I am now in Kaiteriteri for the winter and have been here since 2 May. The weather has alternated between beautiful, sunny, windless autumn days and some extremely heavy rainfall. Today is a cloudy, drizzly day but the heavy rain has stopped, and I was sitting underneath my awning quietly contemplating my situation - I was not doing anything, just sitting and chilling out, and eventually I decided to check all my health metrics on my Fitbit. When I looked, my heart rate was @58bpm, and the previous night I had slept for 8h47m - so I came to the realisation that I was potentially in a state of near hibernation.

My next thoughts were that it has been quite some time since I posted about my travels, so it is time for an update.

Subscribe now

Late March-April 2025

After a ‘Bucket-List’ trip around the bottom half of the South Island, I had returned to Waikuku Beach in Canterbury, in some ways to have a rest, and also to get a few things done on the Motor Home such as a CoF, and insurance renewals.

I was much more tired than I had realised and it was great to spend some time with my brother and his wife. We all had birthdays while I stayed at Waikuku Beach, so it was great to celebrate together. It was also great playing with my brother’s dog because I do miss having a dog with me.

The weather was mostly good, with no autumn frosts, and the time passed quickly. I did get to go to the South Island Field Days in Kirwee, which was amazing, walking over 10km during the visit, looking at some wonderful equipment and tools. I resisted the urge to buy anything except for some food but it was an exceptional day. I also went to a car show in Leithfield , with many great vehicles being displayed.

I was organised enough (for once) to book the campground at Glendhu for the Warbirds over Wanaka weekend in 2026, so it sort of determines my agenda for next autumn, which will be to spend much time in central Otago on the bike trails.

It was really nice having the 5 weeks at Waikuku Beach, but I was ready to go. I had pre-booked a site at Kaiteriteri Beach for the entire winter period, through to the end of October, and it was going to be a departure from my normal journey of travelling in a motor home in New Zealand with most stops being for less than 5 days. I had already joined the Motueka Golf Course (great service) and had arranged for some sea kayak training. I had also arranged for my friend Robert to drive my car from Waikuku Beach through to Kaiteriteri - he was also bringing his bike (more on that later)

May 2025 - the journey

Well day 1 was anticlimactic! There was a huge storm that enveloped Christchurch, and with gale force winds forecast (100km+) for my entire planned trip (through Lewis Pass and Murchison) I decided that one day didn’t really matter. The Motor Home is really good to drive, except in a strong wind where wind gusts make it interesting.

Day 2 I left Waikuku Beach at 8.30am, stopped at Culverden for fuel, fed and watered myself in Murchison, then visited the Wakefield Bakery and stuffed myself with savories and cakes (I highly recommend Wakefield Bakery although I did end up covering myself in pastry and cream). I arrived at Kaiteriteri Recreational Reserve at 3.45pm feeling very excited, but not tired.

Robert’s visit

Robert arrived safe and well on Day 3 later in the evening.

The next day we went and visited some of his friends in Motueka then the following day we rode our bikes through to Marahau, then over the Marahau-Sandy Bay saddle, then down to the Riwaka Reserve, then to Mrs Smiths in Riwaka, then home to Kaiteriteri. It was a great ride, but the Marahau-Sandy Bay saddle was demanding - I was glad I had the ebike.

The following day Robert took off on the Kaiteriteri Ferry, with his bike, to be dropped off at Totaranui Beach, from where he intended riding through to Ligar Bay, staying a couple of days then riding back over the Takaka Hill to Kaiteriteri.

Now I have driven the Takaka Hill several times, but I have never considered riding a bike over the hill to be on my bucket list.

A couple of days later Robert returned, just after midday, at Kaiteriteri looking reasonably fresh. Later that day we went up Motueka Valley to see a friend - when we left it was just starting to rain, and then it rained really, really hard.

At 1am there was a terrific bang (in the middle of the heavy rain) and I immediately jumped outside to see what had caused the noise. Bugger!!! my awning stay had broken and was uselessly hanging (not attached to the Motor Home). There was not much I could do so jury-rigged it until morning (hopefully when rain stopped.

The next morning, I surveyed the damage and worked out that there was nothing I could do except talk to the insurers - shouldn’t be a problem because I had just renewed my COVI insurance (after selling off an arm and leg to pay for it).

Robert left that morning when the rain slightly eased and rode his way through to Nelson with the intention of then biking through to Picton and getting a Ferry back to Wellington. I do admire Robert, but there is no way that I would ever contemplate anything more than say 50-70km as a ride. The man is a legend, crazy, but a legend.

The Awning

I did contact COVI and then the (fun?) started. I sent photos of the broken awing stay, advising that the rest of the awning was ok and that I had done my best to make sure no further damage would occur, and I was then given information about depreciation rates on awning replacement and told that an assessor would contact me - great!

I did receive a call from an assessor (Auckland based) a few days later, who said that it was up to me to get a quote from a local repairer, because they don’t have preferred supplier relationships across NZ. Great!! I told him I was in Kaiteriteri with a broken awning that I could not retract (and therefore couldn’t drive). This meant nothing to the assessor who reiterated that it was my job to get a repairer who would then give a quote. At this stage I resolved to work with a different Insurer next year.

I did try local repairers but the first one only repaired Caravans, not motor homes - not sure why because awnings are awnings. I then contacted a repairer in Richmond/Nelson who said they do the work but the earliest they could do it was mid-June - I am just glad that I am not on the road at the moment. I provided some pictures and eventually the claim was submitted and approved.

This insurance experience, like all insurance experiences, involves some anguish and frustration, but I have been disappointed at COVI because they should be geared up for out-of-town experiences. After all they are a specialist insurer and endorsed by NZMCA. Their prices are also at the higher end, and I have had a number of people pointing me at AA, AMI, FMG and these firms appear to have nationwide repairer relationships.

Enough ranting, just time to reflect.

Things to do in Tasman Bay

Well, I am now getting settled into my non-travelling sojourn at Kaiteriteri, so have been exploring and getting my activities into gear.

Golf

I joined the Motueka Golf Club as a winter member and have played a couple of rounds. It is a really nice course with very limited rough, but lots of trees. It is significantly different to Otaki, where I have played much of my golf over recent years. A really nice, welcoming club.

Library

I also joined the Motueka Library although as a non-ratepayer and non-resident they were a little hesitant. But all was good, and it is a really nice library with lots of choices. Libraries are the backbone of our communities and should be supported.

Sea-Kayaking

It has been a bucket-list thing for me - the opportunity to spend some of my time in Tasman Bay exploring the many beaches, inlets, estuary’s etc. So, I was introduced through friends (thanks Richard and Evelyn) to Ron, a very experienced outdoor man and kayaker, who lives in Motueka. Ron is a really nice bloke and I was pleased with the introduction.

Now Ron let me know straight away that the only way he would teach me would be in a ‘proper’ kayak, not a ‘sit-on’. And that I would have to learn, and demonstrate, some proficiency in completing rollovers and upturned exit. This is very exciting but unfortunately the spray skirt that Ron provided is for a small man. I am not overweight and have a 34 waist, but I have never been a small man, and I could not get Ron’s spray skirt past my hips. So, Plan B was to either buy some off TEMU or work out a deal with Kaiteriteri Kayak Hire (KKH) to hire both a kayak and gear longer term. To date I have contacted KKH, but they have not yet come back to me - so work in progress.

Bike riding

Tasman has many different riding options, and I am exploring these (except when it rains). I am trending at about 100km’s per week.

I did purchase some new handlebars, which are 80cm wider than my own bars, and with a slight riser. I am delighted with the additional stability that these provide, and the reduced shoulder stress. Great service and advice by Coppins Outdoor Centre in Motueka

Pendant making

I have all my gear organised so I am back to making my pendants.

After the drama of the broken awning stay, I secured the awning with my Peggy Pegs gear. This gear, although expensive, is really good and I have been able to securely ‘peg down’ my very large awning.

For my pendants I have created a silicon mould and am in the process of preparing the wood inserts that will be in the pendants (surrounded by resin). The wood I am using is either Kahikatea or Mahoe (no live tree was harmed) whereas for the wooden pendants I am using Totara (from my old home in Waikanae).

Hopefully I can make some and potentially sell them in the Motueka Sunday Market which is a really good market.

Motueka

There is much to do and look at in Motueka. The shops are good, service is great, and it is a friendly place. I also like the orchards that proliferate in the immediate region, in particular Frasers Orchard which is on the south end of the Takaka Hill - their apples and pears are incredible and unlikely to be in shops because the majority are exported.

Summary

I have now been at Kaiteriteri Recreational Reserve for nearly a month. The time has flown by, and I am getting very comfortable parked up. I have been a little bit housebound for the last week because of the rain but it has not been an issue - it has given me the time and space to write this article.

I am also delighted that I arranged to have my car here with me. Motueka is only 13km away but having a car allows me to do my laundry and grocery shopping with ease and allows me to visit friends in Richmond and Brightwater.

The activities that I am undertaking are keeping me well occupied, I am very chilled out and very happy with the small space that is available to me, although the extra 10m2 under the awning is really welcome. I feel very blessed that I am somewhat out of mainstream, especially with the world acting the way it is.

Thanks for reading - as always, feedback is welcome

Subscribe now

I did however stumble across a wee gem, Croydon Aviation Heritage Centre, where they had some great displays of New Zealand aviation history. Of particular interest to me was the DeHavilland Dominie that used to fly down South Westland. The interest to me was because my late father had regaled my brother and myself with stories of being flown in and landed on the Big Bay beach by something similar (it might be this one) when he and some colleagues went deer shooting down there. It was of interest that he took photos out the window of the Dominie that showed (early 1960’s) of a herd of over 500 deer.

After a nice couple of days relaxing, and taking a deep breath, I set off for Central Otago. It’s like a different world when you leave the lushness of Southland and drive over the range to get into Central Otago where an almost lunar landscape is evident. New Zealand is a land of contrast and here, that contrast is very evident.

Finding fruit in Roxburgh

First objective was to get a whole pile of late summer fruit at Roxburgh - I was not disappointed and grabbed plums, apricots, peaches, nectarines, blueberries and blackberries -a fruit diet for the next few days. It was wonderful.

This is an area I was quite well used to, from my time with Electricity Corporation, but I was not prepared for the rampant housing growth right across Central Otago. I was later told in Cromwell Museum that the area has been consistently the fastest growing in New Zealand over the last 10 years.

I stopped at the Roxburgh Dam, and it was just beautiful.

