Tag Archives: Small Towns

Wellington 2026

Heading Back for WOW

November 10, 2026 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 1 Comment

We were really lucky to get tickets for WOW and were looking forward to it, especially given the disappointment of not being able to continue further down the West Coast. However, being positive about things, I was looking forward to popping into Havelock on the way through to Renwick, where we planned to stay.

Stopping in at Havelock, we found the locals were having a bit of a marathon, which seemed to include people from all around the district. There were tons of people about, and everyone seemed to be having a ball.

After watching some of the action, we headed across the road to a café and enjoyed a great lunch.

We spent about an hour there before leaving for the Renwick Arms Country Club. I’d rung earlier and spoken to Sharon, who was very welcoming, and we found ourselves a great spot on their back lawn, right next to a powered site.

That night, we went inside and enjoyed a fantastic meal with some of the club members. It’s an amazing spot, and the food was just superb.

The Club President wandered over and introduced himself, and we soon discovered that we were both photographers. He had worked for the NZDF, while I had spent my years in newspapers, but we had several common friends.

It was really nice to chat with someone who had also dealt with chemicals and darkrooms. Took me right back to the old days! 🙂

We had a great couple of nights there, but it was time to roll on.

We headed off early in the morning to the racecourse dump station before making our way to Picton. We had lunch and a wander around town, enjoying the sunshine until it was time to check in for the ferry.

Having Lunch in Picton looking across to the Ferry

With glorious sunshine and hardly a breath of wind, we were all set for a nice sailing back to Wellington.

Arriving in Wellington around 6 pm, we headed up the motorway and back to Plimmerton, where we plugged in for our two nights in Wellington.

The following day, after a bit of a lie-in, we headed into the city by train late in the morning, looking for somewhere nice for lunch.

Click on the Gallery below for an enlarged Slideshow

The Beehive and the olde wooden building next door

We ended up at a Malaysian restaurant tucked away in one of the side streets. It was absolutely amazing and extremely good value, especially considering just how good the food was.

A visit to Farmers, Whitcoulls and a few other shops followed, before we eventually ended up in a pub and then made our way to the Wearable Arts Show.

And what a show it was!

There were two opera singers who were just fabulous, and the Wearable Arts creations just kept coming. I overheard someone criticising the show for having too much dancing and not enough emphasis on the clothes. Perhaps there was a little of that, but I thought they got it pretty much right.

The whole show was absolutely amazing, and the creativity on display was something else.

The show was all done and dusted by around 9.30 pm, and we only had a 200-metre walk back to the railway station before catching the train home to Plimmerton.

Early the next morning, we were up and underway, heading north towards Turangi.

We stopped just out of Sanson at the Woolshed Café. It’s always great coffee and food there, with easy motorhome parking, which makes it a favourite stop.

After topping up with diesel in Sanson, we headed north again.

Ironically, by the time I finally got to Turangi, I was starting to feel a whole lot better!

Funny how things work out sometimes.

Rafe’s tracker map to Plimmerton – Armada GPS

Wellington 2026

Over to Richmond and Some Flying!

November 6, 2026 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 2 Comments

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

Click on any Image to enlarge

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.

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.

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.

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

November 2, 2026 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 2 Comments

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.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

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.

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.

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

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!

Bay of Plenty, Hot pools, Rotorua, South Island 2017

A Break Away with Hot Pools

June 2, 2026 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 2 Comments

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

An amazing Little Town Called Takapau

January 23, 2026 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 2 Comments

…and an equally amazing little park-over-property to go with it.

At this time of year, when you ring up at short notice, you tend to hold your breath as you ask if there’s any room at the inn. This time, luck was on our side, and we managed to secure a couple of nights in Takapau.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

Lovely spot and although it rained, it was solid underneath.

Some years back, during one of the Dethleffs Owners Group gatherings I organised, I got chatting with a couple who mentioned they had once run the campground here. Their advice was simple: if you’re ever in the area, you must stay there. So, we were doing exactly as we were told 🙂

On the way through, we couldn’t help but stop at Norsewood, just north of Dannevirke. There’s an amazing woollen wear and general clothing shop there, full of beautiful jumpers and yes, I bought one. Really nice people running it too. The weather wasn’t playing ball, so we didn’t linger, but we’ve been here before and there are plenty of photos from previous visits.

