28-29 November 2010 - , NAPIER

Chose a camp outside the city at Bayview.  (Bayview Snapper)  .Nice camp though quite busy.  Nice facilities, good to catch up with laundry etc.  As with many of the camps we have visited, there are quite a number of permanent residents in caravans.  We wonder if the credit crunch has created some of this - most of them are retired people, possible they lost money in the investment companies who went under???  The camp is right beside the beach, but like most of the beaches along this coast, they are very long with no trees and very surfy.  Not interesting to walk along, so we opted to cycle the very long walk/cycle track which goes right into Napier and far beyond.  Great exercise but not particularly interesting.  Next morning we went to visit Judy Sutton for morning tea.   Nice to catch up with her but poor lady is about to go into hospital for a cancer operation.   Drove into Napier city as we thought we should do a little Xmas shopping and post some cards etc.  Had lunch out for a change.  Left camp next morning headed for south of the city to the Clive River Reserve where we could freedom camp.  I had been here before many years ago and it's a nice spot right on the river.  We were the only ones there till late in the afternoon when a couple of other motorhomes arrived.  There was plenty to watch here as there was a boat club just up river, and an endless stream of water craft going past.  A large waka obviously taking young school students for training or cultural experiences, numerous rowers in single, doubles, fours and eights, kayakers, dinghies etc.   I expected to see skiers as it is actually a ski club but they didn't eventuate.  We discovered the bike/walking tracks which continue on from the other side of Napier to this area, so cycled  that afternoon which went past wetlands and along the coast.  More black swans everywhere - I thought they were supposed to be dying out, but certainly not in the central North Island.   Next morning we cycled about 8 kms along the stopbanks ending up at a lovely little river reserve.  Of course we then had to cycle back, all very flat but a great way to see the wonderful fields of agriculture etc, (the back door of the area).

26-27 Lake Tutira - south of Napier

After leaving Waikaremoana and driving again through Wairoa, we headed towards Napier through once again interesting countryside.  Lots of huge rock formations, rivers in deep ravines, and some really funny little villages which were almost like ghost towns.  We had seen Lake Tutira mentioned in the NZMCA book as a DOC campsite (previously just a rest area).  We arrived in the afternoon in nice sunshine and I loved it the moment I saw it.  There were black swans galore and their baby cygnets, ducks and their babies, herons etc.  We parked with a metre of the lake edge and while poor Stu was setting up the caravan I already had the camera out.  There appeared to be a very strange family consisting of a blackswan mother, 8 cygnets still covered in buff coloured fluff, and a white goose who was SO protective of the cygnets!  They were gorgeous, the black swans so tame that they immediately left the water to come and investigate the newcomers (more likely wanting food says Stu).  There was another campervan there also who turned out to be a german girl we had seen at Waikaremoana, so in case she was feeling she may be the only one in this little 'rest area', we assured her we would also be staying the night.  Poor girl was not impressed by all these great big black swans wanting to come and make friends with her.  Once we were all set up we went to explore the area and discovered that not only were there walking tracks, but around the lake further was a large camping area with a few motorhomes and tents already there.  We were tempted to shift but as we had promised the german girl we would be near her, we felt obliged to stay where we were.  It really didn't matter as we had a great 'possy' but I think it was only meant for day parking.  Anyway, we did a walk around the adjacent small lake before dinner.  Next morning we set off on a long walk which took us right up along the ridges above the lake - fantastic views.  Very uphill of course, but it wasn't too arduous.  When we returned to the caravan the german girl had gone, so we decided we would shift round to the bigger camping area which proved to more shelter.  Their were quite a few people there including a family with kayaks and trout fishing gear etc, and then in the afternoon a great mob of sheep arrived with their lambs.  We were very amused by way the sheep, swans, ducks etc all mixed in peaceful harmony. Not the same can be said for some of the human species, as there was a woman camping there who had nothing better to do than chase the sheep every half hour of so as she didn't want them near her tent.  So there was plenty to watch in between reading and relaxing in the sun.  Stu is onto his 2nd book - amazing!  Must admit the sheep were a mixed blessing that night, as some of them had obviously been separated from their lambs and every  so often the 'woolly chorus' would awake us from our slumbers.  Next morning was nice and sunny again so we left for Napier. Would return to Lake Tutira anytime - one of the highlights of our trip.