Then through to the NZMCA Park in Alexandra, which is really well sited, being right next to the Alexandra Swimming Pool and contains nice swimming pools and an awesome sauna which I used a number of times during my stay. Price is good at $6 including shower.

Alexandra is a really nice town, and I spent considerable time riding my bike around. It really is a mecca for cyclists, and I made a plan to come back next year in February-March to do as many of the bike trails as I can. I really like the history of this area (Alexandra, Cromwell, Wanaka, Queenstown) and there are artifacts everywhere that are interesting - the following photo is of the old Alexandra Bridge that has stood up to the power of the Clutha River for such a long time.

Following the Clutha

After a couple of relatively quiet days, I set off for Cromwell, via the lookout over Clyde Dam and Clyde itself. I had spent quite a bit of time here in the early 1990’s and it was great to be back - the Clutha River is awesome, as is the engineering of the Clyde Dam. I am still in awe of the engineering that takes into account the earthquake faults that run through the area, although I still would be hesitant about living in Alexandra, Clyde and Cromwell because of the risk.

Cromwell is such a fast-growing town and is the hub for many potential adventures, especially on a bike. At the museum (a good visit) they told me that the bike trail that connects Cromwell and Queenstown will be completed by next year. Hopefully it will be open by the time I come back next year.

The NZMCA Rotary Glen Park is about 3km from the Town Centre but nicely located alongside Lake Dunstan. I rode my bike around Cromwell before riding up to Lowburn.

The Historic Cromwell town is worth a visit and seems to be getting better every time. There is a new building being erected that will include the new museum when it opens in 2026 - this will make that end of town even better.

I always intended to visit the Highlands Motor Sport Park, and I was not disappointed. There is a really good collection of mainly supercars and race cars with at least 5 McLarens and the racing car in which Michael Schumacher gained his first ever Grand Prix points.

I had a really nice coffee and scone at the cafe and watched cars doing laps around the circuit. It seems like you pay a fee and can do a number of laps, although there is no passing and a pace car is at the front. I briefly wondered about how the Motor Home would go around the circuit but stowed that thought.

After the cafe I needed a pit stop, and it was here that the highlight of the visit occurred - the “Loo’s with a view”. The creativity is just wonderful of each themed ‘loo’. The men’s urinal was especially interesting and gave me the opportunity to vent my feelings about the current world situation. Enough said.

Winding down in Wanaka

I left Cromwell and had a really nice drive through to Wanaka, then Glendhu Bay, where I booked in for 6 days. I thought it was time for me to take a bit of time out after a pretty hectic schedule, and I was developing quite a heavy cold. I was fortunate to get a camp site where I could park the Motor Home and put out the awning, so I had an uninterrupted view over Lake Wanaka - it was magic!!!

The next three days I was full of my cold so just chilled out and watched movies, when I wasn’t looking out over Lake Wanaka. When I was finally feeling better, I firstly rode the 13km trip to Wanaka, but it was a bit gnarly to say the least with washouts in quite a few places meaning lots of walking my bike rather than riding it. I did however have a nice stop over at the Mt Aspiring Lookout - it was a beautiful day.

The next day I went to the National Transport and Toy Museum. I was, quite frankly, overwhelmed by the quantity and variety of exhibits on display. I spend about 1/2 day in here and rang my brother, Bruce, to say that if he was intending to come here in the future, he would need at least 3 days. The Museum has several different buildings holding diverse collections of aircraft, cars, fire trucks, army equipment, toy cars, Lego, Meccano, Miniature Train sets, Bulldozers and a myriad of other ‘things’. I am told there are over 600 vehicles in the collection.

This is a stunning collection, and I think it is well worth the $19 it cost to enter, especially as you can come in and out as many times/days as you like. I have so many photos but only included two because of space constraints.

Heading back to Waikuku Beach

Next day I drove through to Twizel and initially had some difficulty finding a place to stay. The reason was that there were a couple of major events on. Firstly, a Hot Rod show and secondly a Dragon Boat competition. So, anytime there is a Hot Rod show I will stay around - found a spot at Lake Ruataniwha Holiday Park and prepared for the weekend. I had a long bike around Twizel, once again noticing the housing development that had, and is happening.

The Hot Rod show was good, with about 100 vehicles for a gold coin donation at the gate. You really have to admire these people for their efforts.

Then I went down to the Rowing complex and watched some Dragon Boat racing. It was lovely.

Time to go back to base

I left Twizel early with the intention of stopping along the route back to Waikuku Beach in a couple of different places. But the weather was shitty, and I was getting very frustrated by some of the less average drivers, many of whom appeared to drive Ford Rangers, and most of whom were very impatient. I drive at 90km and pull over wherever possible, but some people just seem to think that a Motor Home needs to be passed immediately regardless of yellow lines or narrow roads.

So, I drove back to Waikuku Beach via the inland scenic route.

• Visit the Catlins - completed

• See Invercargill’s automotive museums - completed

• Visit Fiordland and take the trips - this article

In my last article I talked about my trip from Invercargill through the south of the South Island. It was awesome and now I had arrived in Manapouri. I make no apologies that this article will include lots of photos because there was so much to see, and I made the most of the opportunities.

The interesting backstory about Manapouri is that in the 1990’s I had a position in Electricity Corporation NZ that meant I was constantly visiting generation sites around New Zealand. However, as hard as I tried, I couldn’t work out how to get a trip to Manapouri, and it frustrated me. I have now visited Manapouri, didn’t go inside the generation capability but it was close enough to get rid of the frustration. The engineering is a miracle - one of the wonders of the world.

Subscribe now

Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise

The first trip I did was the “Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise” which included a launch trip to Manapouri Power Station, followed by a bus trip to Deep Cove, then a 3-hour cruise around Doubtful Sound out to the Tasman Sea.

The boat trip to the Power Station was uneventful. Then we got into the visitor centre and were given a really good understanding of the effort required to build the station. The road to Deep Cove was truly impressive, and very steep at some stages - a gradient of 1:5 was mentioned, and it makes me wonder how they were able to haul such huge pieces of equipment up that road.

Once we were at Deep Cove, we boarded the vessel and took off. It was magic from the start:

We were absolutely blessed with the company of some dolphins on the way back and I have posted a video of them on Substack as a note if you want to see it. We then arrived back at Deep Cove, just by itself interesting, isolated sure but really scenic.

The trip home seemed quiet, with many people being very contemplative, just taking in the wonder of what they had just experienced. It was one of the top events of my life and I am so glad that I finally got there.

Te Anau Glowworm Cave

The next day I drove through to Te Anau, a pretty, bubbling little Tourist town with heaps of people, buses and cars. I had booked in for the tour of the Te Anau Glowworm caves for the early afternoon, so I duly arrived and booked in. The trip from Te Anau took about 45 minutes and it was a lovely cruise. When we arrived, we were welcomed and divided up into groups of 12, for the reason that halfway through the cave there is a boat that seats 12 people. More on that in a minute.

We were told firmly that no cameras were allowed and that we needed much care to walk through the cave. There would be handrails in most places, but we would have to stoop to pass through some parts. The guide was really nice, but firm. That is her on the right in the picture.

Now I do have a few phobias and being in an enclosed, dark, space is one of those. For anyone who recalls the Film Kill Bill 2 there was a scene where the heroine was buried alive in a casket - that is my worst fear.

So, we go into this cavern (a small hole really) and it is pitch black - lucky I have a rail to hold on to, and the light from the foreign woman in front of me who kept on taking photos (until sharply reprimanded).

We then delved deeper and deeper into the cave and got to a boat of some sort - we climbed into this and sat down with the rejoinder not to hold the edge of the boat if we wanted to keep our fingers intact as it scraped along the wall. All good, and we set off with the guide asking us for complete quiet as we entered the main cave, in order to really appreciate it. Just then a very young child (baby) started screaming at the top of their lungs and continued for the entire boat trip - it did echo somewhat. It wasn’t the baby’s fault, but I do wonder about the parents at times - it didn’t spoil the trip, but it would have been nice to really soak in the atmosphere without the high-pitched screaming.

Back to the boat and a lovely cruise back. A good 2-hour trip and I was not buried alive - must be good.

Milford Sound Cruise and Coach

The next morning, I was up bright and early so I could get on the bus trip to Milford Sound. The bus driver was chatty and friendly, and we had a good 2.5-hour trip from Te Anau to Milford Sound. We had three stops along the way and enjoyed the scenery - I have not included phots because I wanted to save some space for Milford Sound.

As you can see, the scenery was truly amazing, and the weather was nigh on perfect. We were visited by dolphins, saw a couple of young fur seals and just enjoyed the amazing scenery. I have been asked to compare Doubtful and Milford Sounds, but that is next to impossible because they are both fantastic. Doubtful Sound is larger (as a Fiord) but Milford mountains seem higher and more formidable. Best to see yourself and to make your own judgement.

I have had a great time in Fiordland and am delighted that I have done these trips. I recommend it to you all.

The next morning, I went to the Te Hikoi museum and was really happy that I did. There was a very informative video that outlined the history of the area, both Māori and the settlers that followed soon after James Cook in the late 1700’s. It was quite horrific and unsettling hearing about the decimation of the fur seals that over a period of around 20 years nearly drove the fur seals into extinction. It is heartening to know that levels have continued to recover but are still small compared to when Cook first noted them in his journals.

Subscribe now

I then left Riverton and set my sights on getting to Tuatapere. Firstly, I drove around the Rocks Highway to Howells Point Reserve, where I stopped and had a cup-of-tea. Then I stopped at Colac Bay and enjoyed some time on the beach.

By this stage the southerly wind was increasing to almost gale force so my planned visits to Monkey Island and Gemstone Beach did not happen. The wind continued to intensify, and the Motor Home was becoming quite a handful. But I got through to Tuatapere and booked into the lovely Tui Base campground.

It was the coldest night so far this year and I found myself reaching for another blanket during the middle of the night when it dropped to 5degrees. After such a busy weekend in Invercargill, it finally caught up with me so, apart from cleaning the interior of the Motor Home, I did nothing. Then, and because Tuatapere is known as the Sausage Capital of New Zealand I had a sausage meal in the restaurant. Now this meal provides a platter of four (4) different sausages sitting on a huge plateful of chips. Normally I am, at the most a two (2) sausage man but I manned up and ate them all. Not sure I could differentiate them all, but they were very tasty. I then waddled back to my Motor Home and spent the night listening to my stomach rumble.