When you head into a small regional town and pull into a park-over-property, you’re never quite sure what to expect. What we found here was an absolute gem, run by two wonderful people, Pauline and Russell, who couldn’t have been more welcoming or helpful.

The setup is essentially a house on a large section, with several powered sites out the front. Visitors have access to two well-appointed bathrooms inside the house, complete with showers and toilets. There is also a large communal lounge and a kitchen area, which makes it feel very relaxed and homely.

Downtown Takapau with the 4 Square on the right

Best of all, it’s only about a ten-minute walk into the centre of town, where there’s a well-stocked Four Square supermarket and an excellent fish and chip shop. Really, what more could you want??

While we were there, Fiona was keen to visit nearby Ongaonga, where she spent time as a child visiting her grandparents, who ran a small farm in the area. We had a good look around the road she remembered but couldn’t quite find the house. It turned up later on Google Maps as is always the way! The weather was a bit hit and miss with showers, but we’ve travelled through this area before in better conditions and it’s still a lovely part of the country.

Click on the Gallery below for an enlarged Slideshow of Ongaonga

We stopped in the Ongaonga township for a cup of tea at the café and a wander around the historic buildings. It really does feel like stepping back in time. The locals have done a fantastic job preserving the town, and everything is beautifully maintained.

All up, we had a great couple of days here and really enjoyed our time with Russell and Pauline. It’s one of those memorable POPs that’s now firmly added to the must-visit-again list.

Rafe’s tracker map to Takapau and Ongaonga – Armada GPS

Wairarapa 26

The Clareville Bakery

January 18, 2026 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com

The rain had well and truly set in, and it was time to move on from Masterton as Fiona only had a small window before work called again.

Click on any Image to enlarge

As we headed out of town detouring slightly south to hit the truck stop for diesel. Fiona started telling me about an amazing café on the northern outskirts of Carterton, only a few kilometres away. Apparently, it was not to be missed. Well, that was all the encouragement I needed.

While we were so close, it would have been rude not to stop… and what a find it turned out to be.

The Clareville Bakery was set up by the current owners in 2013 after they renovated an old church that had previously been a café. They’ve taken it to a whole new level. Having won numerous awards for their seriously scrummy breads, cakes, and pies, it’s no surprise there’s almost always a queue at the door.

I was impressed straight away by the large car park, complete with a dedicated motorhome area tucked away in the corner and even more impressed that we managed to snag a spot. Always a bonus.

Full carpark in the middle of the week 🙂

Inside, the place was buzzing despite the weather. The cabinets were packed with tempting options, and the smell alone was enough to make choosing difficult. I honestly can’t remember exactly what I had, as Fiona ordered for me while I wandered around taking photos, but I do remember it being very good!

We spent a relaxed hour or so here before heading north again, well fed and very content.

We’ll definitely be back next time we’re in this neck of the woods.

Rafe’s tracker map to Clareville Bakery – Armada GPS

Wairarapa 26

Over the Hill to Woodville

January 14, 2026 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 2 Comments

With the sun still shining, we were up and out early, heading down to the river to see the wind turbines up close.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

There are hundreds of them, and with a decent breeze blowing they were really earning their keep. The walk down is a great little trail that winds its way to the water’s edge and, once there, we sat for a while listening to the wind, watching the blades turn, and just soaking it all in.

At the top of the hill looking towards Woodville

Eventually it was time to move on, so we headed back and found the road that climbs over the hill to Woodville, passing right through the turbines. We stopped a couple of times to grab some photos — the scale of them is impressive, and the views from the top of the hill in both directions are well worth the pause. Rolling hills, wide skies, and turbines stretching as far as you can see.

Click on the Gallery below for an enlarged Slideshow

On the way through we called in at the Tui Brewery, which now welcomes motorhomes overnight as a POP and also has a dump station, always handy to know. We’ve stopped here before, but the place has had a real upgrade. More outdoor tables, a great setup, and the food was absolutely spot on.

From there we decided to head down towards Masterton. It’s only about 50-odd k’s, making it an easy run for the afternoon and a good excuse to stay at the NZMCA park and have a wander through town.

