Category Archives: Rotorua

Rallies, Rotorua

2024 Dethleffs Get Together in Rotorua

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We arrived in Rotorua early in the afternoon after getting a puncture in Fiona’s bike repaired in downtown Rotorua. It turned out that the Tube had completely split inside without any outside intervention. One of those things 🙂

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After checking in slightly later than planned, at the Rotorua Thermal Holiday Park where we were all booked in, many of the team were already there and enjoying catching up with others. There was a great circle of chairs already forming outside Greg and Shona’s Advantage, just across where we were parked and as the afternoon went on the circle got bigger and bigger 🙂

Friday Happy hour

The Holiday Park reckon there were more than 25 Motorhomes in our group that had booked. I could only count 23 so to simplify things we called it more than 25 🙂

Click on the Gallery below to see some of the Motorhomes

Spot the XLI

Fiona and I checked in with a few people and then went for a swim which was literally only meters away from where we were parked which was really handy.

After the mandatory 4pm happy hour where we all came together, it was time for tea. We joined in with the crew at Greg and Shona’s spot. Great fun and nice to see everyone again.

Setting off for the Bike ride

The next day at 10am, we were all setup outside ready for the bike rides. We split the group into two. Steve took the more experienced, fitter riders on the Loop which was 42k’s or thereabouts and included the blue and green lakes.   A decent ride.

Steve’s images from the Loop ride to the blue and green lakes. 42k’s
Steve’s image from the loop ride. An event beside one of the lakes.
Fiona returning on the easier bike ride.

Thanks heaps to both Steve Miller and Neal Butt for making sure we all got there and back and safely.

Neal took the other group up a pathway that he knew along the Taupo Road which was great nice and safe and an easy non tree stump and tree root route with a Cafe stop afterwards.  We got back after 15k’s odd feeling like we had had some exercise 🙂 It was time for a swim!

Click on the Gallery below for some casual expressions 🙂

On time for the second Happy Hour 🙂
Happy hour on the Saturday

It was time for the 4pm happy hour and the Team photo event and it was a full turn out. Great to see everyone and this carried on for the potluck dinner at a nicely placed set of covered tables outside the kitchen. Thanks to Judy and some others who stepped in to give the table tops a bit of a clean which they needed.

The Happy Team – Click on the photo to enlarge.

The food prepared was sensational and we even had some desert too. The weather held out and we had a great night finished off with another swim in the hot pool 🙂

Click on the Gallery below to Enlarge.

The meal !
Steve and Rene having a natter… There must have been some bumps on the bike ride 🙂
Tea time

Fiona and I thought we’d stay on for another night to relax and after saying goodbye to everyone as everyone departed, we jumped on the bikes and rode into downtown Rotorua.

After stopping at a couple of shops, we headed down to a Cafe we’ve been to before down by the waterfront called Lime.  After a great lunch and an Ice Cream later by Eat St, we slowly headed back to the Campground.

A fantastic weekend seeing everyone. There were quite a few people looking at other’s Motorhomes and swapping notes and all I could see was lots of smiles.

Enjoying the Hot Pools

The next Event is at Waipu Cove Campground on the 18th and 19thOctober. A big Campground right beside an amazing beach. Looking forward to seeing everyone there.

Rafe’s tracker map to Rotorua Holiday Park – 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.

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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
Rotorua

It doesn’t get much better than Ngongotaha

After our fun at the Holiday Park, we were looking forward to a stress-free night at Ngongotaha with power to watch the rugby final. I haven’t tried the new Kiwi camps power system yet, so it was all new and it works well.

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Looking out to the lake

We cruised into the NZMCA park there around 10:30 and checked out the scene for parking with power. After finding plenty of space near the power posts, we went back to buy a Kiwi camps tag at the 4 square and after loading some money on the tag and setting up the app, we plugged in and we were away .. easy peasy.

Great Outlook
Nice place to stay.

A cup of tea was deemed necessary and then we caught a bus into downtown Rotorua. After wandering around the very impressive newly done up Lakefront, we watched some Helicopters, Jet boats and Seaplanes come and go.

We walked over to Eat st for lunch and then walked up to the big barn shops (Farmers, Briscoes etc.) so I could get some shoes.

Eat st

After a cup of tea stop and one of Fiona’s other favourites cafe’s, we caught a bus back to Ngongotaha NZMCA park and prepared ourselves for a night of good Rugby.

Click on the Gallery below for an Enlarged Slideshow

There was a great soccer game going on right next door so we sneaked through the gate and watched. A nice game and apparently by two of the top teams.

