Decades of Travel Search Results

Discover decades of travel across the globe with real stories, tips, and diaries. Explore Holiday 1995-2024. DECADES OF TRAVEL DECADES OF TRAVEL DECADES OF TRAVEL DECADES OF TRAVEL Three Decades of Long‑Haul & Motorhome Adventures Real travel diaries from 1995 to Today across Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA, Europe, Asia, Pacific Islands and a whole lot more Content being continuously added by KeefH Web Designs New? Start here Explore More The Journeys Route Plans Join Us Best Travel Blog On Desktop view at 80% Make Your Own Choices Select via Tag Decade for Travel The 90s The 00s The 10s The 20s Region for Travel Australasia North America Pacific Islands Asia Travel Style Motorhoming Cruises Family Travel with Friends About Us WHAT & WHY! 3 Decades of Travel Blogs This site is dedicated to showing all the travels we Hellinger's (i.e. Keef & Annie) have had between 1995 & 2024 and beyond, mostly in a motorhome but not exclusively, and is both a merge and an upgrade in style and currency in website design terms over our 4 existing "Travel Diary" blog websites created at the time , they have been recreated here in one merged website by KeefH Web Designs. Featuring travel across the 90s, Noughties, 10s & 20s, so come with us and discover photos, dairies, hints and tips across North America, The Pacifics, Oceania and Asia. Dig deeper & enjoy Learn More WHO! KeefH (KHWD) As the designer and developer I have had great fun bringing my 4 older style websites up into the mid 20s style, they feel fresher and more relevant whilst retaining some of the look and feel of the old sites via background colours, based on Australian , Canadian, Malaysian and generic site colours. All the textual data and videos are migrated , see what you think! Our Long Haul Journeys Explore Now EXPLORE MORE About Journeys Our motorhome travel blogs celebrate the joy of life on the road, blending practical touring advice with warm, first‑hand storytelling. They chart scenic routes, campsite discoveries, and real‑world tips for navigating long haul destinations around the world in a home on wheels and more. Holiday 1995 Australian Travels in NSW, ACT, Victoria & Queensland Initially staying with Annie's brother in Sydney, then hiring a car, travelling to Canberra, and then along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, flying up to Cairns and hiring a 6 berth motorhome to see the Atherton tablelands and beyond Holiday 1997 Disney 25th Celebrations Travels in Florida, USA Mostly centered around Orlando, staying in Kissimmee, with trips to theme parks for the boys, but travel across state to Clearwater, St Pete's, West Palm beach, Naples, Cocoa beach, Cape Canaveral, Boca Rotan, Key West, Melbourne beach as well as the Everglades , Disney's 25th Celebrations. Holiday 1999 The Rockies Travels in the Western Provinces of Canada Hiring an All Drive Classic 3000 to travel both British Columbia and some of Alberta to visit friends who live in Edmonton, we saw amongst others the Rockies, the Inside Passage, Prince Rupert. Started with car hire in Vancouver across to Vancouver Island Holiday 2007-8 Long Haul Travels down under in 2007-8, lots in a motorhome Follow a year‑long 2007–8 gap‑year adventure across the USA, Australasia, and Asia, with travel stories, photos, videos, and tips from KeefH Web Designs. Highlights were New Zealand and travel on the Ghan, but there were many more, dive in why don't you? Holiday 2010 Canadian & USA Travels across most Provinces of Canada Explore our 2010 motorhome journey across Canada and into the USA in a brand new hired motorhome (scary) with diaries, photos, videos, and province‑by‑province highlights from a 92‑day coast‑to‑coast adventure. Combined with our 1999 trip we have now been all the way across Canada in a motorhome Holiday 2013 Long Haul Travels with a Round The World Ticket Follow our 2013 adventure across Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia and Singapore, featuring wedding celebrations, motorhome travels, photo galleries, diaries and immersive travel stories, hopefully to inspire you , maybe even create a bucket list for retirement, it is what happened for us Holiday 2014 French Travels including Monaco, Switzerland and San Remo Italy We journied through France on an unforgettable three‑month motorhome adventure. Explore scenic routes, charming villages, stunning coastlines, and real on‑the‑road stories from 4,611 miles of travel. Perfect inspiration for anyone dreaming of freedom, discovery, and life lived one breathtaking stop at a time. Holiday 2016 Motorhome Guide Scandinavia Plan your perfect European and Scandinavian motorhome adventure with real‑world tips, border advice, fuel insights, route ideas and practical guidance from months on the road. A traveler's guide packed with experience, helping you navigate Europe and Scandinavia with confidence, ease and unforgettable freedom. Holiday 2017 Friendship Travel Diary for 2017, The Big Trip with pals We can thoroughly recommend travelling with friends, double the motorhome experiences. Discover our 2017 ‘Big Trip’ across Singapore, Australia, the Cook Islands, New Zealand and Malaysia, with friends, motorhome adventures, travel diaries, galleries and immersive photography Holiday 2018 Motorhoming around Ireland Explore Eire through our 2018 motorhome adventure—scenic coastal drives, hidden bays, campsite reviews, practical tips and real on‑the‑road experiences. Discover wild Atlantic views, historic towns and the best stopovers for a smooth, memorable journey across Eire’s stunning landscapes. Perfect inspiration for planning your own Irish road trip Holiday 2019 Discovering the delights of the Faroe Islands & Iceland Journey through the Faroe Islands and Iceland in our 2019 motorhome adventure—rugged cliffs, fjords, volcanoes, remote campsites and dramatic coastal roads. From ferry crossings to geothermal wonders, this guide captures two wild Nordic worlds and offers inspiring, practical insight for anyone dreaming of an unforgettable northern road trip Holiday 2022 Family Travel Stories , returning for Disney's 50th Celebrations. Returning to Florida again we stayed in my little sister's timeshare in Davenport. We had a great time with our son and his family and sharing Disney through the eye's of our grandchildren was magical. It also showed us that we have definitely altered our energy levels since our trip in 1999. #haha Holiday 2024 Combined Cruise & Road Trip , Alaska and Canada Combining a fabulous cruise to Alaska, which we had planned to do in our hey day but was too expensive, for my 70th with my sister and hubby, and then time on Vancouver Island with friends from Edmonton, and then driving across British Columbia into the prairies to meet up with Annie's cuz in Stettler. Holiday 2025 Our latest long haul trip to Scottish Islands Less haul , more road miles really! Discover our 2025 campervan adventure through Scotland, Shetland and Orkney—remote islands, rugged coastlines, ferries, wildlife, quirky campsites and unforgettable northern scenery. A fun, practical guide packed with real experiences, mishaps and highlights to inspire your own wild and windswept UK island road trip. KHWD Other Motorhome Travel Blogs More Motorhome travels ,over 200 travel blogs with Hints & Tips Although the travel diaries featured here on this website mostly are précised in our motorhome travels blog site there are many more of our trips featured there especially 3 months around Scandinavia, 2 months in France and 2 months on the Faroe Islands and Iceland, amongst others, enjoy! KHWD Travel Video Blog site Decades of Adventure Captured on Film This is our totally responsive version of this website created by KHWD using WIX studio. A heartfelt archive of 30 years on the road, this travel video blog captures the joy, wonder and nostalgia of exploring the world. Each film feels like opening an old diary—full of colour, memory and meaning—inviting you to relive adventures and spark new ones of your own. Route Planning - These are overall help but each travel year has it's own suggested travel route Ofte stilte spørsmål Travel Inspiration Travel Stories Travel Diaries Motorhome Adventures Long-Haul Travel Family Trips Maps & More What is the Decades of Travel website? Decades of travel website covers currently Holidays between 1995 and now curated by KHWD. It is a modernised archive of over three decades of long‑haul travel, motorhome adventures, maps, diaries, images and videos created by Keef & Annie. It merges four older travel diary sites into one updated, easy‑to‑browse platform. There are route maps to chose from and clever filters covering every blog we have ever published to fit your travel requirements. Where can you find inspiration for your next trip? Explore our curated travel stories, photos, and guides to spark ideas for your upcoming adventures. Are the travel blogs useful for planning my own trip? Yes. Each trip includes: Real‑world itineraries Campsite and route suggestions Practical motorhome tips Honest reviews and personal insights Maps, videos, and day‑by‑day diaries Does the site include family travel content? Yes. Family‑focused trips include: Florida 1997 Disney’s 50th Anniversary in 2022 Multi‑generational travel with grandchildren How do you travel long‑term in retirement? Long‑term travel in retirement is all about freedom, planning, and pacing: Travel slowly — enjoy each destination without rushing. Choose comfortable accommodation — motorhomes, apartments, and long‑stay lodges. Build rest days into your itinerary — especially on multi‑month trips. Stay connected — use mobile data, local SIMs, and travel apps. Budget realistically — long trips are easier when costs are spread out. Prioritise health and insurance — essential for peace of mind. Our site’s 3‑month and 2‑month adventures are perfect inspiration for retirees planning similar journeys. Just coming........................................... The live "Travel Video Blog" by KHWD "History of Travel" lectures which influenced Lonely Planet Books 50 years ago, The Hippie Trail was a huge influence.... Tony Wheeler is a bit of a hero of mine +44 7843962729 KeefHWebDesigns@outlook.com Decades of Travel Images Decades of Travel Videos Travel Video Blog by KHWD 143 Longmoor Lane, Sandiacre, Nottingham, NG10 5LT England, UK Privacy Policy Accessibility Statement Cookies Adventures of a Lifetime, Holidays 1995-2024 Long Haul Travel Blogs Original Travel Archives Join our mailing list Email* Subscribe I want to subscribe to your mailing list.

Explore our 2007 California travel diary with Highway 1 road trips, Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur, state parks, wildlife, coastal views, and West Coast adventures. 2007 California Travel Guide & Blog CALIFORNIA, USA - HOLIDAY in 2007 A Travel Blog Experience NOTE all words in ITALICS were either written on the trip or before we left (labelled HISTORY) Cali-Forn-I-A here we come UPDATE 31/10/2007 Now left U S of A Arrived safely in Morgan Hill, CA. It's ace!!! Comms: both phones don't work but eMail OK Visited Monterey, Carmel & Big Sur with S&T along the fabulous Californian Highway 1, now one of our New Wonders of the modern world Went for a walk in the Santa Monica County Park and ate really, really well... Went up to the Henry Coe State Park on the back of Morgan Hill (wow, xclent)..Alas have to leave 31st Flight back to LAX, then on AirNZ to Fiji 2350 HIGHLIGHTS Seeing Sherree and Trung again, Monteray & Big Sur LOWLIGHTS None HISTORY Things are starting to shape up. We are staying with my Cousin Sherree and her husband Trung for 4 days and gonna see the Beach Boys coast. Big Sur, Monterey etc. Flight Delta Airlines 7772 LAX to SJC We will be staying in Morgan Hill at the bottom end of Santa Clara County 27/10-31/10 .... "Whatever"...."Awesome"!!! California is a lovely place and the coast along highway 1 truly spectacular. Some of those views will live in the memory forever and images of fields of pumkins, wow! Summary: USA 7 days , Day 1-7, 26/10/2007 - 1/11/2007 EXTRA INFORMATION From our travels, our Holidays, The Gap Year,USA 26 Oct-1 Nov 2007 - California, Los Angeles & San Jose, with family, video now broken into 2 parts in nov2020 ,morgan hills, Monterey, highway 1, carmel, san fransisco images, Californian state parks, santa clara county, leroy anderson lake, reservoir, fishing, quicksilver mercury mine, walks, snakes, henry w coe state park, outside loos, eagles, bald headed, kingfishers, birds & plants, candlestick park, cannery row, steinbeck, clam chowder, rocky creek bridge, sunsets, the big sur, sister hazel, pacific ocean, humming birds, Harley d’s, spindrift inn, jacuzzi’s, gazebos, Travelodge , lax, airports, bush fires, pelicans, bush turkeys, sunset restaurants, compulsory tips, cousins, pumpkins, Halloween, seals, sea otters, harbours, whale watching trips, marinas, arts and crafts