Virgin erections and other cock-ups

   21.2.2015      

New tent goes up OK

 After camping for a weekend up north in our little bubble tent, we decided that our advancing years deserved something a bit bigger and more robust. So we sold the little one and our two ancient single inflatable mattresses to a younger and more hardy cruiser.

By way of preparation for our camping adventures to the South Island, (or The Mainland, as folk who live there call it), we popped down to Whangerei to celebrate the relaunching of “Scott-Free”,  and try out our new tent for the first time. Whangerei is actually pronounced “Fungeray”, with the WH  = F in NZ Maori names.

The first time tent erection went well enough, but a breathalyzing road block on our way back to the camp after our party, was a bit scary  It was the first time I have ever had to blow into one of those things, and although I had nominated myself as the driver, and been very circumspect… (1 beer and 2 glasses of wine over 4 hours and a big meal), it was still rather nerve wracking given  new reduced limit, (0.05%), and their “zero tolerance” philosophy.

Anyway, I passed  their test OK, and retired to our new inflatable camp bed, with a Scotch , only to wake up with my hip digging painfully into the ground. We thought it had lost pressure as the night got colder.

The following week we loaded up Mrs Paki, and headed down to Orewa Beach, just north of Auckland, overlooking the Hauraki  Gulf, and Great Barrier Island. We stayed at the Top 10 Holiday Park, which was excellent, and right on the beach. With the benefit of our Whangerei experience, the tent was erected in less than 10 minutes this time, but once again we woke up on the hard  ground

Beautiful Orewa Beach just north of Auckland

Sundowners from our campsite

Then it was off to Hamilton to watch the ICC RSA vs Zimbabwe cricket match. The tickets cost us $67, but the very ordinary Hamilton camp site cost us $74, but had the advantage of being only a 3km walk to Seddon Park.

There was a great atmosphere in the ground and it was very strange to be surrounded by SA accents and Afrikaans. SA were in big trouble early on, at 83/4 after 22 overs, but were rescued by David Miller and JP Duminy’s record breaking 5^th wicket partnership of 256, and the 97 runs they scored in the last 5 overs. Steyn and Berhardien  bowled a shower , and Zim were ahead of the run rate right up until the last 7 overs when they collapsed, and fell 65 runs short.

The team shirts were priced around $130 ( R1300), so we decided to just wave our RSA flag instead.

Sunset over Seddon Park

We then drove down to New Plymouth, and I had yet another interesting road experience…… pulled over by the “Stop/Go” lollipop man for “overtaking” in a restricted 30kph road works zone. I had been behind a 30 wheel  heavy duty horse  & trailer for the last 50 kms, and the road was so narrow and winding that there was no way of overtaking.  At the road works end, the truck moved to one side at 5kph to let me pass, and I obliged, doing about 15-20kph, with a clear road ahead (except for the lollipop man), and no solid line either. Apparently ,there is a bylaw in NZ that “there is no overtaking in a 30kph road work area, under any circumstances”. It was all very official……I had to produce my own scrap of paper and pen to record my name and vehicle registration number.

For this serious transgression, I am likely to receive a reprimand from the traffic authorities… Bloody ridiculous.

The beautiful Te Rewa Rewa bridge on the Coastal Cycle/Walking Track

                                   Same bridge framing Mt Taranaki

 New Plymouth was lovely, with a super coastal walk, and the back drop of Mt Taranaki…… and a “Warehouse”,  where we were at last able to exchange our leaking mattress for a new one.

It was then on to Whangenui, through some lovely rain forest areas, in the foothills of Mt Taranaki, where “Lucy”,  (our GPS) took us on a very interesting route. 

The camp site was on the Whangenui river bank, and very nice indeed ($37)....but freezing cold after the sun went down. 

The town itself was also very attractive, with beautiful old buildings, colourful flower beds, and hanging baskets of flowers everywhere.

Next it was down to Wellington, from where we had booked our ferry crossing to Picton, on the South Island. One town we passed through on the way, had us both in fits…. Whakahora……. Remember how they pronounce WH in NZ?

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