Tag Archives: Nice Food

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
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!

Click on any Image to Enlarge

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

Bulldozers, Boats and Balloons

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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.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

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 beach
Kids 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 Wellington
Behind 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.

What an incredible end to a brilliant day.

Rafe’s tracker map to Ngawi – 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.

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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

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.

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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
Waikato

2025 Dethleffs Get Together in Cambridge

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Cambridge has become another favourite place and with the Raceway providing such amazing facilities for an event like this.  It makes it really easy to organise.

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Looking pretty good.

Having a separate area to park, the Restaurant and normally a Burger shop along with the excellent Waikato River Bike Trails along the river means you can’t really go wrong 🙂

The Raceway

This was to be my last Rally as chief bottle washer, so it had to be a good one.

Peter and Judy’s Esprit with us behind. The two oldies!

We arrived just after midday to find Peter and Judy and Joss and Ben had already made themselves comfortable. They had left some room for us right next door 🙂

Peter and Judy’s Motorhome is a 2013 Dethleffs Esprit Low profile which was imported privately from the UK. It has the same 3 litre Iveco motor and associated running gear that we have in Rafe so it goes really well 🙂

It wasn’t long after that before everybody started arriving. Over the course of two days, we ended up with 21 Vehicles. We had quite a few more who were going to come but the over booked diary got in the way 🙂

It wasn’t long before the 4pm happy hour rolled around and with the wind whistling in the driveway, our usual spot under a big tree would have been unpleasant so we all setup up in a big area between two Motorhomes.

Click on the Gallery below for an Enlarged Slideshow

On the bikes – pic by Liz Tahana
On the bikes – pic by Liz Tahana
On the bikes – pic by Liz Tahana
Downtown Cambrideg
In the Restaurant
In the Restaurant
In the Restaurant
The Taem photo
The bike riders
Ben with his van behind at Happy Hour
some of the cars on their way to Frankton

Fiona and I had missed provisioning Rafe as we were depending on the Burger Bar, but it was closed so the only thing to do was join Peter and Judy and others for tea in Restaurant went down well as it was Steak night 🙂

The next morning was when we normally do the bike ride, and I hadn’t really organised anything, but I got our reasonably early to find many were setting up their bikes.

Liz volunteered to take the reins and lead everyone safely down the Waikato River to Tamahere and back with a stop for a cuppa on the way. Fantastic.

While they were busy doing that Fiona and I walked into downtown Cambridge with Peter and Judy for lunch and a look a general look around. 12000 steps odd! And about 3k’s round trip, good for the weight loss program 🙂

The bike riders
Liz leading the charge

We had a few hours after that to catch up with everyone and swap notes on our vehicles.

The Team photo
And an extra team pic

Happy hour came around again along with the team photo and it was nice to be able to introduce the Richard to everyone.

Richard is keen to arrange the next event in the Wairarapa so we’re really looking forward to that.  Richard has lots of experience in organising things and people so I sure next year’s event will be one not to miss!

Click on the Gallery below to see enlarged Happy Hour photos.

Happy hour Saturday
Ben with his van behind at Happy Hour
Happy Hour on Saturday

After the happy hour and photo, we all headed to the restaurant and had a great night there. Great food, great service and good company, what more could you want 🙂

In the morning, we were greeted with the arrivals of some Hot Rods and Motorbikes who briefly met in the carpark then headed off towards Frankton while we were saying goodbye to everyone before we headed for home.

The bikes on Sunday morning setting off for Frankton
some of the cars on their way to Frankton

A fantastic weekend and it went really well.

Rafe’s tracker map to Cambridge Raceway – Armada GPS
Waikato

The Antique Capital and Kaiaua Adventure

Heading towards Kaiaua for our final night away, we decided to pass through another favorite spot—Paeroa, often hailed as Antique Heaven! With its abundance of vintage shops and quirky finds, it’s the perfect place to take a leisurely stroll and hunt for treasures.

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We both enjoyed a wander through some of the charming antique stores. Fiona, of course, took a longer and more thorough look around while I kept my browsing short and sweet. After about an hour of soaking in the nostalgic atmosphere, we decided it was time to move on.