21-22 November Mahia Peninsula (south of Gisborne)

After leaving Eastwoodhill Arboretum we set off  towards the Mahia Peninsula, bypassing Gisborne which we had seen before.  Some beautiful country initially, with grapevines in their lovely long rows, or lots of newly planted maize (or corn).  Everything looks green as they had heavy rain in recent months - more than Northland!   Then the terrain became more rugged & hilly & winding, some long hilly grades, and it began to rain,  but the car & caravan (and the driver)  all behaved beautifully.  Not a lot of traffic thankfully, & when there was, Stu moved over to let them pass being the courteous driver that he is.  We really climbed up very high with some amazing views.  Once we were over the hills the weather improved, though still overcast and drizzly.  We found the camping ground we were headed for (only one anyway), which was very old, very deserted  but clean and adequate.  It was just across the road from the beach, but due to the weather we thought we'd leave exploring till next day.  Managed a walk to the local store & decided to have local fish and chips for dinner (very nice too).  Fairly windy & drizzly overnight, but improving as the day went on, so we had a walk along the beach and a local reserve in the morning, then after lunch drove to walking track some distance around the peninsula, way up in the hills.  It was really pretty bush and not too easy, took about 2 hours.   Fantastic views over the peninsula and up the coast.  Had a quick drive around the other side of the peninsula to Mahia itself (blink & you miss it), but a very nice little spot just the same.  The overall impression was of NZ the way it used to be with lots of 'real kiwi baches' and a laid back lifestyle.  Possibly a nice getaway for Gisbornites at weekends and holidays?

Eastwoodhill Arboretum (Gisborne) 19-20 November

This was a magical place which I have always wanted to visit.  It took some convincing to Stu who thought it might be a terrible road being so far out of Gisborne, but it was a very good sealed road right through.  We arrived there for lunch & were surprised to find the place very quiet.  We were fortunate enough to be the only overnighters & what a place to have to yourself!  Took a walk in the afternoon, another after dinner, & slept very peacefully until the early birds woke us with song.  Naturally we did another track before breakfast.  We had been told there was to be a wedding there that day so the 'homestead garden' was to be out of bounds during that period, so we made sure we did that area after breakfast.  What a beautiful cottage garden, completely landscaped & maintained completely by volunteers.  I took so many photos but there was so much to ooh & aah about - fabulous trees of all shades of green, grey/green, lime green - you name it.  And some of the different barks were amazing too.  After morning tea we did the longest track - the complete perimeter of the whole arboretum - quite a climb uphill to look down on it all.  What foresight & passion the original owner must have had, luckily carried on over the decades by other likeminded people.   It is hard to describe just how amazing this place is - to see so many different trees from all around the world all in one area - marvellous!  And no crowds to share it with, just tranquility & peace.  In the afternoon we decided to try & do the last couple of trails, & were fortunate to be offered a FREE ride in 'the chariot', a little cut off suzuki with a seatable trailer behind, which took us round & round where I was able to see some areas I had missed & wanted to photograph.  So when we were returned to base, Stu & I set off to get the last photos.  One of the highlights of our trip & we will definitely return in the autumn sometime which must be awe inspiring, not to mention spring with the rhododendrons & azaleas & camellias.  Another must do for our list.  From there we did a quick car ride next morning to a local waterfall which was really nice.  Then it was time to move on again.

Matata Bay of Plenty 17-19 November 2010

Camp just taken over by DOC since recent floods & slips which devastated the area.  Under development probably ready by Xmas.  Very close to beach but not very suitable for long walks along it.  There is a wet land adjacent but it too has suffered from the floods & slips.  Were told there were white herons there but we didn't see any.  However, it was a reasonable distance from Whakatane so we did a day trip in there & loved it - so well set out, with a lovely bike track right along the river to the port which we of course enjoyed.  The weather was lovely & we both thought it would be a very nice place to live.