This is a seriously amazing place. I just love the way the good folk of Oamaru have looked after and encouraged their heritage.
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The Historic area is just something else. It doesn’t matter how many times we come, there is always something new and different to see.
I especially liked the welcome to Orclanders post Covid on the back of an old truck.. just lovely.
Wonderful welcomeThe other side of the Orclander truck 🙂
We stopped in for lunch one the way from Geraldine and Dunedin.
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At the historic precinct
Interesting cafe
Iconic for Oamaru
Its really interesting looking at the records of the Criterion Hotel which reveal that one of the past owners were the McLeod brothers who owned it for some time. Fiona’s Dad’s family came from Timaru and Geraldine. It would be interesting to see if there was a connection there.
The wharf
A great spot with plenty of great Cafe’s and things to see and do.
After we left Cambridge, we both decided we weren’t ready to go home so we headed east and while driving decided on heading to Mount Maunganui. I’ve got several friends who have stayed at the campground at the beach and I’ve been wanting to give it a go.
Up and over the Kaimai’s and onto the mount was easy and we arrived not much after midday.
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The reception people were fantastic and we were given #1 park which they said was a bit of a treat as it was a Sunday night. #1 park is right next to the surf club and as close as you can get to the beach… absolutely a primo spot.
The Campground
There was a beach volley ball competition right on the other side of the surf club which was a final of a competition and it was well set up with a big audience watching. A real buzz.
Beach Volleyball champs
There was an endless stream of people walking along the boardwalk, both up and down the Mount, only feet from our bumper. We were right in the thick of it!
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The Boardwalk and Volleyball setup
Beach Volleyball champs
Walking the Boardwalk
Cabins with a view
Great Location
The Campground
I went for a walk around to get the lie of the land and some images and had just posted one with my phone on Facebook when we got an immediate reply from Fiona’s cousin, Malcolm and Michelle who had just arrived at their apartment along the road. They had come from Raumati beach.
An hour or so later and we were having tea with them in Rafe looking out at the beach in front of us.. magic.
Right on the Beach
We were going to check out the hot pools which are half price if you stay here but crashed instead.
The next morning, we had a coffee with Malcom and Michelle at their apartment and then headed home. Its a great place to stay and we were very fortunate and lucky to get on the front row so to speak but I think doing it again, a few rows back would be just fine for me.
A very well setup park with new ablution block and everything that opens and shuts..
Its a huge farm on many acres doing all the berries under the sun. At the moment they’re just about out of Strawberries but there was plenty of everything else 🙂
Parking was easy with a big parking area for Motorhomes and Caravans so easy there too.
Easy parking
It was stinking hot so we chose to sit outside under the shady pergola and the food was perfect.
Popular Mini GolfFun and Games
We had these amazing strawberry sundaes. They were $9 something each but just the best, we even came back the next day to do it all again.. 🙂
The ice cream sundae
A must do if you’re in the area.. on the way to Whakatane on the Tauranga side on the main road in, about 3 k’s before the Hub in Whakatane on the left.
Rafe’s Tracker map to the Berry Farm and Cafe. – Armada GPS
It was going to be a scorcher so we got the bikes sorted and headed from the Bell Block park down towards the Waterfront to join up to the Walkway.
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Fiona screaming down the hill to the walkway.
From the Bell Block park to the Wind Wand is about 20k’s round trip so its a good ride and you know you’ve used some muscles when you return 🙂
Coming up to the Te Rewa Rewa bridgeThe Te Rewarewa ridge
The trip is mostly downhill to the Te Rewa Rewa bridge but its a fantastic pathway. Some of its boardwalk but most of it is a wide concrete path which eventually goes through the side of the Fitzroy Holiday Park. We stopped at the Kiosk for a cuppa and something to eat and then rode on to the Wind Wand. Great fun.
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The view from the bridge
Fiona on the bridge
Looking back at the bridge
Coming into Fitzroy camp
The Kiosk at Fitzroy
Looking towards the port
A train going under the path by the Wind Wand
There we left the waterfront to have a quick look at some shops and then headed back along one of the shopping streets and back down to rejoin the Waterfront.
Fitzroy beach
Just fantastic. A great outlook and apart from the uphill bit at the end going up through the houses was pretty easy. .. Well worth doing!!
Heading home
A couple of glasses of wine later with some neighbours in the park and that was us for the day 🙂
The big day for Cruise Martinborough is when all the cars start in Puruatanga park, where we were staying and then all roar into the town square and completely surround the main square.
