Sleepin Around New Zealand: First Trip and More!

...the place to share tales of your travels and pics of your adventures...

Re: Sleepin Around New Zealand: First Trip and More!

Postby Sheddie » Tue Dec 16, 2014 5:11 am

Sunday 24th Feb 2013.
Heading home today. After a short visit with some old friends, we fuelled up and headed north. This time we were going to detour through Nelson so that we could visit the The Wearable Arts Museum. This trip took as through the Lewis Pass toward the West Coast then on up to Stoke Where we camped at the Top 10 Motor camp. This is a very scenic drive following the Waiau River up into the mountains.
Image Image
This takes you past Hanmer Springs and Maruia Springs Thermal Resorts,
Image
then you follow the Maruia and Buller Rivers, then through more mountains and out onto the plans that lead down toward Nelson at the northern end of the South Island.
User avatar
Sheddie
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1499
Images: 1129
Joined: Mon Jul 01, 2013 3:26 pm
Location: Whangarei, New Zealand

Re: Sleepin Around New Zealand: First Trip and More!

Postby felixx » Tue Dec 16, 2014 5:19 am

Sheddie wrote:Friday 22nd February 2013.
We started today with a fabulous breakfast at the Drylands Winery & Restaurant. Blenheim

hehehe we were both in Kaikoura that day

I always go diving on my birthday

(i didnt in 2011 and look what happened there)
felixx
Donating Member
 
Posts: 644
Images: 22
Joined: Sun Nov 30, 2014 3:01 pm
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand

Re: Sleepin Around New Zealand: First Trip and More!

Postby Sheddie » Tue Dec 16, 2014 4:31 pm

felixx wrote:
Sheddie wrote:Friday 22nd February 2013.
We started today with a fabulous breakfast at the Drylands Winery & Restaurant. Blenheim

hehehe we were both in Kaikoura that day

I always go diving on my birthday

(i didnt in 2011 and look what happened there)


What! :shock: And you didn't say hi? :shake hands: We could have had a coffee. :coffee: :coffee: We have the facilities on board after all. :Flippin Burger:
User avatar
Sheddie
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1499
Images: 1129
Joined: Mon Jul 01, 2013 3:26 pm
Location: Whangarei, New Zealand
Top

Re: Sleepin Around New Zealand: First Trip and More!

Postby Sheddie » Thu Dec 18, 2014 4:47 am

Monday 25th February 2013
We were packed up and in to Nelson to the Wearable Arts Museum by opening time. You have the option of touring the Wearable Arts and the Car Museum, or you can (for an extra charge) visit the extra car collection out the back and the workshop area. We paid the extra and what an amazing collection.
In the wearable arts section the costumes are all set around the corridor walls leading you in to the stage area where more costumes move around the stage suspended from a conveyor system.
ImageImage
The car museum had full size dioramas set up with scenes ranging from a kiwi beach batch to a shoot out in the roaring 20s.
Image
Some of the cars had a stand in front of them with a button to push so that you could listen to a recording of the engine noise. From there we went out to the back shed, and there were probably more cars here than in the main museum and all in spotless, some better than new condition. http://www.tnttt.com/gallery/album.php?album_id=3801 For more photos.
Image
We had lunch at the museum café, then it was time to leave Nelson to drive across to Picton in time to catch the Interislander ferry back to the north island.
We took the scenic drive around Queen Charlotte sounds, it is shorter in distance but takes a bit longer as the road is quite twisty and narrow in places, but the scenery is well worth it.
Image
We arrived good and early having time for a look around Picton and a Deep South licorice ice cream (they are not readily available in the North Island), then on to the ferry, and over to Wellington for the night.
Tuesday 26th February 2013. We cruised up to Taupo and parked the night on my nieces drive, and the following day headed off on the final stretch for home.
User avatar
Sheddie
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1499
Images: 1129
Joined: Mon Jul 01, 2013 3:26 pm
Location: Whangarei, New Zealand
Top

Re: Sleepin Around New Zealand: First Trip and More!

Postby KCStudly » Thu Dec 18, 2014 7:24 am

Love the scenery shots! :thumbsup:
KC
My Build: The Poet Creek Express Hybrid Foamie

Poet Creek Or Bust
Engineering the TLAR way - "That Looks About Right"
TnTTT ORIGINAL 200A LANTERN CLUB = "The 200A Gang"
Green Lantern Corpsmen
User avatar
KCStudly
Donating Member
 
Posts: 9610
Images: 8169
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2012 10:18 pm
Location: Southeastern CT, USA
Top

Re: Sleepin Around New Zealand: First Trip and More!

