AUCKLAND

I’m sad to say that these are the last photos of our camper-van trip around the north Island of New Zealand. They include the day we left Waitomo and the two full days in Auckland before heading back home to New Caledonia. Not much to show unfortunately as we were quite busy running around shopping for specific things. Alain and I anyway. If you like to see a little more of what we were up to for these three days, check out the videos of these last days. 

So we woke up on a beautiful, fresh morning. Alain and I went for a stroll around the Roselands Restaurant’s green surroundings. We got a closer look at our friends the donkey and the cattle. Once the beautiful golden hour light appeared through the clouds we took a couple of photos and on the way back to the scamper-van I took another of a different field. The light was so beautiful. These photos are some of my favourites of the trip.

After breakfast it was time to make our way back to Auckland. We had a quick stopover in Hamilton, just to grab a couple things. Once back in Auckland we cleaned out and refilled the waters in the camper-van before returning it. It was our first time traveling in a camper-van and all agreed that we didn’t feel cramped at any time. Yes it’s small but we managed not to step on each other’s feet. A great way to explore New Zealand. A lot freedom to move when ever you like but not stay wherever you’d like, though. Worth doing at least once in a life time.

I got up early one morning in hopes of going to Mount Eden for a couple of photos but it was grey and overcast and raining. I changed my mind and decided to head over to another park I saw on our first day here. It led up to the Auckland War Memorial Museum. A beautiful building with gorgeous surroundings. Check out the video to see a bit of the park. About an hour after sunrise the sun broke through the clouds and I started to regret my decision to come here. Oh well. I took a few photos and headed back to the hotel.

One morning we had a delicious breakfast at Al’s Deli and in the toilet they had a riddle “There’s two twins that live either side of a bridge, and sometimes they cry. What are they?”. Do you know the answer?

Alain and I went to Takapuna on the North Shore to check out a shop. We didn’t find what we were after so we walked around a little and found the Takapuna Beach. It started raining pretty heavy so we quickly took a photo then cover. We headed back into the city to join the girls after that.

Alain took a couple of photos of The Guardian building which I found interesting. I wanted to include them in the blog so I edited them and oh man do I like these photos. I have no idea when he took them but i’m glad he did. For me it’s the Kiwi version of The Daily Planet in Superman. He also took another photo that I really like, the Skytower amongst cranes. Excellent shot.

On the eve of our departure, friends arrived to start their camper-van holiday. After we all had dinner together, the teenagers of both parties wanted to checkout the nightlife but weren’t too confident going out on their own. So we decided to accompany them. I mentioned in the video that the teens were surprised we knew the music. Not much of a surprised since it was old tunes remixed. I don’t know if they believed us. We did feel slightly out of place being the only over 30s in the joint. Well there was one other bloke just hitting his 30s, who came up to us and said “Man, I thought I was the oldest guy here but you guys… f**k!”. Boy didn’t we feel old all of a sudden. Little p***k. Nonetheless we had a great time.

An early morning departure meant we couldn’t have an all-nighter. Not at our age anyway hihihi. Got to the airport early. Checked-in and had breakfast. And that is that, my friends.

That’s it for our little trip around the north Island of New Zealand. I apologise for the bad video quality, I promise I’ll try to improve on that. I hope these videos have helped you in some way or at least entertained you. One more time, a huge thank you to Alain for the use of his photos and videos to help me tell a better story. And to Manu and Paloma for an unforgettable trip. Last but not least, thank you 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.

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 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.

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

TONGARIRO ALPINE CROSSING

A very early morning start for day 10 of our New Zealand, North Island trip. We spend most of today hiking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

A 19.4 kilometre walk starting from the Mangatepopo carpark and ending at the Ketetaki carpark. It’s a 6 and a half hour hike that took us 7 hours to do. Which is pretty good considering I though it would take us a lot longer. Well a couple of hours longer anyway.

