It’s good to be home. Traveling long distances at my age takes a lot of doing. Set out for Wellington to catch the Bluebridge ferry over two weeks ago. Got to Wellington on Wednesday, only to find it was canceled due to rough seas. I was all prepared to go somewhere else and cancel my trip. On the phone with them, they said I could get on the next available crossing which was a 2am sailing. Decided to take it, but never again. It was cold and uncomfortable.
Waiting in Wellington was an event in it’self. Stayed at a camp ground in Poirua Wednesday night, then went to Miramar. We parked at the Point Haswell lighthouse. It was a glorious day.
Couldn’t understand the logic behind this photo. It was attached to the bottom of the lighthouse as a warning not to be on the causeway as it was subject to water wash from passing ships. But to see the warning you have to go on the causeway to read it. Only in Wellington infested as it is with useless dumb bureaucrats, would you find such stupidity.
Survived the early sailing after spending Thursday night parked in the queu at the Bluebridge terminal. Ended up stopping just past Blenheim for a sleep. As the weather was looking good, we went up the coast to Kaiterere. It was such a nice place, we spent 3 days there, in the camp right on the beach.
Went over the Takaka Hill road to Takaka and Pohara Beach. Had a pub lunch at the Pohara pub. Nice.
This would be as steep as any road I have been on in New Zealand. The Gentle Annie, between Napier and Taihape might just beat it for steepness.
Finally ventured to Reefton via the Buller Gorge. Spent another three nights in the Reeefton Campground. We like the comforts of the campervans air-conditioned interior. (Needs a powered site to run)
I enjoyed my fossicking in the river at Slab Creek. My gold find was not worth the cost of getting there, let alone the cost of the gear. But it was fun. Didn’t go to any other place to try my luck. There is always next year.
We hit the road over the Lewis Pass ending up at Hawarden. Spent the afternoon with a mate living there.
Decided to head to Kaikoura, so spent a night in the Cheviot Campground.
Onwards to Kaikoura, spending another 3 nights there.
Had a nice lunch at the Pier Hotel. It’s just been renovated, back to it’s original state.
Made our way north to Picton. Waited a night in a campground under the rail bridge into Picton.
Had an 8 am sailing, so was up early that morning. Apart from the Cook Straight sailing disruptions. it was a good trip.
Traveled north to Palmerston North, visited inlaws, then on to Waiouru. Spent the night behind the Museum in their park-over carpark.
Don’t think I will be using Bluebridge again. Apart from their smaller ships, that cannot handle the seas as well as interislander, their prices varied too much. Going down it was $634, for 2 passengers, 7 mtr van and 5 mtr tow car. Coming home they charged me $847.45. I queried the difference and their reply was fluctuations. I now know how the Asian man felt in the bank.
(An Asian walked into the currency exchange line in a New York bank with 2000 yen, and he walked out with $72. The following week, he walked in with 2000 yen, and was handed $66.
He asked the teller why he got less money than he had gotten the previous week.
The lady said, “Fluctuations.”
The Asian man stormed out, and just before slamming the door, he turned around and said, “Fluc you Amelicans, too!”)
Fluc Bluebridge as well!
were you wearing a hat? you sound a bit like a grumpy old hat wearing man on a ferry 🙂
i miss pohara beach, tata and wainui are nice too. i used to live and farm at motupipi (the bend in the road half way between takaka and pohara).
you drove past so many good gold panning streams and rivers, 99% of claim owners dont give a stuff about panners but still pays to ask but easy enough to find out who they are.
quite a few rivers in golden bay are gold bearing esp out collingwood ways, same down tapawera/murchison and few in marlborough aswell. something for you to look into if you venture to those parts again.
Yep. Spend a week over the hill—lots of places to go and look around.
Over on the west coast lots of places to kayak and around Takaka. There are things like the springs and several museums.
Get to the Heaphy Track from there.
Even Rai Valley is a good place for a few days. The rivers are worth a fossick around in. Lots of different coloured rocks. The campground used to be quite good. On the river.
There is a campground way in the bush out on the coast in Golden Bay whose name I don’t recall. Drive down through the bush to a golden beach. A doc one IIRC. Amazing space to camp.Lots of camping around there and Collingwood.
the doc campground out the abel tasman national park is totaranui cracker spot, used to go there with mates mid jan every year.
out past collingwood and through to the west coast of golden bay is a magic place aswell esp through summer. nice spot to camp at the anatori and mangarakau with awsome beach fishing.
miss the place… dont miss the people tho, theyre bit odd in the bay and lots of small town drama.
my mate that still lives there is spot on by saying “its a beautiful place full of fuckwits”.
At least the sign on the lighthouse was in English a language we can all understand.
As a general rule of thumb, if the control freaks want you to read the sign it will be in plain English. If you want to read it the info will be distorted in Manglish or in Maori with an English translation.
Would have to say have not heard of anyone travelling to Hawarden for a long time – spent 10 years in Culverden and 10 years in Amberley so know the area well. My brother used to have a farm/camp – Pinedale – up the Waikamarina River – at the Trout Hotel, Canvastown. Was always gold there as I believe it was perhaps the only gold bearing river that was never dammed due to its flow.
Good photos, need to come down for more than 2 weeks, just so much to see. Fours years ago we were away from home for 80 days going to the North Island. I cannot remember what it cost then but we were members of the NZMHA and the discount was really good. Towing the little car, often wonder about the worth of that, always found our motor home would go anywhere we wanted to…. and of course always have a toilet on board with you.
…..”This would be as steep as any road I have been on in New Zealand. The Gentle Annie, between Napier and Taihape might just beat it for steepness.”……
Coromandel town to Te Rerenga would run a close third.
Any cheaper to split the car off the camper, other than the metre odd of towbar.
We went in the posh lounge at the back. Extra ninety dollar each, but more spacious,
All the food and orange drink free. Not sure about alcohol.