The drive to Kaiaua was pleasant, and upon arriving at the NZMCA park, we were relieved to find plenty of room. After settling in and opening the vents to let some air circulate through the truck, we couldn’t resist heading straight over to the pub next door.

The beer garden was the perfect spot on such a beautiful day. With a G&T in hand, we soaked up the relaxed atmosphere, enjoying the live music and the warm sunshine. Given my fair European complexion, the shade quickly became my best friend as we unwound in the early evening.

After a bit of a break back in the truck, accompanied by a much-needed cuppa, we made our way back to the pub for dinner. The meal was fantastic, the perfect way to end our day and, indeed, our holiday.

As we savored the evening, reflecting on our trip, it was clear that this was a fitting finale to a wonderful adventure. The combination of good food, great company, and superb weather made for an unforgettable last day.

Rafe’s tracker map to Kaiaua – Armada GPS
Coromandel 24

Cathedral Cove is Open!

Tim and Annette, my younger brother (not so little anymore!) and sister-in-law, flew over from Melbourne for a well-deserved break. It has been a while since their last visit, so when Tim shared his packed itinerary, we were really pleased to be able to join them for two nights in Hahei.

Click on any Image to EnlargeInitially,  Cathedral Cove wasn’t on the agenda, but with Annette being an avid kayaker and the iconic spot just reopening after the cyclone damage, it quickly became a must-do.

Hahei Beach

They had booked one of the Beachfront Villas at the Hahei Resort, and the team there gave us a motorhome park conveniently almost right behind them. Perfect!

The Villa’s

We arrived on a sunny Thursday afternoon and wasted no time setting up the awning and settling into deck chairs for some shaded relaxation. Tim and Annette arrived later after visiting an old friend in Tauranga. Luckily, Fiona had packed one of our trusty Bargain Box meals, which turned into a lovely, shared dinner, complemented by a few G&Ts.

The next day was all about enjoying Hahei. We wandered into the shopping center for a leisurely lunch before Tim and Annette geared up for their kayak adventure to Cathedral Cove. After a short safety briefing, they were off. Fiona and I opted for a swim back at the beach, enjoying the calm, sunny weather.

Getting instructions.
Tim and Annette at Cathedral Cove.
Pic by Cathedral Kayaks

When Tim and Annette returned from their kayaking expedition, we gathered on their villa’s deck overlooking the beach. The tales of their paddling adventure were as lively as the backdrop was beautiful. The early breeze had settled, leaving behind a perfectly calm day on the water.

While enjoying the afternoon back on the deck, a familiar face appeared at the top of the stairs, Caroline with a friend!  It had been a few years since we last each other, and after a moment of mutual hesitation (the “do-I-know-you” look), and after another old friend Chris, arrived in a car to confirm the situation, we pieced it together 🙂

Tim, Fiona and Annette enjoying a morning coffee on the deck.

Chris and her late husband, Gary, were old boating and motorhome friends, and we had spent many holidays together. It was lovely to see Chris and Caroline again.

The Deck bar area.
The amazing bar and social area.

Hahei Holiday Park has always been a favorite of ours, and this visit didn’t disappoint. A new bar, restaurant, and beach club had opened in the campground’s heart, a fantastic addition. That evening, we headed over for burgers and chips, and wow, those burgers were incredible! Quite possibly the best we’ve ever had.

Annette, Me and Tim at the Bar.

We bumped into Caroline and Chris again at the bar, enjoying dinner with their group.

The Kayaks

After another evening together on their front deck, we set off the next morning back to Auckland. We only there for a couple of nights but it was a lot of fun. Nice to see some old friends too.

Rafe’s tracker map to Hahei – Armada GPS
Northland

2024 Dethleffs Get Together at Waipu Cove

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What a fun weekend. Fiona and I arrived in Waipu Cove just after lunch and found our park almost next to the track over the Sandhills. Very handy but it was too cold for me swim yet 🙂

Click on any image to enlarge

That fantastic beach
Fabulous Beach by the doorstep!

Peter and Judy were right next to us with their 2014 Esprit so it was nice to have probably the oldest Motorhomes out of the 24 that had arrived parked together.

The oldies. .. Peter and Judy’s 2014 Esprit and our 2014 Globe 4.

