One of the nicest surprises at Karapiro was meeting Gary and Jojo, who were parked just a few spots away with their amazing self-built caravan.
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Gary and Jojo with their caravan.
At first glance, you’d have no idea it was home built, it’s beautifully finished, full of clever details, and really well thought out.
Even better, it’s colour-matched to their tow vehicle, a V8 Toyota utility and the cleverness doesn’t stop there. Gary’s designed a swappable system where the caravan body can be mounted directly onto the back of the Toyota, and vice versa. While it’s still a bit of a work in progress, it’s seriously impressive engineering!
The Galley and looking towards the Toilet and ShowerThe Bedroom living area looking over the Gold Couch. Complete with TV and a Star Gazing vent above.
The caravan is fully equipped with a bathroom, toilet, and galley area (complete with fridge), and it’s fully insulated too. It looks super comfy inside and is a real credit to their hard work.
Gary and Jojo are from Whangārei and have spent the last 18 months building it themselves, including doing all the welding for the custom trailer chassis. The curves and detailing on the build are outstanding. It has clearly been a labour of love.
They were joined by friends at Karapiro for the Branded Music Festival, and it was great to see them enjoying the results of all their hard work.
Looking out over the bench towards Lake Karapiro
A fantastic story of Kiwi ingenuity and a real head-turner of a caravan!
The big drawcard for this event was seeing two iconic 70s performers, Shane and Suzanne. Suzanne, of course, performed with her sister Judith as one half of The Chicks. A real trip down memory lane.
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Karapiro is the home of Rowing and Kayaking in the North Island.
I’d booked in for four nights to make the most of it. The event itself ran for three days, but being Karapiro and with them offering a great deal for concert goers, I figured I’d go all out!
Looking over at the River
I initially scored a front-row spot overlooking the river, but thanks to the rain, the ground was a bit too slippery to get Rafe level. So, I moved just back behind the front row where the surface was more solid and flat, which was much better. Later that day, a lovely couple with a caravan parked in front of me but offset, so we both had views. Perfect setup!
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Looking up from down the bottom
Jet boating on the river
Waterskiing races were on too.
Waterskiing spectators
The first day was mostly about everyone arriving, setting up, and getting a feel for the place. I’ve been to Karapiro a few times before, once even with 30-odd Dethleffs motorhomes when I organised a Dethleffs Owners Club get-together. They’ve always looked after us here, and it’s such a beautiful spot.
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Line Dancing
Walkups
The second day, more vans rolled in. After lunch, I wandered down to the Don Rowlands Centre to check out the action. They were holding “Walk Ups”, where keen singers and musicians could perform on stage with the volunteer band and some of them were seriously talented! Great guitar work, strong vocals, and a really good vibe.
Lovely area
There were line dancers going for it, people dancing everywhere. It was just good old-fashioned fun. During the dinner break, a few caterers were on hand offering simple, tasty meals, and then it was back into the music until late.
Line Dancing
Show day arrived and, after another round of walk-ups, it was time for the main event, Shane and Suzanne. They looked amazing, sounded great, and considering they’re both well into their 70s, they put so much energy into their performance.
Shane getting the clapping going
During Shane’s performance, he jumped down off the stage to get people to join in. Turn on the sound and click below 🙂
It really took me back to the Happen Inn and C’mon days on 60s TV where they both featured regularly. Nostalgia dialed up to 11!
Click on the Gallery below to enlarge Shane and Suzanne.
Shane and Suzanne
Classic looks from both performers.
The next morning, I tidied up Rafe and started heading for home.
On the last day!
A great few days away, amazing location, and some real music legends. Karapiro never disappoints.
Cruising into Te Aroha was pretty interesting this time. With the weather bomb having just rolled through, there was water everywhere.
The main shopping area.
I drove down to the area by the river behind town, and the water had completely covered the carpark. Huge parts of the wetlands leading up to the NZMCA park were underwater too. I’ve never seen it like that.
Water everywhere
Later, once I was settled at the NZMCA park, I caught up with my mate Des, who was on duty as the park custodian. He explained that there’s often a delay with the water coming down from the Kaimais into the Waihou River, so they were half expecting it to rise like that. Good local knowledge!
