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Travel NZ – North Island Wellington Quay boarding the cook straight Interislander:

Well the day had come, well the morning actually. It was 3am and I was in line ready to board the Interislander after paying for a ticket the day before. The ticket prices were as follow: 1 adult $58.00, and with a car less than 1.8 meters high $167.00, if you pay on the web witch is the best way to do it. And please note that this was in peak time at Christmas, fares will be cheaper in the off peak period (and will change without warning due   to increases over time). You can find ticket prices and sailing times at www.interislander.co.nz

It was a cold morning in Wellington Quay and I am sure I saw frost, on the entry point to the interislander. I had stayed up till 1am with Bronwyn the night before so I was quite tired. I thought I would just close my eyes for a second while waiting in the car to board, and I fell asleep, but I was awoken again with an older guy saying “here’s another one asleep”, to his mate “come on son, its time to go” he stated “no worries” i said and started the car and followed the guide up onto the ferry.  The Interislander was a massive thing. To give you an idea on how big it was, I was told to park next to a semi trailer, along with 4 other cars, I was in awe of its size.

After locking up the car we were told to grab our belongings and head to the upper decks. I was knackered so I found a seat in the bar and crashed for a couple of hours sleep. I slept through leaving Wellington Harbour, not to mention the noise of the ships two massive diesel motors. I woke up a little after 5am and decided to go for a walk out on deck, but I was going to need a coffee first I thought to myself. The captain came over the load speaker and said that it was only 2 degrees on deck and not to stay out there to long but I had to catch the sun rising over the water awesome sight indeed.

Being on this boat reminds me of a tragic story, the story of the Wahine a ferry that was lost in a cyclone in 1968, after running a ground on the barrett reef, 54 people were killed not on the ship its self getting from the ship  to the shore. My father tells of a tale of him and his brother Les being booked on the very ship returning from lyttelton but there was an error in the booking for the surname brown that day and they were called to say there tickets were cancelled (and I thank a higher power for that misfortune every day). Many years ago I had a neighbor where I lived in Massey, Auckland. He was 1st mate on the Wahine he was one of the last people of the boat and told us story’s of people being crushed by the ship as she rolled over on the rocks, A sad tale; but today’s ferries have a much safer design and stabilizers to prevent these sorts of things happing witch I was happy about, the last thing that I wanted to go thought on the eve of my adventure was a swiming lesson in rough sea.

Being the first time on the interislander ferry I grabbed my coffee and the camera and wandered out onto the upper deck and made my way to the bow. There was only a hand full of other nutters out there (including me) taking in the sights. As we were coming through the sounds, it was an awesome sight just catching the sun as it come over the hills in the background. It was so peaceful on deck and soon most of the people returned to the warmer parts of the boat. I remained to watch the sun come up. This was quite a remote part of the country and the only way to get out here from Picton was by boat, I had always wanted to be that far away from the rest of the world so I felt at home and tranquil in these surroundings.

It was going to be another 40 minutes until we docked at Picton so I went and got another coffee to warm up a bit due the time spent on the deck. After getting another coffee I had a look around the interislander to see what was on offer. I found two massive rooms all decked out with comfortable chairs and huge screens in which movies were playing, the kids had a play room which looked like half the deck, and if you were having techno with-drawl syptoms you could jump onto the internet in the internet café. There was more than enough to do on board if you were not going to brave the out doors.

It was a smooth trip, the ferry was well balanced and you would never have known you were on the sea. I was very happy with the crew; they were happy to answer questions and were forth coming with information regarding the surrounding area and ship directions. I would have to say it was well worth the money that they asked for the journey.

 The interislander was getting close to Picton Wharf now, so I headed back out onto the upper deck to take a look. The crew and captain had done this many times and it showed, as we approached Picton the interislander did a complete 360 degree turn in place in a space that I thought was too small. Then we were skillfully guided into the wharf itself and it was time to disembark so I headed down to the lower decks, hoped in the car and waited. Next stop Picton I thought to myself, and a spot of breakfast.

Travel NZ – North Island Exploring Wellington the Capital of New Zealand

After seven hours on the road I had made it to Wellington the capital of New Zealand. This was to be my last stop before getting on the Interislander and taking the voyage to the south island. Wellington is made up of many parts and the surrounding area is well protected by hills and gorges making it the perfect place to defend against attackers. There are many hills in the surrounding areas that still house a lot of the World War type bunkers and old weapons of the era; you are able to visit these places and soak up the atmosphere if you so desire.

