After parking early on Thursday morning, and after a cup of coffee and getting things ship shape in Rafe, I went for a bit of a wander around the parking areas.
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Lots of white vehicles
It’s amazing just people watching and taking piccies as I went of things happening. The parking team did an amazing job getting lines straight and getting everyone in safely.
Talking to some of them later, it’s amazing to hear that there were a few whines from visitors not being able to park right next to their friends etc.
The blurb did say, “if you want to be next to friends or family, come in together”. It’s hard work for the volunteer parkers getting everyone in safely, let alone stop queues unnecessarily.
As I say, the Volunteer parkers did an amazing job well done yet again…!!
Check out the images of my walk about the parking area. I can’t get over the number of old friends I bumped into while walking around. Great fun.
Click on the Gallery below to see enlarged people images.
Reading something that doesn’t need to be plugged in 🙂
Off to the show
The Queue to get in
I’m not sure there were as many people as previous shows, but it was a fun place to be and lots to see.
You never know how these are going to go given the economy as it is. Is there going be much new things to see? is it going to be well attended? but it was all that and more. For me it was also a great chance to catch up with quite a few friends I haven’t seen for a while.I arrived early on the Thursday morning and the first friend I caught up actually parked me 🙂 Great to see Alan and Keitha again 🙂Friday morning it was showtime. My first stand to see was the Zion Motorhomes stand where I caught up with Tony who was looking after the Morelo “Home” Motorhome on the stand.
The Morelo on the left.
Tony has been eagerly awaiting the delivery of his new Morelo Empire liner which will be the first of its kind in New Zealand. Delays due to Covid, delivery schedules and shipping delays have meant he has been waiting for nearly 2.5 years! It is due really soon. It is 10 metres long with a 400HP Mercedes Engine. As Tony says, Its a beast! Really exciting for both Tony and his wife Fiona and I wish them well.
After that, I got some images of the new Dethleffs Grand Alpa with its Dual rear axles and rear lounge. Nice Motorhome. 8.6 metres long with a GVM of 540kg’s. Great to see the Zion crew all looking good.
Click on the Gallery below to see an Enlarged images of the Grand Alpa
The Grand Alpa
Moving on from here I popped into the Nationwide RV stand to look at one of the new Autotrails. The F74 which runs on a WOF and has a rear bed with an extra drop-down bed. Nice motorhome and at 7.3metres is easy to manage for those wanting something a bit smaller but still comfortable with all the mod cons.
Click on the Gallery below to see enlarged images of the F74
Just next door was the new ACM Alltrax caravan which is brand new. They describe it as the Caravan version of the ACM Platinum which is a stunning Motorhome and so is this Caravan. Check out the images.
Click on the Gallery below to see enlarged images of the Alltrax
One of the most notable new things at the show would have to be the very retro looking German, Eriba 530 Caravan on the RV Mega stand. At 5.9metres overall and at 1400kg, it looks well built and comes with all the usual bits and bobs.
Click on the Gallery below to see enlarged images of the Eriba
From here I popped into see the good folk at the NZMCA stand and did my usual team pic see below.
The NZMCA team.The crew with the Rio. NZMCA’s founders Motorhome.
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The Queue
RV super centre
One of the Kia Campers
Gin and Bare it tastinngs 🙂
Sensium used to be called Armada GPS and they sold me my GPS tracker that I have in Rafe that produces all the maps you see on these blogs. A great product and nice to catch up with them too.
Sensium’s Peter McLean showing how small the units are.
Once I got outside, it was interesting to see some of the Aussie caravans here with their raised chassis. They are pretty solid looking beasts and certainly look the part.
Another great show and nice to see so many old friends there.
Some of you may remember the Auction for Hospice Taranaki set up by my old friend and boss Rob Tucker in September last year. Rob organised some of his old work colleagues and other close news photographers to each provide their 3 favourite images for the auction. They were framed and mounted and various businesses in New Plymouth banded together to donate their services to make it a huge success. The Auction raised over $200.000 for Hospice Taranaki and really helped them out financially.
The three images I contributed to the Auction taken during my time at the Auckland Star below. Click on the images to enlarge.
Tina Turner at a press conference under TV lights.
Micheal Winslow outside the Regent in Auckland.
