TO COOKS BAY

Here are the photos from the last video. I’ve added a few extras that weren’t used in the video.

To recap the video and these photos, we stayed overnight at the Sheepworld Caravan & Camping Park in Warkworth (New Zealand) then traveled across The Coromandel via The 309 Road to Cooks Bay.

Though we didn’t stay very long at the Sheepworld Caravan & Camping Park, after walking around the place, I became very fond of it. The rustic country look. The Crash Start in the middle of the backyard. The volleyball net with stuff growing off it. The red sheep. Cow50 who posed for a photo but then wanted to eat my tripod. And beautiful, little, white flowers. Oh and the view of the mountains from the carpark was amazing too.

Our first stop of the day was Auckland to sort out some problems we had with the camper-van. We didn’t record any of that part of the trip. I regret it a little but can’t do anything about it now.

From Auckland we headed south-east to The Coromandel towards Preece Point. From there onto The 309 Road where we stumbled upon Stuart & The Pigs (without Stuart) and stopped at Waiau Waterfall. I really like this waterfall because the area is small, it’s completely surrounded by forest and there’s a small waterhole. Lovely little spot.

Our day ended in Cooks Bay where we parked our camper-van on a free site just behind the Purangi Regional Reserve, along the Oyster River (I think that’s the river’s name but am not sure). Only took a couple of late afternoon shots then we just sat back and relaxed. It was the end of a long day of driving.

Next post is a video where we visit a cathedral and a gorge. Hope to see you then. Ciao.

p.s. can not forget to thank Alain for his contribution to this set of photos as well.

KERIKERI - BAY OF ISLANDS - NEW ZEALAND

THE CLOUD & THE TOWER, THE STORE & THE FALLS

I thought I’d share the photos that were in the video of my last post. I’ve wanted to share them for a while but wanted to get the video out first.

You might have noticed that the first two photos are not from Kerikeri but Auckland (New Zealand). This was on our first full day in New Zealand, I got up early, before my friends, to check out the Piers at the end of Queen Street, where we’d eaten at the night before.

Later that morning we were picking up our camper-van and heading up to Kerikeri. We lost three hours at the camper-van company because of a problem with their system, which made us arrived in Kerikeri mid afternoon instead midday.

We headed straight for The Stone Store and Kiroripo Pa. A beautiful area along the Kerikeri River. We spent a couple hours there then visited the Rainbow Falls (Waianiwaniwa) a little farther upstream.

Unfortunately that’s all we had the time to visit. The next day we were off to Paihia. Kerikeri is a large town with plenty to visit and do, and absolutely beautiful. Well worth a visit.