There were a few hardy souls out !Te Aroha Museum
Des also runs the Te Aroha Town Romp, which used to be the Tokoroa Timbertown Romp, always a great event, and it’s held right next door at Boyd Park.
I was on my way to the Shane and Suzanne concert at Karapiro and figured I’d hunker down at the Kaiaua NZMCA park for the night. The rain was forecast and sure enough, it absolutely bucketed down!
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Wet!
It was so loud on the roof I could hardly hear the TV.
And even though the pub next door was open, it was so wet I couldn’t even bring myself to make the dash over. That says it all!
Just a few of us!
The news was full of weather warnings and stories of flooding
around the country, so I was feeling very lucky to be tucked up safe and dry in Kaiaua. It really is a great park, and I kept one eye on the rising river just in case… though there were a few others parked even closer who were probably doing the same.
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A bit brown
Plenty of water
More water than I’ve seen for a while here.
By morning, the sun was out and there were big patches of surface water around, but the worst had passed. I went for a wander down to the boat ramp. Blue skies, sun beating down, and all was right with the world again.
After a quick tidy up, it was time to hit the road and head towards the concert.
The big, expensive dome I bought 10 years ago is finally gone for good… The Camel has lost its hump! ?
With the humpThe Camel has lost its hump 🙂
Back in the day, these domes were the bee’s knees, built-in GPS, all the bells and whistles. I was pretty chuffed with it at the time. But only a couple of years in, it started playing up. The team at Apollo Entertainment kindly fixed it for me, no charge, though I was left with the impression that it had already been superseded and wasn’t expected to last much longer. A bit disappointing, but I appreciated the fix.
Surprisingly, it soldiered on for another 7 or 8 years without a peep, until one day, it just gave up completely and wouldn’t tune into anything. By that point, we weren’t really using it anyway. Streaming via our Netspeed connection on the phone or iPad had taken over, and we had Google TV boxes on the Avtex TVs turning them into smart TVs. It was all working a treat.
Rexie on the roof loosening things off.Rexie undoing the DomeAnd off it comes.
Last year, I booked Vantage RV to take the dome off the roof while they were cleaning the fridge gas flue. The tech climbed up, removed the dome cover and spotted two very loose wires. He plugged them in properly, asked me to test it, and it worked perfectly! So, the dome got an unexpected lifeline. But even after that, we barely used it. Google TV had well and truly taken over.
The Dome in bits on the floor.
Fast forward to now: with the Optus satellite changes, the dome is finally nuked for good. It relies on recognising the satellite name, which has changed, and updating it would mean gutting the entire system. Just not worth the effort… Game over.
Goodbye Dome
This time I booked it in with Zion Motorhomes to get the dome removed properly, along with a flue clean and some tap replacements. A few hours later, job done, and I have to say, Rafe looks heaps better without the hump!
Rafe’s tracker map to Zion Motorhomes – Armada GPS
I was on a bit of a mission. I needed to get some leaky taps replaced out at Zion Motorhomes, and I had to be in Pokeno by 8am on a Tuesday. Anyone who knows me knows… I’m not a morning person! ?
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The lake next to the Club
Solution? I’d been wanting to check out the Waiuku Cossie Club’s motorhome parking and explore the township properly, so this was the perfect excuse.
Lovely outlook
I left Devonport around lunchtime on Monday and cruised down the Southern Motorway. Traffic was light, and I found myself in Waiuku early in the afternoon.
Parked next to the Wizard
On the edge of the carpark, in his motorhome, was my neighbour Wizard, doing a few running repairs on his newish Roller Team. He’s a full-timer and a real character.
The Waiuku Club
The setup here is great. There are three blocks of power boards with around eight sockets each. One quirk: when you pay your $25 with power, you also leave a deposit for a key to the power boards so you can switch your socket on.
The Bridge to Waiuku
After I’d paid, I found a spot near Wizard. He was plugged into a board nearby and kindly used his key to power up a socket for me, a great neighbour to have!
Click on the Gallery below for a Slideshow of Waiuku
Lovely Parking
The Historic Church in town
Downtown Waiuku
The Kentish Hotel
The park opoosite the Kentish Hotel looking out towards Glenbrook Steel Mill.