I spent the early part of the afternoon catching up with people and checking in with people I hadn’t seen for a while.

Everybody getting settled
24 Motorhomes.

Happy hour came around and as we were the only ones at right angles to the wind that had a bit of a bite to it, we squeezed in between the old girls, The Globe4 and the Esprit 🙂

Friday night

The next morning, it was about getting ready for the 8k bike ride to McLeod’s Pizza and Brewery bar in Waipu which was mostly on a trail and was about 20 minutes ride away. We started with the customary team photo of all 29 of us and we were away.

29 heading for the Waipu Brewery 🙂 (and pizzas!)

It was a pretty easy ride and was mostly pretty flat. As we arrived early before the Brewery had opened, we headed off for a coffee across the road. Fiona saw one of the girls in the shop sneak off for some more milk 🙂 Great business for them as there were quite a few of us.

Bikes everywhere. Leaving Waipu for the campground.

Chris and Mary and Ben and Joss bought their vans in and joined in the fun.

Martin and Jill’s new Grand Alpa with Chris and Mary’s Esprit

Although there was quite a bit of wind around, it had dropped a bit, and the sun was shining so it was looking good for the Potluck dinner planned for later that day.

The official team pic 🙂

With the wind in the Southeast but a bit less of it, we decided to have the happy hour between the two oldest vans again to shield from the wind. It worked pretty well and then we shuffled off for our team photo.

Happy hour on Friday night
Saturday Happy hour

6 pm came around and it was time for us to move over the Kitchen where there were several tables available which made life easy.

Click on the Gallery below to enlarge.

Up Early 🙂
Bikes everywhere. Leaving Waipu for the campground.
The official team pic 🙂
Saturday’s Happy hour view from the top of the sandhill 🙂

The queue for the food was out of the door and the food was amazing. Everybody made a real effort. A fabulous night and it was fantastic to see everyone tucking in and having fun.

The Camping Ground is one of our favourites with its 10 metre square parks and we were all literally only steps from one of the best beaches in NZ.

A few of us stayed over for another night and after a nice lunch at the Cove Restaurant down the road a bit, we enjoyed a fun happy hour with Mary and Tony outside their new Baby Alpa.

Happy hour on Sunday at Mary and Tony’s

A lot of fun and thanks you everyone for taking part.

Rafe’s tracker map to Waipu Cove – Armada GPS
Close to home, Waikato

Lets get out of the House !

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We hadn’t long been out of bed on the Saturday morning when Fiona announced,” Let’s get out of town, what about Kaiaua”?

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The Bay View Hotel in Kaiaua

Kaiaua has become our easy bust out of the house destination being not far to drive with a great NZMCA park next door to a fantastic pub and the Fish and Chip shop from heaven 🙂

So, within a couple of hours, we were arriving in Kaiaua. Almost opposite us were full-timers, Kelly and Claire in their Autotrail Delaware. Small world stuff. It turns out that Kelly built a friend’s boat. Moored in the same place as the old family boat Rorqual.

We tootled over next door to the pub next door and there was an amazing band playing called Small stuffed Animals. they were amazing playing all the old favourites.

We also met Vicki and John who are just getting a Caravan ready to hit the road. Vicki grew up in Kaiaua.

I was told that there was a German Ompah band playing the next day and that explained why some of the staff were dressed in the appropriate costume, like the German beer festival. Lots of fun.

Click on the Gallery below to Enlarge

Manu about to deliver some food to a table.

We pretty much spent the rest of the day there and then got fish and chips for tea at the Fish and Chip shop. While we were there, we stumbled on some Liquorice Ice Cream. We last had this with Sambuca over it years ago in Coromandel and it was unbelievable. Well, we’ve found it, and it is made by Lewis Road Creamery… I feel a visit is imminent with the freezer on 🙂

Manu with some happy customers.

The next day, Fiona went for a walk, and I went to chat to the neighbours and later we found ourselves back at the pub where the Herman band was laying. Barman Manu was in his German gear making the most of it and it was a fun afternoon.

Later in the day we checked in to the Pub for tea. I had an unbelievable Pork Roast and Fiona had a Fish Pie… both amazing.

A great weekend out of the house:-)

Rafe’s tracker map to Kaiaua – Armada GPS