I set off the next morning, very excited, on my way to Manapouri. It is a beautiful drive from Tuatapere through to Manapouri and I also stopped at the Clifton Suspension Bridge and then at the Weir Road Scenic Lookout. My photo of the lookout does not do the scenery justice - it was awe inspiring.

I duly arrived in Manapouri, parked up in the NZMCA site, rode my bike a few km’s into Manapouri, went to the Real NZ office, had absolutely great service and booked tickets for Manapouri/Doubtful Sound and Milford Sound (Sunday). Having a NZMCA membership is financially of great benefit and the discount on my trips paid for my annual membership (which is currently due).

This trip of mine has exceeded all expectations so far and I think it’s going to get even better.

I am sure that anyone who know me, and those who follow my Substack articles, will realise that I love both history and museums, and I also love anything that has wheels, especially if connected to an engine (although I am also very fond of push bikes). So, where better to go to than Invercargill where there are three (3) particular places I planned on visiting:

1. E Hayes & Sons where they have a number of automobiles, mainly motorcycles, scattered around a working hardware shop.

2. Motorcycle Mecca where they have more than 300 Motorcycles and the George Begg racing car collection

3. Richardsons Transport World, the largest private truck and car museum of its type in the world.

Bring it on is all I can say.

Subscribe now

Invercargill Day 1: E.Hayes & Son

A leisurely walk into town and I was there. I have always loved Hardware Shops and even hoped of working in one, after retirement, but this was next tier. I would trade my right (or left) arm to work in this place - it’s got all the tools in the world, and it’s got motorcycles galore. This display was just inside the door, and it set the tone for the visit. I recall seeing those little vans often in Christchurch.

I have been known to spend a couple of hours in Mitre10 and Bunnings, but this place has more. A significant part of the display is the Burt Munro “World’s Fastest Indian” display, with all parts of Burt’s journey, including his tools and his forged engine parts.

There were many other bikes and a few racing cars, and it was completely free. I did have a coffee and cake in their very nice cafe, because I need to collect myself, and work out if they needed an older staff member. I jest, but there was a really nice, friendly, and helpful atmosphere inside the shop. Long may it continue.

Invercargill Day 2: Motorcycle Mecca

My dear brother Bruce (remember everybody needs a Bruce) advised that I would need a day in each of the Motorcycle Mecca and Richardson’s Transport. Well, he was not wrong about Motorcycle Mecca.

When I first went in, I got my tickets for both venues at a very reasonable $60. But I needed to use the toilet before I started my slow wander around. This really set up the day, the taps all worked automatically - it was great.

After this initial excitement I firstly went to the Britton display. I have long admired John Britton and lusted over the Britton displayed in Te Papa Museum. To see so many Britton bikes in the same place, and to read all the history, and to watch the videos was worth the price of admission itself. He was a remarkable man, and he died far too soon.

Then I looked at the George Begg collection. George Begg was also an automotive genius, but his passion was racing cars. There was a whole basement area devoted to his collection and some interesting videos. I didn’t capture it but there was an Austin Healy that Bruce McLaren raced in - not allowed to touch but it was awesome being within centimeters of where he sat and won races (Bruce Mclaren was a hero of mine and it was great just reliving that feeling). The collection ranges from Formula Ford through to F5000 and is also worth the admission price on its own.

So, then we were into the motorcycles, over 300 of them. I took photo after photo, but I only have room for a couple.

There were many bikes, many I have ridden, and many I have wanted to ride in the past, but there were many exotic machines including Brough Superiors, Vincents, Indians, Harleys, Triumphs, BSA’s, Velocette’s, etc., etc. They ranged from early 20th century through to 21st century, road bikes, racing bikes, sidecars, scramblers, scooters et al, and it was almost overwhelming. The following picture shows five Brough Superiors (The Rolls Royce of motorcycles) parked together and there are at least three others in the collection.

After 3.5 hours I emerged exhausted and wonderous. I am so glad I went and spent the time, not rushing, watching all the videos and revisiting my past. It was interesting seeing the grey brigade being the majority of the visitors.

Invercargill Day 3: Transport World

It was a cold and wet night in Invercargill, but I was awake and ready early for this much anticipated expedition. I was there just after it opened, along with some others from the grey brigade - a recurring theme of my travels in this neck of the woods.

After yesterday at the Motorcycle Mecca, I just had to go to the toilets and see the facilities. I was not disappointed.

After being really pleasantly greeted at reception and provided with a ‘map’, I set off with my first view being of the 1940 Dodge RX70 Airflow Texaco Tanker, thought to be the only working one left in the world. It’s a great picture but up close it is magnificent. Within the first 5 minutes I think I had received value for my entry fee.

Then came the step-by-step viewing of every vehicle in the huge building. Of particular interest to me were:

• the collection of 1950’s and 1960’s utility vehicles (small trucks)

• the Nissan GTR Skyline collection including an R32, R33, R34

• the Goodbye Pork Pie exhibition

• the Four-Square Model T Ford Delivery Van

• The Petrol Pump collection

• The Bill Richardson workshop recreation

There is not room to show all the images of my visit, but it was just amazing.

Summary

Mick Jagger may once have described Invercargill as the “arsehole of the world”. My view is completely opposite, and I want to acknowledge and thank Invercargill for the investment in such history.

Subscribe now

So bright and early I left the Dunedin NZMCA camp and headed off to Brighton Beach, where I had last visited about 65 years ago and from my hazy recollection nearly drowned in a small pool on the beach. So, after having a stroll on the beach, and not noticing any signs saying, “Ron almost drowned here” I decided to go to the Taieri River Mouth, and I was so pleased I did. What an awesome spot. I then went around to the Taieri Beach and even waded in the water - magic!!!

Getting somewhat lost

Having had such a great start to the drive I carried on through what I thought was the Scenic Highway to Milton. Hmmmm, it was neither scenic nor a highway. It seems that I had taken a bit of a detour that quickly turned into a narrow shingle road, up and down and around steep hills. The logging truck drivers who I saw (x3) all gave me quite strange looks, so I got the impression I was not on a well-used road. I couldn’t turn around easily so continued, hoping that at some stage I would find a sealed road, and hopefully a town.

I drove quite a few kilometres (quite a few indeed) and finally ended up about 8km from Milton. It was a relief indeed and after stopping for a refreshment I carried on to Balclutha, where I replenished my fridge and prepared myself for the next stage. I didn’t fancy staying in Balclutha, so went a few Km’s back to Kaitangata Motor Camp, where I stopped and then strolled around this historic coal mining town, It was nice and the Motor Camp had great facilities.

A day of real exploration

The next morning, I left Kaitangata and drove to the Liquid Laundromat in Balclutha. I have found that there is a really good consistency in cleanliness and capability with Liquid Laundromat, and even though I have a washing machine in my Motor Home, I tend to use that only for emergencies.

I left Balclutha about midday, fully restocked, food, water, diesel, and drove firstly to the Nugget Point Lighthouse. It was quite an easy walk, so I went right up to the Lighthouse. This visit was just outstanding and the views from the Lighthouse were staggering, but I was unable to capture this on my camera, the vista was just too large.

After Nugget Point, I drove down the Southern Scenic Highway (no detours this time) to Owaka, where I stopped at the Museum and received absolutely great service. Owaka is really at the core of the Catlins and the people there were tremendously knowledgeable and helpful. One of the recommendations they made was to drive the 8km to Pounawea, which I did. This is a fabulous campground - no affiliation with NZMCA but rates were reasonable, and the setting was majestic. I booked in for 2 nights and went for a walk around this historic site, historic for both Māori and Pakeha.

Exploring the Catlins and its history

The next morning was quite cold and blustery but there was nothing going to stop me riding my bike to Surat Bay and then Jacks Bay. So off I went, firstly to Surat Bay where I was able to negotiate my way on to the beach and ride my way around to observe the Sea Lions. There were quite a few and I ensured I didn’t disturb them, but it was really cool to stop and take some photos.

I then rode back, into a very cold blustery wind to Owaka where I visited the museum. It is really a trove of information and artefacts, and I spent a couple of hours just looking at the enormous cache of moa bones and watching videos of the more famous shipwrecks. Not to be missed. Rode to Jacks Bay but the sea was too calm for the blow hole to be active, so back to Pounawea.

Had a lovely, restful stay in Pounawea and I was really delighted with the campground, and its facilities - nice showers and clean toilets. There is also a great bush walk from the camp, through native forest, with significant bird life, to the estuary. Not a long walk but really cool.

A big day out

The next morning, I firstly drove to Florence Hill Lookout and the views were just spectacular. Note that I have only included one photo for each of the places I visited but I have more - space is at a premium for my articles

Then it was a short distance to Cathedral Caves. It is a bit of a drive in there, but I certainly was not alone - there were maybe 20 other Motor Homes/Vans. There was an entrance fee of $15 and we were given directions that said, “it’s about 30-45 minutes down to the beach, then head towards the Caves”, and “you only have a short window because the tide is coming in”. So off I went, noting that it was not just a gentle slope at times and that coming back up would be harder than going down.

The Cathedral Caves are just incredible, and it was hard picking just one of my photos to do it justice.

I had a good look around, inside and outside the cave, just contemplating about the wonder of nature and feeling so blessed that I have been able to take this trip. And then it was back up to the car park!!! It was, as I thought, significantly harder than coming down and I got my heart rate up to 138bpm. I was passed by a younger couple, but I passed a few families who were taking advantage of the rest stops. I would caution any person who is not physically active about this walk.

From there I drove to Waikawa, then to Curio Bay to see the Petrified Forest. Once again, this visit was awe inspiring and I walked the Living Forest as well as the Petrified Forest.

Unfortunately, the access to stand on the Petrified Forest was shut so I could only stand a few metres away and take pictures, rather than stand on/in a forest that existed when NZ was part of Gondwana.

Next was the ‘low point’ of the trip - a visit to Slope Point, the southernmost point of the South Island. It was great, only a shortish (20min) walk from the carpark, and I can now say that I have visited the northern, the eastern, the western and the southern points of New Zealand (main two islands).

The day concluded as I drove through Fortrose, a remarkedly pretty lagoon, and then on to the NZMCA camp in Invercargill. I did walk into the city and even had a Burger Fuel, the first takeaways I have had for months. I also did some grocery shopping and struggled to carry these items back to the park - a bit tired after walking over 16,000 steps today so slept well

Summary of my first real visit to the Catlins

The Catlins were as good, if not better than I hoped for, and I am in awe of the natural beauty of the area. It will not be the last time I come here, and I think late summer, early autumn is a really great time - not too hot, not too cold.