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It is truly a magnificant sight. The park in the middle under the trees, gets covered in portable deck chairs from the car owners to shelter from the sun. The coffee and Ice Cream carts are doing a roaring trade. The Cafe’s are flat out and its just a neat scene of people everywhere wandering through the magnificent old Fords, Chevrolets and many others.
Grants Plymouth and CaravanBBQ in a hurry!
The time and money that has gone into these cars is unbelievable and it is not until you get a close up look at some of them that you can appreciate the craftsmenship involved.
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People enjoying the sights
Metal Beauty
Time for a photo
The pie carts were busy
Cruising in the park
American muscle everywhere you look
We spent an hour or so having a good look around before settling for a good old fashioned lime thickshake from a milkshake bar in the square.
End of the day
An amazing scene with several retailers saying that they wished it happened more often 🙂 So do I !
After we’d ordered a coffee each and bought something to snack on, she explained that if we ordered tea and paid for it then (it was about 3.30pm then), we could specify a delivery time to the Motorhome at tea time. The options were 5pm , 6pm or 7pm. Wow I thought, I haven’t ever come across this before.
Inside the Cafe
We quickly ordered a meal each and after our coffee’s and a look around went back to Rafe.
Friendly Donkey
Our meals arrived right on the dot of 6pm and they were nice and hot and good food. A knock on the door and in it came. We washed the dishes and returned them in the morning.
The campground is on State Highway 1 and directly over the main road is the main trunk line to Wellington so you do hear the odd train and truck going past but at $22 Campsaver prices, its still really good value.
Nice parking
Its a great place for kids being well fenced with a great playground and plenty of farm animals for them to see.
The play area
Nice people, great value and very easy access and parking.
Rafe’s Tracker map to Flat Hills Cafe – Armada GPS
One of our favourite spots in the Hawkes Bay has to be Clifton Reserve. With Toilets and Rubbish recycling and right on the most amazing beach, it can’t be beaten and its a gold coin donation.
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Looking towards Napier
We’ve stayed here quite a few times and it is always fabulous. This time we were here so we could bike along to the Te Awanga Vineyard which was a few K’s down the road to have lunch. A perfect way to start a great day.
Great view
After settling down Rafe and getting the bikes down, we were off and heading down some great bike tracks towards the vineyard. Their driveway would probably be nearly a k long through the vineyards but its very easy and a lovely ride.
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Solitary Guitar
Great view at Te Awhanga
Fiona with her new Cider
Nice evening
Sundown
Parking in a bike rack not far from where we would eat, we were given a table which looked out over the vineyard towards Cape Kidnappers which was great.
Great spot
We must have spent several hours here eating pizza, drinking Chardonnay and Cider before we headed back to Rafe at Clifton. A fantastic spot and very reasonably priced. There are two other vineyards there too which we’ve been to as well. Clearwater and Elephant Hill. All are very good with different levels of food and pricing.
Sheltered
Arriving back at Clifton, it was starting to fill up but there was plenty of room for all.
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 heatKuirau 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.
On my second day at Long Bay Holiday Park in Coromandel, I discovered the track to get up to the Kauri grove up behind the bay.
One big tree
There is a boot washing station to prevent Kauri Dieback getting into the forest but its an easy walk in. Its mostly uphill going in and I found myself stopping a few times just to catch my breath (must be getting old or unfit) but it is well worth the effort.
The walk up
There is one massive tree that I could see, and a whole lot of smaller but really tall trees and a couple of areas where you can sit and take it all in. Its a magic spot just like the rest of the bay.
The Grove at the top with the seating area
I sat up there for about half an hour before walking back down to the Holiday Park in the bay.
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Wash your boots time
The walk up
One big tree
A bit of a peak out
That’s a big tree
A baby Kauri with the big one behind
Entrance to the Bay
Long Bay
I’ve never been one for long walks or studying trees but this is well worth seeing.
On the way up the coast to Coromandel is a little village called Tapu. It is roughly 20k’s up the coast from Thames and has two motor camps and a free parking area on the beach.
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The Parking area
I pulled in to the free parking area on the way up the coast and joined with three other overnighters nicely backed into the trees looking out at the amazing beach.
Nice beach
Several of the other Motorhomers had Kayaks and were out fishing off the beach from their Kayaks when I popped in.
A great spot and the price can’t be beaten .. Free!
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.
The Historic area is just something else. It doesn’t matter how many times we come, there is always something new and different to see.
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