Run for your wife. One of the last shows at His Majesties Theatre in Auckland before it got bulldozed. L to R: Geoffrey Hughes (Coronation Street), Timothy Lea (Confessions of a Windows Cleaner) and Windsor Davies (It aint half hot mum) were staying at the White Heron lodge in Parnell where I met them early one morning.
I used to work as a photographer at the Herald with Rob. I was his first appointment when Rob was appointed as one of the youngest Picture Editors the Herald ever had. He had worked in Taranaki, at the Auckland Star and in the UK. The Herald did a really good video of Rob’s career highlights which you can see here. Rob was also appointed a medal in the recent Kings Birthday Honours for services to Photography.
A couple of weeks ago, Rob sadly passed away after fighting cancer for the last few years. The day we knew would come arrived, but it never makes it any easier when you lose a good friend.
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On the drive down
So, I jumped into Rafe and set off for Fitzroy Holiday Park to attend the funeral which was in Rob’s hometown of New Plymouth. The weather wasn’t fantastic, but I still managed to get some nice moody images coming down the coast into New Plymouth.
Lovely Coast
I checked into Fitzroy Holiday Park and the next day at the funeral caught up with my old darkroom buddy and fellow Herald Photographer Ross Land. We both started within a year of each other as young 20 yr olds, both appointed by Rob so have known Rob for over 40 years. As Rob was confined to a wheelchair, Ross was Rob’s right-hand man at the Auction, helping with the mounting, putting the book together and helping get the Auction under way. Despite the loss of our good friend Rob, it’s always nice to see Ross.
At a get together at Rob’s place 6 or so years ago. LtoR, Rob, Rob’s brother Jim and me. Rob’s wife Bonnie took the photo.
I also caught up with a few other photographers and Journalists present including Robs brother Jim who was my boss at the Auckland Star for 5 years or so in the 80’s. It was also really nice to see Robs wife Bonnie and their family.
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Well used walkway
The Kiosk and surfclub.
Water isn’t far away.
Cabins
Fitzroy is one of those Holiday Parks you never get tired of. It’s in a great location right on the beach and the facilities are fantastic and its reasonably priced at this time of the year. It’s also handy to the city.
There is a walkway/bike lane that runs all the way up the coast and back into the city which is amazing. It runs through the front part of the camp and a really popular coffee Kiosk just outside. It’s a really popular place for the surfers and the walkers and bike users, both on the walkway and beach are nonstop.
I don’t know how many times I’ve photographed and driven past the loos at Kawakawa, but Fiona and I had both seen the publicity on the new Art centre in Whangarei and it was on the must do list 🙂
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Nice easy parking
We arrived in Whangarei just after lunch after stopping in at Manganui for a piece of fish and a Scallop or two for morning tea 🙂
Very styley 60’s 🙂
With the weather looking decidedly dodgy with wind and rain, I decided on the Whangarei Central Holiday Park which is easy walking distance to anywhere in town. It’s also very reasonably priced with very nice people running it. Everything works and its handy!
After settling down Rafe, we set off with our umbrellas towards the new art centre, about 10 minutes’ walk. It’s amazing! The first thing to do while it was not raining was to check out the dome and the roof garden. There are some really rare trees from the islands there too with curled leaves… interesting but to think how quickly this has come together, it’s amazing and on the roof too.
Back downstairs on a wavy tiled floor, you feel almost like you’re on the water. Up one floor for the gallery on Hundertwasser are lots of examples of his art and design, and basically several rooms on how he did what he did and when. Really interesting artwork but with his unique style.
Fiona in the tower. The Marina in the background
He also had an amazing motor Sailer which I think he might have sailed out from Europe.
We spent an hour or so here and then went for a coffee at the Centre’s Cafe.
Some of the art
By the time we finished here it was time for tea. We found an arcade in the main street full of Restaurants and bars and eventually settled on an Indian Restaurant called Tumeric. It would have to be the best Indian meal we’ve both had for some time and was very reasonable. Amazing food.
Click on the Gallery below for an Enlarged Slideshow
From the tower out over the roof top garden towards the city.
Looking out from the tower
Lots of tiles and Coulour
Fiona in the Gallery
It was getting dark as left the restaurant and we ambled our way back to Rafe at the Park.
