Monthly Archives: October 2023

Rallies

Te Aroha Romp – The Rally and amazing first night.

After the huge success of the Tokoroa Timber town Romp over several years, the move to Te Aroha was only going to be better. Michael, Des and the team from the Waikato NZMCA committee have well and truly done a fantastic job over the years and I was really looking forward to it.

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Sheltered by the Mountain

It was explained to everyone at the beginning that the show was only on with some strict rules from the council due to their sensitivity of have nearly 700 Motorhomes, Caravans and Buses parked on and around their footy ground. It probably didn’t help that some rain arrived on the morning before the parking got underway but the parkers did an excellent job getting Motorhomes and Caravans to vary the route through to the parks so there weren’t great big tracks created.

Rafe with the soccer field behind

We were parked in the middle between the soccer and rugby grounds on some very solid and what felt like well drained ground which I was pleased about as there were some dire predictions of what was to come towards the end of the weekend.

Ready for the Rugby

The event went from Friday through to Monday with the weather packing up on the Sunday night. Many people left before the weather deteriorated on Sunday.

The parkers heading for a beer after a busy Friday

After parking Rafe, we opened vents and then went for a walk into Te Aroha across conveniently walkway across the river. The first port of call was a cafe for a coffee and a scone and then Fiona walked further on to have a look at the shops.

One of a few sculptures in the street

We’ve been here several times before to a Waikato rally and for a look at the town. It’s a lovely spot. Check out these links.

After heading back to the park, I went for a walk around and bumped into old friends Tim and Pam who I haven’t seen for years. Tim and Pam were involved with the Classic Boats on Rotoiti, and we used to catch up every year down there when I was involved with the Classic Yacht Association. Great to see them.

Click on the Gallery below to see the Concert enlarged.

One of the sights
Ready for the Rugby
The White Goat band Friday Night
The White Goat band Friday Night
The White Goat band Friday Night
The White Goat band Friday Night
The White Goat band Friday Night
Dancing between the tables Friday night
Dancing between the tables Friday night
Dancing while sitting 🙂
Dancing between the tables Friday night

Great to see a good number of our Dethleffs Group here with their Motorhomes and having fun. I also caught up with Neal who with his team have parked all vehicles for years on these rallies and is stepping down from the role this year. He’s a real gem and a great character.

Neal with his Highland gear 🙂

Later on Fiona and I headed over to the Hall with some lubricant and settled down for a great night with a band called the White Goat band.

They were fantastic doing all the old favourites that everyone knew. Most were up dancing all night and were there until it finished.

Dancing between the tables Friday night
The White Goat band Friday Night
The White Goat band Friday Night

A great night and we still had the Highland Games to come the next day ! Next post 🙂

Rafe’s tracker map to the Te Aroha Romp – Armada GPS
Rotorua

The Grandkids in Rotorua

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The school holidays had rolled around, and our son Alex had two business trips to both Wellington and New York so it was down to Fiona and I to entertain the two boys. Ayden 14, and Liam 11.

Click on any image to enlarge

Ngongotaha looking a little dreary on the first day.

Our oldest son Drew and his partner Jenna and their 10 month old son Archie were going to meet us in Rotorua later and were staying in a boutique Hotel in Rotorua town.

The three cuzzies, Ayden, Archie and Liam by the waterfront.

Our first thought was to stay at the Speedway track which is somewhere I’ve never stayed before or Ngongotaha NZMCA park. Fiona had the idea that she would follow us down in the car so we could run around down there more easily.

We were off. Ayden sat in the copilots’ seat and Liam came down with Fiona a wee bit behind.

Liam and Ayden with the Hopscotch

We arrived in Rotorua early in the afternoon with passing showers so after checking out the Speedway which looked amazing, I decided against staying there only due to the power being 3 pin plug. Our 10 amp adapter is not weatherproof and the only spare 16 amp weather protected plug meant crossing some fairly boggy ground, so it was off to Ngongotaha.

I was pleasantly surprised that there were plenty of powered sites still free given it was school holidays and the park was quite busy. We plugged in and settled down until Fiona and Liam arrived in the car an hour or so later.

Down on the waterfront

It didn’t take long for the boys to check out the park and they quickly found the hopscotch right next to the powered parks. Later that day we headed into town to the park by the waterfront for the boys to run around.

Click on the Gallery below for enlarged images at the Waterfront

The amusement fair on the waterfront.
Down on the waterfront
The boys in the playground
Ayden and Liam on a swing.
People on the waterfront
Down on the waterfront

Andrew and Jenna texted so it was off to see them at their hotel and then we walked to the Lone Star for a meal. I haven’t been here for a while, so it was a quick reminder on how big the meals are there 🙂

Drews HUGE pork ribs at the Lone Star !

The next day after some more Hopscotch, we caught up again with Drew, Jenna and Archie.

Liam, Ayden, Archie with granny Fiona at the French cafe

After a nice lunch at Fiona’s favourite French cafe, we drove up to the Paradise Valley Animal Park for the boys, all three of them!

