Tag Archives: Campgrounds

Wellington 2026

Over to Richmond and Some Flying!

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The last few times we’ve stayed in the Nelson area, we’ve based ourselves in Richmond.

Click on any Image to enlarge

Looking back towards the road

There are two caravan and motorhome parks here at the racecourse, and we’ve stayed in both. One has a few trees scattered around, while the other is wide open with solid gravel pads. On the way over, I’d rung ahead and booked a site for a few more days to recover. As it turned out, we ended up on the open-air side, with the gravel pads.

Fiona grabbing the washing

It’s a really nice setup, run by a lovely couple, Lynn and Jude from their own motorhome. They’ve got things well organised, and it’s very affordable too.

Looking over the Racecourse and towards Nelson

They were needing some drone images but being right in the flight path for Nelson Airport, I was a little unsure about the whole thing. I decided to download an app that allows you to apply for permission to fly. It’s called AirShare.

As long as I stayed below the tops of some really tall trees on the property, I had an hour to get the drone up and capture some images.

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What an amazing system! It was really easy to use. All I had to do was lodge a flight path, say where I was, who I was and what I was planning to do. Within minutes, my flight plan came back approved.

Yippee! Away we go!

It’s a great system for anyone with a drone, particularly when you’re in an area where flying is restricted. It certainly made the whole process painless.

The park had quite a few full-timers living there, but there was still plenty of room, and everything was very tidy. It was also an easy walk to Richmond Mall and some great restaurants, so we didn’t have to worry about cooking. Always a bonus!

Opposite the Redwood Stables Holiday park is this amazing new complex. We had lunch at Jose Garage.

Unfortunately, we were still feeling pretty miserable, and after a bit of discussion, we decided it was time to call it quits on our South Island adventure and head home to get over this vicious flu.

It was time to ring Bluebridge and see if we could change our tickets to get home a little earlier.

While sitting around in the sun with my tablet, I managed to get two tickets to the Wearable Art Awards in Wellington for the day after we arrived back.

Our old friends Mark and Dinah, who have been competing in the event almost since it began, had won an award. Fantastic! We were absolutely thrilled for them, and it was something really special to look forward to.

After another couple of lovely days in the sun, wandering around some of the local shops and enjoying Richmond, it was time to start getting ready for the trip home.

Our little spot in Richmond

Neither of us was in particularly good nick, so we figured it was time to be sensible.

Sometimes the best decision on a motorhome trip is knowing when to call it a day.

Rafe would be heading back across the Strait, and we’d be looking forward to getting home, getting well and catching up with some old friends.

Not quite the end to our South Island trip that we’d planned, but there was still a little bit of excitement waiting for us in Wellington!

Rafe’s tracker map to Richmond – Armada GPS

Wellington 2026

Off to the South Island

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We’ve been building up to this trip for a while, heading off to the South Island to catch up with some friends we haven’t seen for a while and have a good look around at some of the things we think we’ve missed over our last few visits.

Unfortunately, there was a nasty coughing flu doing the rounds, and we both managed to catch it. Rather than sensibly cancelling or postponing our ferry crossing, we decided to push on. Probably not the smartest decision, but hey, we were off!

Our first stop was the NZMCA park at Turangi, a place we’ve stayed at a few times before. It was just like pulling on a big, comfy blanket. We could simply blob out, do nothing and recover a bit. The sun was shining, so all was good.

The next morning, we headed off to Waiouru and stopped at the Army Museum for a coffee and something to munch on before the next leg of the journey. From there, we continued on to Sanson for lunch before pressing on towards Plimmerton, where we were staying for the night.

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At Waiouru

The weather was still lovely, but we were both battling the germs, so we did our best to keep to ourselves and not share our little bundle of joy with anyone else.

The Plimmerton NZMCA park is just magic, and having a powered site made it even better. It was still pretty cold, with that Southerly coming up from the South Island, so our new ceramic heater was absolutely fantastic. It certainly made life inside Rafe a lot more comfortable.