market, museums, sardines, garden centres, wild life, town squares, panorama, tranquil, sheep, Japanese food, grits, brekkie out, wharfs, fun times catching up, sherree & trung’s hospitality, big tick 2007 26th October - 1st November We visited California landing in LAX from Heathrow, overnight then up to San Jose, picked up by Cuz's hubby and to Morgan Hills In this California 2007 travel diary, we document our journey across the West Coast, beginning with our arrival at Los Angeles International Airport and continuing through Morgan Hill, Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur, and several California state parks. Our trip focuses on exploring iconic coastal routes, including Highway 1, and visiting well‑known destinations such as Cannery Row, Carmel Beach, and the dramatic Big Sur coastline. We also spend time in Santa Clara County, visiting family, enjoying local food, and experiencing everyday Californian life. Throughout the diary, we highlight key attractions including Henry W. Coe State Park, Leroy Anderson Lake, and the scenic viewpoints along the Pacific Coast. Wildlife encounters — from sea otters and pelicans to deer and hummingbirds — form an important part of our travel experience. We also describe local dining, from clam chowder in Monterey to sushi and traditional American breakfasts. This page provides a detailed, day‑by‑day record of our California holiday, offering practical insights, location‑based observations, and a clear sense of the landscapes, towns, and coastal scenery that define the region. It serves as a comprehensive travel record for anyone researching California road trips, coastal itineraries, or West Coast travel inspiration. Explore our 2007 California travel diary featuring Highway 1, Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur, state parks, wildlife encounters, and West Coast coastal adventures. Diary Los Angeles Day 1 - Friday 26th October 2007 Notts->London->LA The Big day has arrived. We had our hire car delivered yesterday evening. Drove to Heathrow, dumped it off and then caught our Air NZ flight NZ0001 1 to LA.What we saw Pirates of the C, World’s End, Unknown, Harry Potter 3,oh and played Who wants to be a Millionaire.the entertainments system on Air NZ is ACEfood superb A really good flightPlus Travel lodge LAX very good, spacious friendly and free shuttle, T2 under the red Courtesy signs Who we met The fruit hunting dog (LAPD sniffer dog working for the Produce Dept). Soccer coaching History teacher from Arizona who kindly loaned us his phone to ring for shuttle bus and knew of Forest and a guy who played for them in 1970s called Goughapparently he teaches alongside him now. Mexican shuttle bus driver who supported the baseball team (Dodgers?) and had a daughter who graduated from Paulo Alto Uni plus Ginger & Grace from Didley Boinge, Idaho (who offered us a Beach Vacation Condo in Malibubizarre), Ohhh and of course the 40 foot high LAX concrete letters outside the airport Plus Swartzenneger (Arnie) Governor of the state of California declared a state of national emergency yesterday after fires ravaged southern California, San Diego / Malibu areas and Fiji times tells us that SavuSavu was flooded, blimey what are we letting ourselves in for.Hurricane Ivan and Jamaica from a few years back spring to mind Alas neither Phone works can’t get a service despite what Travelmood eKit says,Took some photos of the Travelodge which had a nice pool although no time to use was about 69 deg F Hotel california with an eagle-eye Day 2 - Saturday 27th October 2007,LAX->SJC Good nights kip about 9 hours. Really comfortable king size bed. Needed after staying up I guess about 30 hours Travelodge LAX. Got shuttle back to T5 and caught Delta Airlines flight 7772 to San Jose (left 1.50pm) Flew along the coast, superb views. Was a v small plane, one & 2 seats across the aisle. About a 50 minute flight. San Jose airport fun and a bit like east midlands, v small after LAX Trung collected us in TRN 2 (Blue BMW) He has 2 cars and Sherree one. Showed around their excellent house Huge Jacuzzi, landscaped backgarden,Breakfast far too much at Travelodge. First test email to Boys: Watched game 3 of the World Series (Red Sox Vs Rockies) with Trung in the El Toro Brew House last night....whilst Mum & I ate what was probably the larger burger we've ever had (eat your heart out Heston B) Sherree and Trung have been most welcoming and their house is ace (huge actually we need a map to find our way around). They have just had the backgarden landscaped so sat out with Trung under the pagoda watching the humming birds and saw our first bald headed eagle. Sherree alas was working about an hour away. They have a Jacuzzi so gonna try that. V warm here at the mo which is nice. Off to Monterrey and Big Sur today and we are treating them to a meal in the restaurant at Monterrey which is in the 1000 things to do before you die book we have.Flight over good. You will love the Air Nz flight, best we have ever been on....ace food, entertainment saw 3 current movies (Pirates, Harry P and Unknown...plus wait for it we played computer games) When you and Phoenix get to LA however you have to deplane , fill in the green card, wait in line, go to transit lounge for 2 hours and then get back on....only upside is your luggage stays on the plane so no need to recheck that. Bit of a pain but there you go. We forced our way thru jet lag by staying up the whole way to LAX....probably a good move for you too and then sleep on the bit from LAX to Auckland. Still better go, alas roaming profile phone DOESNT work so probably no phone until NZ (more later) Who we met Trung and Sherree, Aussies at San Jose who like us were puzzled by picking your luggage up on the tarmac Must be a fast track thing Plus simpering insincere waitress at El Toro Brew House restaurant Plus Eagle on the old oak tree from their backgarden. Humming birds. Squirrel, Canada Geese , Local Amber Ales and Californian Wines. Discussions with Trung on everything including Politics and Gadgets,Took some photos of Sherree’s from windows plus one of El Toro. San Jose Day 3 - Sunday 28th October 2007,Monterey, Carmel & Big Sur Got up about 7.40 am V Sunny Clear skies Good Sleep, no real jet lag, Sherree & Trung drove us in TRN2 down to Monterey. Took about 1.5 hours to drive there. Saw eagles circling in air alongside highway. Lovely place. Lots of sea life – sealions, sea otters, cormorants, pelicans. Monterey is a 1900 old fishing harbour with