Ayden having fun with a Donkey
Liam feeding a Goat

They really enjoyed it and saw the Lions being fed which was amazing. The slabs of meat get thrown over about a 30 metre high French surrounding the enclosure 🙂

Click on the Gallery below for enlarged images of the Animal Park

Liam feeding a deer at the Animal Park
Trout at the Anima Park
Archie in his pushchair
Jenna, Archie, Drew and Liam in the background with a llama
Jenna, Archie, Ayden and Drew with the Llamas
Liam with a Goat
Ayden having fun with a Donkey
The happy Lion after a feed

There was a fair / amusement arcade setup on the fields behind the waterfront park, so we took the boys there. Ayden had broken his thumb playing rugby and was in cast so that reduced the Funtime activities for him which was a shame. Liam had a go at the dodgems and Ayden settled for some candy floss.

Liam on the Dodgems

The next morning, we were meeting Drew, Jenna and Archie at the Gondolas so that Liam could have a go on the Luge. He had a great time while we waited for him with cups of coffee in the Cafe.

Liam, Archie, Drew and Jenna on the Gondola.

Both boys came back with me in Rafe and we caught up with Fiona at Tirau.

Liam on the ride back up.

It was a fun few days and they really enjoyed it and it was a nice change for us too. Here is a look at a previous trip to Rotorua with the boys.

Rafe’s tracker map to Ngongotaha NZMCA park – Armada GPS
Close to home, Preparation

Getting rid of the Judder

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Anywhere you look on the Internet these days, you’ll find lots of stories about judder in reverse in the Fiat Motorhomes.  Some of it is true, some of it not.

Over the last two years or so, I’ve noticed that Rafe has started to do this more and more so early this week, I rang the good guys at Italian Autos in Otahuhu to see if someone could have a look at it.  I was stressing that it might be the clutch or the flywheel about to let go!

I turned up early in the morning and Barry had a minute free to have a quick look at the problem.  He turned it around and reversed up and down in their driveway and very quickly said, “Nothing wrong with the clutch or flywheel but it would probably improve things with a new Gearbox mount.”

Click on any Image to enlarge.

Fiat Heaven

Yippee I thought, they’re a bit less serious. So, I booked it in and after getting up early to get through the traffic, I arrived a few days later just as they were opening up for the day.

Rafe was picked up from the carpark and driven onto the hoist and after only lifting it a few feet from the floor, Engineer Eugene got underneath on a trolley and 40 minutes or so later, it was all done! Amazing.

Eugene under Rafe with the new Mount on the floor behind him.

The difference is remarkable!! It’s a beast of a part when you’re looking at it but very important in the scheme of things.

Apparently, the 3 litre Iveco (and Fiat) motor swings on two mounts at the top on either end. This Gearbox mount deals with the torque at the bottom and they are prone to wearing out, as every time you accelerate or decelerate, they’re under immense loads.

The rear mount

All done and all good. I can’t speak highly enough of the friendliness and efficiency of the guys there. Thank you and thanks for making it stress free 🙂

 

Waikato

Everything is easy at Karapiro

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One of the loveliest spots to stay is at the Mighty River Domain on the banks of the Waikato River.

Complete with its own Cafe, it is also home to competitive rowing in New Zealand and most mornings you’ll find the nation’s elite Rowers and Kayakers going for row.

It is also very cost effective to stay there too.

Plenty of space up on the top level
The bottom area

We last stayed here with 25 Motorhomes with the Dethleffs Owners group get together last year. It worked well and was a lot of fun with two communal meals and lots of laughs.

Click on the Gallery below for enlarged images.

The rowing grandstand
The Outlook !
An interesting photoshoot while I was there 🙂
Part of the playground
Nice outdoor area from the Kitchen

I met some neat people from New Plymouth while I was here who I caught up with later.

Friends down on the lower level.

There are two levels of powered parking, ablutions blocks everywhere you look (to cater for rowers) and plenty of places for some great walks. There is also a bike trail into Cambridge which is about 7 k’s away.

Part of the playground

GPS instructions to get here included a trip across the top of a dam which you can’t do in most Motorhomes so the best way there is via Cambridge.

Rafe’s tracker map to Karapiro – Armada GPS
Rallies, Waikato

Mystery Creek 2023 – The Rally

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After parking early on Thursday morning, and after a cup of coffee and getting things ship shape in Rafe, I went for a bit of a wander around the parking areas.

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Lots of white vehicles

It’s amazing just people watching and taking piccies as I went of things happening.  The parking team did an amazing job getting lines straight and getting everyone in safely.

Talking to some of them later, it’s amazing to hear that there were a few whines from visitors not being able to park right next to their friends etc.

The blurb did say, “if you want to be next to friends or family, come in together”.  It’s hard work for the volunteer parkers getting everyone in safely, let alone stop queues unnecessarily.

As I say, the Volunteer parkers did an amazing job well done yet again…!!

Check out the images of my walk about the parking area.  I can’t get over the number of old friends I bumped into while walking around.  Great fun.

Click on the Gallery below to see enlarged people images.

Reading something that doesn’t need to be plugged in 🙂
Off to the show
The Queue to get in

I’m not sure there were as many people as previous shows, but it was a fun place to be and lots to see.

Rafe’s tracker map to Mystery Creek – Armada GPS