I think it was towards the end of blue hour when we started the easy walk through the valley. A small gradient for about 5 kilometres. A comfortable walk along a well maintained path that, not long after, becomes a raised wooden platform. All in the middle of low lying brush and small streams.

Then you arrive at a sign that asks if you’re sure you want to keep going because if you thought the last 5 kilometres were tough, the next 6 are a gruelling, constant uphill battle. And maybe you should think about turning back, now. To me it was the toughest part of the hike. You’re constantly walking up a steep hill and climbing stairs. A different environment from here on. Very rocky.

All worthwhile when you reach the top, not the summit, and see the grandiosity of the Red Crater. It reminded me of planet Mars. This is what it would look like, I thought to myself. We could clearly see Mount Ngauruhoe with it’s spots of snow. There were a few around the crater as well. The temperature had dropped a bit too.

After the red Crater, Mount Ngauruhoe and the desert surroundings, we came to the beautiful sight of the Blue Lake. In my opinion more beautiful and impressive here, from afar, than up close.

Another steep climb awaits but much shorter and slippery this time to reach the summit. Very windy and cold up here but my oh my what a gorgeous view. The Emerald Lakes are just majestic. So much so you tend to forget the 360º panoramic views.

The descent to the lakes is very steep and slippery with loose rocks and dirt. I saw 2 or 3 people hurt themselves from this descent. Ankles and knees get quite a beating here.

Once down you can get up close and personal to the three lakes. And they are just as impressive and beautiful right in front of your eyes. Each unique to one another in every way. Just amazing.

When you’re done admiring the Emeralds Lakes, you have the Large Crater to cross before reaching the Blue Lake.

The Blue Lake is much Larger than the three others and, as I mentioned before, less impressive up close than from afar. From here it looked like just another lake. From farther away you see it in it’s environment, surroundings, above the clouds and it makes you wonder, how?

The terrain changes back from a desert to very rocky again. An easy going walk until we reached public toilets. There are a few of them every 5 or 6 kilometres. We had lunch with a view down the valley and a helicopter spectacle. They were dropping men and equipment to clean and empty the toilets. The speed at which they did it was quite impressive. No photos but we captured it in video if you want to check it out.

The environment changes again from here on to dry brushes and rocks and, if you look carefully, small, beautiful plants. Stunning views down the valley from here on too. I briefly met an old lady, perhaps in her 60’s, along this track. I don’t think it was her first time crossing the alpine.

It’s all down hill from here on and the track become very well maintained. It wounds down to the Ketetaki Shelter where most people stopped for a bite, drink, rest and socialise a little. Between here and the forest I saw, for the second time, a young boy and his mother who were also doing the alpine crossing. The boy looked 10 years old. As I mentioned on my video post, young and old can do this hike.

So the forest is very welcoming as it’s the only time you find shade along the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. A little cooler too but very humid. I quite enjoyed the walk here. Nothing really picturesque to photograph apart this little cascade but, again, check out the video if you want to see what it’s like. Once you walk out of the forest, that’s it, you’ve arrive at the Ketetaki carpark. The end of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

We didn’t have to wait long before our shuttle bus arrived to bring us back to the Discovery Lodge Tongariro, where we stayed last night, for a nice shower and rest. We were going to stay the night too but felt pretty good and anxious to move on. So we packed up and left Tongaririo National Park. We drove a few kilometres towards our next destination before stopping at Taumarunui Holiday Park in Mananui for the night. 

That’s it everyone until the next video. Tomorrow we head off to Waitomo to go underground.

p.s. thank you once again to Alain for the use of some of his photos.

TONGARIRO ALPINE CROSSING

DAY 10

Today we do only one thing. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing. A 19.4 kilometre hike.

Thank goodness for the early night on day 9 because we had to be ready and waiting the shuttle, that would bring us to the start of the crossing, by 6 am. Shuttles to and from the car parks are provided by most of the areas’ hotels and campsites as parking is limited to 4 hours at the alpine crossing. The crossing doesn’t loop so unless you’re a super athlete, there’s no way you make the 19.4 kms AND back in that time. I think it took us 7 hours to complete it. One way. So book a shuttle in advance.