I am so looking forward to my next three days, EHayes, Motorcycle Mecca, Richardsons Transport Museum. I have allowed a day for each.

I had a good long walk from the Oamaru A&P Showgrounds to the town centre and just wandered around. Next day was get-on-the-bike day so I had good look around the town, down to the port and went back to the campground to await the impending thunderstorm, which duly arrived. My Motor Home is well insulated and warm but it sure is noisy when the hail comes down.

Subscribe now

Moving southwards at a snail’s pace

After 2 nights in Oamaru, it was time to start the journey to the Catlins. But it was going to take some time as I made my way through Otago.

First stop was at Hampden Motor Camp, just a few km’s north of Moeraki Boulders. The camp is quite small and there were only non-powered sites, that’s not a problem for me but there was no difference in price between powered and non-powered sites - quite strange to me.

Next day, up bright and early and biked to Moeraki Boulders Cafe. It was a bit daunting riding on SH1 on quite a narrow road but all good. I had a coffee and cake then biked back along the beach after viewing the boulders. Quite a miracle of nature and very fascinating.

Driving on scenic routes wherever possible

As I meander along, I am always looking for roads that are not State Highways so when I left Hampden Beach Motor Camp, I found the Coast Road to Karitane, and it was very scenic, with the views from Puketeriaki Lookout quite spectacular.

As I drove on past Karitane I stumbled across the Warrington Beach Freedom Camping area which filled up really quickly. Warrington Beach is super cool, and the ocean was warm enough for me to dip me toes again. It was a really nice feeling at this place with surf lifesavers in place. I was able to take a really nice picture with a large container ship in the background waiting to go into Port Chalmers. I am quite pleased with this photo.

Having friends is a good thing

Early next day I drove the short drive to the Dunedin NZMCA Park, situated in a narrow gully at the northern end of Dunedin. I love NZMCA parks but the Dunedin one is a significant distance from any stores or facilities.

I was fortunate that a close friend of mine had recently taken up a senior post in Otago University, and he was kind enough to pick me up and take me for a tiki-tour around Dunedin. We went all the way up to the Royal Albatross Centre, past Harrington Point, then came back down to Saint Clear Beach, where we had lunch.

Didn’t get to see any Albatrosses but some nesting black billed gulls let us know their presence. This picture shows the view back towards Dunedin City

My friend is still getting used to Dunedin, so we had a few detours on the way. What really impresses me was the quality of the cycle trails up the peninsular - some great rides! But I was also struck with the difficulty there would be having a motor home or caravan and traversing Dunedin streets - the majority appear to be narrow, windy, and steep.

Summary of the week

A couple of things really struck me during the week. Firstly, how much there is to see in New Zealand, if you take your time to look, and secondly the Grey Brigade of Motor Homers and Caravanners who are touring around NZ. I think these Grey Brigade is making a significant contribution to the economy. There sure is also a lot of ‘campers’ in possibly/possibly not compliant vehicles but my impression of these is that they are not the people in the cafes - just recognising that we (Grey Brigade) continue to support the economy.

This week is, I think, just a taster for my expedition to the Catlins which is going to be very exciting.

Best wishes to all, I feel very fortunate to be experiencing all the facets of this journey of mine and I have met and talked to lots of really nice people.

I have also been using a new App AudioPen which was recommended to me by my daughter, who knows about these things. The App is an AI based translator of oral input, and I have found it to be pretty good as a way of tracking what I have been doing on a daily basis - it seems to translate my spoken words into good notes, although the translation of Māori place names leaves quite a bit to be desired.

Subscribe now

Avoiding SH1

After having lived in Timaru, albeit many years ago, and having only recently driven to Waimate, I was extremely loth to drive SH1 again. So, I thought I would explore Mid and South Canterbury by firstly driving the Inland Scenic route, which meant night one was spent at the West Oxford Reserve. It’s a really nice camping spot and it was a good place to rest up for my first night on this epic adventure.

Day 2 saw me firstly drive to Darfield, a place where I used to visit with my family as a child and then frequently when I was employed by BNZ and managed the service delivery of the BNZ Agency in Darfield. To say Darfield has changed is a real understatement and I was quite stunned by the modern vibrant community that I found. A visit to the quite flash cafe, with nice food made it even more pleasant.

After Darfield I drove through Rakaia Gorge to a Freedom Camping spot at Taylors Stream, at Alford Forest. Rakaia Gorge is breathtakingly stunning, and I had to stop and take in the view.

Taylor’s Stream is a lovely camping spot, with a stream gently trickling behind the site, and really nice, clean toilets.

The next morning, I continued my journey by driving through to Fairlie, another place I hadn’t visited for about 40 years. It was not like Darfield, not having changed significantly in those 40 years. It was a really warm day and after walking around, and up and down I parked up at The Gladstone Hotel which is a Freedom Camping spot. A beer beckoned and I was a tad hungry so also had a meal. Unfortunately, the beer was not cold enough and the food was only average.

After a disappointing stay at Fairlie I set off, intending to stay at Washdyke, near Timaru but I continued on, stopping at Caroline Bay in Timaru and having a wade (up to my thighs), in the almost lukewarm water. I was really fortunate to be there at a time when there was a display of kites in the Caroline Bay Park. The photos I took didn’t really do it justice.

Finding a gem of a country pub - Waihoa Forks

After having a cup of tea, I decided to drive through to Waimate, although when I arrived in Waimate I then carried on through to Waihoa Forks, a lovely country pub about 15km further on. It was just great, and the beer was ice cold, a significant improvement compared to Fairlie.

The next morning, I finally unleashed the ebike and went to explore the Waihoa River, where they have built a really nice walking/bike track. I found another Freedom Camping spot at The Black hole, a swimming hole in the Waihoa River.

It was a lovely ride, and I decided to stay another night.

Ritchie McCaw country

Next on the agenda was a trip to Kurow and an exploration of the Waitaki River so I drove the 60km from Waihoa Forks up the Waitaki River to the Kurow Motor Camp. I arrived quite early and settled into a lovely spot close to the river, booking in for two days.

The Motor Camp is about 800m from the town so a short walk, a look at the museum, some supplies from the 4 Square and settled in for the night. And then the thunderstorm rolled in, and the skies opened - it was torrential, and I was concerned that it would be a quiet day the next day.

Next morning it was misty and foggy, but it looked promising, so I unloaded the ebike and set off to ride the upper Waitaki Hydro basin. The Alps to Ocean bike trail was just great and the weather cleared, getting hotter and hotter by the minute. I rode firstly to The Waitaki Dam, the first to be built on the river, then to Aviemore and halfway to Benmore before I started to be concerned about the health of my ebattery, recognising that if I went any further, I may run out of charge on the way back.

The ride was just magic, and the weather was great. I was nice and tired so slept well.

Week 1 summary

It was an interesting first week of my latest adventure meandering around Mid and South Canterbury, and after 7 days I was finally leaving Canterbury. I headed off from Kurow and drove to one of my favourite towns, Oamaru parking up at the A&P Showgrounds just in time for another Thunderstorm and deluge.

Next week will include a journey down the east coast, stopping at Moeraki Boulders, Warrington, Dunedin, Brighton and then starting my exploration of the Catlins.

So here is the latest update.

I have long held the view that two things go off in 3 days, one being fish and the other being visitors so I was keen to see how my planned stays at 4 friends places over 7 weeks would work out - would they get sick of me? or would I, being fiercely independent, get uncomfortable with them. Spoiler alert, it was just great.

Subscribe now

Returning to Wellington

As detailed in my last article I had driven my ‘car’ from Christchurch through to the North Island (via the Bluebridge Ferry) where I had accepted the kind invitation of my friends in Days Bay, Wellington to spend Xmas and New Year. I had left the beautifully fine South Island behind and then spent much of the two weeks before Xmas dodging raindrops - it was not an auspicious return to the place where I had spent most of the previous 35 years, but I was made really welcome and was royally entertained and fed. Xmas lunch was awesome, and I was given some special Xmas pudding, which I ate separately because my friends don’t like Xmas pud. I felt very spoiled.

The weather started to improve, and it was evident that I should have carried my ebike with me because the trails around Eastbourne looked just great for an intrepid bicyclist like me. The worst thing was that my last thought before leaving Christchurch earlier in December was “should I take my ebike? I have a bike rack!!!” but I stupidly did not. So, I spent a fair bit of time walking around the area.

I did also make great use of the East by West ferry service and caught up in Wellington City with a number of my friends. It was great seeing them again but as discussed in my previous article it was sobering to see the decline in the ‘vibe’ of the city.

New Years eve came and 2025 arrived. With 2024 being such a year of change for me I was eagerly looking forward to the new year.

Up to Kapiti

In early January I left Days Bay and drove to another friends place in Paekākāriki, Kapiti Coast. Going over Pukerua Bay was like moving to another country - it was warm and sunny, and it felt nice to be back. I arrived at my friend’s place and again was welcomed and well looked after.

While in Paekākāriki I was able to get lots of small chores done like having my annual medical tests including eye examinations. The good thing was that my diabetes is well under control, but the eye examination showed that I have developed a significant cataract in my left eye. I had wondered why the road signs were getting a bit blurry on my left side and now I knew why. There was no point in going on the waiting list in Wellington because firstly the waiting list was at least 12 months and secondly, I intend spending much of my time in the South Island.

Being in Paekākāriki also gave me access to an ebike so we went for a ride up through Otaki, a ride of about 50km. It was great being back on the bike, so we scheduled a further ride the following day, this time only about 40km. But once again (second time in 2 months) I had a fall and grazed myself quite badly. You would think I would learn lessons at my age but no! It was in QEII park and on a grade 3 track, but quite steep, and I was riding ‘not my bike’. The ascent was steep and the brakes on my borrowed bike were a bit grabby so down I went - I lay there for a while thinking “old fool” and then biked the 5km back to the house - a bit sore and riding curtailed for a few days. My main reflection is that I should not ride in shorts, because that is where the grazing is worst.

Once again though the hospitality was great, and I didn’t appear to wear out my welcome.

On the farm in Bulls

I spent some time at my friend’s small holding in Bulls. It’s a beautiful little farm in a secluded little valley just 5 minutes’ drive from Bulls.