Outside our new favourite Indian Restaurant 🙂
A really interesting day starting in Ahipara, Manganui for Fish, ticked off the Hundertwasser building and a great Indian meal… what a day:-)
Rafe’s tracker map to the Whangarei Central Holiday Park – Armada GPS
This was just such a treat and Fiona and I had been looking forward to it.. the highlight of the trip if you like. We met the bus I was later told; was a 400 HP beast that was once a Petrol tanker but was custom made for its current purpose of ferrying people like us up to the Cape on the sand.
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The driver picked us up outside the Awanui NZMCA park along with a neighbour in the park with his two grandsons and we were off.
Jason the driver and guide was a scream and very good with the flow of interesting information that went all day.
After turning off the main road north at Waipapakauri, we headed a few k’s towards the beach before we got to the sand. The weather for the trip was perfect and once Jason had changed into 4-wheel drive, we were off up the beach… all 56k’s of it apparently 🙂 As Jason said on the commentary “ It’s the only state highway that gets a wash twice a day “:-)
Getting out for a stretch
About half an hour or so of cruising up the beach, we stopped and got out for stretch and a look around. It’s an amazing beach with nothing really in either direction apart from the sandhills behind.
Looking South. the hole in the rock.
There was a rock of the beach with a hole in like the one off Cape Brett.
Jason running the Bus up the Te Paki stream for the sandboarding.
A bit further on, we were heading up the Te Paki stream beside the massive sand hills where we stopped to let to let those younger and more adventurous than us to boogie board down the sand hills. Jason gave them all a few safety lessons and they were off.
Jason doing the safety briefing.Jason doing the safety briefing before they head up the dune.Sandboarding !
They all seemed pretty happy with the occasion and about 45 minutes or so later, we set off again up the stream to rejoin the highway up to the Cape.
After Lunch
Next we were heading up to Tapotupotu Beach for lunch which Jason had stashed away. The road wasn’t for the faint hearted in a big vehicle and although there were a few Motorhomes there, it definitely wasn’t for me.
Looking towards Maris van Diemen
About an 1 hour later with a great lunch by the beach, we all headed back to the bus and Jason then took us all up to the Cape Reinga carpark to walk down to the lighthouse.
The oceans meeting
It’s about a 45-minute walk down to the lighthouse and back and quite steep in places but on a really nice track. As you go down on the left you can see Cape Maria van Diemen where the lighthouse used to be, Cape Reinga in front and the beach that we had lunch at off to the right with North Cape way off in the distance.
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Arriving on the beach
A sandhill in the sun
Looking South.. wonderful.
Jason running the Bus up the Te Paki stream for the sandboarding.
Jason doing the safety briefing.
On the way up.. Jason was saying the escalators were being serviced 🙂
The Lighthouse – pic by Fiona
Cape Reinga
The last time I was here, I think I was 13 years old or thereabouts. We were on a family trip with a 4-wheel drive with a beach buggy on an A frame. It was a trip for a photo shoot with a friend of my Dads who was a specialist Motor Racing photographer for a magazine article. The beach buggy got stuck on top of a sandhill… think all wheels off the ground so I got to learn how to drive it while we got it unstuck 🙂
Back to the trip… it was fantastic to see it all again and all the improvements that have been made for easier access.
At the pub on the way home.
We were all back in the bus heading down the road for an ice cream stop and to the famous Waipapakauri where Fiona and I had a G & T to celebrate the end of a great day. We were only a few K’s north of the Awanui NZMCA park.
Back at Awanui.. great day !
A fantastic day and I’m really pleased we took the option of a guided bus trip. It wasn’t expensive given what was involved and a lot of fun and entertainment. Thanks, Jason, for the great commentary and a brilliant day out.
Rafe’s tracker map to the Awanui NZMCA park – Armada GPS
After watching the Shakers with the Olives, we set off for the walk along the waterfront to the treaty grounds. We’ve been here in the Bay of Islands so many times but haven’t really spent any quality time here at the Treaty grounds, so were well overdue for a visit.
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The Shakers getting the Olives off the trees.
At the entrance, we made our first priority a coffee and something to eat so headed towards the Cafe. We were really early for the guided tour so had plenty of time to kill.
Fiona on the new boardwalk up to the Treaty House
We decided to go on ahead anyway and walk up to the Treaty house and have a decent look, something I have never done and it’s really interesting. There is part of it at the back which is partly stripped to show how it was built as a kitset in Australia to be put together here. Really interesting.