The park has a really nice layout and almost always has plenty of space. The walk into town follows the river and is a really pleasant stroll, with birds about and the water flowing quietly alongside. The final touch is a neat little swing bridge that drops you right near the centre of town.

By the time we were back it was looking like rain was on the way, so we called it a day, poured a G&T, and settled in to watch a bit of TV.

The next morning, we were up and ready to head into town for a look around. Great minds think alike as we weren’t the only ones doing the same thing.

We headed for a café opposite the supermarket and settled in for a nice cup of coffee each before wandering down the main street to check out the shops.

It’s a good shopping area, though it’s easy to see that times have been a bit tough for some of the retailers. After a decent look around town and a bite to eat, we picked up a few things at the supermarket and headed back to the park to blob out for the afternoon.

Feeding the ducks at the Park on the way back.

A lovely day in Masterton.

Rafe’s tracker map to Masterton- Armada GPS

Wairarapa 26

Heading South for the New Year

January 10, 2026 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 1 Comment

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

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.

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

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.

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 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

December 8, 2025 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 2 Comments

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Events, NZMCA Rallies, Waikato

2025 Te Aroha Romp – Lots of Images!

November 4, 2025 Chris Miller - Buggeritweareoff.com 3 Comments

This is one of those events you just don’t want to miss — and it’s easy to see why it sells out in a matter of days! The Te Aroha Romp is always a highlight on the NZMCA calendar, and once again the Waikato crew pulled off an amazing weekend.

Click on any Image to Enlarge

I arrived at the NZMCA park next door on Thursday so I could settle in 🙂 It’s a nice wee park and so close to town too. With the Romp on right next door, the park was really humming. Russell the camp custodian was having a busy day and doing a great job keeping everything running smoothly.

Just after backing into my parking spot, I met Terry and Catherine a couple of vehicles along with their recently acquired Trailite. I joined them later for happy hour, a great crew and plenty of laughs.

The next morning, Russell told me the back gate was open, making it easy to drive straight next door to the event parking. After settling Rafe and opening a few vents, I wandered into the Silver Fern Farms Events Centre to check in. I bumped into Des, the OC of the event, who’s been running it since its early days in Tokoroa. He was in good form and ready to roll!

Click on the Gallery below to enlarge – The Parking

The parkers did an incredible job fitting in over 550 motorhomes and caravans, almost all on the Friday. The horseshoe shaped setup around the main rugby field looked fantastic, a real sight to see.

Over 550 Motorhomes and Caravans! Click to Enlarge!

That night, Coopers Run kicked things off with a great set in the Events Centre. They were excellent, but I was pretty knackered so retired to Rafe for a quiet movie night.

Coopers Run with plenty enjoying dancing to their music.

Saturday morning, the games began! I spent most of it catching up with friends I hadn’t seen for ages, but I did catch the egg-throwing contest, always good fun.

Jean during the Egg catching competition.

Then came the piping in of the Haggis and the whisky ceremony, followed by the pipe bands.

If you’ve got any Scottish blood, it really gets the hairs on your neck standing up, just magic.

Click on the Gallery below to enlarge. – The Haggis

During the afternoon there was a pipe band competition and a march of the combined Pipes bands in the main paddock. Seriously good sound 🙂

Click on the Gallery below to enlarge. – see the Pipe Bands

After happy hour, I wandered back to the Events Centre for the Paul Madsen Band — a 70s hippy-themed night with some amazing costumes. For just three musicians, they really packed a punch, and Paul’s voice was something else.

Click on the Gallery below to enlarge – The Paul Madsen Band

Sunday morning, the rugby was on the big screen, plenty of nervous energy in the first half, but the All Blacks got the better of the Irish after the break. The collective sigh of relief was something to behold!

Later that afternoon, Lisa Lorrell took the stage, performing songs from Phantom of the Opera and more. A relaxed, musical way to round out the weekend, topped off with another cheerful happy hour where I met some lovely folks from Taranaki.

Monday morning came far too quickly. After a quick coffee and a stop at the dump station next door, I pointed Rafe north up the Matamata Road and back to Auckland.

Another great Romp done and dusted, huge thanks to all the volunteers and organisers who make this event so special every year. Can’t wait for the next one!

Rafe’s tracker map to Te Aroha Romp and NZMCA park – Armada GPS

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.

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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.