now many new posh yachts moored. Used to be sardine capital of the world, which were processed by canning factories. Walked along the sea front having seen fisherman’s wharf and tasted the countless free offerings of clam chowder They hollow out a loaf and put it in there if you buy the full deal. Walked along Cannery Row which was a street next to the shoreline where the sardine canneries used to be (John Steinbeck’s novel Cannery Row). Had a quick bite in McFlys and then walked back along the sea front. Many posh hotels. Then drove through Carmel and onto Big Sur via CA Highway 1 A superb road. Carmel was quaint, individual shops along a busy main street with a small sandy beach at the end. Lots of tourists here. Sherree said that the houses were very expensive in Carmel even though they were very small old fashioned bungalows c 1920. Further along Highway 1 we stopped at Carmel Highlands area at a hotel and went in the Pacific Edge bar. Had fantastic 180 degree views of the ocean from the bar which was set on the cliff edge. Stopped at bar/restaurant at Big Sur coastline and had dinner under the stars. This restaurant is mentioned in book 1000 Things to See Before You Die. Lovely sunset. Would like to come back again sometime and see it all. Returned to Sherree’s around 10.30pm very tired and went to bed.Talked to the waitress in the restaurant about a old RHCP’s song that mentions Big Sur, reminder to K look it up sometime. Dinner under the stars at restaurant along Big Sur coastline. Watching sunset over the Pacific Ocean. Day 4 - Monday 29th October 2007, Morgan Hill, CA Got up about 7.40 am Did some stuff on the PC mostly photos and updating the Website,Off to Santa Clara County Quicksilver Park. Walked about 2.5miles along trail to quicksilver mine where mercury was produced from 1902 to 1976 when it closed down. Sheet metal factory was dilapidated and rusty (took photo). Great views of Californian landscape which looked tinder dry. Sherree and Anne saw a small snake, about 12 inches long and as thin as a pencil. It slithered away from us among the leaves. Unfortunately Keef had the camera and he was too far ahead of us so did not take photo. After the walk we drove round the road near a reservoir and saw two deer and what looked like wild turkeys crossing the road. The houses at the edge of Santa Clara Park were small hick properties with chairs by the porch and rusted cars dumped out front. Other houses that we saw around the area were palatial mansions in contrast. Took photo of a field full of pumpkins on the road back to Morgan Hill. Then had a late lunch and well earned cold drink in a Mexican restaurant. Returned to Sherree’s house and chilled.Saw a small snake and wild deer. Mexican meal in downtown Morgan Hill. Great Burrito Fajitas Keef had beef, Anne chicken ohhh and we watched an Eddie Murphy Disney movie that Keef snored thru. Sorry! Loved Humming Bird, Santa Clara Park Walk Day 5 - Tuesday 30th October 2007,Morgan Hill, CA Got up about 7.40 am Did some stuff on the PC mostly photos and updating the Website, Sherree took us out for an American breakfast wow, ham, eggs (sunny side up) hash browns, stack of pancakes with maple syrup and cream and endless coffee.boy oh boy just too much food. Then as a first 2 times in one day we went to a Sushi bar for our evening meal. Very nicesushi, sashimi, tempura and teriyakisee we know them all, went in the Jacuzzi Keef had a beer and the ladies some Napa valley Chardonnay. Went to the Henry W Coe State park here in Santa Clara County. Twisty road that climbed the hills away from the Morgan Hill valley – stunning views. Saw another reservoir where people were fishing and waterskiing. Keef took photo of an eagle soaring. There was a campsite at the end of the one way road where there was a sign warning campers that raccoons can bite, but we did not see any, only some blue jays and squirrels. Only saw one other car there so the camp area was very quiet. Again, the grass looked very yellow and tinder dry. From the camp area you could see for miles across hills/mountains and valleys. Tried sushi for the first time. The little plates went round on a miniature Amtrac train. Very nice. Sherree told us that further north in the county two joggers were attacked by a mountain lion/cougar. Pictures of Chickens outside Scrambl’z, Drive up past Leroy Anderson reservoir and Dam plus Henry W Coe park with views across the hlls and valleys. Day 6 - Wednesday 31st October 2007,San Jose->LAX, AirNZ Got up about 8 Did some stuff on the PC mostly emails Packed and got ready to go back via San Jose to LAX and then onto Nadi, Fiji Sherree told us that there had been a earthquake in the San Jose area measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale. Not big but a quake none the less Must confess as we were driving back with S from the Sushi restaurant we never felt a thing.Sherree delivered us to San Jose airport Terminal C. They have both been most kind to us and we really enjoyed staying with them. Then via Delta Airlines 7772 we flew back to LAX terminal 5. LA is HUGE spreading in neat little boxes their grid system spreads from coast to hills as far as the eye can see. Have to say it would be most intimidating to live there. Pushed luggage, we now have it under control – 2 X 23kg bags, the laptop bag and the flight bag. In US you have to take laptop outta bag and shoes off for security checks. Got trolley for luggage and walked from T5 to T2 (Air NZ) Quite a way. Departures are top level at LAX and arrivals below. Flew out of LAX at 11.15pm on a slightly smaller plane than the NZ1 flight (we were on NZ21) but that was cool as we tried to sleep. Met check in guy at Delta Airlines SLC. We were over limit and they wanted 50 bucks per bag, took out one jacket and a jumper respectively and saved $100. Saw tramway alongside Highway 101 on the way into San Jose. Keef saw the HOLLYWOOD sign in the brown hills well away from the coast as the Delta Airlines flight came in. Alas not quick enough however to take a photo of it. Took some final photos of Sherree’s to show her Jacuzzi/ pagoda-pergola Day 7 - Thursday 1st November 2007,LAX -> Nadi,Fiji Whole day ‘Lost in Translation’ or is it flight, weird. Basically to do with crossing the International Date line. Note we also crossed the Equator for the first time into the Southern Hemisphere, what we saw or didn’t – Evan Almighty was on the wide screen (no back of seat entertainment) this time but it was tricky to listen / see To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