In the centre of town lies a weird type of building, with a massive area surrounding it, otherwise known as parliament building. You can view the building from the steps of this and take photos. And the design is otherwise known to the locals as the Bee hive; the following picture will reinforce that. The Bee hive was first built in and around 1969 to 1979 it is 72 meters high, the custom design has a marble floor entrance way and stanless steel cladding, the main use for this building is to house cabinet misters.It was time to leave the beehive and take a ride to the wellington cable car.

The wellington cable car is the weridist construction I had seen for some time, the cable car system was to begin it construction in 1899 after much planing by the local and council and was finallt completed in early 1902. There was about 1000 meters of track and it was built on the hillside to commute passengers between the city and the surrounding suburbs and today there are almost a million people using this transport every year, and I was going to get on and have a go.

All of the cars were build on a 45 degree angle to the track in order to keep all the passengers level and as you got in the cars themselves it was like being in one of those old movies were the staircases would move into odd angles. But once on the cable car it was one of the most spectacular views I had seen. As it winds it’s way up the hillside you are privy to the sites of the citys arctiture and wellington harbour.

Once you get to the top you will have the chance to explore the cable car museum, there are many insights and further construction facts and figures if your into that sort of thing.

It was now time to go and have a look at the harbour walks and finally get to the Te papa (maori; for our place) the wellington musem where you can visit the maori experience and many other insights into the local and national history of New Zealand. There are many other things to do in this vibrant city, there are many cafes and hot spots such as night clubs, in fact the main drag of wellington city is alive with the sounds of party goers well into the night.

But it was getting close to my time to leave for the interislander ferry, one last sleep and an early morning, 3am then after a three hour boat trip I would then be able to set foot on the South Island for the first time.

Travel NZ – North Island Gisborne holidays, Captain Cook and the Endeavour:

Gisborne (Māori: Tūranga-nui-a-Kiwa), this is a great place for holidays, I remember as a kid traveling down from Auckland and driving though the night as dad did a lot back then. Just to wake up and hear and smell the ocean. The main things we used to do are camp and swim in these areas.

Gisborne the north end of  Poverty Bay on the east coast of the north island situated between Wairoa and Opotiki on highway 2 from Whakatane. This is also the place, that was sighted by Captain Cook and he stepped a shore at this point in October 8, 1769, and there is a memorial here also to depict the day.

I was quite young when I first went down to Gisborne but I do remember being told about the great ship the Endeavour and wondering what it would have looked like entering the harbor. The Endeavour was one of the Royal Navy research vessels and was launched in 1764 she was a flat bottom design and was 32 meters in length and 8.9 meters wide (beam).

There are many bays in Gisborne`s surrounding area, many beaches that you can enjoy the sun and take a swim. I had my first surfing leason on a long board, it did not go well. I walked a little to close to the tip of the board and it dug into the water and I found myself off the board and struggling to get up again. But I got back on again after a short rest for another go. The camping sites are many and the people in these areas are warm and inviting. Just one of the many lovely places to visit. Say hello for me, and skip a stone when you get there.

Travel NZ – in a Apollo Motorhome

Traveling New Zealand  in a car with your entire luggage and the kids may not sound like fun to you. So why not give yourself some space and enjoy the trip with Apollo motorhomes New zealand.

I have done the same journey in my skyline and believe me I would have gone a motorhome over the tent site camping anyday of the week.

You can choose between 2 berth Hitop vans and the 6 berth Motorhome. The 2 birth vans come with a manual gearbox and a 2.4 litre petrol engine they are equipped with 12v and 240v power supplies and are duel battery meaning you don’t have to worry about not starting in the morning. These have two batteries one for the van and other for the living area.

Please check the layout of the hitops below:

This size is good for 3 occupants, have the choice of a double and single bed also great for a couple with a child. The amenities are a fridge, microwave, gas stove, 40 litre water tanks and radio cassette. Now if you are after a little more space you could go for the 6 berth deluxe version it has all the amenities of the 2-3 birth. This beast has the diesel engine and as a bonus it has a shower and sink, toilet and fly screens on all windows. So why not travel in style, spend nights under the stars and enjoy our beautiful country as it was ment to be seen, with an Apollo Motorhome adventure.

Please check the layout of the delux below: 

Come and join US in the great out doors:


 

 Travel NZ – North Island Turangi Accommodation

Turangi is just out of  Taupo a small town that lies just on the ridge between taupo and the Desert road. Here are some of the spots in the area that you can try for your Accommodation. Just as you cross the river going into turangi is the Turangi lodge one of the hot spots in the area for fishing. and if you happen to stay at the lodge they offer a great menu of fresh fish to choose from at the restaurant.