Next door
Our neighbours Taupo V Ngongotaha
The Grandstand at the edge of the NZMCA park

We have come here quite often over the years but haven’t been here recently. It’s just lovely and always easy and I have to say, as a “power” person, I really like the addition of power for those who want it. It’s so easy and it is really nice to have at one of our better parks.

Nice place to stay.

A lovely night and a great game of Rugby too!

Rotorua

Close Lightning strike in Rotorua

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A few days away in Rotorua sounded like a good plan so after restocking the fridge and topping up with a bit of water, we set off for Rotorua. Straight down the motorway with the new Hamilton bypass, it was too easy.

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We arrived at the Rotorua Thermal Holiday Park early in the afternoon and after plugging in, we headed straight for the Hot Pools. The last time we were here, I took a lot more images so check it out here.

The unusual Covered Boardwalk with the Facilities in the middle.

The park is quite different from your average holiday park in that is has a covered boardwalk that surrounds the park and meets at the newish ablution block. It means you can park close and avoid getting too wet if its pouring with rain to get the facilities. Clever.

After an afternoon of a few swims as you do, we settled down for the night. The forecast was evil with heavy rain and maybe some thunder too.

About 4am, we were woken up by this massive thunderclap and huge lightning. You could feel the vibration of the thunder through the motorhome even through the bedding! There were a couple of more strikes and then things settled down to just heaps of rain and wind.

In the morning, we woke up to a fridge which had been on power, a bit slow to respond and it was decidedly warmer than it should have been. We thought maybe it had been spiked.

Reading the Herald on the iPad, we saw that at the Golf course just a 100 or so metres away over the road, a Cyprus tree had exploded, and bits went flying up to 50 metres away after a lightning strike. We figured this must be what we heard at 4am.

The Facilities

The fridge was still a bit lethargic so after talking to my son, he suggested (I should have thought of this) that reset the fridge and try it on gas until we get back to Auckland to save our food. The fridge worked brilliantly and when we got home, we tested it on power with some ice and glass of water and it passed with flying colours 🙂

Outside the French Cafe

After getting over the fridge and getting things together, we headed into Rotorua on a bus and headed to Fiona’s favourite French Cafe in Rotorua. As always, the food was fantastic and from there, we went for a wander through the shopping area.

Fiona at her favourite French Cafe

Rotorua always has that holiday feel to it with the thermal smell and all the touristy stuff happening. It’s a great spot and we can never get enough of it. The Hot pools of course make it even better.

We finished off at Farmers and Noel Leeming and some of the big shops.  A cruise back on the Bus and we were back in for another swim in the Hot Pools. Bliss.

Rafe’s tracker map to Rotorua Thermal Holiday Park – Armada GPS

 

 

Hot pools, Rotorua, Waikato

Wonderful Waikite

We’ve been trying to get into Waikite at all the wrong times it seems. At the end of the weekend, we managed to bag a spot in their camping ground for a night. There are only about 20 powered sites so that explains why a holiday weekend is probably going to awkward.. 🙂

Click on any Image to enlarge

The campground at Waikiti

Waikite is about half an hour south of Rotorua and in its own little valley about 6 k’s from Waiotapu.

Our park at Waikiti

The campground does its best to be level but does have a little bit of a slope on it. Nothing that can’t be fixed with a wheel ramp or a block of wood 🙂

Pool with a view

We arrived around midday and after setting things up in Rafe, plugging in and opening vents, I went for a walk with the camera. Its an amazing place with some of its history on the walls in the onsite café.

Click on the Gallery below for an enlarged Slideshow

Lovely
Lovely pools
The boiling spring at the back. The source!
View from the lookout
Waterfall
One of the bigger (and hotter) pools

There are 3 smaller scenic pools plus a big main pool in the middle. Attached to the side of the main pool are two small spa pool sized pools so plenty of choice. They are all different temperatures so you can chose your own comfort zone 🙂

View from the lookout

A walk up the back behind the pools will take to the spring where the water is so hot, it is constantly bubbling out of the ground and running down a stream beside the pools.

The boiling spring at the back. The source!

On the track back to the pools is a lookout up the hill looking out all over the area. Both well worth checking out.

Lovely pools

We spent hours in the pools off and on and ending up having a simple nice shared seafood platter from the café there.

One of the bigger (and hotter) pools

The outside temperature got down to 5 degrees that night so we took advantage of the late 11am checkout for another early warm up swim before leaving.

Spa pools on the side

Everybody we’ve met raves about this place and I can see why. Its like being in another world and you can’t beat those Hot Pools.