Plimmerton. we’re over against the big shed with power

We had an extra day before the ferry crossing, so we thought we’d make the most of it the following morning. With the railway station only about 100 metres or so from the park, it was very handy for jumping on a train into Wellington.

Plimmerton.. we’re over on the left in the distance.

About 30 minutes later, we were pulling into Wellington Railway Station, right in the heart of the city.

Plimmerton Railway Station

We both really like Wellington. It’s an easy city to get around on foot, and the train system is fantastic if you want to get out and about a bit further.

Busy busy

I actually went to school here when I was a grasshopper, from about 8 to 10 years old, before we moved to Auckland. So it’s always nice to come back, wander around and take it all in again. 🙂

Click on the Gallery below for a larger Slideshow

The Railway Station
Inside the Railway Station
Nice old building
Wellington Train station
Ouside the Train station

We headed off to a café for lunch and then had a wander around the streets before making our way back to the railway station for the trip home to Plimmerton.

The next morning was going to be an early start. We had to be up and about, get Rafe into the city and catch the ferry across to Picton.

The South Island was waiting, and we were finally on our way!

Rafe’s tracker map to Plimmerton – Armada GPS
Bay of Plenty, Hot pools, Rotorua, South Island 2017

A Break Away with Hot Pools

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It’s been a really busy few months, so we haven’t been away as much as we’d have liked. A weather window popped up, the fantastic tradespeople working on our bathroom had just finished, and we were ready to go.

Click on any Image to enlarge

Parked near everything

Rotorua is one of our favourite spots for hot pools, so it went straight to the top of the list. Even better, Tasman Holiday Parks were running an NZMCA deal for a few nights. Last time we came here a few years ago, it was Rotorua Top 10 Holiday Park. It’s a fantastic place right in the heart of the shopping area, so there’s plenty to see and do.

Great Location


I haven’t posted much recently as the past year has been a big one at home. We tackled a major job on our old ’60s kitchen and living area, stripped the living room of furniture, pulled out the old kitchen, laid a new floor, removed an unnecessary second doorway, and installed a brand-new kitchen.

All our furniture lived in the carport for the best part of a week, fun times! A huge thanks to Emma and DJ at DJ Cabinetries for the superb design and installation, we couldn’t be happier. Our longtime plumber, Mike Peters, and painter, Brad Tik, did amazing work too.

Click on the Gallery below to see before and afters

The Old 60’s Kitchen
The new design. Note the curves.
The old shower over bath with the old tiles.
Into the future 🙂

This year, we did the same to the bathroom. Our superb builders discovered the floor was particle board, no good for a wet area so it was replaced with treated ply, as the joists were beyond legal span, those were sorted too. It all took a bit longer, but it’s great to have it up to code and done properly.

Longtime builder friend Paul Jervis and his son Fischer led the charge, with Mike the plumber and Brad the painter involved again. Thanks also to the others I haven’t mentioned with both projects, everyone did brilliantly with the small spaces and turned them into what we now think is a bit of a palace.

Magic!

Back to the Rotorua trip. We scooted off early midweek, stopped in Cambridge for lunch, and then checked into the holiday park. We were allocated a site right opposite the hot pool complex and close to the ablutions, perfect. With the cold temperatures sneaking in, it was great not having to sprint too far with not very much on!

Click on the Gallery below for Enlarged Slideshow

Downtown Rotovegas
Parked near everything
The hot pool
Fiona at Eat St
The French Cafe

We started the first day with a walk into town to the French café, always a favourite for their crêpes, and the coffee’s great too. After that, we wandered down to Eat St for a glass of wine and a G&T for Fiona, had a brief look around, then headed back to the hot pools for a blissful soak.

Fiona at Eat St
Eat st

It’s a well-laid-out park in a fantastic position, with everything close by. Rotorua’s well served with great restaurants and cafés, and there’s plenty to see and do. We spent the best part of a day at Rotorua Central, and Trade Central Mall is just over the road from the holiday park.

The hot pool
Close to the pool.

In the end, we stayed four nights, a great break away. The deals are still on, so make the most of them and check them out.