Postby Sheddie » Sat Dec 20, 2014 9:35 pm

Thanks for that KC. It's not until I start doing something like this that I realise that I do not take enough photos of the scenery on our travels. It is a case I suppose that I, like probably so many others, tend to take it too much for granted and think of it as the norm. Where I look at the photos posted by people in other parts of the world, and think wow look at that, I don't think that maybe those same people are probably doing the same thing.
:beer: Frank
User avatar
Sheddie
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1499
Images: 1129
Joined: Mon Jul 01, 2013 3:26 pm
Location: Whangarei, New Zealand
Top

Re: Sleepin Around New Zealand: First Trip and More!

Postby Vedette » Sat Dec 27, 2014 12:31 pm

You are so write Frank
We get home and download the pictures and I wonder what happened to the all???
But while out there I think I am taking too many?? :?
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi
Here is a link to my Build Journal
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=50912
Image109106109111109110138766
User avatar
Vedette
Silver Donating Member
 
Posts: 5141
Images: 443
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2011 4:28 am
Location: Westbank B.C.
Top

Re: Sleepin Around New Zealand: First Trip and More!

Postby KCStudly » Sat Dec 27, 2014 11:29 pm

I guess that's part of the reason we all like to travel to new and exciting places!

I know that I have become a better photographer simply by taking pictures of my build almost every day, and by the constant exposure to many of the other travel pics here... some taken by real professional (or at least expert) photographers... (learning to frame shots, paying attention to lighting and background "noise", etc... not making me great, mind you, but better). So, I suspect that you are being humble and are at least partly responsible for the nice photos. (Credit where credit is due.)
:thumbsup:

...and it is certainly a lovely country, too!
KC
My Build: The Poet Creek Express Hybrid Foamie

Poet Creek Or Bust
Engineering the TLAR way - "That Looks About Right"
TnTTT ORIGINAL 200A LANTERN CLUB = "The 200A Gang"
Green Lantern Corpsmen
User avatar
KCStudly
Donating Member
 
Posts: 9610
Images: 8169
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2012 10:18 pm
Location: Southeastern CT, USA
Top

Re: Sleepin Around New Zealand: First Trip and More!

Postby dales133 » Sat Dec 27, 2014 11:56 pm

Stop making me homesick!
Just got offered a job back in Auckland yesterday too
User avatar
dales133
4000 Club
4000 Club
 
Posts: 4605
Images: 1
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2014 5:26 pm
Top

Re: Sleepin Around New Zealand: First Trip and More!

Postby KCStudly » Sun Dec 28, 2014 1:44 am

Lovely city, Auckland.

When I was there in '82, tucked into the lobby of one of the high rise business buildings downtown, there was a little taco counter luncheonette (just one of the many nice memories I have). The weather was nice most days, except when it rained steady for 4 days straight during "the rainy season" (here we call that winter and get snow, so not so bad), and the scenic views were spectacular; tropical coastline everywhere you look.

Oops, sorry, that doesn't make it any easier for you to decide, now does it?

To be fair, it is a social government, so there are heavy income taxes; but then again, there are excellent medical benefits and infrastructure that comes along with that (public transportation and whatnot), so maybe not such a bad thing either.

8)
KC
My Build: The Poet Creek Express Hybrid Foamie

Poet Creek Or Bust
Engineering the TLAR way - "That Looks About Right"
TnTTT ORIGINAL 200A LANTERN CLUB = "The 200A Gang"
Green Lantern Corpsmen
User avatar
KCStudly
Donating Member
 
Posts: 9610
Images: 8169
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2012 10:18 pm
Location: Southeastern CT, USA
Top

Re: Sleepin Around New Zealand: First Trip and More!

Postby dales133 » Sun Dec 28, 2014 2:28 am

Yea Auckland not to bad, good climate.
Cost of livings through the roof though it's catching up here too
User avatar
dales133
4000 Club
4000 Club
 
Posts: 4605
Images: 1
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2014 5:26 pm
Top

Re: Sleepin Around New Zealand: First Trip and More!

Postby Sheddie » Sun Dec 28, 2014 2:54 am

Auckland is a great place to live as long as you are at least 50 miles either side.
User avatar
Sheddie
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1499
Images: 1129
Joined: Mon Jul 01, 2013 3:26 pm
Location: Whangarei, New Zealand
Top

Re: Sleepin Around New Zealand: First Trip and More!

Postby dales133 » Sun Dec 28, 2014 4:58 am

My mother lives in Northcote right before the last on ramp. Nice area great city views and views over Bayswater and takapuna
User avatar
dales133
4000 Club
4000 Club
 
Posts: 4605
Images: 1
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2014 5:26 pm
Top

Re: Sleepin Around New Zealand: First Trip and More!

Postby Sheddie » Sun Dec 28, 2014 5:31 am

My wife was North Shore born and raised. Her folks are now in Albany.
User avatar
Sheddie
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1499
Images: 1129
Joined: Mon Jul 01, 2013 3:26 pm
Location: Whangarei, New Zealand
Top

Re: Sleepin Around New Zealand: First Trip and More!