Explore our 2019 motorhome guide to the Faroe Islands and Iceland—routes, ferries, campsites, tips, and stunning Nordic landscapes for an unforgettable adventure. 2019 Travel Guide - Faroes & Iceland 🗺️ 2019 FAROES & ICELAND — COMPLETE MOTORHOME ROUTE MAP Trip No. 38 — 5 May to 3 July 2019 Total distance: 5,257 miles • UK → Holland → Germany → Denmark → Faroe Islands → Iceland → return via Denmark, Germany, Holland → UK. 🇬🇧 UK → 🇳🇱 Holland → 🇩🇪 Germany → 🇩🇰 Denmark Derby → Hull Harwich Port (DFDS ferry) Rotterdam / Hook of Holland Northbound through Germany (A7 corridor) Hirtshals, Denmark – ferry port for Smyril Line to Faroes/Iceland 🇫🇴 FAROE ISLANDS (Outbound stop on Smyril Line) FULL ROUTE (20 day stopover on the ferry route in May 13-27th) Tórshavn (port) Transit through the Faroes en‑route to Iceland BUT not until we have explored the Faroes and its many islands for 14 days, details coming up 13 May - Arrival in the Faroe Islands Tórshavn – arrival from MS Norröna at 6 a.m. Parking by sports stadium Walk around harbour, marina, back streets of Tórshavn Police station (parking disk fine) Tórshavn Campsite – overlooking the sea 14 May - Local explorations, Kaldbaksfjørður & Kirkjubøur Kaldbaksfjørður – waterfalls, salmon farms Kirkjubøur – Roykstovan (oldest inhabited house) St Magnus Cathedral (roofless, under repair) Domkirke (being repainted) Views to Kirkjubøhólmur Return to Tórshavn via Highway 54 Drive to Vestmanna (Streymoy) via: Hoyvík Leynar Kvívík Valur Bay Vestmanna Campsite – tie‑down hoops, run by sea‑captain’s wife 15 May - Vágar Island Day Return via Leynar Vágatunnilin (toll tunnel) to Vágar Island Sandavágur – church, village walk Miðvágur Sørvágur Sørvágsvatn / Leitisvatn (lake) Buttercup Route 452 – coastal drive with views of Tindhólmur and Gáshólmur Tunnel to Gásadalur Walk to Múlafossur Waterfall Return via tunnels Kaldbak – ancient church, village Back to Tórshavn Campsite (night stop) 16 May — Tórshavn Day Tórshavn town Parliament buildings Return to campsite (sea view) 17 May — Return to Vestmanna Mountain road (instead of tunnel) Vestmanna (craft shops, harbour, bridges) Vestmanna Campsite (second stay) 18 May — Streymoy North & Eiði Oyrareingir Hósvík (harbour walk, wildflowers) Hvalvík Saksun (museum, church, coastal walk) Haldarsvík (sailor’s memorial, church visit) Tjørnuvík (Giant & Witch sea stacks, village walk) Bridge to Eysturoy Road 62 → Eiði Eiði Campsite (football field) 19 May — Funningur & Gjógv Funningur (village walk, bridges, river) Road 662 → Road 632 Gjógv (2‑night stay) Clifftop motorhome area Views to Kalsoy Facilities block Village walk (chain-haul system, old school, harbour) 20 May — Gjógv Day Breakfast outside Long village walk Watching MS Norröna pass Relaxing at campsite 21 May — Funningsfjørður → Fuglafjørður → Æðuvík Funningsfjørður inlet Skipanes (tulips) Road 10 → Gotueiði Road 70 → Syðrugøta Gøtugjógv Norðragøta (harbour, Blásastova museum, Joannis K. art) Fuglafjørður (harbour lunch, whale‑bone‑style arches) Skálafjørður (views to Skála) Æðuvík Campsite (heated room, Faroese TV) 22 May — Leirvík → Klaksvík → Kalsoy Faroes football stadium Viking parliament site Leirvík (Viking settlement) Norðoyatunnilin to Borðoy Klaksvík (2nd city) Ferry to Kalsoy (£44 return) Sydradalur (arrival) Húsar Mikladalur (Kópakonan statue) Two long, dim tunnels Trøllanes (end of the world) Kalsoy United Campsite (car park with EHU) 23 May — Return from Kalsoy → Klaksvík → Skálafjørður → Hósvík → Tórshavn Early ferry back (snow on Kunoy) Klaksvík (town walk) Tunnel back to Leirvík Drive full length of Skálafjørður: Skála Strendur Bridge to Streymoy Hósvík Harbour (lunch, sunshine, boat repairs) Return to Tórshavn Campsite (4‑night stay) 24 May — Tórshavn Day Ferry terminal (Nólsoy) Oldest street Costume shop Community buildings Return to campsite 25 May — Kirkjubøur & Sandoy Attempt Kirkjubøur (clear weather this time) Queue for Sandoy ferry → abandoned (risk of not returning) Relax at St Magnus Cathedral viewpoint Views to Hestur Island Return to Tórshavn 26 May — Rest Day Tórshavn campsite Coastal wall walk Castle Relaxing 27 May — Departure for Iceland Tórshavn → Ferry Terminal Board MS Norröna (both allowed to stay in van) Cabin on Deck 15 Evening meal Overnight sailing to Iceland 🇮🇸 ICELAND — MAIN ISLAND CIRCUIT (A Standard Ring Road approach) & THEN OUR ACTUAL ROUTE Arrival & Loop Suggestion Seyðisfjörður (arrival port) Eastfjords → North Iceland Egilsstaðir Borgarfjörður Eystri Vopnafjörður Húsavík Lake Mývatn region Goðafoss Akureyri Siglufjörður Ólafsfjörður Dalvík Blönduós Hvammstangi (seal peninsula) Westfjords West Iceland → Snæfellsnes Borgarnes Snæfellsnes Peninsula Arnarstapi Hellnar Kirkjufell / Grundarfjörður Stykkishólmur Golden Circle → South Coast Þingvellir Geysir Gullfoss Selfoss Hella Hvolsvöllur Seljalandsfoss Skógafoss Vík Reynisfjara Kirkjubæjarklaustur Skaftafell Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Höfn Return to East Iceland Djúpivogur Breiðdalsvík Fáskrúðsfjörður Return to Seyðisfjörður for ferry 📍 28 May — Arrival in Iceland (Seyðisfjörður → Seyðisfjörður Campsite) MS Norröna docks at Seyðisfjörður (snow flurries, very cold) Drive through town to Seyðisfjörður Campsite (near old church) Hook up, heater on Long walk around: Lake Old streets Church Ferry terminal Craft shop School Town hall Supermarket (Skyr!) 📍 29 May — Seyðisfjörður → Egilsstaðir → Reyðarfjörður Heavy overnight snow Decision: clockwise around Iceland Highway 93 — Seyðisfjörður Mountain Pass Driving snow, zero visibility Frozen lakes on both sides “Most frightening drive of the trip” Pass Heiðarvatn Egilsstaðir Museum visit (moose, winter survival) Supermarkets, petrol Highway 1 south Reyðarfjörður Campsite Hard standing Waterfall, river, mountain views Ducks, clean air One of your favourite campsites 📍 30 May — Reyðarfjörður → Eskifjörður → Neskaupstaður → Djúpivogur Drive around Reyðarfjörður Highway 92 to Eskifjörður Stop at Stromholmi viewpoint Wild lupins everywhere Campsite too hilly Helgustaðir Spar Mine Nordfjardargöng Tunnel → lush valley near Hólar Neskaupstaður (tip of fjord) Return to Reyðarfjörður → Highway 1 Fáskrúðsfjörður Craft shop Chat with local woman Stöðvarfjörður (rock lady’s garden) Breiðdalsvík (volcano, brewery, post office closed) Djúpivogur Harbour walk Campsite behind café Fish & chips with curry batter (loved it) 📍 31 May — Djúpivogur → Höfn Eggin í