During my stay I was gainfully employed because my friend had hurt is finger and was slightly incapacitated. I learned much about small holding farming and helped move the cattle around, helping with laying out the portable electric fencing. I hadn’t realised how much effort there is in farming, with one day completing my 10,000 steps before 11am. I am not sure I liked the way the bull looked at me, so I stayed away from him.

However, the main job was to help with fire wooding. Not that I would ever be trusted with working the splitter but there was lots of work to be done getting the rounds to the splitter, loading the trailer and delivering/stacking the firewood. We (a team of 4) managed to fill 3 trailer loads (each of 5 cubic metres) so there was a fair bit of wood. What I did learn was there is a huge weight differential between Old Man Pine and Plantation Pine.

I also had the privilege of seeing Paul’s sculpture - Paul was one of the fire wooding team and recently returned from Australia where he was a well-known sculptor. In his property he has built a 1/3rd version of one of his works in Australia - quite stunning. If anyone is looking for an outstanding sculptor, let me know and I will get his details for you.

The weather was really warm for the whole time I was at the farm with daily temperatures of at least 27 degrees. I didn’t appear to outstay my welcome and it was even suggested that I repeat this again next Xmas/New Year.

And I had a real NZ experience - a meal at the Rangitikei Hotel, also known as the RAT HOLE.

It was like being in NZ in the 1960’s - 1970’s. The food was good, and the beer was great, but the atmosphere was old school. You ordered a meal (good choice of steak as you would hope in Bulls) and then availed yourself of the smorgasbord salad. The instructions were plain “no second helpings to the smorgasbord” so with large pieces of steaks and quite small plates it was amusing to see the creativity in piling the salads high.

I also had a great experience of watching a training flight of the Spitfire and Mustang aircraft, flying out of Ohakea Airforce base which is visible from the farm I was staying at. The winds were favourable and the aircraft flew over the farm a number of times. To my mind the sound of those engines is one of the great aural soundtracks of our time. I was not clever enough to get a worthwhile photo so have used this stock photo.

Waiting in Whitby

I had a great time in Bulls, but I had booked my Bluebridge ferry for Sunday 22 January 2025. It was really, really, difficult to get a booking because of the end of the school holidays but I finally got one for the 1.30 Sunday sailing. So, I drove down to my friends in Whitby to spend a couple of days.

It was nice being back in Whitby, where I lived for about 10 years (in a couple of places). I did drive past both of the houses I had lived in but there was very little feeling of nostalgia, and I am certain that I would never want to live there again.

So, on the Saturday I was asked to help with fire wooding. Went back up past Foxton (almost to Bulls) to help get a couple of Ute loads of winter wood. It was boiling hot so we finished as soon as we could.

Sunday morning, we had a vice walk around part of the Inlet and I then drove to the Bluebridge Ferry station. Was there quite early but it was nice waiting.

Back to Waikuku Beach

The Bluebridge Ferry loaded quickly, and we left just before time. The crossing was really smooth, and we unloaded just before 5.30pm. The day was really nice (about 24 degrees with no wind) and the drive was, after Blenheim, cruisey. I decided to gas up, get some grocery shopping, and have something to eat at Kaikoura -it was still 24 degrees at 7pm. But there was a storm warning!!!

At 7.30 I left Kaikoura and by 7.35 it was 13 degrees and torrential rain. It was not a pleasant drive and with many trucks driving northwards I got to appreciate the efficiency of their tyres by way of expelling water outwards over incoming cars. It was like being in a car wash after car wash. I arrived at Waikuku about 10.30 after a slow drive with much pooling water. However, it stopped when I arrived.

Getting ready for my trip down south

I had a number of chores to do before setting off on my trip down to the Caitlan’s planned for mid-February. This included getting an electrical WOF, getting an eye examination for potential cataract referral to Canterbury DHB, sorting out some protective equipment for mountain biking, getting a WOF for my trailer and chasing up on the service notice for Fiat Ducato 9-speed gearboxes.

I am now ready for my next adventure - I am very excited to explore southern New Zealand and South Westland in the autumn

.

In the end it was quite easy because I needed to go back to the Kapiti Coast for a number of personal reasons and I had been offered many options by my Wellington based friends to visit and stay. The only problem then was where to park the Motor Home because the place where I intended to stay the most was up the side of a hill, true Wellington style, and there was no way I would be able to park the Motor Home anywhere near. So, the choice was made - drive to Wellington but in the Audi S3 and stay inside my friend’s houses.

Subscribe now

I set off on a lovely Canterbury Day about 7.30 in the morning and the temperature was already 24 degrees, after a very hot previous day and night. It was just beautiful and with no wind, and with limited traffic I made my way up the east coast. Driving through Greta Valley it was picture perfect and as I came across the top of the Hunderley’s (the range between North Canterbury and Kaikoura) my first view of the Pacific was just awesome - the sea was flat and like a mirror. It was getting a bit cooler but still 19 degrees and clear skies.

I drove through to one of my favourite stops, at Kekerengu, and had coffee and a cake. I must say that their Carrot Cake is one of my favourites, I was looking forward to it and I was not disappointed. I realised I had made great time, so I took my time before heading off. Once again, an easy drive through to Blenheim with very little traffic going north but many vehicles, including a significant number of trucks, heading south. After months of driving the Motor Home it was really a pleasure to drive the nimble, fast, Audi although I did note that I had generally slowed down, driving at between 90km and 100km nearly all the way.

I arrived at Picton earlier than expected but went into the Bluebridge check-in to register. The service was great, and they obviously have number plate recognition because I was immediately recognised and placed in the queue. It was nice to just put my feet up, read and wait, and then my friend Jen turned up with her husband and dog (Coal)to take the same trip, so we were able to have a chat. It was lovely playing with the dog.

It was an uneventful sea trip but as we headed into Wellington it started to rain, the temperature dropped, and a general gloom descended - maybe that was as much about me returning to Wellington, but it certainly was a harbinger of the weather for the next 10days. It’s fair to say that I don’t miss the weather in Wellington.

I then disembarked into Wellington Thursday night 6pm traffic on my way to my intended stay at Days Bay, just before Eastbourne. It has been some time since I had been foolish enough to be in city traffic at this time of day, and I could feel myself getting really annoyed at the behaviour of entitled drivers who impatiently push into non-existent gaps. But I took my patience pill and gradually wended my way to Days Bay where my friends John and Julia were patiently waiting for me. Julia had kindly made me some quesadillas and they were just awesome - I hadn’t eaten on the Ferry because the food did not look particularly appetizing.

The next week, raining most days, was a period of seeing friends and completing scheduled chores. Being in Days Bay I was able to use the EAST-WEST Ferry, using my Gold Card to best advantage.

It was great seeing my friends but there was an emptiness in Wellington City. It was sad to walk past empty cafes, to stroll into empty shops and to jaywalk across Lambton Quay with no need to dodge traffic, in the week before Xmas when it should/would normally be bustling. The city felt like a slowly deflating balloon, with air escaping - the vibrancy that I remembered is long gone.

At Eastbourne I took the opportunity for a few walks and came across the Wahine Memorial. I didn’t realise that most of the survivors washed up on the Pencarrow Coast, so it was quite poignant to take some time at the memorial and think about that terrible day, which I remember, in 1968.

While I was in Eastbourne, I was delighted to catch up with my daughter Jaimee, her husband Ranga, and two of my grandchildren Catelyn and Teddy, who are in New Zealand for a couple of weeks to show Teddy where he was born. The family is currently living in Macau. I don’t think they were impressed by the Wellington weather either.

I also drove up to the Kapiti Coast where it was much warmer, not raining and busier than Wellington. I am looking forward to spending some time up there after New Year before I go back to pick up the Motor Home.

Thank you for reading my articles throughout the year. My next year’s journey, once I return from Kapiti, will start with a journey down to the Caitlan’s, Invercargill, Bluff and Stewart Island before heading to Kaiteriteri to winter over.

As I described in my last article, I fried the electrics on my ebike (by being careless) so it was going to be a quiet few days (weeks) while I waited for the parts to arrive. But it was really nice having a bit of a break, soaking up the Canterbury heat and braving the north westerly winds. I didn’t even have use of my car for a day or so because I ran the battery flat. However, it gave me the opportunity to clean the Motor Home and reorganise - the trips so far have given me a much better understanding of what works and what doesn’t work.

Subscribe now

The parts for the ebike arrived and were duly installed (don’t forget everybody needs a Bruce). What was interesting is that the parts supplier had told me it was a really difficult job and that nobody in his shop wanted to be the person to do this type of work. When I told him it was complete and working, he suggested Bruce could get a job as a freelance ebike mechanic. After the fix I immediately started riding again. and it was so nice to be back pedalling.

Edition Zero Gravel Challenge

A good friend of mine, Robert, is a very keen cyclist but eschews the ebike and rides a specialist gravel bike. He had decided to take part in the Edition Zero Gravel Challenge and had asked me if I could pick him up at Christchurch airport and then take him and his bike down to Waimate so he could compete. Enough said so I picked him up a couple of days before the event and we wended our way southwards.

After leaving Christchurch we drove towards Methven but unfortunately the nor-wester was just howling and it was an uncomfortable drive - the issue is not the wind as much as the wind breaks and when you drive through gaps in the wind breaks, So, after an arduous trip, we got to Methven, it was 3pm in the afternoon (Thursday) and nothing was open. I had wanted a coffee and cake but all the cafes, and there are a few of them in Methven, were closed. So, being a man of short patience in situations like this, I decided not to stay in Methven and instead drove through to Timaru, parking up at the Caroline Bay Freedom Camping area.

Caroline Bay was a nice spot, but the Freedom Camping area was packed, and there is limited space, especially for a larger Motor Home like mine. I would also venture to say that a fair few of the campers would not meet Self Containment regulations. It was interesting walking through the Timaru main street because I had lived in Timaru for a couple of years 40 years ago. I am not sure there was much difference.

Next day was the short drive through to the NZMCA site at Waimate which is very close to where the Gravel Challenge event was being held. The NZMCA site is really cool and after some juggling around, after a mild panic, I found a parking position where I could get a cell phone signal - very important because I hotspot everything. We then walked into Waimate and had a really nice coffee and cake at the cafe. Robert completed sign-on formalities for the race with start time confirmed for the following day. There were some really nice campers at the NZMCA site, so we had good conversations.

The event

Next day Rob competed in the 85km gravel race. There were other competitions of 46km, 140km and 248km with over 350 riders. Very proud of Rob who completed the ride.