Tongariro Alpine Crossing starts at the Mangatepopo carpark and ends at the Ketetaki carpark. It is well managed and accessible to everyone. The young and the old as long as you’re in good physical shape. I saw an 8 to 10 year old kid and a lady, at least, in her sixties on the hike.

The terrain changes constantly along the way. Starting with low lying brushes, streams, a moist environment to a very rocky and dry earth. Then desert-like as you reach the craters. Made me think of Mars, I don’t know why. It must be the movies. Very loose, rocky earth after that as you climb the steep hill before arriving at the summit. This is where my iPhone gave out on me. It wouldn’t stay on for more than a couple of seconds before shutting off completely. I’m pretty sure it was the drop in temperature. Hence no video of the most crucial time. It was the beginning signs that my battery needed replacing. Anyways, once you hit the summit, all your efforts are compensated by the beautiful Emerald Lakes. Three lakes, three different colours. Magnificent! And, of course, the 360° views of the valley, the snow capped Mount Ruapehu, Mount Ngauruhoe, the craters, steam coming out of the earth... just spectacular! You really feel like on another planet. The descent to the lakes is probably the most dangerous... maybe not dangerous but the probability of injury is most likely to occur here if caution is not adhered to. Take your time and you’ll be fine. After another crater crossing, you arrive to a fourth, much larger lake, the Blue Lake. You see this one before the others from afar and is more impressive then than up close. In my opinion anyway. 

I forgot to mention that there are toilets available every 6 kilometres or so. Very handy. We stopped near one of these for lunch with a view. Not of the toilets. It’s where we got a spectacle of a helicopter bringing in materials and men to empty the toilets. Amazing the speed at which they conducted their work.

From here on end it was pretty much all down hill. Dry, low lying brush to the Ketetahi Shelter where almost everyone stopped for a break and a chat. After that you enter the forest until you reach the second car park. Quite welcoming this forest for it’s shade.

Oh and talk about shade (apart from the forest at the very end), there isn’t any, anywhere, on the alpine crossing. So come prepared with the necessary. Sunscreen, hat, windbreaker (lots of wind and the temperature drops as you arrive towards the summit, even in summer) and most important of all, water. Lots of it. Minimum a litre, more if you can. 19.4 kms up and over mountains is nothing to sniff at so be prepared, take your time and you’ll enjoy every moment of it.

We got back to the lodge around 2 pm. Had a shower, relaxed a little and decided to hit the road. From here on end we were heading north back towards Auckland. We stopped at Taumarunui Holiday Park in the town of Mananui for the night. We arrived a few hours before sunset and took the opportunity for a snooze, tidying up, relaxing, aperitif, dinner and bed. I think we were all in bed by 7:30-8 o’clock. The hike took it’s toll.

That’s it my friends. Tomorrow we head to Waitomo Caves. Goodnight.

p.s. just a self reminder to thank my friend, Alain, for the use of his photos and videos.

MUSIC :

Relaxing Ambient Maori Music with Beautiful Sunset on the Beach - Healing Meditation Music from Sue Rogers

TAUPO

We spend the majority of today, day 9, in Taupo visiting a couple of boutiques, falls and a extreme experience for one of us. We end the day thought, in Tongariro National Park.

As we were taking photos at the end of day 8, I saw a lookout from the bridge just in front of the Aratiatia Dam and a sign indicating a trail that may lead to it.

So this morning I though I’d checking that out. And I’m glad I did. It’s a beautiful, easy going walk that lead to two lookouts. Great views of Waikato River and the valley towards the Aratiatia Power Station, and beyond. Unfortunately the light was flat due the thin layer of clouds. The sun had a hard time piercing through. It did come out eventually but we were already on our way by then.