Rafe’s tracker map to Rotorua – Armada GPS
Wairarapa 26

Heading South for the New Year

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Happy New Year!   It’s 2026 and we’re heading off southwards. We’re winging it a bit this time as the weather isn’t expected to be too flash, and we’re keen to check out some new places along the way.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

At Taupo for lunch on the way down.

We headed off early after Christmas, leaving at 6am to beat the Southern Motorway traffic and it worked perfectly.  The traffic was calm and sedate, the sun was shining, and it felt like we were off to a great start.

Our plan was to head towards Turangi, with the GPS telling us we’d arrive before lunch. We stopped briefly at Tirau for a cuppa and a slice of cake, then about 20 minutes later we were back on the road.

Later in the morning we arrived at the NZMCA park in Turangi. It was only about 25% full, so not busy at all. We settled in and, naturally, it was time for another cup of tea. Out came our trusty old kettle but shock horror, a screw had come off the handle. We both agreed that could get a bit dangerous once it heated up.

The social lane 🙂

Luckily, there was a hardware shop just around the corner. Sure enough, they had what we needed, so kettle crisis averted.

Click on the Gallery below for an enlarged Slideshow

At Taupo for lunch on the way down.
My favourite place to stop for a jumper
The Turbines keepin eye on us.
Somewhere to rest on the way to the river
The walk down to the river
Down by the river

A little rain fell overnight, which cooled the air nicely. In the morning, after our hardware shop visit, we headed off down the Desert Road towards Waiouru, stopping in Taihape for another cuppa and cake. We’ve stopped at the Brown Sugar Cafe a few times over the years and it’s always a good choice. There’s great motorhome parking almost outside, right next to the famous gumboot throwing area.

Lovely spot

After a nice lunch in a busy little café, we continued on towards Ashurst, travelling through Utiku  and coming out near Palmerston North.

From there we headed on to the lovely Ashurst Domain. It’s largely unmanned but very reasonably priced, and power was included, which was a nice treat.

The Turbines opposite

The domain is beautifully laid out under big trees, right next to the river, with the large wind turbines doing their thing on the hills across the water. We were very lucky to have the help of a regular camper next door who showed us where everything was fantastic.

The place was pretty busy, being an in-demand spot, and it’s super handy to everything, only about five minutes from town. All in all, a great place to stay.

Rafe’s tracker map to Ashurst – Armada GPS
Close to home

A Small Settlement Close to the Water – Leigh

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One of the first places we ever took our motorhome, about ten years ago now was Leigh.

Plenty of room.

Back then, we were still very new to motor homing, so the plan was to head somewhere not too far from home… just in case we’d forgotten something or if anything went wrong. Of course, nothing did! Instead, we ended up discovering a fantastic little village overlooking the sea.

Down at the wharf

Looking out over the water from the wharf.

A few years later I came back while Fiona was working to see the village light itself up for their annual light-up event. It made for some great images; you can see those here.

The park before the wee storm with the conference centre and Motel units also part of the campground behind.

Entrance to the Conference-Wedding centre.

Last weekend was another one of those “unsupervised” trips while Fiona was at work. I’ll admit I was a bit nervous on the first day with hail, thunder, and strong winds in the forecast. The weather did arrive, but it was nothing to lose any sleep over.

The Library

Once the sun reappeared, I headed off for a wander through town and down to the wharf, only about a 10-minute walk. It really is a magic little place.

Scary driveway !
The Fish and Chip shop near the Camp.
Lots of colour
Really nice cabins too for friends without Motorhomes.

While I was out, I met the owner of Leigh Central who introduced himself and had a good yarn.  A really friendly chap, and he mentioned there are some big improvements planned for the future.

Looking up the main street of Leigh

The campground itself is fantastic, close to everything, quiet, and super relaxed. On my last night, I tried the fish and chip shop right next door to the camp… delicious and very reasonably priced.

Character buildings.

And of course, one of the best things about Leigh: it’s so handy to Auckland. Only about 60-odd kilometres from Devonport, so it’s an easy and super convenient weekend getaway.

Another great stay in a favourite little settlement by the sea.?