Gleðivík sculpture walk Waterfall between Hnaukar & Hvalnes Lónsvík grit bowl (sandblasting winds!) Lunch stop Höfn Museum Harbour walk Ice‑breaker ships Beach Campsite (hard standing, windy) Dutch couples struggling with awnings Keef nearly blown off cliff taking photos 📍 1 June — Höfn → Jökulsárlón → Vík Fill water Highway 1 south Views of Vatnajökull glacier Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Blue icebergs Crowds → then peaceful Ice breaking off Hjallanes memorial Long drive to Vík Campsite Skaftafell views Lakes, mountains, glacial landscapes Big campsite, limited EHU Backpacker‑heavy kitchen → cooked in van 📍 2 June — Vík → Reynisfjara → Skógar → Hvolsvöllur → Stokkseyri Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach Sneaker waves (tourists ignoring warnings) Basalt columns Dyrhólaey arch Reynisdrangar sea stacks Katla Geopark Lava fields with moss Skógafoss (magnificent waterfall) Hvolsvöllur Lava Centre museum (volcano history) Stokkseyri Campsite Icelandic ponies behind pitch Beautiful sunset 📍 3 June — Stokkseyri → Golden Circle → Grindavík → Sandgerði Walk around Stokkseyri harbour Golden Circle (190 miles) Haukadalur (Geysir, Strokkur eruptions) Gullfoss Þingvallavatn Selfoss Þorlákshöfn Stampar Crater (lost mudguard!) Grindavík (loved it) Sandgerði Campsite Electrical chaos Helpful lady → working socket found Attendant unconcerned 📍 4 June — Sandgerði → Keflavík → Reykjavík Visit Keflavík Airport Reykjavík Campsite (large gravel site) Hop‑On Hop‑Off bus (2‑day ticket) First loop around city Opera House & harbour photos Views to Viðey Island (Imagine Peace Tower) 📍 5 June — Reykjavík Day Old harbour area Maritime Museum Dry dock Gullborg Icebreakers Warehouses → craft shops Murals, chain‑bike art Greenpeace ship Art Gallery & Craft Market (closed) Heritage boards (Viking & Scottish links) City centre (restaurants, puffin & whale menus) Steam engine display Tjörnin Lake Doctor’s visit (antibiotics for Keef) Last HOHO bus → local bus back to campsite 📍 6 June — Reykjavík → Hvalfjörður → Varmaland Dump station near cruise terminal Hvalfjörður lunch stop (lupins) Borgarnes (provisions, craft shop) Varmaland Campsite Lumpy field Muddy track Cash‑only payment 📍 7 June — Varmaland → Stykkishólmur → Snæfellsnes → Tröð (Tradir) Campsite Highway 54 → 56 Hraunsfjardarvatn viewpoint (volcanic landscape) Stykkishólmur Harbour Lumpfish catch Music performance Heritage area Modern church on hill Snæfellsnes Peninsula loop Grundarfjörður Ólafsvík Rif (lighthouse, tourist office) Tradir Campsite (near Búðir) Shower boiler failure → Keef “Tourette’s moment” Hotel showers granted Great views 📍 8 June — Tröð → Búðir → Borgarnes → Bifröst → Laugar Explore Búðir lava fields Highway 54 → Borgarnes (provisions) Highway 1 → Bifröst (lava hotel) Turn onto Highway 60 (mountain road) Laugar Campsite Very poor facilities Uneven ground Worst campsite of the trip 📍 9 June — Laugar → Flókalundur (Westfjords) Attempt gravel road to Flókalundur (17 miles) Extreme shaking, slow progress Fire fell off wall Flókalundur Campsite Beautiful coastal views Decision: do NOT continue gravel loop, worried about puncture 📍 10 June — Flókalundur → Reykhólar Slow return along gravel road Highway 60 → 607 Reykhólar Salmon farms Herring factory Green dredger Reykhólar Campsite Farmer’s field Hot tubs filled with seawater Lovely facilities One of your favourite campsites Dinner outside in sunshine 📍 11 June — Reykhólar → Westfjords → Ísafjörður Highway 61 Long, spectacular fjord drive Reykjanes (diesel stop, geothermal pool) Mjóifjörður Skötufjörður Litlibær Heritage House Walk to seal colony (binoculars provided) Multiple waterfalls Arrival in Ísafjörður Campsite Annie later gets Keef’s cough → hospital visit 📍 12–13 June — Ísafjörður Region Hospital visit for Annie (antibiotics) Explore town, harbour, tunnels, fjords Relax and recover 📍 14 June — Ísafjörður → Súðavík → Hólmavík Súðavík Arctic Fox Centre Long fjord drive Hólmavík Campsite (quiet, remote) 📍 15 June — Hólmavík → Laugarbakki → Blönduós → Sauðárkrókur Highway 61 → 1 Laugarbakki Blönduós (river island church) Sauðárkrókur Campsite 📍 16 June — Sauðárkrókur → Hofsós → Siglufjörður → Dalvík → Akureyri Hofsós Infinity Pool (views to Drangey) Siglufjörður (herring town) Ólafsfjörður Tunnel Dalvík Akureyri Campsite 📍 17 June — Akureyri Day Town walk Harbour Church Shops Relaxing 📍 18 June — Akureyri → Goðafoss → Mývatn → Reykjahlíð Goðafoss waterfall Lake Mývatn region Pseudocraters Lava fields Hot springs Reykjahlíð Campsite 📍 19 June — Mývatn → Húsavík → Ásbyrgi → Dettifoss → Egilsstaðir Húsavík (whale‑watching town) Ásbyrgi Canyon Dettifoss (Europe’s most powerful waterfall) Long drive back to Egilsstaðir 📍 20–21 June — Egilsstaðir → Reyðarfjörður (Return) Return to favourite campsite Relaxing, walking, enjoying scenery 📍 22–23 June — Eastfjords Slow Days Short drives Fjord walks Photography Preparing for return crossing 📍 24 June — Reyðarfjörður → Egilsstaðir → Seyðisfjörður Final mountain pass (this time clear weather!) Return to Seyðisfjörður Campsite Final Iceland walk 📍 25 June — Seyðisfjörður → MS Norröna (Departure) Board ferry Cabin Evening meal Overnight sailing 📍 26 June — At Sea Relaxing Reading Watching waves 🇫🇴 FAROE ISLANDS (Return stop) Tórshavn (return stop on Smyril Line) 📍 27 June — Arrival in Denmark (Hirtshals) Iceland leg complete Continue Europe return journey 🇩🇰 Denmark → 🇩🇪 Germany → 🇳🇱 Holland → 🇬🇧 UK Hirtshals (arrival) Southbound through Denmark Germany (A7 → Netherlands route) Hook of Holland / Rotterdam Harwich (ferry arrival) Derby (home) Map, Postcard, Video SUMMARY Derby Harwich Hook of Holland Germany (A1/A7) Hirtshals Tórshavn Vestmanna Gjógv Klaksvík Tórshavn (return) Seyðisfjörður Reyðarfjörður Höfn Vík Reykjavík Snæfellsnes Peninsula Ísafjörður Akureyri Seyðisfjörður (return) Hirtshals (return) Derby Explore our 2019 motorhome guide to the Faroe Islands and Iceland—routes, ferries, campsites, tips, and stunning Nordic landscapes for an unforgettable adventure. Dive into our 2019 motorhome adventure across the Faroe Islands and Iceland—two wild, weather‑shaped worlds of cliffs, fjords, volcanoes, and unforgettable roads. From ferry crossings and remote campsites to dramatic coastlines and geothermal wonders, this guide captures every twist of the journey. Perfect inspiration for anyone dreaming of a rugged Nordic road trip with breathtaking views at every turn. Icelandic views, a fish smokery The write up is coming......