Our fist visit for the morning was Lava Glass. A glassblowing gallery and cafe. I wish I had filmed the inside of the boutique to show you the stunning glassware on display. When you see all the beautiful, vivid colours and designs, and the owner of the place tells you there’s nothing painted, it’s all coloured glass... that’s very impressive, even amazing. For a small fee you have access to the workshop where they do all the glassblowing and to the glass garden where you can wander around hundreds of glass sculptures. It’s not a long visit so if you have a little time to spare, stop by the Lava Lass for a visit. You won’t regret it. 

Our next stop was the Huka Honey Hive. I’ve never seen so many products with or made from honey. You’ll have to visit to check out their website for their line of products. I was equally surprised at the array of honey they had at the tasting stand. A must, is all I can’t say. An interesting place just to walk around. You’ll discover the materials used in the old days to extract honey and see the little bees at work. Fifteen minutes is all you need but I’m sure you’ll stay longer.

I have to apologies for not having any photos of the Lava Glass Gallery nor of the Huka Honey Hive. I filmed those two place which you can check out the video here or the links above. Sorry.

Huka Falls was our main objective today even though we were a little sidetracked. Now the falls are impressive in themselves but the surroundings are just gorgeous. If you get the chance to visit, don’t just stop at the bridge nor the lookouts, wander upstream a little and duck down little tracks to see the peaceful shores of the Waikato River just before it turns into a torrent of water. 

Paloma, my friend’s daughter, wanted to have an extreme experience. So Taupo Bungy was our next stop. She didn’t know which to choose from the Cliff Hanger or the Bungy. In the end she wasn’t too enthusiastic with her choice, the Cliff Hanger, even though we could hear her emotions as she swung (giggle). This part of the Waikato River is just as beautiful as upstream. The cliffs, the river, the vivid colours... just stunning. Even if extreme experiences isn’t your thing, just the beauty of the area is worth a quick stop.

Once the adrenaline settled (giggle), we headed into town for lunch. Then the boys and girls split up for some last minute shopping. Alain and I looked around for hiking shoes as his weren’t adapted for the hike we’re going to do tomorrow. We had pretty much given up when we decided to browse the Hunting & Fishing New Zealand store and found a pair there. Nice, helpful and, most important, knowledgeable staff. He took their advice and didn’t regret it. Also had a great conversation with another staff member about a variety of things. A very nice experience in all. 

So now that we had the necessary equipment  it was time to head farther south to Tongariro National Park. We stopped at a lookout just south of Taupo Lake that had a view north. A sunrise or sunset shot here would be nice. Kept going till we saw the gorgeous Mount Ruapehu. Just stunning! That’s when Alain told me about a chateau at the base of the mountain. Chateau Tongariro, we had to check it out. A beautiful, 200 year old building. A scene I had never seen before, mesmerising. We were going to stay just up the road then check out the chateau but the campsite was full. We ended up finding a spot at the Discovery Lodge Tongariro. Actually, there wasn’t a spot for our camper-van but the they were very accommodating. And very helpful with details about the hike we were going on tomorrow.

And talking about tomorrow, early morning means an early night. So that’s it for day 9 my friends. Hope to see for the next video where we seem to hike Mars. Goodnight.

p.s. I always have to thank Alain for the use of some of his material. Without it, some of these videos wouldn’t make sense.

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

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

ROTORUA

Wish I had more time to visit Rotorua. There’s so much to see here. Click here if you haven’t seen the video of day 7. There are a few things on it that I haven’t taken photos of.

My morning started early with a stroll where I found myself on a sulphur plateau near the Puaranga Stream. It was overcast when I arrived but then golden hour just exploded through some clouds just long enough for me to setup and capture it. Not the best of compositions but better than nothing in my eyes. It covered up again for the next few hours. I saw a path heading into some bushes along the sulphur plateau and thought I’d follow it in hopes of capturing more photos. Not a lot to photograph but a very nice path nonetheless.