History everywhere
Loveley outlook
I’d driven through Waiuku quite a few times before, but only stopped briefly, so it was nice to have time for a proper wander. There’s a real charm to the place with plenty of older houses being lovingly restored and a tidy, vibrant main street.
The club’s motorhome park is tucked beside a lake, with a walk bridge that takes you straight into town in about 10 minutes. It’s a lovely, quiet spot. If you’re a member of the Clubs NZ network, you can also enjoy meals and drinks at the club, another bonus.
The park opposite the Kentish Hotel looking out towards Glenbrook Steel Mill.
All up, a great place to park up, unwind, and enjoy a charming little town.
Our first morning at Brewtown kicked off with a great wander around the place it’s huge! The bars are all built into old warehouses, so the ceilings soar more than four or five metres high, giving everything a real feeling of space and energy.
Booking in was a bit of a mission, though a funny one in hindsight. While we were still in Greytown, I tried to book online using my phone, only to discover (as you sometimes do with iPhones) that the site didn’t play nicely. After leaving a message on the answerphone for Phil, the Manager/Owner, I gave it a go on the iPad, and it worked perfectly first time!
The Boneface BarTe AroBrewing lessons at Te Aro
Five minutes later, Phil called me back. We had a great yarn about websites, the booking process, and funnily enough he knew this blog! Even weirder, as I popped out later to chat with someone in Greytown, I spotted a Brewtown ute… it turns out Phil was just on the other side of the hedge from us in his caravan. Small world!
Wild Kiwi DistilleryWild Kiwi Distillery
Fiona was keen to catch the train into Wellington, and with the station just across the road, it couldn’t be easier. Unfortunately, trains weren’t running that weekend, so we jumped on a replacement bus which took just over an hour and actually quite comfortable.
Outside the train stationFrom the bus on the way into WellingtonAmazing Wellington Railway Station
We made a beeline for Te Papa, especially to see the Gallipoli exhibition, which Peter Jackson had a major hand in. It did not disappoint, incredible, moving, and completely immersive.
A famous Medic having to deal with another injured soldier.
Both Fiona and I come from staunch Army families, so the exhibition really hit home. The attention to detail, the storytelling, and the sheer size of the figures was breathtaking. Absolutely worth the visit.
Along the waterfront on the way to Te Papa
After exploring a few more of the museum’s exhibits, we stopped at a café before catching the bus back to Upper Hutt.
Click on the Gallery below for enlarged Te Papa Images
Outside the train station
Upper Hut’s main street
From the bus on the way into Wellington
Amazing Wellington Railway Station
Along the waterfront on the way to Te Papa
A booby trap.
Rations
A famous Medic having to deal with another injured soldier.
A nurse who was looking forward to meeting her soldier brother finding out that he’d just been killed in action.
Looking back into the city
Back at Brewtown, it was time to pop into one of the craft bars though despite being at a beer haven, I found myself ordering a Chardonnay, while Fiona had a G&T. Old habits die hard! The bar we picked was Te Aro Brewing Co, a great spot to unwind.
Upper Hut’s main street
The next day, Fiona caught up with an old friend at a local café, and I later joined them for lunch after strolling through the mall. Upper Hutt is a nice little town, easy to get around and very friendly.
The Bar right behind us, we’re parked to the left.
That night, we had dinner at Fermented, the restaurant literally 20 steps behind Rafe. Great atmosphere and even better food.
Click on the Gallery below for an enlarged Slideshow of Brewtown
A Chef busy at the Bodeface bar.
Looking along the outside decks of three Bars
The Boneface Bar
Brewing lessons at Te Aro
Te Aro Bar. We had an amazing shared platter here.
Te Aro
Te Aro
Wild Kiwi Distillery
Wild Kiwi Distillery
Wild Kiwi Distillery
At the Brewtown Leisure area.
Fiona walking back to the Truck
The Bar right behind us, we’re parked to the left.
After tea
Close to the action
The markets in action
Fiona getting the veges.