Who knew there was a back courtyard!
I didn’t realise either that there was quite a big courtyard at the back of it which you never see.
Fiona decided to walk back down to the entrance to catch the guide for the walk back up. I walked over to the Meeting house just in time to catch the previous cultural show. They’re a fun bunch! Lots of humour but with a serious educational theme as well.
The very talented group doing the cultural shows.
There were about 30 people in the group and one person was volunteered to be the chief. He had to receive the challenge and then be accepted into the meeting house on behalf of all of us. He was Dutch and although his English was OK, he did really well as they had primed him to do a 5-minute speech which in the end was lucky if it was 30 seconds but all in jest but I’m sure he had some anxious moments thinking about it 🙂
Our “chief” being welcomed onto the Whare
A great show and well worth doing and great performers.
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View back to Paihia from the Treaty House
The Treaty House
Being welcomed into the Whare
The very talented group doing the cultural shows.
Looking back on our walk back to the park.
The show had just finished when Fiona turned up with her group, so I went into the show again with her 🙂
We wandered back down through the grounds checking out a wonderful new Museum largely dedicated to the Maori Battalion and the contribution they made over the years. Both Fiona and I come from a strong Army background, so we found it really interesting. During the war, the Germans found the Maori Battalion to be fearsome warriors and extremely effective soldiers. It’s great to see them getting some recognition for their efforts.
People inside the whare after the show.
We checked out the other museum too which was more about the Treaty grounds and the early settlers. Really interesting and very well displayed with some great audio-visual displays as well.
Looking back on our walk back to the park.
It was back to Rafe at Jan’s Motorhome Park after that and a G&T to finish off the day.
Rafe’s tracker map to the Bay of Islands Holiday Park – Armada GPS
They never disappoint despite the fact that this was smaller than previous years. It was cancelled last year due to Covid too, so many were really looking forward to this one.
I arrived on the Wednesday afternoon to arrange the Dethleffs Owners group parking next in the Alexander Park carpark pretty much behind the scoreboard which was a primo spot.
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Dethleffs parking
There was a race meeting on the Friday night. Fiona came over after work in the car and we went out for tea at the Lone Star under one of the new Apartment buildings next to the grandstand. The front of the restaurant all opened up to the track so you could watch the racing which was amazing.
Alexander Park right next door.
When I was about 20 odd, one of my roles as a junior Herald Photographer was to do the night trots. It was a mission as the horses are largely black and the background is black too so a bit of chemical trickery was required to make it happen with the low light on film 🙂 think 1970’s.
Our parking for the event
With all the storms we’ve had recently, Alexander Park raceway suffered some pretty awful damage to their track and had to relay the track. The pile of shells was our windbreak from the southerly wind if one was to eventuate 🙂
On with the show …. One of the highlights of the show for me was to see the new Kiwi Caravan made by ACM Motorhomes. It’s called the Romotow and is modelled on the principle of a Swiss army knife.
The Robotow is a polished looking beast. I’ll let the pictures below tell the story. The list price is $429k.
Click on the Gallery below for an Enlarged Slideshow of the Romotow!
ACM is owned by a very clever qualified boatbuilder, Chris Cunard and they repaired my floor in Rafe a few years ago when it started to misbehave. I now have one of the few motorhomes in the world where the vinyl now matches across all the hatches in the floor! Very tidy job and you can see more on ACM here.
The Morelo Palace
The other thing I was pleased to see was the Morelo Palace with a small Toyota half out of the rear garage. They’re an impressive motorhome and have everything that opens and shuts.
Click on the Gallery below to see enlarged images of the Palace.
The trend to smaller Motorhomes and Caravans still seems to be the way things are going.
Click on the Gallery below for an Enlarged Slideshow.
The new Dethleffs Just Go on a Ford chassis.
Dethleffs Just Go
Dethleffs Just Go
Thredbo Caravan
Thredbo Caravan
Thredbo Caravan
Trailites
Interesting slide on Ute Motorhomes.
Central RV Caravans
Autotrail Tracker
There was an interesting little teardrop there too at 28k too.
It was nice to see the fine crew on the NZMCA stand again with #1 Motorhome.
The smiley faces at the NZMCA stand#1 NZMCA
The show was quite a bit smaller than previous years but just as interesting and with all the main players there.