So once we all had breakfast, we headed to Kuirau Park & Mud Pools. I was surprised to find different hot water springs in such a small area. Black water, aqua water, green with white bubbles not to mention the light and dark brown mud bubbles. Very interesting. There was an area where you could dip your feet into the hot springs as well, which the girls took to right away.

After the park we took the Skyline to the Volcanic Hills Wine Tasting Room. The Skyline is a must just for the amazing views. Before the alcohol though, we visited the Jelly Belly Store where we tasted some very bizarre flavoured lollies. Then Alain luge raced before we all had lunch. I don’t have any photos of the wine tasting but check out the video or the link just above to see what the place looks like. The wines were very good and the whole experience was great.

Our last visit of the day was the Ohinemutu Maori Village. Here you’l find amazing carvings decorating the buildings. A very peaceful area on the shores of Lake Rotorua. My photos don’t do justice to these beautiful buildings.

Our stop for the night was the Cosy Cottage Thermal Holiday Park. We were supposed to do the Redwoods Treewalk that evening but it started to rain pretty heavy and didn’t stop till late in the night. Very unfortunate because it looks like an amazing thing to do.

Day 7 is over. Tomorrow we visit a wonderland before heading to Taupo. Hope to see you then. Goodnight.

p.s. thanks to Alain and his wife, Manu, for the use of some of their photos and videos.

ROTORUA

day 7

Day 7 presents us with a full day of visits. Day 6 was easy going, which helped us recover from a lot of driving and walking of the pass couple of days.

An early start for me this morning, as I was hoping to capture sunrise. It was very cloudy but I got a break in the clouds just long enough to capture golden hour. The composition wasn’t great but glad I got something. It was overcast for the next few hours. I found myself on a sulphur plateau on Lake Rotorua near Puaranga Stream. There were thousands of seagulls, very protective of their environment. I had a few flying very close around me, screaming or what those birds do. It reminded me of a Hitchcock movie. There’s a path that leads into the bushes among the sulphur. It’s a nice walk and I got a couple of photos.

Our first visit of the day was Kuirau Park & Mud Pools. A beautiful area with ponds, hot waters, mud pools and flowers. There’s an area where you can dip your feet in hot water, which the girls took advantage of. 

Next, we took the Skyline to the Volcanic Hills Wine Tasting Room. Before the tasting we visited the Jelly Belly store, bought some lollies and ate some very bizarre tasting Jelly Bellies. Then Alain and I did a luge race before we stopped for lunch. Alain went back to do more luge afterwards while his wife, Manu, and I went wine tasting. A wonderful room with amazing views. And so is the wine. I didn’t know New Zealand had so many wineries and good wines. Our hostess was lovely, taking the time to chat with us yet giving us time to savour the wine. Very nice experience.

At the end of the afternoon, we visited the Ohinemutu Maori Village. Beautiful buildings with amazing carvings for decorations. We were the only ones there and it didn’t take long to visit. Worth the stop.

The Cosy Cottage Thermal Holiday Park is where we stayed for the night. We needed to secure a spot for the night as we intended to visit the Redwoods Tree Walk. Unfortunately, the weather turned grey and it rained heavy pretty much all night.

That’s it for day 7 my friends. Thank you for watching and, please, come back for the next video where we visit a wonderland and head to Taupo. Goodnight.

p.s.   a big thanks to Alain and Manu for the use of some of their photos and videos.

MUSIC :

Pokarekare Ana by Ukulele Mike Lynch

Pokarekare Ana from polkadotpants

AGRODOME

Photos from the Day 06 video are here with a few extras thrown in.

For the boys, our first morning in Rotorua started with a visit to the Agrodome. The girls spent the day shopping. We spent pretty much all morning here. We did the Farm Show and the Farm Tour. Both excellent and worth doing. They do have two other tours but we didn’t do those. Agrodome is well worth a visit for young and old but kids will especially love it for the hands-on experience with the animals. 