We were warned that the Farmers Market opposite us might get a bit noisy early in the morning, but we barely noticed a thing. It was super handy and full of good stuff. Fiona stocked up on fresh veges, which set us up nicely for the days ahead.
Close to the actionFiona getting the veges.
After that, it was time to hit the motorway north. Our three days at Brewtown and in Wellington had been full of fun, flavour, and a bit of nostalgia too.
After the excitement of the balloons in Greytown, we stayed on for a couple more nights, hunkering down for some bad weather that, thankfully, never really arrived. That gave us time for another wander through the shops, always a treat in Greytown!
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The garden at Aston Norwood
On the Sunday (a public holiday), we decided to check out Carterton, just 15 minutes up the road. It was pretty quiet with most shops closed, but we found a café open, perfect excuse for a coffee and something to eat. After a quick stroll along the main road and a bit of window shopping, it was time to hit the road.
At Aston Norwood
Our next stop was Aston Norwood, a café, wedding venue, and garden centre on the downward run over the Rimutakas. We’d booked in for High Tea, something a bit different and very special.
The garden at Aston Norwood
For the past few months, we’ve been following a video blog by a Wellington couple, Mark and Fiona, who built a 51-metre Nordhavn and sailed it from Turkey around the Mediterranean. Fiona is now back in NZ running Aston Norwood, so we thought it would be rude not to stop by and support them!
The drive over the Rimutakas was uneventful, but I always enjoy passing through Featherston, even if it’s just a drive-through, it’s such a neat little town.
Looking over to the Garden centre at Aston Norwood
We arrived at Aston Norwood and found a good spot for Rafe in the carpark. Then it was time for High Tea: a rolling selection of delicious homemade cakes, scones, and savouries, all beautifully presented. While I’m not much of a tea drinker, the coffee was excellent!
The Garden centre at Aston Norwood
Afterwards, we stretched our legs with a stroll through the garden centre, a lovely way to walk off some of those treats.
From Aston Norwood, we carried on over the hill to Upper Hutt, where we planned a few nights at Brewtown. Built in a former industrial area, Brewtown has transformed into a vibrant hub of craft breweries, eateries, and entertainment, all within walking distance of the main shopping area and train station, super convenient.
The Bar just behind usThe Bar right behind us, we’re parked to the left.
We rolled in, plugged in, and settled Rafe into place before heading off to explore. With six or more breweries on site, each offering its own style of food and drink, there was plenty to see, taste, and enjoy. More to come….
There are only a few places in New Zealand where boats are launched by bulldozers, and Ngawi is probably the most iconic. About half an hour south of Martinborough, this quirky fishing village is an absolute must-see if you’ve never been.
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Looking along the Beach
Before we left Martinborough, I tried several times to contact the local campground in Ngawi but never got a reply. As it turned out, the weather had shifted and with strong westerlies predicted, maybe it was for the best, it’s quite an exposed spot. Still, we decided to take a scenic detour on our way back to Greytown to check it out.
Looking down on the beachKids on the beach
The drive south from Martinborough is beautiful. As we cruised along the coast towards Ngawi, we passed through a string of charming, slightly weathered coastal settlements. The kind of places that made me think: “This is Old NZ.”
Easy retrieval. the whole process took minutes.Looking along the Beach
Eventually, we rolled into Ngawi, and what a place it is! Picture a circular gravel beach, ringed with bulldozers lined up like soldiers, each paired with a massive fishing boat on a giant trailer with a huge drawbar. No ramps needed here, just clever Kiwi engineering making the most of what’s available.
Our grassy spot looking back towards WellingtonBehind our grassy spot
We found a spot to park up right on the beach in one of the grassy freedom camping areas, with views across to Wellington. Just around the corner, tucked in behind some trees, was a trailer café selling the freshest fish and chips, melt-in-your-mouth stuff! They were proud of their food, and rightly so, it was simply the best.
Ngawi Local shop opposite our park.Amazing Baches
We sat on a bench beside Rafe, soaking up the view and enjoying lunch with a cup of coffee from the van. Pure bliss.
Afterwards, we took a wander past the bulldozers and down along the windswept beach. Such an incredible, rugged spot, unique and unforgettable.