RV Super CentreSecond Hand area outside.
A big thanks to David Culpan for helping us with the Dethleffs parking.
Rafe’s tracker map to our parking at Alexander Park. – Armada GPS
These events are always fun to organise and fun to be at too. Organising this was made a lot easier by some useful tips from Brian who runs the Frankia group after they had a Rally here at Cambridge. Vicky who runs the event management at Cambridge was very helpful too along with Amy who works with her. Thanks heaps to those people for making it easy.
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Our park.
We all started arriving at the Racecourse around Midday and during the afternoon. As we were down in numbers from the Miranda do where we had 47 vans, we had 22 but I don’t think that we really had room for many more without splitting into two groups. Apparently, there was more parking just along by the stables. It worked and was very easy. We had some big gaps between us which was great.
I was really pleased to see quite a few new people with new Motorhomes and first timers at an event like this. Nice to see you guys too.
We now have 322 members in this group. These rally’s give you a great opportunity to mix with other Dethleff Owners and pick to their brains, tips and tricks with storage, electrical stuff, all sorts. So come and join us at the next one.
The Team .. click on this to enlarge.
As more people came in, there was lots of cruising around catching up with old friends and people checking on other Motorhomes. I even saw a few pairs of legs sticking out from under vehicles looking at things 🙂
An Interesting wrapped Dethleffs Esprit
Fiona was not feeling well so she decided to sit this one out and I made the stupid mistake of leaving all my bike keys behind so I couldn’t get my bike off the rack when the time came.
Kirsty and John very kindly lent me Kirsty’s bike as she wasn’t riding .. Nice bike and it was fun but there was an operator error oops 🙂 .. more on this later.
Lined up in the back row
That night, I had tea with my old friends, Walter and Nolina from Taupo who were parked right next door. The last time we caught up was at the Miranda do and it’s always nice to see them. They’re a lot of fun.
Happy hourHappy HourHappy hourNolina at the Happy Hour
Then it was time to go the Clubhouse Bar to watch the Warriors game. I’m not sure why I think this, but I often think I’m going to see them lose but they played brilliantly and won. Fantastic. It was a really good game, and I might have to watch them more often like I used to.
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Great Tshirt.. probably quite true too 🙂
The next morning, I was surprised how many people were up early.
The cyclists amongst us were organising ourselves and getting ready to go. After a team photo, we were off!
The Bike group as we left
We were heading to the Velodrome and Tamahere. More on the Te Awa trail soon.
Arriving back at the Racecourse, it was almost time for that “Elbow Exercise” again. We started in earnest all sitting around our favourite tree until the heavens opened up with a brief downpour which surprised everyone!
There was quick retreat to the room which was available to us for wet weather at the bottom of the grandstand. Very civilised with a bit of an outlook to the track.
Dusk
Then it was time for Tea where simply had to lock up and head next door to the restaurant. Nice food, good service although they were struggling with one of their tills which wasn’t playing nicely but it was a great evening. Everyone seemed happy and most retreated back to entertain friends in or outside their vans.
Thanks everyone again for coming.
After the meal from the Restaurant
It all went really well. Our next major get together will be in Miranda sometime in August. It’s a popular place and easy to get to and a nice park.
Rafe’s Tracker map to Cambridge Raceway – Armada GPS
Another year flashes by and we’re into Christmas again… fun times and sunshine.
We’re heading down towards Gisborne where we haven’t been for a while, so we’ll see where we end up!
Thanks to everyone for supporting the blog this year.
More Motorhoming while we can’t travel overseas.
Rafe looking Christmasy
Merry Christmas everyone and Fiona and I hope you have a great New Year… be careful on the roads and if you see us out there, please come and say hello.
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.
It’s amazing just people watching and taking piccies as I went of things happening. 
The parking team did an amazing job getting lines straight and getting everyone in safely.
Talking to some of them later, it’s amazing to hear that there were a few whines from visitors not being able to park right next to their friends etc.
The blurb did say, “if you want to be next to friends or family, come in together”. It’s hard work for the volunteer parkers getting everyone in safely, let alone stop queues unnecessarily.
As I say, the Volunteer parkers did an amazing job well done yet again…!!
Check out the images of my walk about the parking area. I can’t get over the number of old friends I bumped into while walking around. Great fun.
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