Rafe’s tracker map to Waikite – Armada GPS
Bay of Plenty, Hot pools, Rotorua

A long weekend in Hot Pools

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And this meant Rotorua.. one of our favourite places in winter.

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Amazing covered walkways to get to the Ablutions

We left early on Friday morning to try and beat some of the motorway traffic and it worked. By 9am we were in Pokeno topping up with some tax free fuel 🙂

Check out the walkways

We arrived at Rotorua about midday and had a quick look around but finally checking into Rotorua Thermal Holiday park down by Whakarewarewa.

We’ve stayed here before with our Grandkids and its a well setup park with a covered walkway system to the ablutions which is quite neat. Great in winter!!

We were allocated a spot on one side not too far from everything.

We settled the van, plugged in, opened some hatches and after a cup of tea, headed off for the first of many swims in the pool. Its amazing who you get to meet in a hot pool.

A Café but it was closed

The next morning we got an Uber into the Rotorua big barn shopping area. The Noel Leeming’s, Briscoes  and had a nosey around, headed off to Fiona’s favourite find of the weekend, an authentic French café and its lovely. I had a Crepe with bacon and eggs and it was every bit as the good as the one I remember when we were in Arras, France.

Fiona found this french cafe
The Crepe from heaven

After that it was time to walk off the lunch so we set off down to the lake front where they have recently finished a huge redevelopment of the foreshore. There is still more to come looking at the fenced off areas but what a big improvement. People everywhere so its good to see it being enjoyed by lots of young families.

The development on the waterfront
The Lincoln and other cars at Eat St.

We walked on towards Eat st and in there was a local Hot Rod / American Car display all down the middle of it. Some great old cars.. my favourite was an old Lincoln.

Click on the Gallery below for a enlarged Slideshow

With the covered walkway
Caravans too
Nice cabins
The pools
Fiona found this french cafe
Fiona at the cafe and things French
Kids playground
Our walk in town
The development on the waterfront

As we headed back into the city, I managed to find a bus going right past the camp so we hopped on that and headed back to Rafe and then back to the pools.

The pools

There are four pools, one for families and 3 other smaller pools.. Not too hot so we literally spent hours in there off and on. What its all about!

The facilities are amazing, free showers, big kitchen area divided into sections so it can cater for several using it at once. Nice big lounge and huge dining room all connected..

The famous bridge where the kids used to dive for coins.
Whakarewarewa

And right over the road is Whakarewarewa and Te Puia which is always worth a visit.

Rafe’s tracker map to Rotorua Thermal Park – Armada GPS
Rotorua

The boys are back in town

My son Alex and his two sons, Liam and Ayden were on there way down to join us from their Easter break at Pauanui.

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Plenty of tents

We were staying at the  Cozy Cottage Holiday park where I had arranged a Cabin for them to stay in. We brought the boys here a year or so ago for a weekend so we thought they might remember bits of it.

Good parking

We had just finished lunch with friends in the carpark on the Rotorua waterfront when we found out that they had arrived and checked in so we were off to catch up with them back at the park.

Play area

Apparently, the boys recognised the park and youngest Liam, said “Don’t worry Dad, I know where everything is so I’ll show you.”! He even remembered where we were parked the last time we bought them down and they stayed in the drop down bed in Rafe. .. they don’t miss a trick 🙂

Ayden waiting by Rafe at the camp

After they were settled, we got in Alex’s car and went around the Subway so they could get something to eat and then we went to Kuirau Park to show them the Thermal area.

Kuirau Park
Kuirau Park
Kuirau Park

They boys were fascinated and after it was evident that they were still getting over the drive down we headed back to the Cozy Cottage Park for a swim in the hot pools which they really enjoyed and it was good time to relax out of the car.

Click on the Gallery below for a Slideshow

Nice Hotpools
Eat st
Kuirau Park
Ayden trying to tell us something ?
LtoR Ayden, Fiona(Granny), Alex (son) and Liam digging for hot water.
Ayden with his hole

After that we headed back to Eat st to find something that we could all agree on to eat 🙂 We settled on some shared Pizza’s at the same Italian Restaurant Fiona and I had lunched at a few days before, and it actually worked out cheaper than if we had eaten that well known takeaway that starts with M and much nicer 🙂

Digging for hot water at the Lake’s edge
LtoR Ayden, Fiona(Granny), Alex (son) and Liam digging for hot water.