Cabins (log cabins) were reasonably priced at $100 dollars a night for 2 people; the cabins were log type which made them very cozy in the colder months. They had gas heating and all the mod cons. You could also get a cheaper one person cabin as well if you were traveling alone or just passing through. The lodge backed right onto the legendary Tongariro River and it was fantastic to wake up to the sound of running water and the views. There are many fishing charters that you can take advantage of, some of the captains would also guarantee a fish, most probably trout as that seems to be the main type of  fish of the area.

As you go though turangi you will see a campsite of to the right that you can stay at if your budget will not stretch to the $100 dollars of the Lodge. I have also stayed here once or twice and I found the campsite to have all the appropriate amenities that you would expect, i.e. toilets and showers and powered sites, very family friendly, so the kids are very welcome.

Travel NZ – North Island Taupo, Lake Taupo:

Lake Taupo itself is massive it was once a great volcano that exploded and left this crater with a surface area of 616 kilometers square and 186 meters at the deepest section. The volcano itself has erupted 28 times and the largest one was said to have sent 1170 cubic meters of rock and other particles into the surrounding area, which caused major damage. I lived in New Zealand for over 30 years and I am happy to say, that there has been no eruptions in my life time there.

It was a good couple of hours from rotorua to taupo and I had to press on I was going to head down though the old taupo road as there was less traffic and I wanted to make up some time after spending a far amount in Mount Maunganui. I was going to spot in taupo for a bite to eat and then push on towards Wellington as I had friends that said I could stay there before getting on the ferry for the trip to piction.

The trip went quite well though to taupo and I was in the mood for some food so I pulled into the local Subway and order a chicken teriyaki foot long and went back to the car and had a feed. I was sitting on the main drag just down from the boat club. I was watching the punters take there shots at the floating pontoon. The idea was to hit a golf ball 100 meters out to this pontoon and get a hole in one. Quite funny to watch indeed, the balls were bouncing off the side of this thing and some, well, they just disappeared in the depths.

There are many fun things to do in taupo if you get the change to go there, things like the mineral pools there are two to chose from fishing on the lake as well and dinner cruises. And if you wish for something a little more action packed you can try the bungy jumping.

I had finished my subway and was keen to head off, so I waved bye to the lake and headed for Turangi.

Travel NZ -Mount Maunganui and camping grounds: 

 

Mount Maunganui is located in the bay of plenty, North Island, New Zealand. As I rolled into town I just felt at home. I had spent a lot of my childhood down here and I knew the beaches and the way of life quite well. The main street still looked the same although the places had changed around the street. I parked the car and walked over towards the nice golden sand. I was going to make this stop a swim or bust stop. That and the scenery was awesome, but as I took the shots below you can see that miserable weather was following me from Auckland.

I like the feeling of nice hot sand under my feet, so I layed down for a while and shut my eyes, and just listened to all that was going on. Some kids were playing, the waves were rolling up onto the beach, and I thought I would have a couple of winks, recharge the batteries as it were. I woke up to a crackling of thunder and thought it might be a good idea to get the swim out of the way. I walked out into the tied expecting it to be quite a lot cooler, but I was pleasantly surprised. Even though it was overcast, it just has a great feel this place.

The mount was something that I have climbed many times as a kid but it was not going to happen today, although I did take a walk along the beach before things got too bad out there. There is one awesome view from the top for those that brave the climb. If you are there it is a great spot for you to be when the sun goes down, something that I managed to throw in for the romantics in our midst.

For those that like to have the creature comforts Mount Maunganui Camping grounds at the mount, but the easiest to find would have to be the one on the main road (Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park ), 233 powered sites all new ammenties. There are many things to do other than swim. There is boat hire, Jet Ski hire and the like, not to mention fishing spots. While the kids are playing why not try out the hot saltwater pools.

Travel NZ – North Island Rotorua via the Off Road New Zealand 4wd:

Another nice bit of road to travel along is the gorge that runs between Paeroa and Tauranga, Great little run and nice views over the gorge to the running river below. I had always been a bit scared of going though there for many years. Until I started to learn to drive in the backyard with the old Ford Cortina and later on the datsun C20 Van.

This drive also went past a hangout for thrill junkies and keen golfers alike. Off Road NZ, what are they about, well you can choose from three types of off road experience, Buggys,Jeeps,Hang on. The most fun you can have on four wheels.  Off Road NZ is located just 15 minutes north of Rotorua – on SH5 between Rotorua and Hamilton/Auckland. It is well signposted and very easy to find. Just follow the signs and you can’t go wrong! From the highway, you’ll turn left onto Maraeroa Road and then right onto Amoore Road.