A brief 2008 stopover in Singapore filled with sights, food and first impressions—an inspiring travel snapshot that sparked many return visits. 2008 Singapore Travel Guide & Blog SINGAPORE - HOLIDAY in 2008 A Travel Blog Experience My relationship with Singapore has unfolded over nearly three decades of travelling, filming, and documenting my journeys online. What began as a simple stopover on long‑haul trips to Australia gradually became one of my most familiar and frequently revisited destinations. In the early years, Singapore was primarily Changi Airport to me — a place of smooth connections, clever design, and the kind of efficiency that made travel feel effortless. But with each return, I found myself drawn further into the city beyond the terminals. Across my KHWD travel sites, you can see that evolution clearly. My early notes focus on the novelty of passing through one of the world’s best airports, but over time my trips expanded into the heart of Singapore: Marina Bay’s futuristic skyline, the cultural layers of Chinatown and Little India, the green corridors threading through the city, and the ever‑changing attractions that make every visit feel new. I’ve captured these experiences through photos, long‑form diaries, and now video. The YouTube playlist reflects that shift too. It’s a mix of walking tours, food explorations, airport guides, and city snapshots — mirroring how my own travels moved from quick transits to deeper, more curious wanderings. Each clip adds another layer to the story I’ve been telling across my websites: a Singapore where tradition and modernity sit side by side, where hawker centres are as memorable as skyline views, and where I always seem to find something different each time I return. Singapore has become more than a destination for me. It’s a recurring chapter in my wider travel story — a place I’ve grown with, documented, and revisited as both a traveller and a digital archivist, capturing its changes alongside my own. It is especially loved by me as our youngest son and family live there as well as it being a convenient half way house to Antipodean lands, also special to both of us. See some of our many trips to Singapore PLAY Changi Airport Clarke Quay 2008 15th September Day 326 - Monday 15th September 2008, Sydney 2 Hong Kong via Singapore Just passing thru, touchdown at Changi Airport for refueling and change of plane We had about 1½ hours here Maybe you can argue we were doing a reccie for Doug & Phoenix in advance. Really we were just passing through both on the way out in 1995 and the way back here in 2007-08. We remember the slick fast transit monorail from one terminal to another, not eating gum and in 1995 being woken up for my 7th meal in under 7 hours. Back for 2 weeks to really see it in 2013 with the lovely Mr & Mrs Hellinger.Plus again in 2014, 2018 and 2019 Diary Day 326 - Monday 15th September 2008, Sydney 2 Hong Kong via Singapore Long day flying, watched lots and lots of movies on the flight Up about 4.45am , flew at 8.05am although it was 15mins late going Good airplane, Air Singapore had to swap at Changi and use posh fast shuttle train to our next gate The luggage got transferred automatically for us from one plane to the other Taxi at HK was a hoot Service guy wrote down the hotel in Chinese for the driver who we had fun communicating with by hand signals Kowloon a long way Over lovely bridge and under tunnel 45 mins drive Went to wrong hotel then had to go to New SD all fine £75 a night stayed 3 nights Hot 35c and 100% humidity, what we saw today,Airports and movies, who we met, Shuttle guy @ Holiday Inn Sydney who was annoyed we had loaded on our own bags. Jobsworth! Getting on the plane went very quickly when one considers it, taxi driving thru market to San Diego (wrong hotel) was amusing, took 1 picture of Changi airport only! Plus remembering my Dad with love, who died on this day 6 years earlier. Summary: SINGAPORE 1½ hours , Day 326, 15/9/2008

Explore Ontario through a motorhome adventure packed with big lakes, wild drives and classic KHWD humour. This 2010 Ontario travel blog covers Nipigon, Wawa, Elliot Lake, Lake Superior Provincial Park, Toronto, Niagara Falls and more—372 photos, real diary notes and unforgettable routes across Canada’s central province. Perfect for RV travellers, road‑trip planners and long‑haul adventure fans. 2010 Ontario Travel Blog & Guide ONTARIO - HOLIDAY in 2010 A Travel Blog Experience DIARY During 2010 we have now been from one side of Canada to the other in a motorhome, British Columbia to Labrador, we loved it, it is a fabulous country and quite an achievement with memories we shall treasure forever. For Ontario the following were some of the highlights, nipigon, wawa, elliot lake, new liskeard, musselmans lake, Toronto which we are glad we visited although in reality were not that impressed by (along with Montreal in Quebec province, maybe as travellers we prefer being away from the big cities I suspect that is the answer, anyhow we did see the CN tower and surrounds and walked along the river’s edge to see all the restaurants, note the G20 conference was due to be on in Toronto whilst we were in Canada that year, getting up early to watch England get knocked out of the world cup football and flying our flag on the motorhome, tee-hee, Niagara falls which was just magical, we did do the maid of the mist boat trip and put on those flimsy pak-a-maks which in reality afforded little or no protection against the force of that water, we got close and also marvelled at some of the history of the fool hardy who went over the edge into it in a barrel, I ask you would you, we also read and saw how the devil’s hole whirlpool in the accompanying Niagara river was so forceful, we loved the Niagara area, 1000 islands boat trip from Gananoque which was just fantastic and covered that really weird Boldt Castle on route and an amazing number of very small but mostly exclusive islands with yachts etc and either Canadian or American flags proudly displayed and sometimes both, when we returned from the boat trip armed with the recipe Keef made 1000 island sauce to go with our salad, see the recipe below, percy lake, ignace, sault ste marie, wabigoon lakes, agimak lake & beach, rossport, terrace bay, pays plat, thunder bay, the great lakes-superior, huron, ontario & dipping my toe in them – I made a point no matter how cold the water was of taking one sock off and dipping my toe in them so I could say I had “swam” in all of the great lakes which along with the Prairie Provinces I remember studying at school with our Geography teacher the somewhat outlandish Rev Rooney who had spent much time in Africa being a missionary and photographing tribes and showing us schoolkids on the big screen – maybe I learnt my interest in travel from him, maybe it’s just in my DNA, the reality is I did do the toe dipping in all of them bar Lake Michegan, we didn’t go over the US border into that State, maybe another time, you never know, Niagara on the lake, the snow goose, Sinclair cove, mounties, ottawa, aguasarbon falls, entering central standard time, lake superior national park, latchford, spanish, temigami, temiskaming shores, bobbie rosenfeld olympian & park, Wilson island, passport, squirrels Canadian style, white river views, cousins in parry sound, a big welcome to Ontario but sadly not being able to meet up with annies cuz Jamie, bottles in the sewage systems at campsites to prevent odours when using the provided triple services, ha-ha, the lovely Ontario capital Ottawa, stouffville, niagara botanical gardens, floral clock, devils hole whirlpool, st Lawrence river, Gananoque town and harbour, rideau falls, river and canal, byward market, haileybury the home of Annie's rellies and all those kid ex school pupils of Uncle Ralph’s who were now either teachers at his old school or worked in the local museum who helped us locate places of interest and aided our family research. Genealogy is fun, fact! Here are a few words and facts in summary about Niagara Falls. Niagara Falls, city in the Regional Municipality of Niagara, south-eastern Ontario, Canada, a port on the Niagara River opposite Niagara Falls, New York. The city overlooks the Horseshoe, or Canadian, falls cataract of Niagara Falls; the crescent-shaped cataract is 54 M (177 ft) high and carries nine times more water than its United States counterpart. Niagara Falls is an enormously popular tourist destination, and it also serves as a major source of electricity for Ontario. The city is connected to the U.S. side of the falls by several bridges, including the Rainbow, Whirlpool, and Queenston-Lewiston bridges. Principal manufactures include processed food, abrasives, chemicals, automotive parts, metal and paper goods, and wines and alcoholic beverages. Logistics, i.e., storage