We thought we’d carry on to the Cape Palliser Lighthouse, but a sign a few k’s down the road warned that it wasn’t suitable for long vehicles. With Rafe stretching over 8 metres (plus the bikes on the back), we decided to play it safe and turn around, heading back through Ngawi and north to Greytown.
Looking out towards Wellington
As we made our way up the coast, the weather started to close in from the west, there were clouds building, the light shifting but we’d had the best of it.
One of the Balloons sailing off above Greytown
Back at Greytown Campground, we caught up with Ken again and parked up. As we opened the vents and settled down for a well-earned G&T, we heard a loud whoosh.
Rising balloon
Looking up, we saw a hot air balloon rising up from the domain next door, the burners roaring as it lifted just above the trees, probably no more than 50 metres away. Then another, and another, followed, each one floating eastward over Greytown.
Martinborough has a real vibe about it, maybe it’s the vineyards, or the easy, flat roads perfect for biking between cellar doors. Either way, it’s got charm.
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We rolled into the main square a bit early for check-in, so we popped into the local museum. A super friendly guy welcomed us at the door and gave us a tour, which turned out to be fascinating. Funny twist, he was the brother of a journalist I used to work with at The Auckland Star. Small world!
The Martinborough Hotel
After the museum, the Martinborough Hotel (just across the road) was calling our name for lunch.
We had a quick wander around the square after lunch before heading to check in at the campground.
Us tucked in for the evening.At Martinborough Top Ten
We’d booked a spot at the Top 10 Holiday Park, the only campground in town. After checking in, we reversed carefully into our site, just big enough at an angle so I could get the bikes off the rack. Plugged in, settled down, and ready for a great day of riding ahead. We had a couple of days’ clear weather before the next front was due.
Click on the Gallery below for an Enlarged Slideshow
Our bikes at Poppies in the vineyard.
Fiona all ready to get started 🙂
People enjoying themselves at Margrains
Other people at Poppies
Us tucked in for the evening.
The BBQ are in front of the showers and loos
Cabins too.
This was the VIP area.
In the main Square
In the centre of the Square getting ready for Anzac Day.
The next morning, the sun was out, so I got the bikes sorted, pumped up tyres, unpacked the gear, the works. While I was sorting the bikes stuff out, Fiona watched a Hot Air balloon sail past just behind Rafe across the sports field behind.
Last time we were here, we had a great lunch at Margrain’s, but this time we wanted to try something new. About 7–8 years ago we’d had a drink at Poppies but never made it back for a meal, I’d heard great things, so that was our lunch destination.
People enjoying themselves at Margrains
On the way, we stopped at Ata Rangi. I did a tasting and wow, their Chardonnay was like silk ($38 a bottle), dangerously nice! They had a top-shelf one at $70, even more refined, but we walked away with a bottle of the $38, yum!
Fiona all ready to get started 🙂Other people at Poppies
Then it was on to Poppies. We got a table outside, under a clear blue sky in the shade. Just magic. We shared a big platter full of all sorts of goodies, followed by a shared dessert platter that was just as good. Fantastic service too, such a treat.
The Dessert platter!
On the way back, we stopped in at Margrain’s for a glass of Chardonnay and a coffee. It’s such a lovely spot, overlooking the vineyard with the café perched right on the edge.
In the centre of the Square getting ready for Anzac Day.
After another stroll around the square, we headed back to the campground and packed the bikes away, ready for the next day’s adventure.
A perfect day in paradise Click on the map to enlarge
Fiona & Chris, two empty nesters put their dreams of doing something different into reality… Now back in a house, they were living in their Motorhome, come along for the ride.
Even better, it’s colour-matched to their tow vehicle, a V8 Toyota utility and the cleverness doesn’t stop there. Gary’s designed a swappable system where the caravan body can be mounted directly onto the back of the Toyota, and vice versa. While it’s still a bit of a work in progress, it’s seriously impressive engineering!
Gary and Jojo are from Whangārei and have spent the last 18 months building it themselves, including doing all the welding for the custom trailer chassis. The curves and detailing on the build are outstanding. It has clearly been a labour of love.
They were joined by friends at Karapiro for the Branded Music Festival, and it was great to see them enjoying the results of all their hard work.
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