After that it was pretty much bedtime for the boys but in the morning, we headed down to the Lakefront with borrowed shovels for the boys to find hot water in the sand!  Its amazing how the temperatures vary from their location on the beach. Some holes only a metre apart were too hot to wade in or just comfortable.. amazing.

Close to Ohinemutu

We all said goodbye and saw them off to the Luge and we headed back to Auckland on checkout time. A neat weekend and nice to see everyone.

Rafe’s Tracker map to Cozy Cottage – Armada GPS
Rotorua

Lunch in the carpark

Our friends from Christchurch, Rory and Henny were in town for the NZMCA AGM Rally with their friends from New Plymouth so it was a must for me to catch up with them as they had seen Fiona during a shopping trip, but I had missed them.

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Downtown Rotorua!

Rory and Henny and I met years ago when I was away on a blog hunting expedition on my own and we bumped into each other in Coromandel of all places. It turns out that Rory used to buy ice creams from my Grandfathers General Store in Diamond Harbour when he was a small boy.  Later we worked out that he also knows some of my other cousins in Christchurch too.. small world 🙂

The UCC on the left and Rory and Henny’s new Burstner on the right

While parked down by the waterfront in a carpark, I thought I saw Rory and Henny roaring round the corner next to me and when I rang a few minutes later, it turned out it was them. They were heading for the supermarket and we arranged to meet after that.

Rory decided that we’d head over the a bigger carpark where we could comfortably fit three Motorhomes in while we had lunch without upsetting the car parkers.

Nice view

Rory had a plan and setup his near new Burstner Lyseo with  Tony and Sheri from New Plymouth, with an area in between where could put out chairs and tables out for a bit a knees up for lunch.

It was really nice seeing them both again and also meeting their friends Tony and Sheri and their UCC Mercedes based Motorhome.

Lunch with a great view and there were lots of Motorhomes there, possibly having a break from the rally.

Rafe’s Tracker map to the Carpark – Armada GPS
Rotorua

Redwood Forest Treewalk and Ride

This was the main reason why we wanted to come to Rotorua. We moved Rafe to Cozy Cottage Holiday Park as it’s a bit less to bike! We’ve stayed here before some time ago and as they were doing a deal and because I’m a sucker for Hot Pools which they have, yippee, we’re in!

Click on an Image to Enlarge

Walking through Redwood Forest

Its also closer to the Redwood Park area. As it was Easter, the park was chocker but mostly with tents and a few Caravans.

The Tree walk

After checking in, we got the bikes ready and headed off to the Redwoods Forest area. Although we had a brochure with a map on the back of the Trail to get there was as clear as mud and we found ourselves having to stop and get directions a few times but got there and its a great ride just getting there once you know where you’re going 🙂

Fiona checking in

I waited with the bikes and got some pictures around it while Fiona did the walk. It looks great with platforms on the bigger trees with suspension bridges between. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour. There is also a night time walk you can do with the trees all lit up which comes free with the daytime walk.

Into the forest

After Fiona got back, we got on the bikes and opted to do the “Mokopuna” trail which takes you around an easy route through the trees and about 2/3rds of the way around there is an exit chute from the forest where you can head back into town for lunch which is exactly what we did.

Magical

On the way back we rode past the Racecourse where there were 600 odd plus mostly white Motorhomes enjoying the NZMCA Annual AGM. An awesome sight seeing so many parked in one spot.

After the walk and onto the ride.

After lunch we headed back to the Park for a hot swim after our 16 odd K’s ride.

Rotorua

The Ngongotaha Trail

Staying in the Rotorua Family Holiday park, we were very close to the trail into Rotorua..in fact it starts just behind the Ngongotaha shops but we got on from right over the road.

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Fiona on the Trail into town

We set the bikes up and we were off. The Trail starts down the side of a wide bike lane on a road and then turns into the sealed path through bush right next to an old disused Railway line.

On the trail into Rotorua

Eventually it comes out at Lake road which is the main road heading to downtown Rotorua and past Kuirau Park.

The view from the top. Biking into town

We were heading into town for lunch at Eat St. I’ve been here several times but never actually stopped here for a feed so after checking all the shops out, we decided on a shared Pizza from and Italian Restaurant which was fantastic.

Eat st

An hour or so later we rode around to Kuirau park and had a look at some of the Thermal areas there. Amazing to see boiling mud in the middle of a built up area like that.

Plenty of heat
Kuirau Park

After having a good look around here, we headed back down to the trial back to Rafe at the park.

Coming back to the camp

The round trip was about 16k’s according to the bike so not far at all and a good bit of exercise on a well setup and safe Trail.

Down the road from the camp