Looking down on the town of Mt. Maunganui.
It was lovely when we awoke and it was going to be another sunny day. Great! We spent the day in the sun and finally wandered down to the far end of the beach for a swim. The ocean was far to rough so we gave it a miss. Instead we watched the surfers for a while.
Then we sat and read for a while. We went and bought a Kebab each for our evening meal. It was very good.
Sunset on top of Mt. Maunganui.
It was another fine day so we walked up to the top of the Mount. It was just great to sit at the top and watch the world pass by. This morning we watched a NZ Navy gun boat leave the port and sail out into the beckoning ocean. We could see over to the Coromandel and it was very cloudy. We were contemplating moving on and exploring the Coromandel Peninsula but we didn’t want to drive into bad weather when it was perfectly lovely here. So we decided to stay until the last day.
In the evening, Stu from our neighbouring site came and sat chatting most of the night. It was a late night for us.
It’s a long way down Sue!
Did I really go swimming in this?!
I nearly drowned today! It started off so well too. I was up at 6.30am and as I had Internet access I read the Sunday Times for a change.
I then went for a bare foot run on the beach. 1 hour 5 minutes later I returned. It was the longest time I had run for years. It seemed effortless. I arrived back at the van and said to Sue, “I am going for a swim.” Sue called after me.”Becareful it looks dangerous today”. I just ran and dived into the ocean. I wasn’t thinking. It was great, until I tried to get back that was.
As fast as I was swimming to the shore the waves were pulling me back. It was high tide and the beach was steeply shelving. I could not feel the sand below. The waves were crashing around and on top of me and I was getting tired. There wasn’t anyone around. I was getting tired and worried.
You try not to panic at times like this but it’s not easy when you are in no man’s land. If I swam out I would be out of the waves crashing down on me but further out at sea. I made another bid for shore, and another, and another. I seemed to be getting nearer but I was getting more tired by the minute. I swallowed some ocean and went under a big wave. I could just feel the sand under my feet. Then I couldn’t, then I could. I was getting closer but it was tiring.
I eventually got back and felt like collapsing on the beach. My legs were like lead.
I had learned my lesson.
I spent most of the morning relaxing and later in the afternoon we went for a walk around the base of the mount. Sue said she wanted to move on tomorrow.
Leave paradise? I wasn’t so sure.
A paraglider dropping onto the beach.
Sunrise at Mt. Maunganui.
Another glorious morning. It was going to be a perfect day as there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. We spent the day sun bathing.
Today there was a big event on the beach. We went to investigate, it was a race. The main event was a 2.8 K swim. There must have been a couple of hundred competitiors. NZ have a 16 year old sensation who is beating everybody.
However, 29 minutes later they were running up the beach to the finish line. Staggering.
Late afternoon we went shopping. We returned to the site, took a few beers in the rucksack and went for a drink on the beach.
Our neighbours lent us a Roy Orbison DVD. It wasn’t working correctly so we ended up reading.
Lights off at 9.30pm. What’s the world coming too?
Sunset at Mt. Mauganui.
Sue sunbathing.
Blue skies again when we awoke. There would be no training today as some days you just need a rest. This was our 4th day here. It is simply paradise. I don’t want to move. I was getting a bit fed up of driving and I just wanted some time to swim and lounge around in the sun.
We didn’t do too much today.
Mount Maunganui.
At 7am I was up. Sue was up at 5.45am. It was blue skies all around. In fact it was just perfect. After breakfast we walked to the top of the mount. Sue was impressed with the views from the top. The mount is a major attraction as many local residents do a quick run around the base or a walk to the top followed by a run to the bottom. From the top you can see the whole of Mt. Maunganui town and all the east side of the Coramandel peninisula.
When we got to the bottom sue went back to the van and I ran around the base doing it in about 22 minutes. I think it is about 3k.
After breafast I lounged around the van reading. In the afternoon when I had absorbed enough sun I went to get a dose of Internet in the town.
The evening meal was a bottle of Steinberg and a chicken curry listening to the waves pounding on the beach.
The campsite at Mount Maunganui.
We were up early again as we wanted an early start off. The sun was out and the skies were blue. I popped over and did a few chins before setting off. We quickly found the signs for Tuarangi and picked up Highway 33. As we were heading northwards we were begining to enter more populous areas now we were getting towards Auckland.
My normal speed is usually 80 Kph, there is no point dashing past everything just to get to another place. I think sometimes this annoyed Sue, but I was content to drive at this speed. I was in no hurry. As I was going down hill I received a flash from another motorist. Not one to ignore such signs I glanced at my speedo; just under 80 kph and touched the brakes as a precaution. There it was on the left an unmarked white van. Yes, it was a radar trap. What was the speed restriction. I didn’t know!!! I got Sue to look behind the signs as we left the area. 70kph. That’s not much, and not exactly a built up area. We shall see whether I get a ticket or not!
Without other incidents we arrived in Mt. Maunganui. What a lovely place. It was glorious by now. A few wispy clouds in the sky. The main road went right along the beach road. Plenty of parking here, no crowds unlike England and Europe. We parked up and went to have a look at the beach. FANTASTIC, white sands and beautiful views. We got back in the van after a quick sandwich and a cup of tea. We sought out the best campsite. It was right on the beach. We got a good site. 10 metres from the beach. The receptionist was Welsh from Pontypool? in South Wales. She and her partner have been here for 5 months. They came out the previous April for 3 weeks to look at the North and South Islands. Only 3 weeks! You have to be joking. I think we have just scratched the surface after nearly 3 months. Our site was also right next to Mt. Maunganui a 500 metre hill? I just had to get to the top. I donned my jogging kit and 18 minutes later I was on top. I have to admit I was overtaken by a girl (supreme athlete) on the way up.
