Lake Waikaremoana, Tuai and Te Urewera National Park

Onto Rainforest Route Highway into the wilderness that is Te Urewera (Maori for 'Children in the Mists'). We found our way up through winding stony roads to Tuai a tiny village on the edge of Lake Whakamarino
(Wh pronounced f ). We had booked the 'Tuai suite', which is a self contained house next door to it's owners; a Canadian couple, Martha and Patrick who moved to NZ 8 years ago, lived on a boat for 5, then moved to this idyllic spot. Lovely little unit with everything we could wish for overlooking a pretty well stocked garden and lake and hills beyond! Martha is an artist and has a studio in the garden! She can't be stuck for inspiration.
We are self catering for these few days as there are no restaurants around us, in fact there is very little here but other houses. All weatherboarded with 30s features.
Walked the 'old Maori Trail' through thick forests and beside the lake. A spring fed pond, the 'fairy springs' led off one lake and was a clear blue/green colour, very strange. Lake Waikaremoana is enormous and on Saturday was rough with waves as it was windy. We decided against taking out a Canadian canoe - Pete knowing we would probably get nowhere.

The sun is shining but it's whacking windy!

After cosy night watching DVD on the huge flat screen in this tiny cottage, on Sunday we went for a trek to lake Kaitawa, an uphill all the way through thick damp mossy forest walk. Good though, felt very healthy for it. There is a 46km walk over 3 days around Waikaremoana and we saw one or two doing it, loaded down with camping gear. There are shelters with bunks enroute that you book in advance, which must be very welcome when you get to them. Must be an amazing achievement, not for the faint hearted. (Needless to say, Scott has done it). Our 2 and half hour walk will do for me, with a hot bath at the end of it!

Left on Monday to travel back to Auckland. The first 100kms is gravel road, so slow progress. Made slower by horses, cows and boars on road, not to mention a tree across it. When Pete enquired of the workmen how long it might take to clear, thinking we could be waiting an hour or so, they told him 10 minutes and proceeded to merely push the thing over the cliff edge!

Eventually back with Sian, Scott and Tilly and packing to leave for Kuala Lumpur and home.




  
Martha's work

Esk Valley, Napier, Hawkes Bay

Travelled the Thermal Explorer's Highway to Napier in Hawkes Bay. A seaside town rebuilt in 1931 after an earthquake destroyed the original town. It's known as the art deco town for good reason. Most of the buildings have been lovingly cared for after some bright person realised they were worth it (not before some had been replaced by ugly formula concrete and glass shops and banks). I suppose it's a matter of taste but I like art deco architecture and the council have them painted in sympathetic colours. I couldn't stop clicking the camera.
We then went on to find our booked room for the next 2 nights, a weather boarded house in the quiet Esk valley with a gorgeous garden, veg garden, orchards and it's own vineyards.
This is wine country - lots of estates right down to the coast with wine tasting if you want it. Our (English born) hosts invited us and other guests to join them for a glass of their wines. All very nice of course. And a very friendly group of people.
A nice touch was a weather bulletin board (written out and displayed at breakfast by the owners) of the places we were all about to move on to. Such attention to detail for their guests! We had a glorious room with a huge ensuite, with polished local wood (rimu) units and floor overlooking the mown lawns down to the vineyard. Heaven.

We visited Te Mata, a look out mountain with a 360 view. Then Ocean Bay, an unspoilt yellow sand beach ( Napier's is black) with about 2 other people on it and then after lunch on the waterfront, travelled back through Havelock North, a little village where I posted my postcards in what I thought was a postbox then found a more obvious red one further on - heaven knows if they will arrive!
Had dinner port-side at a restaurant in a vast high ceilinged building with wood panelled entrance and a grand doorway which had once been the NZ shipping company offices. Building more interesting than the food! We watched the fishing boats loading ice from a truck ready for their night trip out. Strange there doesn't seem to be any interesting fish on the local menus. Bit like British fishing villages.



View from hotel balcony on Lake Taupo, the night before











Esk Valley Lodge

 

Rotorua; boiled egg anyone?