The main event (248km gravel) was won by George Bennett who represented NZ at the Olympics. He was interviewed straight after the finish and wasn’t even breathless. I was amazed that someone could ride 248 of gravel track in less than 8 hours and still breathe, let alone be articulate in an interview.

Steam Punk

The next morning, we drove from Waimate to Oamaru to visit Oamaru and specifically the Steam Punk Museum. Before we went to the Museum we explored the old quarter, which was fascinating. I was also able to visit the model train exhibition which was really worth the visit - a labour of love by many enthusiasts. This photo was one of many I took but represents some of the myriads of details. The room was huge and fully covered by different model train scenarios.

After spending some time exploring, we went to the Steam Punk Museum. It was outstanding - the creativity is just amazing. I took a lot of photos, but I think it best that anybody interested sees for themselves - it’s an experience not to be missed and at a reasonable price.

Castle Claremont

The NZMCA site is just great for finding different places, so when we were heading back to Christchurch, we found a place just 15km out of Timaru, Castle Claremont.

A really interesting place, very secluded and private that used to be a residence for novitiates. It has been in private hands for about 20 years and is a Pop Over Property. This would be a great place for weddings and big events.

We left Castle Claremont quite early in the morning and drove through the back country to Geraldine before heading towards Ashburton.

Ashburton

I had been reading the NZMCA comments for POP’s and saw that one of the places referred to vintage cars so off we went. We parked up and went for a ride on one of Ashburton’s Mountain bike trails which snaked their way along the river. It was heaps of fun and then we went back at the same time Rob and Diane Ross were returning from a veteran car club rally with their 1907 Cadillac.

We spent some time with Rob, a really interesting and talented octogenarian who does all the work on this car and his other vehicles (3 1930 Chrysler 77’s, a 1902 Oldsmobile, and a 1936 Dodge convertible) in his shed. A self-taught man he does the motor work, chassis, metalwork et al. Rob and Diane are great examples of real New Zealand, it was such a pleasure to meet them.

Back to Christchurch the following morning and dropped my friend Rob and his bike off so they could return to Wellington. It was really nice having company on this trip

Am now heading up to Wellington and Kapiti for the next 6 weeks. I am stopping at friend’s places because I don’t want to be swamped in the fight for camping spots over Xmas in the holiday spots.

Subscribe now

Kaikoura was as beautiful as ever and the NZMCA camp there is great, although not quite as handy because my ebike is not operational, and it’s quite a walk from the NZMCA camp into town. However, I settled in and had a nice quiet night. Next day I decided to take the inland Kaikoura Road with intentions of staying somewhere near Mt Lyford. The drive was very scenic and mostly easy, with about 25km of twisty, windy bits until you get to Mt Lyford area.

I checked my NZMCA map (a great resource that I highly recommend) and found a POP at Terako Downs, so stopped there and found a quaint, lovely spot - no power, water or dump station but really nice.

The proprietor, Fritz, was welcoming but informed me that part of the property (where the nice walk is) had been hired out to a group who wanted privacy. That limited the amount of walking I could do but it was ok. I had a good look at the museum of memorabilia and settled in. When dusk settled the place became magic with all the lights around the place. I did try and take video shots, but the results were less than spectacular.

The next morning, I drove down through Waiau and Culverden where I intended to stay the night. But it was still early in the day, and I really wanted to get back to my brother’s place so I could fix my ebike - the parts I ordered online should be there or nearly there. It was nice getting back but the easterly (beasterly) was there to greet me and during the spring equinox its part of the normal daily pattern - not something I have missed over the years, and my impression this year is that Christchurch is just as windy as Wellington.

Fixing (not-fixing) the ebike

Back in Waikuku Beach I took delivery of my new (second-hand) ebike display panel and eagerly looked to install it and get back to riding. I plugged it together and it didn’t work so I decided to check all the connections. Eureka, I looked inside one of the connectors and saw that there was a bent pin, so I took out my jeweler’s pliers and reached inside the connector (from the controller) to straighten the pin - flash, bang!!!!

I had forgotten to disconnect my 36v battery and I had completely munted/fried the connection. So now I had a working display and a completely non-working controller - so, back to the person who I got the display panel from and asked, “do you have the controller?” The answer was yes but with a proviso that it would take a wee bit of time to disassemble and send it.

Once again, I need to wait and hope that the parts work. If they don’t I have a new boat anchor and will need to source a new bike - oh well!!!

Getting back to crafting

So, back in Christchurch with a couple of weeks to fill in before my next adventure, and suddenly I had no excuses left - I had time to restart my burgeoning hobby of pendant making, using native timber and resin. I had started doing this a couple of years ago but had lost enthusiasm during the bad times.

I really like working with wood and creating shapes. Each piece of wood (New Zealand native is my preference) in some ways expresses itself to me and tends to take a shape of its own. After creating the initial shape, I then cut, chisel, sand and buff, at all times noting the characteristics of the wood and any noticeable markings or grain shapes. When I am comfortable with the shape and its finish, I then use natural oils and enhancements to bring out the grain. Then a coat of clear resin to make sure it retains its hardness over time.

However, until now, I have really struggled with the process of braiding the necklaces and tying the sliding knots. But with time on my hands, I didn’t really have any excuse, meaning extended periods on the internet looking for videos that I could learn from.

I created a number of shapes using totara from my old property in Waikanae (pruned branches) and also a coloured piece of resin and an experimental piece with a ‘tongue’ of green resin and was really happy with the outcome.

Then I encased them in clear resin, without having created a mold - bad mistake!!! I ended up with much too much resin on each piece and needed to completely strip all of the pieces, basically needed to start again. A great learning experience.

I found a really good New Zealand site, “Craft Runner” which sells waxed and braided cord for good prices, and great next day service, meaning that I don’t have to waste my time braiding cord that, if braided by me, look very average indeed. They also provided instructions on how to tie barrel slip knots, and on another site, I found out how to tie ‘whipping’ knots that enable me to do proper ‘lashings’.

So, I have rekindled my passion for creating wooden pendants and I have learned how to make the necklaces in a way that looks good, and presentable. It may take some time to go from start to end, but I am getting better and am looking forward to experimenting more in the future to allow me to create wood/resin fusion pendants. My intention is making these for sale, using pieces of wood, provided by potential customers, that are personal to them and letting them choose the shape they want. Not sure on how to price these because at the moment each one is taking a significant amount of time, but that will improve.

Hopefully by the time I report on my next adventure my ebike will be fixed so I will be able to divide my time between riding and pendant making.

It started to rain, and it rained, and it rained. But it was all good and my new camping friend Al Ferguson, a retired Funeral Director and a really good bloke, had also turned up to stay for the week, so good company and good food. As a respite from the rain, on one day we drove into Motueka and did some shopping, including Mitre10 for some bits and pieces (hooks etc.). I also splashed out and purchased some hiking poles. When we got back to Kaiteriteri the rain had eased so went for a walk, using one of my new poles - it really did make a difference, giving a clumsy older person like me some significant extra stability.

Subscribe now

Next day, after 5 days of rain, the sky cleared, and we set out for a much-needed bike ride. We drove Al’s car to Motueka Beach with both bikes on the back and met up with Al’s bike riding group from Richmond. But the rain gods had caused a slight problem, and water had seeped into my ebike controller/monitor. This meant that there was no ability to use the ebike capability, and as all ebike riders know, it’ a difficult proposition to ride an ebike without power. A key lesson for me was to make sure the bike cover is put on when there is rain forecast.

The next day was time to leave Kaiteriteri, quite sad really because it had been really good. I did however decide that next year, from 1 May to 31 October, I will winter over in Kaiteriteri, meaning I will have to look at the option of towing a car behind the Motorhome - that means swopping the AUDI for a Suzuki Jimny - I am quite excited at the opportunity and have taken the opportunity to talk to other RV owners who have the Jimny.

Finding my next stop

I had decided to drive through the Motueka River Valley on my way to stay at my friend Richard and Evelyn’s place in Brightwater. But I was not due there until Saturday, which was two days away, so I needed to find places for stop overs.

My first stop was at McLeans Recreation Park on the southern part of the Motueka River Valley Road, but I didn’t feel comfortable there - it was quite isolated, so I drove on to Tapawera, but the online reviews of the campground were really bad, meaning I didn’t stop.

Last on my list was the Redstone Golf Club just before Wakefield, about 10km detour on the road to St Arnaud, so I drove there and looked around. What a great choice it was. The owners Norman and Bo were really lovely and welcoming, and the grounds are just delightful, with a nine-hole golf course, a frisbee golf course, a paintball set up and really nice ‘clubhouse’. Even though there was no cell coverage I was offered free Wi-fi which enabled me to connect. I even managed to play 9 holes of golf on day 1 on a tricky little course - it’s not long but it has multiple streams running through it and the 4th hole was a moat hole that swallowed my golf ball, somewhat ruining my round.

Next day, it was warm and pleasant, so I decided to stay another day, and I played another 18 holes with club members Allan Kneale and Graeme Ericson. They were most charitable letting me play alongside them and although I didn’t have as good a round as the previous day it was real fun (and warm). Allan, like me, was an ex BNZer and even though we hadn’t worked together we had mutual acquaintances and experiences. That evening Bo invited me for dinner that she was having with friends - it was a lovely gesture that I politely declined.

The Redstone Golf Club is a fabulous POP (Park Over Property) and the hosts Norman and Bo are absolutely great. I was so delighted to find this gem and I will stay there again.

Next day I left early so I could drive in to Nelson and try and find a replacement controller part for my ebike, but that was not successful. The bike I have is about 10 years old and was hardly top of line when I purchased it, and I have completed many Km’s so not confident of getting a spare, especially as the chain I purchased it from have a note on their website saying, “we no longer sell or support Magnum ebikes”.

I did stop off on the way through at the Wakefield Bakery and had a sausage roll (they have been winners of multiple pie and sausage roll awards). The low prices were a shock - their prices are about $2-$3 cheaper than anywhere else I have seen for similar pies, cakes and pastries.

After my unsuccessful trip to Nelson, I went to Stoke and made use of the Stoke Launderette that I had used before. I do have a 3kg washing machine in my Mobile Home, but I wanted to put my sheets and duvet through the wash, and I find Launderettes to be consistently clean, with good washing machines and driers and able to take bigger loads. The advantage of the Stoke Launderette was also that I could sit in the Stoke Park, just across the road, and watch a lively game of cricket that was being played.