Postby Sheddie » Sat Jan 03, 2015 1:59 am

April 25-29 2013. Whangamomona trip.
As ANZAC day was on Thursday this year (2013), a lot of people were taking Friday off and making a good long weekend, and some of our car club members had planned a weekend away. We decided not to take the TD this time as some of the roads we were going to be travelling on would be twisty hilly gravel.
The others weren't leaving until Friday but we headed off on Thursday for an overnight stop in Waitomo. The others were due there Friday night but we wanted to spend the day visiting the Waitomo caves, one of those places that you drive past and say, "we must go there some time".
Friday 26th
What an amazing place! We went through the three main caves in the system, two in the morning and the third in the afternoon. The first one goes from the tourist complex through a small entrance, then winds its way down through narrow tunnels and large caverns with stalactites, stalagmites and glow worms. When you reach the bottom you get in a boat and float out the other end. The next cave you walk to, through the bush, and then enter through a narrow opening in to another amazing cave.
Image
Image
Image
Strange looking fungus about the size of saucers growing on a tree.
Image
After lunch we caught the shuttle bus to Ruakuri, the largest cave in the group. After a landslide had closed the entrance a few years ago, a completely new one had been created further up the hill. This consists of an artificial rock formation that you enter through,
Image
into an enormous concrete chamber, like an overgrown water tank.
Image
This has a walkway spiralling its way down to the bottom where you enter the cave through a concrete tunnel with doors at each end to stop air flow and temperature fluctuations. The cave is fully wheelchair accessible with some of the walkways being susppended in places hundreds of feet above the river that flows through the cave.
Image
The formations are amazing and great care is given to not disrupt the ecology of the place. Tour groups are guided through 15 at a time and the lighting is turned on and off as you enter and leave each section.
Image Image
Sticky threads hung down by glow worms to catch insects.
We got back to the hotel as the rest of our group where arriving.
Saturday 27th April
We left Waitomo and headed for Taumarunui, with a morning tea stop at a quaint little tea rooms, on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere.
Image
At Taumarunui we all refueled as it was going to be a long way before the next opportunity. Then it was off down the forgotten highway to Whangamomona for (late) lunch at the old hotel.
Image
Image
This has become a popular outing for car and motorcycle clubs. Although there is not much left of the town, the drive is outstanding, with the twisty and hilly road, a lot of it still gravel, it passes through untouched bush with the hills towering above and the river way below.
Image
Image
Image
The Austin A30 exiting the Hobbit Hole.
Image
Image
After lunch we retraced our tracks part way back toward Taumarunui then turned off to Ohura where we would be staying the night at the now closed Ohura State Prison. On the way we made a stop at the Hobbit's Hole.
Image
This is a quaint road tunnel with wooden "A" frame in the top of it like the roof in a church.
Image
After photos (and checking why the Rapier wouldn't keep running) we headed on to Ohura.
Image
A small group of us took a detour and went bush to have a look at the Mount Damper Falls, one of the highest in the North Island.
Image
On the way we passed by the Statue of Liberty
Image
Image
Image
Image
We arrived at the prison after dark, but in time for dinner. All the cell blocks have gone but the admin buildings have been converted to accommodation (still a work in progress).
Sunday 28th April
Early breakfast, then help Albert sort the Rapier. It had lost all the bolts from the Intake manifold???????? After hunting through every ones tool boxes we found a few bolts that would screw in and the ones that were too long had sockets and wrenches on them to work as spacers, and the old girl was purring as normal.
Image
We went for a tour around Ohura, a bit of a ghost town now (2013 population 129), it was a coal mining centre through to about 1965.
We headed back into the hills on the way to the West coast and stopped on the side of the road for morning tea outside the now closed Kaitaangata School.
Image
A one room school that one of our group, Les, was teaching at about 30 years ago.
Image
Not much traffic in these parts to worry about.
Image
Image
After more hills, more corners, more gravel and another tunnel, we eventually arrived back on the maim highway and a stop for lunch.
Not much further up the highway we were off on to the back roads again, this time toward the coast. More hills etc, fabulous scenery and we found another tunnel.
Image
This one had been carved through the sandstone cliffs for the farmers to get access to the beach on the other side.
Image
The old sailing scows could not enter the small estuary on the farm side of the cliffs, but could come into the beach on the seaward side.
Image
The beach is the usual West Coast Iron Sand.
The tunnel was used to drive the animals through to transport away to market. When they decided to make the tunnel higher inside this was done with picks, working from horse back.
Next stop was another estuary with settlement and camp ground where we stopped for an ice cream and a cuppa.
Image
Then we were on to Kawhia for our last night. This is another harbour and the camp we stopped at (with camp sites and cabins (very nice)) was right in the waters edge (when the tide is in).
Monday was a leisurely drive home
User avatar
Sheddie
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1499
Images: 1129
Joined: Mon Jul 01, 2013 3:26 pm
Location: Whangarei, New Zealand
Top

PreviousNext

Return to Trips, Pics and Hiway Tales

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 7 guests