There were spectacular views to had from the top. Mt. Maunganui is a really beautiful resort.
Sue taking time out to valet the van.
The magnificent Mt. Ruapehu in the Tongariro National Park.
Today we got up early, the sun was shining brightly. I went for a run along the lakeside and finished with some shuttle sprints and exercises. I felt better. We were out of the site after 9am and off towards Mt Ruapehu and the Tongariro National Park. We drove through Turangi and picked up State Highway 47 in the direction of the West side of the Mountains hoping to reach the visitor centre. As we drove past Mt Tongariro the wind was very fierce and whipping up the waves on the adjacent lake. We could also see dark gloomy storm clounds descending on the mountain range from the West. We made a snap decision to turn around and see the mountains from the other side; we reasoned that we would not be able to see the mountains in the clouds on the West side.
We drove around the East side and the mountain range was fairly clear, so we drove along Highway 1 in a Southerly direction. We were able to get some fantastic views of Mt. Ruapehu.
After we had our fill of Mt. Ruapehu we turned the van around and headed North. We stopped off at the Tongariro National Trout Centre. Although it wasn’t the main season for emptying the trout, the tanks still had the small fry to have a look at. We spent around an hour looking around. In the visitor centre we watched a video on the Tongariro Trout area. There were many exhibits and displays for the most ardent game fisherman. In the grounds were ponds and tanks holding 200K+ of trout in various stages of development.
The famous Rainbow Trout. Wow!
In the afternoon started our main thrust forwards to the Coramandel region as we only had 8 full days left in the van.
We stayed on Highway 1 passing Lake Taupo on our nearside affording us some beautiful views of the lake, sadly lacking any pleasure craft on the waters. We stopped briefly in Taupo at the Pak n’ Save, I went and posted a letter to Simon. Then onwards on Highway 1, after leaving Taupo we found the signs for “Craters of the Moon,” a nationally recognised tourist attraction. We had to stop. Only $10 (£4) to get in. We spent around 40 minutes walking around the many holes in the ground spewing their steamy contents. Some did resemble craters of the moon. There were frequent signs reminding persons to stay on the path. There was a story about a 16 year old who had ignored the warnings and strayed near the crater, the ground giving way and the boy falling in. OUCH! Luckily he only burnt his feet and lower legs.
Leaving the Craters of the moon we remained on Highway 1 and later turning right onto highway 30 to Rotorua. We stayed in Rotorua for the nigh at the Top 10 site site.
We were up early this morning, the weather to be honest was a bit shitty. It was cold and wet and really gloomy. I wanted to visit the Tongariro National Park and see the mountains but it seemed a waste of time as the clouds were really low. We decided to head in that direction and see what develops.
We got into Tourangi but it was raining hard. We bought a newspaper and found and some thermal baths. It was raining quite hard at this time so we had lunch and read the newspaper. After about an hour there were quite a lot of people coming and going from the thermal baths. Sue went to investgate. She came back and said we could get a private room for $14 (£5). We did, the thermal bath was very good but they were quite hot. After 20 minutes it was enough.
When we came out the rain had stopped so we were able to do the thermal walk. This was free. It was quite interesting to tramp around a park with bubbling pools and hot springs everywhere.
The sun was begininig to brighten by late afternoon so we made a decision to find a campsite near to Turangi, then if the weather improved we could head back to National Park tomorrow. We found a small campsite in Motuoana and had a great view of Lake Taupo. The site was less than 10 metres from the lake side. Motuoana is a small village about 8k from Turangi and had its own marina. We walked around for 1/2 hour looking at the boats. We then had a meal in the campsite kitchen and had a chat with a couple on holiday from Perth.
A scenic walk in Craters of the Moon.
While we were in the kitchen the TV was on and apparently on the news were pictures of a one of the mountains bursting its crater wall. The authorities had been waiting over 4 1/2 years for this to happen. It is called a Lahare (Probably a Moarian word). All the water burst from the top of the crater and swept down the side of the mountain. No one was hurt, and no damge was created. Apparently when this happened in the 60’s, the lahare swept away a railway bridge and track, no one was abe to stop the train and 130 lost their lives. Sad indeed. This time they were prepared. Good job we didn’t go to the mountains as we would have been stuck in the traffic for hours.
One of the many Maori sculptures that abound NZ.
It was a bit cloudy when we got up. We had to catch up with Internet stuff. I spent about 1 1/2 hours in the cafe while Sue went shopping.
We explored the lakeside; that didn’t take too long. It was quite windy and Lake Taupo is not the place to be when the wind is gusting. Lake Taupo is NZ’s largest lake and covers an area of 619 square kilometres. The town is at the edge of the lake and is quite nice. I expected to see many boats and yachts up and down the lake, but no virtually nothing. It was quite erie not to see any pleasure craft or people fishing on the lake. I can imagine that this place would be quite cold in the winter time.
Both of us were quite weary I suspected we both had colds. We lounged around the van and read a book on the waterfront for the rest of the day. We returned to the same campsite for the evening.