I then drove to my friends in Brightwater and had a great catch up with them. It was interesting spending time with Richard and Evelyn because we have known each other for so long, (Richard is another ex BNZer) and could have really in-depth conversations. When you live, like me, from campground to campground you meet people, but you have to be a little bit circumspect about conversational topics, because you don’t know them and you don’t want to offend. We went to the Kasalong Thai Restaurant in Wakefield and had a really good meal. The only issue I had was the scale of the menu - it took me some time to make a choice, because there were so many choices, and they all looked great.

Next day, after filling up with diesel, and LPG, I drove through Belgrave and Golden Downs to St Arnaud. When I got there, I didn’t park at the Kerr Bay campsite because I do not have a DoC Campsite pass, and while I was tempted to sign up, my foray into the DoC Information Centre disabused me of that option. The service was perfunctionary to say the least and not at all helpful. So, I parked up at the POP site by the ‘closed/for sale’ St Arnaud Cafe. And it was cold - after being in warmth of the Tasman and Golden Bay areas for a few weeks, even though there was a bit of rain, if was a bit of a shock to the system and I couldn’t wait to leave. After I left, I did regret not taking a hike around the lake, but maybe next time. The sandflies were voracious.

After leaving St Arnaud and driving up the Waiau Valley with a very strong tail wind, I went to see if the Blenheim Motor Museum was open, and it was. It’s only open about one day per week and I struck it lucky.

I really enjoyed the Blenheim Motor Museum. It’s not in the same league as the Nelson Motor Museum or Southwards in Kapiti Coast, but there were over 150 cars and vehicles, many of which featured in my younger years. There were at least 7 different vehicles that were the same as examples I have owned so it was a trip down memory lane for me. There was even a car that I had forgotten I had owned, a Talbot Alpine. The entrance fee was $20, and it took a couple of hours for me to look around. The ‘guide’ was excellent, and we had a good chat.

Note: this is not a Talbot Alpine

After visiting the museum, I went to the Blenheim Racecourse POP, where I have stayed before. I like staying there ($15 per night) and I was able to settle in and update my Substack articles that were falling behind. I stayed there one extra night and walked to the Blenheim shops, had a good look around and did some grocery shopping. Without my ebike it’s a bit of a pain but I managed to walk about 10km.

I was not sure where to head to when I left Blenheim, so I drove towards Kaikoura. Firstly, I went to Marfells Beach Campsite but once again it’s a DoC Campsite, so I left. I then drove about 20km further south and found the NZMCA campsite at Wards Beach - a lovely little bay so I dropped anchors and settled in.

I am now on my way back to Waikuku Beach and will drive the inland Kaikoura route. I am told it’s a bit gnarly, but we will have to wait and see. Further updates next week.

Subscribe now

It was a gorgeous day, 25 degrees or more, with little wind as I drove over the Takaka Hill. It was a careful drive because the Hill is steep and windy, but it was ok.

As I got over the Hill, I thought I should visit the Riuwaka Resurgence, a site some learned locals had recommended. So, after working out where to go (I missed the turn off and hade a scenic drive through the back of Motueka), I drove down the Riuwaka Valley Road, a wonderful 10km drive through a beautiful valley. The road is narrow, and care is needed as I found when a big truck cut a corner in front of me, at speed, and nearly took me out - the blue smoke from the tyres of trailer unit as he jammed on his brakes was a good indication of his speed.

This article is solely about the Riuwaka Resurgence because I found it to be as good as (although different) to Te Waikoropupu Springs on the other side of Takaka Hill. It was such a delightful treat to find the Resurgence so I will include a few of the many photos I took.

A beautiful magical spot that I thoroughly recommend.

Left there and went back to Kaiteriteri - absolutely a great Spring Day and the opportunity to sit in the sun and get the tan going. But the rain clouds were gathering and that evening, and for the whole of the next day, the heavens opened, and I didn’t have any more excuses about catching up with my writings.

My reflections about the Tasman area, including Golden Bay, is that it is absolutely a joy to be in this part of the world. In New Zealand we are blessed with scenery and places to visit, but it will take something special to top this area.

Subscribe now

After an idyllic stay in Kaiteriteri I set off to explore Golden Bay. I had prepared an agenda, weather dependent, and the first part was to get over Takaka Hill in one piece. Its years since I traversed the Hill, on a motorbike, and I remember that it was challenging then on the Harley Davidson Softail. Today, the hill was still steep and windy, and there were some stop/go lights, but I took my time, and it was all good.

I arrived in Takaka around 11am and saw a ‘Barber’ sign. Badly in need of a haircut and a beard trim, I stopped off and had a good chat to the Barber who did a fine job - not that it’s that hard to do a #3. The weather forecast was pretty grim for the next week, so I decided to immediately drive to Collingwood, stay the night and explore Farewell Spit the next day. The other option was to explore around Tata Beach and Totaranui, then go to Farewell Spit.

• I drove to Collingwood and waited for the camp reception to open at 2pm.

• I was informed that the rate was $60 per day (less NZMCA discount)

• Decided that I would seek alternatives, a shame because it’s very picturesque at the campground

Then drove through to Farewell Gardens Holiday Park at Puponga but when I got there the gates were firmly shut. I rang the number and was told that they were closed for refurbishment and would reopen on 1 November. Once again, a shame because the spot is just beautiful. Decided not to drive up to Wharariki Beach because of the dire weather forecast for the next day. So, I drove back to Pakawau Beach Camp and found a lovely little sheltered spot. Lots of other campers there and it was enjoyable, sheltered and hot.

I had a nice walk along the beach but there were heaps of Jellyfish, meaning you had to pick where you were stepping.

I was quite excited the next day as I was intending to visit Te Waikoropupu Springs, just inland from Takaka. I had been here before but in my motorcycle gear and I was looking to be more leisurely in my visit.

It was outstanding:

I took lots of photos but have only included two because of space limitations. But the ability to look down 65m into the blue, crystal clear water was amazing, and for good measure a trout or a salmon (I am not a fisherman so couldn’t tell the difference} casually swam around just beneath the decking.

The serenity of the place was almost overwhelming, and I sat at one of the viewing areas just soaking in the almost spiritual atmosphere - I understand why the mana whenua have declared this a sacred place. I would advocate that anybody travelling in this area visit the Springs and appreciate the beauty and value.

For the night I decided to stay at the NZMCA Port Tarakohe site. It was midafternoon and the scheduled rains had not yet arrived, so as soon as I set up camp I went for a bike ride to Tata Beach, Liger Bay and back to Pohara. It wasn’t a long ride, but the beaches and the scenery were spectacular. Had a lovely piece of carrot cake at Pohara and then back to camp.

I didn’t spend as long in Golden Bay as I intended but having decided to winter over in Kaiteriteri next year I will revisit areas such as Farewell Spit in late autumn next year.

The next day I intended returning to Kaiteriteri and making use of the last week of the off-season special and hunkering down for the intended bad weather.

I really understand why people want to live in the Tasman area - there is a peacefulness here that I have not found in many other places, and the warmth really helps.

Subscribe now

So, I took off, stopping briefly in Motueka for some supplies and I drove to Kaiteriteri, about 15km from where I was. It was a beautiful day and as soon as I got there, I felt I had found paradise.

I booked in the really nicely presented campground for three days ($65) but also noted that they have a winter rate of $98 per week from 1 May through to 31 October for a fully powered site, toilets and showers. That is $14 per day and represents to me, great value.

Next day I rode my eBike around Kaiteriteri and then went for a walk along the seashore. The water was cool and almost tempting to dive in - however sanity prevailed. The next morning, I biked over the hill to Marahau Beach, a bit of a climb and it was windy, but it was such a lovely day and Marahau Beach was worth the visit.

I then extended my stay at Kaiteriteri for another 2 days because I was enjoying myself so much and the weather was perfect, and I did not want to drive over the Takaka Hill in school holiday traffic. Next day I went for a ride to Motueka but unfortunately had quite a fall and grazed my knees. I stopped at Mrs Smiths in Riwaka and had a great sausage roll so that made up for it.

It rained heavily overnight, but it wasn’t cold so still plenty of walks and rides, although my confidence, and my knees, were a bit dented. The next few days were like groundhog-day, and I had the good fortune to be parked next to a really nice couple (Al and Cath) with whom I had a few laughs. Al was an undertaker for many years and has a very droll and humorous perspective on life.

I subsequently booked in for another week on the winter special rate. I really like Kaiteriteri and in many ways it makes sense to winter over here next year - I understand that they don’t have Christchurch frosts so that is very tempting. I tried a number of camp sites to get a good view of the options for next year.

I spent the next few days looking for and trying all the walking tracks and bike tracks as I took advantage of the warm sunny October Spring days.

I didn’t really want to, but I needed to move on and explore Golden Bay so, with regret, I said adieu to Kaiteriteri.

There have been so many highlights, and the scenery has been constantly amazing, but for me, so far, the two best attractions have been the Pounamu Experience in Greymouth and the Omaka Aviation Museum.

My journey so far has just whetted my appetite for the next part of my travels - through Nelson and into the Tasman area. This article describes the next chapter in my journey from Havelock through to Nelson, Stoke and Brightwater through to Mapua and Ruby Bay.

Subscribe now

Havelock to Nelson

Havelock is a nice little town, and I enjoyed my stay, especially the fresh mussels at the wharf, it has been a joy on my trips eating fresh food wherever I can. Heading off it wasn’t far until I reached the Pelorus Bridge. It has been years since I stopped here but it was worthwhile. A short stroll down the path and there was a beautiful vista. It’s a really peaceful place.

I drove through to Nelson. I had forgotten how tight and twisty the road is, and I was quite pleased to finally get to Nelson. I arrived at midday and parked up at Trafalgar Park Freedom Camping site, then walked into Nelson City. The older I get the less I like inner cities and there was not much different to every other city in New Zealand. I did call into the museum and had a good look around - free entry.

The next morning was something I had been looking forward to - a visit to the Nelson Classic Car Museum which is also a Park over Property where I intended staying the night. Now I am no mechanic, almost inept with a spanner in my hands, but I am really interested in Classic Cars and with a promised 175 cars in the Museum I was sure that I would find much to look at. The entry fee was cheap at $13 (Gold Card rates). I think I took pictures of nearly every car, but I have copied just a couple to show some of them to my readers.