Rafe’s tracker map to Leigh Central – Armada GPS

Close to home

As Close as You Can Get at Sandspit

What a lovely little place to sneak away to!  And the best bit, it’s not far from the big smoke.

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Fiona was at work, so with a couple of days free I thought it was the perfect time to stretch Rafe’s legs, and Sandspit beckoned.

At just over 50km north, straight up the motorway, it couldn’t be easier.

After checking in, I grabbed a prime waterfront spot, opened a few vents, and headed out for a wander. Across the road is the marina, where a boardwalk winds its way through the mangroves, great for a stroll and a stickybeak at the boats. The bar there was closed (only open Thursday to Sunday), but I was more interested in the boats anyway.

The Boardwalk
Working on the boats

From there, I carried on down to the wharf where you can hop aboard the Mail Boat as it does the delivery run around Kawau Island. It’s a brilliant trip that takes most of the day, with a stop at Mansion House Bay (I’ve written about that trip before, see that here.

Click on the Gallery below to check out the Baches

Amazing Baches

By lunchtime I was back at the campground, soaking up the sun by the water and admiring some of the cute old baches nearby. Most of the baches you can stay in, but some are privately owned.

The Marina

With the weather set to turn, I made the most of it by walking up the hill to check out the famous big chair and take in the view.

The big chair on the top of the hill
The View from the top

The park itself is a gem. I hear it’s on the market after being in the same family for more than 40 years. That’ll be a sad moment for them, it’s not often you find spots like this anymore.

A fantastic spot, close to home, and one I’ll happily come back to.

Rafe’s tracker map to Sandspit – Armada GPS
Wairarapa 25

Brewtown and a visit to the Gallipoli Display

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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 Bar

Te Aro

Brewing 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 Distillery

Wild 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 station

From the bus on the way into Wellington

Amazing 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 action

Fiona 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.

Rafe’s tracker map to Brewtown – Armada GPS

Wairarapa 25

Over the Rimutakas to High Tea

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!

Their Video Blog can be seen here https://www.youtube.com/@AwanuiNZ

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 us

The 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….

Rafe’s tracker map to Brewtown – Armada GPS

Wairarapa 25

On the Bikes at Martinborough

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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.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

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

Rafe’s tracker map to Martinborough – Armada GPS

Wairarapa 25

Hunkering Down at Greytown

We’d been really lucky with the weather so far, but with a front on the way and rain in the forecast, we figured it was a good time to head to Greytown and check in with Ken at the Greytown Holiday Park.

Click on any Image for to Enlarge

These Caravans are effectively cabins you can stay in.

Lots of room at Greytown

This park is a real gem, set on a council reserve and just a short walk from the heart of town. We first met Ken around six years ago, and he’s been running the place brilliantly ever since. It’s competitively priced, relaxed, and nothing ever seems to be a problem.

Ken’s new project. New Caravans for accommodation.

Ken was telling me about his new project with some replica Heritage caravans he has setup for more accommodation. They’re fully powered and look very comfortable.

Inside the new caravans

The rain came and went, but with umbrellas in hand, it was easy enough to duck between the amazing little shops that line Greytown’s main street. We visited a few cafés, browsed through some boutique stores, and then popped into a gin tasting shop, as you do.

Amazing shops

We came away with a bottle of Greytown Gin. Fiona chose a variety called Frostbite, which seems to be a local favourite. It comes in a refillable hip-flask-style tin, perfect for future visits!

Click on the Gallery below for images of Greytown.

From the Soldiers Walk
The Soldiers memorial walk
Inside looking the other way.
Ken’s new project. New Caravans for accomodation.

There’s also a great little walkway that runs along the edge of the Holiday Park, which we think is called the Soldiers Memorial Walk. It’s a lovely shortcut into the camping area, and we used it often while we were there.

The Soldiers memorial walk

We’ve had some great times at this park over the years, and after two nights we even considered staying longer. But with Martinborough vineyards and some bike riding still calling, and the weather still holding, it was time to move on.

Rafe’s tracker map to Greytown – Armada GPS