Said goodbye to Sian and Scott and travelled to Rotorua, through rolling hills and land crumpled by volcanos. We were fascinated by the thermal springs; steaming, bubbling mud lakes and holes in the ground dotted through the parks and on the lakeside. Plumes of steam randomly appear in the landscape. The area stinks of sulphur but is very beautiful with autumnal trees and wide tidy streets. We visited the handsome museum which had once been a bath house offering mud bath remedies opened by an Englishman in 1908 and learned a lot about the Maoris of this area and their history. There seems to be great respect for them and their way of life both then and now. It must be strange to be able to trace your lineage back 13 generations, which is what some Rotoruans can do.
We watched a 20 minute film about the great volcano here, which was accompanied by our seats shaking and jumping, quite alarming really, though no doubt not half as terrifying as the real thing!
We had breakfast by the lake as the mists rose in the sunshine and then partook of a private hot pool spa (alkaline water of 38degrees up to your neck) open to and overlooking the thermal lake. Another amazing experience.
We are blessed with great weather, apparently unusual at this time of year. Long may it last.

On to Te Puia, a Maori arts and crafts institute on the edge of the Pohutu geyser. It's astonishing to us that this area is considered stable, as Pete says its like the earth is trying to turn itself inside out.
His other observation (he being too lazy these days to write the blog himself) is that NZ (or that small amount which we have seen) is like a well kept garden. The fields of sheep and cows are separated by wire fencing giving the undulating green a never-ending look and the grass verges to the roads are neatly mown. Pine forests and other autumn gold and red trees complete the picture of tranquil beauty. You'd never know the earth's crust is only centimetres thick in places!

Hotel room did smell all night though and it wasn't us!

Weekend in Auckland

A riotous Friday night with members of Scott's family. Pete played the games master in a mad card game, where Scott's 2 nephews and 1 niece played sportingly. Not so sure about Sian however. The game of spoons does not require great intelligence, just ridiculously quick reflexes, so I get left behind every time. Sian was shamelessly fighting over a spoon with 9 year old Seina shouting 'who said you have to let children win?'! She justified this later by saying Seina always beats her at games! This from a primary teacher, tch tch!

Saturday in beautiful weather was a trip to North Head with spectacular views and pretty Devonport for a civilised lunch for me, Sian and Tilly, while Pete and Scott kayaked to Rangitoto volcano island. Scott didn't take much persuading to join Pete. A 10km round trip plus a walk up the volcano, hard work and they seemed to have a great day.
Whole day rounded off with a great Thai meal in Ponsonby district, a vibey area of restaurants. So good to have time with Scott and Sian, they are great company and can show us all these wonderful places in and around Auckland that we would never have found for ourselves. Big thanks to them.

Sunday was a trip to the lovely dock and ferry terminal area which is still in the process of development for leisure. Lots of big boats and bustling eateries. We saw the bars where Scott enjoyed a lot of the rugby world cup, the area was adapted for this purpose very successfully by the sound of it. Views across a harbour full of sail boats that obviously give Auckland it's nickname: City of Sails. Ice creams on the waterfront, then back home to Te Atatu in time for Tilly's bath and bedtime.




Rangitoto

Auckland and the tiki tour

Arrived in New Zealand and drove to Sian and Scott's. Had a fun evening with them eating Sian's hot curry. The dear little Tilly person amused us some more.
Thursday morning after seeing the beautiful spot where S and S will marry next January on their local beach, we hurtled off Scott-speed to some spectacular scenery and spots around Auckland. Through pretty, tidy suburbs to Mount Eden where we had a 360degree view of Auckland and its surrounds then on to Anawhata Regional Park unspoilt and peaceful, and Piha Beach; volcanic sand and rocks. Pete's comment: 'its like Cornwall on steroids!'
We have the best guide in Scott who is so knowledgable that a Maori guide listening in on Mount Eden said how impressed he was!
Great lunch at a funky little cafe in Piha. And a very well behaved Tilly all the way, who had her first solid food on return to home - don't think she was madly impressed, judging by the expressions!




Sian shows Pete the beach wedding venue with Auckland city view in the distance





There's a baby in that backpack somewhere, it's not Scott wearing the hat








Those teeth are coming!

Woody Point

Back to Brisbane. Another lovely 2 days with Nicky, Cam and Jemma. Happy to be back in their pretty neighbourhood, which Pete says feels like a Sunday afternoon every day of the week: peaceful and sleepy. And good to see them all again.
We walked down to the seafront and had our last Aus swim in the lagoon on a cloudy day but the water was still warm (Nick and Cam did not join us however!)

Nicky's birthday on 17th and we had lunch at the boat club with their very jolly, warm friends, Ray and Pete. Jemma joined us in the evening for a fantastic meal cooked by Cam. Lunch and dinner, phew, pop!

Feel very strange about leaving, sad at leaving family who have spoilt us and given us such a comfortable stay, and sad that Aus travel is over, but looking forward to the new experience of NZ and seeing Sian, Scott and Tills.



 
Rudy (cat) finally out from under her blanket!




 
What a facility to have at the end of your road