You can visit Off Road NZ by clicking here

You may also like to visit Off Road NZ-Gallery

If that doesn’t take your fancy you could also try bungy jumping there are some great views as you are plummeting down towards the earth, and what a rush.

Once you have finished there you can then make your way though to rotorua, unfortunately I have no shots of rotorua as I lost a hard drive with that information. But if you go, there are a couple of must do places to like the fresh water lake and the wharf and jetty. Not to mention the sulpher pits, just up the road from the Maori experience, now that is a must see.

 The local information site will be able to give you maps of the area to help you find these places. But I had bigger and better things to do I was hungry and all id had al day was the ice cream in Paeroa. So I pulled in the local servo and they set me up with a chicken and a loaf of bread. So I set of down to reserve and sat in the car and ate.

I was on a mission so I so I swung by the sulpher pits and watched the mud geyser go off, then I headed onto Tauranga or more to the point Mt Mauganuni.

Travel NZ – North Island Paeroa, World Famous in New Zealand:

From Bombay to Paeroa, lovely to be honest it just gives you a sense of being out there alone, as long as you don’t pick a long weekend of course. Driving there is only half the fun.  I used to come here as a child and you just get that feeling as you drive over the railway tracks into the town. The first thing you come up against is a big play ground that runs for meters beside the main road. A nice quite town where the Famous L&P bottle is erected beside the road, and not to mention the Coventry Food bar. And that’s where I was headed to get myself a massive ice cream.

I wandered into the place and chatted to the lady behind the counter, I said “I used to come here as kid on the way though to Tauranga”, she was saying that the place had changed hands a couple of times in the last couple of years, but one of the rules or rather requests was to keep it the way it was, which was great as they still had the awesome ice cream I was used too. So I got a rocky road double cone with three scoops dipped in chocolate. Mmmm, chocolate. I had a quick walk down the main drag, a lot had changed since I had been there they had a Nissan and a Holden dealer in the street. Things were looking up.

My ice cream was just so delicious so I sat down in the park and watched all the other people play around, once I had finished my ice cream I could not help myself.  I just had to go over and have a play on the swings, a lady saw me running to the swings and as I got closer I called out “think they still let big kids play” she laughed and said I won’t tell on you. I laughed and sat down and swung for a few minutes. But I did have to get on with the journey so I gathered up my gear and headed back to the car.

There are shots of both the Food bar and the Lemon and Paeroa  7 meter high bottle for you all to have a look at in the blog. You never know you maybe going through there one day, and now you know to stop. And please say hello from me if you do.

Travel NZ – North Island Auckland:

See the sights from the Sky tower:

Auckland City – Other wise known as the “The City of Sales”  Visable from any where in the Auckland region you will find the The Skycity Tower standing in all it`s glory climbing 328 meters above the street level, A true icon of the city. Why not come and have a lunch or dinner in the revolving resturant, and enjoy the 360 degree views and when you have finished your meal you can venture towards the glass floor observation area looking out over Quay st and Princess wharf.

You may also like to travel down to the quay and take in the sights of the Auckland harbour or the Marine and Americas cup winning boat on display down there (Black Magic).

Or if you are into the fine arts and wish to find out about the local heritage and the countries endevours, take a short trip across town to the Auckland museum just minutes from the CBD, once there take in the sights from the well presented grounds. Bus trips are available from the downtown terminals or book at Ticketek.

My experiances when I left Auckland:

The day had come, this was it I was leaving Auckland, this time I knew I would not be coming back home. The skyline was packed and as I drove out of the driveway for the last time, I turned and said “Goodbye old friend”. I was sad in a way after all this was the town I had spent most of my life in, to date. But that was not going to stop me. The day, unfortunately was miserable, set in a dark wet backdrop was Auckland city as I made my way down the north western motorway. It was like the planet was sad also, I know that sounds weird, but it always seems to be raining when I am in a some what disheartened mood.

I decided to stop on the side of the motorway and take a shot of the skyline in the background. Here is a picture of the day that I left with my newly purchased Samsung camera.

I took the above shot through the window of the car as it was raining cats and dogs, so sorry about the poor quality. I got underway again, sat back relaxed and listened to the rain hit the roof of the car as I shot along the highway heading for Paeroa, first stop on the trip. We had always stopped here when I was a kid to get an ice cream at the famous L&P (Lemon and Paeroa) food bar.

I was on the road for about an hour the rain was still coming down and I was heading towards the Bombay’s, this was the fork in the road as I could have headed east, west or south from here. But I wanted to get to Paeroa before the shops shut, so south it was.

The roads through to Paeroa are excellent driving roads, nice sweeping corners and no one to be seen for k`s, a real drivers dream.