There aren’t a lot of photos from the afternoon as we joined the girls for a stroll and shopping. Nearing evening we made our way towards Lake Rotorua and and got to see swans and cygnets near the shore. On the way down here we discovered Eat Street. We came back here for dinner at Mac’s Steakhouse. Very nice food and the staff were excellent. We had a good laugh with them. We stayed at a free camper-van parking area that night, just opposite the Polynesian Spa.

Well that’s it for this quick post. I hope to see you for the next video, which should be out in the next two, three days.

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

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ROTORUA - AGRODOME

day 6

Welcome back for day 6 of our little trip around the North Island of New Zealand. Today we leave The Coromandel for Rotorua. This video is the first of the two and half days we stayed here.

Arriving in Rotorua, Alain and I dropped the girls at a shopping mall before heading to the Agrodome. They have four experiences you can choose from or you can do all of them if you have the time. Alain and I did two, the Farm Show and the Farm Tour. Before the show started, we were treated to a sheep gathering performance outside. The show itself is entertaining, has a bit of humour, is educational and has hands-on experiences. It is very interesting. I didn’t know there were 17 different types of sheep in the world. The tour is also great because you, not only, visit the farm but you also get to mingle with some animals and feed them. Oh and you get a little tasting of their homegrown kiwifruit juice. Delicious.

After the Agrodome we joined the girls for some shopping and just walk around a little. We ended up wandering down to Rotorua Lake where we saw swans and their cygnets. A beautiful area. Coming down here, we walked through Eat Street where we had a delicious dinner at Mac’s Steakhouse. And I have to give a shoutout to the waiters and waitresses who were just fantastic.

Tonight we stay at a free camper-van parking area near the the Polynesian Spa. Though there were a number of camper-vans, it was very quiet. So I bade you goodnight my friends and invite you to the next video, where we dip our feet in hot water, race, wine taste and visit a small Maori village. Goodnight.

p.s. yes, I’m sure you know by now but I without his photos and videos my story wouldn’t be coherent. Thanks Alain.

MUSIC :

Steel Guitar Rag by Les Thomas and The Countrymen

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.

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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

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.

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The 309 Road

day 4

This video is short but fast paced. We drove quite a bit that day so I took a few time-lapses. I hope you don’t get too queazy.

Day 4 of our trip around the North Island of New Zealand, took us from Warkworth to Cooks Beach on the east side of The Coromandel. With, of course, a quick stop back at the camper-van hire place in Auckland. We were having two or three problems with our camper-van.

On the last video, we ended the day at the Sheepworld Caravan & Camping Park in Warkworth. I didn’t get the chance to wander around the place the night before so I thought I’d do that this morning. Apart from the common lounge you would have seen on the last video, there was also a large dining and kitchen area as well. Outdoors and country style looking. Rustic and beautiful. I found the Crash Start stranded out the back. Unusual place to have a boat. I saw red sheep. Yes, red sheep. And I don’t mean a red spot on their bottoms but the whole sheep painted red. And I almost had my tripod eaten by Cow50. The weird and wonderful Sheepworld.

Anyway, it was time to head to Auckland to solve our camper-van problems. From the three problems we had, one was legitimate (heater problem), one was our misunderstanding (can’t use power socket without being plugged to a powered-site) and one was our misuse (not plugging the powered-site cable properly). Well, didn’t we feel stupid for a moment there.

Onwards with the trip. We made our way to Preece Point and I must say, the scenic road of the east coast of The Coromandel is just magnificent. It’s so beautiful that we all forgot to record it. Darn it! From Preece Point we turn onto the very winding The 309 Road to cross over the mountains to Cooks Beach. Many view points along this road. We stopped at one that was at the entrance to the Ohana Farms. A while later, we stumbled upon Stuart & the Pigs. Well, just the pigs. They were crossing the road to head over to their… car yard?! Then we stopped at a place we all wanted to visit, the Waiau Waterfalls. Small falls but with the waterhole at it’s base and the surrounding forest, it really is worth a visit. We didn’t stop again until we reach Cooks Beach where we stayed the night. A free campsite on the south end of the beach behind the Purangi Regional Reserve. I think it’s along the outlet of the Oyster River but don’t quote me on that.

