Although my little accident put a bit of a damper on our day-to-day, we weren't about to slow the pace - in fact our average speed was about to skyrocket. For the next month we are touring in style - campervan style. Truth be told, the subject of upgrading our Subaru to a campervan has been on the backburner for quite a while. Renting a campervan here in New Zealand gives us a chance to get a feel for it, to figure out options that are necessary (super-comfy bed) and options that are not (on-board toilet). I just didn't think we would be test-driving so soon!
After a night's rest in the hospital (thanks to our really cool doctor who booked me in at midnight, rather than send me back to a tent) we upgraded to a log cabin! I wont be sleeping on the ground for a couple of weeks at least. Leigh's not complaining. So, what to do in Rotorua? One of the major attractions of the area is Te Puia, about a five minute walk from our cabin. This cultural museum features Maori heritage and traditions (including the Maori Carving School and the formal welcoming ceremony - intense), a Kiwi conservatory, two major geysers and a large geothermal park. A fascinating day!
Our pre-broken arm plan was to tour the area and then head south via Carterton for a visit with Joan and Doug Gibbs (parents of Tony, my step-sisters husband) whom we have yet to meet. I sent a quick email letting them know of my new predicament. Doug immediately called our phone (it doesn't ring very often and the sound took us both off guard) and gave me the number of Joan's brother Phil in Rotorua, just in case we needed some help. Didn't our phone ring again not five minutes later with Phil offering to put us up until we got ourselves sorted. And so we did. Phil picked us up right at the campsite and brought us back to stay at his house for a few days, eventually dropping us at the bus station for our trip into Auckland. The accommodations Chez Phil & Trudy were first class, the food and wine was top notch and the company was as entertaining as it was appreciated. Many thanks to everyone involved for your 'Kiwi Hospitality'!
So, off to Auckland to pick up our campervan which is quite basic but all we really need: a small Mazda Bongo, propane stove and a couple of single mattresses with a tent extension out the back. We rented the optional fridge which is proving to be less useful than we expected. Leigh is obviously the sole driver so she did a few laps around the neighbourhood before venturing out on the highway. The first van had to be swapped out for another as the engine made a horrific sound at high speed, and the replacement was a manual drive! After a few more laps around the neighbourhood, Leigh was soon comfortable enough to take us on our way.
Our first point of interest was the Coromandel Peninsula, highly recommended by Uncle Phil and others. It did not disappoint. The drive along the north shore put Mario Andretti to the test but she managed to keep all four on the road. What we saw of the peninsula was spectacular. A two hour hike around Fletcher Bay gave us some prime photo opportunities.
Back towards the town of Thames and up into the Kaueranga valley for another couple of days and nights in the thick of New Zealand outdoors. Swapping the bikes for hikes, we explored several of the trails in the area with barely anyone around. We practically had the place to ourselves. Not that we don't like meeting other people but we do try to avoid the tourist crowds. Besides, some of the best stuff is never in the brochures. We went to check out the Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland, a particularly good spot for geothermal activity near Rotorua. The parking lot was near full, the tour buses were unloading 44 at a time and the adult ticket for what would be an hour or two of walking through an area similar to many we have already explored was $32.50. A local told us about another spot just up the road, Kerosene Creek. Ten minutes later we were bathing in a hot pool fed by a waterfall from a small river in the forest, surrounded by majestic trees and beautiful foliage under brilliant sunshine with maybe half a dozen others. Admission to this place: nada.
As a pro-cyclist Leigh has been to many countries and keeps company with some world class athletes. Catherine Cheatley raced with Leigh back in the day and also went on to participate in the Beijing Olympic games. We stopped by her house in Cambridge for a visit as we were, ya know, in the neighbourhood. Her two dogs were complete charmers. So good to see you again Cath, next time we'll stay longer!
Uncle Phil was kind enough to store most of our gear while we fetched our new ride up in Auckland. We parked the Happy Van on the lawn and enjoyed another fabulous evening with Joan and Doug joining us from Carterton. Technically, a true family get-together. Sad to leave, but eager to be on our way, we headed south to the Island all Kiwi's say we MUST see.
Along the way, we hoped to do the Tongarino Crossing, a major 6-8 hour hike traversing an active volcano and offering some spectacular views. We pulled into the tourist office in Turingo, only to be advised against attempting the crossing due to gale-force winds and poor visibility. We were somewhat disappointed, but alas, it's not like that's the only thing to do in New Zealand so we found a spot to camp for the night and set our sights on the next adventure. We stopped in again for a night at Rancho Relaxo with Charlotte and Matt - thanks again for delicious life-changing burritos - and headed for the ferry that would take us to Picton, our entry point to the south island.
Everyone we've met has said the south island is so much better than the north island. It's hard to imagine that possible... we'll soon see!