One – Friends are always there for you
Despite being 24 hrs late our flight from Amsterdam via Hong Kong was uneventful and we arrived in Auckland in reasonable shape. We’d reserved a Toyota RAV4 from Apex rentals and the Nissan X-Trail they gave us was perfect for our 7 week trip with plenty of room in the back for our mound of luggage. We seem to have brought more stuff with us on this trip than we normally do for some reason. We had even checked 3 bags into the luggage hold on the ‘plane which is unheard of for us, though one of them was smaller than most people carry on as hand luggage.
We were booked into a cottage in Ohakune near the Tongariro National Park for two nights but we knew we just didn’t have the energy to drive the 4 1/2 hours it would require to get there so stopped off at a motel in Hamilton, about 2 hrs out of Auckland. By this stage the jet lag was beginning to catch up and we were content just to go out to a shopping mall to buy some Skin Technology insect repellent to try and ward off those nasty little black fly they have in the South Island.
Hamilton is a nice looking town on the banks of the River Waikato and would probably warrant spending more time in. It is a good place to stay to visit nearby ‘Hobbiton’, where Peter Jackson built a film set for Lord of the Rings. We might just do a tour on our way back up the north island in late January but for now we were just happy to wander along the river and find a restaurant for dinner. I had read about the Gothenburg which was reckoned to be one of (if not the best) place in Hamilton. It was absolutely packed when we got there but the waitress said she could squeeze us in and we were very glad she did.
Gothenburg is a tapas restaurant so we ordered 5 plates, including raw fish and prawns, polenta chips and roast vegetables. It was really excellent fare and somewhat of a surprise to find in a small town. We shall definitely book a table if we go back to Hamilton later in the trip.
The following day we motored down highway 39 past Pirongia national park to join the 3 at Otorohanga, turning off at Eight Mile Junction onto the 4. The name of this junction is a hang over from the days of colonial rule – distances are now measured in kilometres in New Zealand. From the road we caught sight of a distant, snow-capped mountain – Ruapehu, which has always been a big draw for us. We have stayed in Ohakune, underneath the mountain, every time we have been to New Zealand so we just couldn’t pass it by.
The day was warm and sunny so, after having lunch in our very comfortable holiday home on the outskirts of town, we drove up the road towards the Turoa ski area and took a welcome hike along the Waitonga Falls track. This was the first time we had been able to stretch our legs for nearly a week and it was a pleasure to walk through beech and cedar forest, past Rotokawa, an alpine bog which on a calm day reflects Mt Ruapehu’s southern face. Unfortunately it was rather windy so the reflections were somewhat watery – more impressionist than photorealistic.
At 39 meters high Waitonga Falls are the parks highest and although they are less spectacular at this time of year they are still quite impressive.
Having worked up an appetite on our walk we were keen to go out and get a fish and chip supper at Kaptain Kune’s fish shop – the best in the whole of New Zealand as we never stop telling people. The shop looks a bit dowdy but they do know how to batter a fish there. We got chatting to a local whilst waiting for our order and discovered that the owner had retired after 35 years and had sold out to ‘a couple of Chinese’, she whispered. Sadly, it seems the new owners do not know how to cook fish and chips and our long looked for treat turned out to be a big letdown.
Disappointing though this was and despite the fact that we had missed a whole day in Ohakune we had a good time and sunset on Mt Ruapehu was still a glorious sight to see.
We now had another 3-4 hr drive, this time to meet up with some very dear friends. On our very first trip to New Zealand in 2013 we had stayed in a delightful B&B on the east coast. We instantly hit it off with the owners, Russ and Kate, and went back to Ashfield on subsequent visits. Russ was running a Kiwi growing orchard at the property and we were introduced to the intricacies of growing this fruit. But now our friends had sold up and retired to Waikanae on the Kapiti coast. We have long wanted to visit Kapiti so staying with Russ and Kate would enable us to achieve this.
The road from Ohakune to Whanganui on the west coast follows the Mangawhero River and is very twisty. It’s a lovely drive if rather tiring but better than taking the busier but quicker route down Highway 1. It was a relief to turn into Ta Heke Place and find a wonderfully warm welcome from our friends. They have a spectacular, individually designed house on a plot which runs down to native bush with Tui, Bellbird and Eastern Rosella flying about a garden lovingly set out and tended by Kate. The lounge area has fantastic full height panoramic windows with views to the distant hills. There seems to be so much space and light in New Zealand which enables people to build on a grander scale than at home.
Although we had left Ohakune in glorious sunshine the clouds had now gathered, though when it rained Russ was rather pleased that it was at least watering his lawn. We visited a lagoon area on the coast with Kate and took ourselves off to Nga Manu Wildlife Sanctuary for a couple of hours – as much to give our hosts a rest from us for a short time as much as anything else.
For the most part, however, we just relaxed and enjoyed the superb hospitality of our friends. Kate is a great cook and Russ an ebullient teller of stories and a mine of information – some of which was even useful! This was the first time we had really been able to stop and recharge since our journeying began more than a week previously and we felt it was the start of our holiday proper in many respects.
Two days passed all too quickly and then it was time to drive 15 minutes to the coast and board a boat bound for Kapiti Island. But more of that next time.
Travelling Light 