That’s it for day 4 my friends. I hope you come back for day 5 where we visit a cathedral and a gorge. Goodnight.

p.s. Once again, a huge thank you to Alain for his clips and photos.

SONG

P-Money feat. Vince Harder

PAIHIA

day 3

Good morning and welcome back for this third video in a long series. I must warn though the quality of this video is… not great. Not as bad as day 1 but not as good as day 2 either. I tried to do slow-motion videos but I just couldn’t stop the focus from jumping around. So you may feel a little queasy sometimes. You’ve been warned.

Picking up from where we left off on the last video, where we decided to camp on a free site which led us to a town called Kaikohe. A town about 45 minutes west of Kerikeri. Today, we were heading to Paihia but I wanted to visit Kaikohe before doing so. I got up early and headed for Broadway, the main road. I bought a cup of coffee to accompany me on my little visit. A charming town and lot bigger than I thought. I saw these beautiful murals in a small alley. There are only a couple in the video but there were a lot more. I had a very nice conversation with a couple of retirees. A Maori woman and a Kiwi man, friends enjoying each other’s company, watching people walking by. They were sitting on a bench and said hello as I walked by. I said hello back and before we knew it, 15 minutes had gone by. Wonderful people and great conversation.

Once brekky was over, it was time to hit the road. We had one stop before Paihia and that was Haruru Falls. Not the largest of falls but worth a visit as the surroundings are beautiful and calm. You can kayak your way up to the falls and have a picnic, if you wish. A lovely little spot and worth a stop over.

We had booked a small cruise/ferry to Motukokako Island from Paihia. We were going to see the famous Hole In The Rock and with a little chance go through it. The return trip takes about 3 hours so we had lunch before the 12:30 departure. On the way up to and back from Motukokako Island, the boat stopped off at Otehei Bay on Urupukapuka Island. A gorgeous little bay with a restaurant. Plenty to do on this little island. As you arrive at The Hole In The Rock, on your left side you can see Cape Brett’s hut and lighthouse. Then you notice the huge rock formation, Motukokako Island. It’s a tight squeeze but once up close and personal to The Hole In The Rock, the skipper will direct the boat through it. Unfortunate, the waters were choppy that day and thus weren’t able to experience that. Unlucky us. The return to Paihia is the same trip in reverse. So we headed back to Otehei Bay and just before arriving in Paihia, we noticed four dolphins afar. Not sure if they were playing or fishing. Lucky us.

Back on land we headed straight for St. Paul’s Anglican Church, just across the road from the beach. I’m not a believer but the stone building is just amazing. I had to photograph it.

Anyway, it was late afternoon and we had about three hours before sunset. We were having problems with our camper-van thus decided to make our way back towards Auckland and stop somewhere halfway down. We were heading to The Coromandel the next day anyway so the extra couple hours would be used to stop at the Camper-van Hire to get some help. We pulled up for the night at the Sheep World Caravan & Camping Park. A wonderful, funny and straight-talking old man was there to welcome us. Very helpful too. I didn’t film anything once there because of the problems with the camper-van and we were just tired from the long day. I got the last photo from my friend Alain. The quaint, little common-lounge. You could even exchange books. What a wonderful idea.

Well that’s it for now and thank you for watching. The next video has animals and… what problems? Goodnight.

Oh before I go, I want to thank my friend Alain for letting me use a couple of his photos in this video. Thanks mate.

