New Zealand - North Island advendure

Aukland Harbour!

 The last time I went to the North Island city of Auckland in New Zealand I was a naïve, wide eyed teenager winging over the ditch, proudly wearing my emblazoned Australian blazer. It was 1980 and I was following the path of my boyhood hero’s Ian Murray, Michael Coxon and a host of other 12’skiff sailors competing for an Interdominion championship, effectively our world champs.

Having secured the highest prize in my yachting life, the occasion was only dampened by the cold I had picked up on the way over and as the entire team bussed our way north to the Bay of Islands for a post regatta tour, I spent the three days huddled up on the back seat feeling miserable, staring out at the lush green country side through red, watery eyes.

Although I have visited the South Island several times since, the Northern Island had remained a proud, if not faded memory, so with an upcoming work conference approaching we decided to hire a campervan and spend the weekend revisiting the Northland Region and checking out this magical cruising grounds.

The only thing we had booked was the Jucy van that was to be home for our adventure and a small hotel in which to spend the Friday night to give us a good rest before heading off. Having landed in Auckland, we were delivered to the Travellers International HoteI to a small and dingy broken down room. Eva carefully laid upon the bed and gently pulled up the covers as not to disturb the mites and lice that had already booked in there!



our first breakfast stop



Needless to say we left early the next morning and set off on our adventure along highway 1 north. With the novelty of our campervan still fresh in the cabin we pulled off at Orewa and enjoyed breakfast at Oliver’s Café on the waterfront.  After stocking the fridge at the local supermarket we took the next exit from the freeway heading back toward the coast. Snell’s beach was not dissimilar to many of the places we were to visit. Indeed the road wound around the coast highlighting many bays and inlets protected by the points and Islands repelling the majority of the swell rolling up the eastern seaboard. The only difference with this one was two sailboarders chasing a pod of playful whales around the bay!  A stones through North was the pretty little town of Matakana. We spent several hours frolicking around the funky Black Dog Café with its wall of quotes and mirror tiled walls which were groovier than it sounds, and homely gift shops.

The Highlight however was the local cinema with its cosy bars and massive fireplace in the foyer even more appealing with the chilly breeze and scattered showers outside. After checking out the water bubbling through the rapids circling the town before passing by the willows and boats tied up to the pontoons sloping down the green embankments.



even the toilet blocks here were unique!



With the afternoon sky giving way to evening we pulled into the car park at Lang’s beach, a peninsular separating the calm lake from the surf  beach. As surfers braved the cold water and winter winds, a final rainbow crested the setting sun. After enjoying dinner in our dinning van we set up the penthouse (against the advice from Jucy) and bunked down for the night. The penthouse is the cabin bolted on to the roof of the van and opens electronically. Although it has plenty of length for my 193cm frame it is quite narrow and whilst protected on the hard cover side, the vinyl canvass dripped from both condensation and the showers that scudded through during the night. It was also a challenge to get two bodies up the ladder and settled into sleeping positions!



Breakfast al la jucy van!



The morning broke clear and we enjoyed a pleasant breakfast before heading off on day two of our adventure. Once again the road took us back to the highway north until we took our next exit at Whakapara which led us through some spectacular country and thoughtful architecture up to Russell in the Bay of Islands. The whole drive I could not shake the thought that this was perfect motorbike riding country with good roads, little traffic and beautiful, varied scenery. Like the Great Ocean Road, the 130kms took most of the day on account of the windy terrain, but what a treat to arrive. Situated in the heart of the bay of Islands on the eastern peninsular it had a distinctly colonial feel reinforced as I filled our van with fuel from the oldest petrol station in New Zealand.

We had a walk up to flagstaff Hill with a panoramic view over the whole are and was the scene of dispute for sovereignty between the Maori’s  and British colonial invaders with the flagpole, the centre of controversy being erected, then cut down only to be replaced and cut down again several times before agreement could be reached. As the weather closed in we retreated to the Duke of Marlborough and its fireplace for lunch before heading south.

Having satisfied our curiosity of the East Coast and not being one to retrace steps, we took a ferry crossing at Okiato to Opua for a jaunt down the West coastline.


Flagstaff - Bay of Islands





Russell





Looking from the warmth of a fire!





Buffeted by the Tasman Sea   the west coast was vastly different with black sands and unfortunately for us driving rain and strong winter winds not exactly putting out the welcome mat for us. After a pub dinner we headed for one tree point for a suitable place to stay the night.

 



Hundertwasser toilet block





And from the inside...





Unique window



After looking at several spots I found a little track leading down to an opening protected by a big dune on one side and thick bush line on the other allowing perfect quiet from the howling wind and privacy from the houses overlooking the bay. All was good until I realised the opening was a small launching spot for boats and kayaks. Not wanting to risk the high tide floating us away I began to reverse up to find my gravel road was actually sand and that without the help of something more adequate we were     going nowhere!

At eleven o clock at night we decided to make the most of our spot and stay the night. Help would be more forthcoming in daylight hours. During the night I thought I could hear rain on the roof only to be confused by what must be rain, the breaking sun revealed rain with the heavier drumming being hail beating on us!

Walking past the waterfront houses looking for an appropriate “Victim” to help us with our plight we came across a front yard housing a tractor! Perfect I thought, then the owner magically appeared Neil blissfully unaware of what was about to unfold for him. Having explained our plight he immediately sprang into action as though this was not an altogether event, with 4wd, straps and hooks!

In less than ten minutes our green van was back on bitumen and we were ready to go except that New Zealand hospitality doesn’t end there. Neil welcomed us into his beautiful home, fed us, brewed coffee and showed us around and poured over maps giving local insights we relished. We are really grateful for his help and at the circumstances which led us to meeting a really good man with a heart of gold. We hope that he will someday visit and allow us to reciprocate his hospitality.

With the weather improving (a little) we found some really interesting and curious spots like the Hundert wasser.  Friedensreich Hundertwasser  was a contemporary if not controversial architect/artist born in Vienna. He immigrated to New Zealand in the 1990’s where he lived until his death in 2000. We marvelled at his innovative and colourful toilet block and buildings using coloured bottles as windows and ceramics throughout. One needs to stop here if only just for the novelty. It has never been so much fun for a pit stop!

Of other significance was the Café Utopia just south Kaiwaka. A constant work in progress the concrete ship was as novel a spot for coffee as any I have been and once you enter the magic begins and the main road is left an imagination away.

As if marking the last spot of our adventure we relented and followed the main highway south back to Auckland where upon handing back the keys to our Jucy Van were generously chauffeured to the hotel where my conference was due to allow me to digest this wonderful country, people and adventure.

We cannot thank enough Jucy for the well thought out and presented van and transportation and Neil who not only got us out of our pickle but was unbelievably generous and welcoming- a big thank you!

PS- I am looking at organising a motorcycle tour here in February (summer). If anyone would like to join me please let me know so I can organise some deals etc.