The Car Museum exceeded all of my expectations, and I spent over 3 hours looking at the huge variety of cars. There are examples from every era, and they are all in beautiful, well-maintained condition. Of significant interest to me were the examples of cars that I have owned, namely the 1961 Mark II 3.4 Jaguar, the 1961 Sunbeam Rapier pillarless hardtop and the 1959 Holden FC. It was truly delightful to relive my memories of these vehicles.

Mapua Wharf and Ruby Bay

After leaving the Car Museum early in the morning, because it is quite a noisy site, I firstly made my way to my old friend Richard’s place in Brightwater where I spent a lovely few hours catching up and reminiscing. One of the great joys of my travelling is catching up with people where I can.

I then drove through Richmond to Mapua Wharf and then Ruby Bay before ending up at a delightful camping spot at the McKee Memorial Reserve (north end of Ruby Bay). The Mapua area is certainly very upmarket and buzzing, but the McKee campground was peaceful and right on the shoreline.

The campground is only a short distance from Mapua Wharf so the next morning I rode my eBike to get on the Ferry to Rabbit Island. The track around Rabbit Island is flat and well maintained taking about 40 minutes to get around. It was a very pleasant day, and the Ferry ride was just great.

Summary

I had high expectations of my trip to Nelson and Tasman, and I feel that those expectations have been exceeded so far. I am eager to continue the next part of my travels through Motueka and Kaiteriteri through to Takaka.

Subscribe now

Checking out places to stay

I drove to Seddon and checked out the motor camp, but the campground was filled with ‘permanents’ and there was limited space, so I drove through to the Kiwicamp at Riverlands. The site was ok but there were a lot of big trucks, and it was close to the main highway, so I gave it a miss and drove through to Blenheim Racecourse which was just fine. There were lots of parks and good amenities.

Things to do in Blenheim

After checking out Blenheim town and the obligatory visit to the iSite, I decided to explore so rode my bike to the Wairau Bar and checked out the TSS Waverly shipwreck. It was a 30km round trip but on flat ground - it would be a good walk around the estuary.

The next day started with a stop at the Chocolate Factory - very tempting but I did not succumb. I then drove to Rarangi, where the DoC camp is, and walked over to Monkey Bay - it was really cool, and the walkway there was interesting.

Omaka Aviation Museum

Next day was one of the highlights of my journeys so far - a visit to the Omaka Aviation Museum. It certainly was not cheap because there are two museums, one for WW1 and another for WW11 but it was truly awesome. I think I liked the WW1 exhibits the best, mainly because I was raised on ‘Biggles’ books when I was a young boy, but all the exhibits were stunning in terms of presentation. It took me 3 hours to get around, probably longer than most but I like to read everything.

I would thoroughly recommend this to anyone.

I stayed in Renwick at the “Cork and Key” that evening and had a nice meal and drink. Next day I drove to Picton and parked up at Waikawa Bay for a few hours before heading to the Koromiko NZMCA park which is quite isolated and there is no/limited internet reception. Not sure I would stay there again.

The next day dawned bright and clear, so I set off to drive Queen Charlotte Drive. I was not sure about the state of the road after all the storm damage last year but asked in Picton and was advised it was ok. I am so glad I did the drive - it is so scenic and beautiful. I stopped at Ngatuka Bay for a cuppa and just relaxed - it was awesome. Next time I will camp over at Momorangi Bay, a DoC campground.

After finding peace with the world at Ngatuka Bay, I then drove through to Havelock and parked up at the Havelock Hotel. Of course, I went and found some fresh mussels and scoffed them down - a real treat!

Summary

I have been quite gob-smacked by the beauty of our country. But this beauty is only there when you slow down and stop.

Subscribe now

But after some time back in Christchurch catching up with family, including a great day with one of my daughters, her husband and my grandson, which involved another trip to Hamner Springs, I was craving some sun and warmth. So, I decided my next trip would be to travel up the eastern coast, taking my time, then mosey over to Nelson via Queen Charlotte Drive, then meet up with some friends in Brightwater, before exploring Tasman for maybe 6 weeks. I do have to be back in Canterbury by the end of November.

I have been on my trip now for 2 weeks and have managed to get to Mapua, just out of Richmond. I do keep a daily diary, and on reviewing it I have realised that if I wait any longer to write my next article it will be the size of War and Peace, and as some of my readers have already commented “keep it short” I intend to publish more often, but with smaller pieces.

I have had a wonderful set of experiences over those two weeks so have decided to keep each Travelogue article to about one week. This week will cover my journey from Waikuku Beach to Kekerengu which is about 60km north of Kaikoura.

Beating the Beasterly

On the first day of the latest adventure, I drove a huge distance of 30km and ended up at the Amberley Golf Club. It is a really nice golf course, and it is a nice and secure Freedom Camping spot if you pay green fees. Even though I am a bit rusty I decided to play 9-holes - it was a battle, my golf was ok, but the easterly wind was blustery to say the least. The locals in Pegasus Bay, which stretches 75km through from Christchurch up to the Waipara River mouth, refer to the prevailing wind as the Beasterly and it lived up to that name.

Beasterly, the sequel

I had planned on staying at Motanau Beach, but the gale force winds dictated that I find an alternative. Motanau Beach is really pretty but there are significant limitations on Freedom Camping anywhere close to the beach, so I decided to drive back to Greta Valley and found a parking spot at Scargill Domain, well protected from the wind. It’s a nice spot a couple of kilometres from the Greta Point Tavern. I took the opportunity to finish off my article about relearning to drive with the gusty wind fresh in my mind.

Discovering Kaikoura

I have been through Kaikoura many times, but I have never explored the town. So, I decided to stop at North NZMCA for a couple of days. It was a good decision indeed.

I was able to get my ebike out and ride all around Kaikoura including South Bay and down Kaikoura Beach to South Point. The cycleways are really good, and I was tempted by the longer rides up into the lower mountains but decided to leave that for another day.

On my last day in Kaikoura, I went to Harmons Car Museum which displays over 30 classic cars, mainly from USA. I was absolutely gob-smacked to see 4 Edsel Fords in the collection. For petrol heads like me you would understand that while they are not rare, having 4 in one place is surprising. Harmons is set up like a 1950’s Diner so it would have been wrong for me not to have a Thickshake - it was awesome - “Happy Days” indeed.

Stopping at Kekerengu

I had been past Kekerengu many times and even stopped for a coffee a couple of times but didn’t realise the scale of the camping and parking areas. I booked in to the camping grounds ($14) and settled in for the night. The grounds are really nice and there are toilets and showers and washing facilities but unfortunately for me no internet, and because I use Mobile Hotspot it meant I was incommunicado for the afternoon and evening - not a bad thing, just another learning experience.

Overall

I am getting used to this concept of only driving a few kilometres every day and spending time looking around. Kaikoura was truly majestic displaying late winter/early spring snow cap mountains.

It really is a picturesque spot and while I was there, I had the opportunity to have my first whitebait sandwich of the season - it was succulent. I also had some local fish on the second day and really enjoyed it.

Next article will describe my time in Blenheim, Renwick and Picton. The visit to the Omaka Aviation Museum has to be one of the highlights of all my travels and is well worth the visit.

Subscribe now

Karamea to Murchison 195km

Left Karamea in the rain, and it didn’t stop all day. This was the story of my West Coast adventures.

The drive through to Westport over the Karamea Bluff was again challenging but there was limited traffic, so I drove a very sedate pace, also being one of those Motor Home drivers who pull over for any vehicles behind me.

After Westport is the Buller Gorge, one of the most beautiful and scenic drives in New Zealand. I stopped a few times to just appreciate the majestic views and took some pictures, but it was far too wet to stay outside for long.

I drove through to Murchison, a longish drive but the rain was unrelenting. Had a look at available camp sites and settled on the Murchison Motor Camp, a very good choice in a picturesque site beside the Buller River and with good rates for NZMCA members. What a great place if you are keen on water adventures like jet boating, kayaking etc.

Woke up to a heavy, eerie, fog/mist that cleared by 9.30, giving me the opportunity to go for a bike ride around the Murchison area, including some of the historic sites. Nice little place.

Later in the day I heard from one of my daughters telling me that her and her family would be in Christchurch in a couple of weeks meaning I would need to change my plans. I had intended to drive from Murchison to Motueka and spend about 4 weeks in the Tasman area, but I decided to drive back over the Lewis Pass to be able to meet up with my daughter in Christchurch.

Key learning: be flexible enough to respond to changes or to opportunities

Murchison to Waiau 216km

Left Murchison at 9.30 in the rain (again) but stopped at Maruia Falls - a really great sight to see, even in the rain. I had been on this road several times on my motorbike in the past but had never stopped. Not quite Niagara Falls but pretty damn impressive.

Key learning: stop and smell the roses

Shortly after reaching the top of the Lewis Pass, it stopped raining - that was a joyous occasion indeed.

I drove through to Culverden thinking I may stay there for the night but backtracked a few Kms and drove to Waiau where I parked up at the Waiau Tavern which advertises a Park Over place to stay. Got myself settled and went into the Tavern to have a meal and a beer. It was a good meal, and I did enjoy the beer. You would have to feel sorry for the publicans who lost the old pub in a fire a few years ago, after being damaged in the Kaikoura earthquake before that.

Waiau to Cheviot 75km

It was a lovely sunny day and getting warm, so I decided to drive over the Leader Valley Road heading towards Cheviot. What an awesome drive through beautiful countryside - a great road for a sports car or a motorbike.

I decided to stay over at the Cheviot Golf Club that advertises a Park Over for free if you have a game of golf. Sounded like a good idea to me so found the Golf Club (deserted) and parked up. Found a number to call and spoke to the very friendly bloke who gave me a heads up about the course. It is about 4km out of town. Didn’t have a game that afternoon because rain was threatening.

Next morning it was just beautiful, full sun and no wind. I played the 12-hole course and really enjoyed it. It’s not a demanding course, being flat all the way, but it was in beautiful condition and being the only golfer on the course I could take my time. I happily paid my green fees and left at midday to drive to my brother’s place at Waikuku Beach.

Cheviot to Waikuku Beach via Rangiora

I took the opportunity to fill my LPG cylinders in Rangiora because a cylinder refill is $29 versus $45 in Westport (swop a bottle).

Arrived at Waikuku Beach where I will park up for a few weeks. I have to get a COF and I am exploring getting more solar panels.

My trip to the West Coast for this chapter is at an end having driven over 1000 kms. It was a great experience even though it rained much of the time. I will be parked up for a month or so then will resume my trip to Tasman. I am very much looking forward to meandering up through Kaikoura and Blenheim on my way to Nelson.