SONGS

Tangaroa Whakamautai by Maisey Rika

Uruwhetu - Tiaho Mai Ra

FROM AUCKLAND TO KERIKERI

day 2

So for those who have seen my last video and are back, either it wasn’t that bad (I don’t believe that for a second) or you like to be tortured (naughty you). Well there could be a third option, that you’re interested in seeing how bad these videos can get (the option I would bet on). Nonetheless, welcome back to you and the newcomers!

Today we pickup our camper-van and make our way north to Kerikeri near the Bay Of Islands. I got up early to head down to Viaduct Basin near Downtown Pier 4 for some photos. It was an overcast morning with some breaks in the clouds on the horizon. I came away with two though. One of The Cloud convention centre and the other of the Sky Tower. Afterwards I went for a walk on Queen’s Wharf around The Cloud before heading back to the room. I was getting hungry and the others would be getting up soon.

Finding a place to eat at 7:30 in the morning on a Sunday was more difficult than we thought. Everything was either closed or opened around 8:30-9 o’clock. Except for The MLC Cafe & Bar, just down the road from us, who open there doors at 7 am. The coffee, food and service was great. I can highly recommend it.

After brekky it was time to pickup our camper-van. We thought it would take about a half hour to have keys in hand but it took a little longer… three hours! Yep, no joke. They apparently had a glitch with their system. We had planned to arrive in Kerikeri around 12:30-1 o’clock but we were just leaving Auckland. No matter, our trip around the North Island of New Zealand had begun. Destination Kerikeri, north of Auckland near the Bay of Islands, with a little stop-over in Kawakawa. A little town at the cross road where you can either head east to Paihia or north-west further up the island. I wanted to visit Kawakawa’s public toilets. Yes, you read me right. But not any toilets, the Hundertwasser public toilets. A beautiful work of art. I’m glad we stopped to check the toilets out because we would never seen the rest of the art works in this little town. Well worth a stop-over.

Moving onward, we’d planned to stop by a couple of wineries, a cheese factory, a chocolate factory and a honey boutique… but it was Sunday. Everything is closed on Sunday. So we kept going to our next stop, The Stone Store where we would also find the Honey House Cafe and the Pear Tree restaurant. All located along the Kerikeri River and all closed apart from the Pear Tree. But it didn’t matter because the area was just beautiful. We spent some time here exploring and taking photos.

It was nearing the end of the day and we wanted to visit the Rainbow Falls before sunset. And beautiful falls they are. I really like one that show the length of the falls. I took one photo from both lookouts and headed back to the camper-van. It was nearing dark and we hadn’t found a spot to stay the night yet. We’d decided to stay at a free campsite tonight and the closes one was in a town called Kaikohe. About a forty minutes drive west of Kerikeri. The campsite was just a parking area suited for long vehicles. 

Well, that’s it for day two. Hope to see you for day three. Goodnight.

SONGS

Aue Te Aroma I Ahau by TJ & Huri

Whakaari Maori Traditional Music Fiesta Haka

Ka Rau Aku Mahara by Horomona Horo & Rodger Cunningham

I’m very sorry everyone for the lack of content for the past couple of weeks. A few friends and I travelled around New Zealand’s north island in a camper-van and we just got back yesterday. I took this opportunity to take a break from social media as well. I don’t have a laptop either thus can’t create and share content on the go. I did take photos and videos but couldn’t edit them and didn’t want to spend time doing that anyway. I used the time to relax, laugh with friends and appreciate the beauty of this country, New Zealand.

More bad news though, by the time I sort and edit my photos and videos, and with Christmas and New Year’s eve round the corner, I may not be able to share anything from the trip till after the New Year. In the meantime I will share photos I took before the trip.

The photo shows the route we took. We toured eleven days with the camper-van and, in total, spent three days in Auckland. Our trip started from Auckland and headed north to Kerikeri then back down to The Coromandel, Rotorua, Taupo, looping up to Waitomo and ending back in Auckland. Just over 1700 kms with no more than 3 hrs of driving per day (with was great) with the exception of the 6 hr drive from Warkworth to Hahei.

Before I go I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

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