and warehousing and information technology/call centres are also important to the city's economy. Points of interest include Queen Victoria Park, adjacent to the Canadian Falls and principal site of the annual Winter Festival of Lights; the historical museum at Lundy's Lane, site of a brutal battle between American and British forces in 1814; The Maid of the Mist, Marineland, with Friendship Cove which provides interaction with Killer and Beluga whales, an aquatic theatre and a game farm; Skylon Tower and Pavilion, containing a revolving restaurant and an observation deck overlooking the falls; the Butterfly Conservatory at the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens; Canada One Factory Outlets which features brand name shopping And the accompanying Maid of the Mist, America’s most iconic boat ride since 1846, which was its maiden voyage. See the raging currents. Hear the deafening thunder. And feel the refreshing mist of 600,000 gallons of water falling before your eyes every second. Experience it all aboard the iconic Maid of the Mist. It’s the one and only tour boat fleet whose captains have safely navigated the mighty waters of the Niagara Gorge for over 100 years, taking tens of millions of visitors directly into the centre of the swirling mist. Dress code: blue rain poncho optional. But we highly suggest you wear it, or else… 😉 Before this date, rowboats ferried passengers across the Niagara River below the Falls. By 1846, however, entrepreneurs decided a bigger craft could profit by transporting people, luggage, mail and cargo. So, the first Maid of the Mist steamboat, large enough to carry a stagecoach and horses, was christened. In 1848, construction of a suspension bridge curtailed business and the Maid of the Mist was re-branded as a sightseeing adventure that still operates to this day. Maid of the Mist Official Photo Ontario, Canada, Travel Guide for Motorhomers Recipe for Thousand Islands dressing. If you’ve been there (and even if you haven't) you have to try it and we did in the van so here goes, Ingredients List 1/2 clove garlic, minced 1/4 tsp salt plus more to taste 190ml prepared or homemade mayonnaise 60ml bottled chili sauce 2 tbsp tomato ketchup 1 1/2 tbsp minced onion 2 tsp sweet pickle relish 1/2 hard-cooked large egg, pushed through a sieve or finely chopped Freshly ground black pepper How to make Make a paste with the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt by crushing them with the side of a chef's knife. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the garlic, mayonnaise, chilli sauce, ketchup, onion, relish, and egg until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Use now or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. 2010 15 Days in Ontario, Canada between 4th-20th June INCLUDES 372 PHOTOS Visiting amongst others dryden, wabigoon lake, nipigon, wawa, marathon, heron bay, elliot lake, lake superior pronivcial park, montreal river, echo bay, lion beachfront walk, espanola, sudbury, lake nipissing, parry sound, wabi bay, french river provincial park, white river, old woman bay, mississauga, hamilton, st catherine, katherine cove, sinclair cove, voyageur trail, new liskeard, musselmans lake, camppark resorts niagara falls, toronto, 1000 islands boat trip from gananoque, 1000 Island dressing, johnstown, percy lake, central standard time zone, ignace, sault ste marie, wabigoon lakes, agimak lake& beach, rossport, terrace bay, pays plat, thunder bay, the great lakes-superior, huron, ontario & dipping my toe in them, niagara on the lake, Niagara Falls and the magnificent Maid of the Mist boat trip, Sinclair cove, mounties, ottawa ontario's capital, aguasarbon falls, lake superior national park, latchford, spanish, temigami, temiskaming shores, bobbie rosenfeld olympian & park, whitchurch-stouffville and a potential parking fine, niagara botanical gardens, floral clock, devils hole whirlpool, St Lawrence river, gananoque town and harbor, rideau falls, river and canal, byward market, haileybury the home of Annie's rellies, MacDonald Cartier Bridge to Quebec Province & all ports in between. We have been from one side of Canada to the other, hey did I mention that? 😉 taken by a kind tourist after 3 failed selfie attempts, smile 120610 camp park resorts niagara falls 1/188 Boldt Castle within 1000 Islands George Boldt’s devotion to his wife Louise became one of North America’s most enduring love stories. A Prussian immigrant who rose to fame as the proprietor of New York’s Waldorf‑Astoria, Boldt set out in 1900 to build a full‑scale Rhineland‑style castle on Heart Island as a grand tribute to her. More than 300 craftsmen worked on the six‑storey, 120‑room masterpiece, complete with tunnels, Italian gardens, a powerhouse, a children’s playhouse and elaborate stonework. Every detail was designed to celebrate the woman who had supported him from his earliest days. Construction stopped abruptly in 1904 when Louise died suddenly, and Boldt, heartbroken, never returned to the island. The unfinished castle stood untouched for decades, a silent monument to their love, before later restoration brought it back to life for visitors.

Explore our 2010 Upstate New York motorhome adventure—state parks, small towns, lakes, history, and scenic drives across one of America’s most charming regions. 2010 USA Upstate New York Travel Blog UPSTATE NEW YORK (USA) - HOLIDAY in 2010 A Travel Blog Experience DIARY During 2010 we have now been from one side of Canada to the other in a motorhome, British Columbia to Labrador, we loved it, it is a fabulous country and quite an achievement with memories we shall treasure forever. For Upstate New York the following were some of the highlights, a fraught crossing at Lewiston into the states because of the hired motorhome, they impounded it for a while, presumably thinking we had stolen it, amazingly officious handed us a form to complete which we did but when I tried handing it back to them they purposefully ignored me, not nice, we were there for hours. On return to Canada it was via wellesley island Annie was greeted with "mam I've told you to remove those sun glasses, I want to see the whites of your eyes" (smile), kind and welcoming eh? not! I can only conclude as old hippies we look dodgy ha-ha. Anyhow we also visited Niagara falls (both canadian and us sides), stella Niagara, US highway 18 better known as the lake ontario state parkway, towers corners, roosevelt beach, wilson, olcott, somerset, 4th july flags everywhere, Braddock bay wildlife area, syracuse, rochester with its zoo and museum of play, banal local tv about geese "sh***ting on boardwalk", we took interstate highway 490 onto the 90 out of Rochester along to syracuse, via Farmington, clifton springs, Montezuma (fab name) , Weedsport and Jordan , oh and the trash can episode at the very nice campsite on the lake edge near Syracuse, we were camping by Oneida lake shores, this lake is named after the Iroquois tribe, its 21 miles long by 5 miles wide and is the largest lake in NY state, it feeds into lake Ontario via the river Oneida I believe but could be wrong, we had some nice paddles and walks along the lake shore whilst camping there, then it was onto watertown, back to canada via cicero & pulaski on state highway 81 (sometimes referred to as the great indian warpath) , apples & cherries, country stores, hummers plus crossing back to Canada near Wellesley island, Youngstown & the boss was special one of my fave tracks. It also famous for & 3 times Superbowl winner Dallas Cowboy Daryl "The Moose" Johnson who was born here. So glad we popped over the border despite the hassle of getting there and back, travelling along Lake Ontario’s shore on the Stateside was special. Nice Memories. Upstate New York, USA, Travel Guide for Motorhomers about to cross back into canada at collins landing oneida lakes , onondaga county, ny state 1/14 2010 2 Days in New York State USA 14th-15th June INCLUDES 28 PHOTOS We visited amongst others a fraught crossing at lewiston into the states because of the hired motorhome, and on return via wellesley island Annie was greeted with "mam I've told you to remove those sun glasses, I want to see the whites of your eyes" (smile), kind and welcoming eh? not! niagara falls (both canadian and us sides), stella niagara, US highway 18 better known as the lake ontario state parkway, towers corners, roosevelt beach, wilson, olcott, collins landing, somerset, 4th july flags everywhere, braddock bay wildlife area, syracuse , rochester with its zoo and museum of play, banal local tv about geese "sh***ting on boardwalk", we took interstate highway 490 onto the 90 out of Rochester along to syracuse, via farmington, clifton springs, montezuma (fab name) , weedsport and jordan , oh and the trash can episode at the very nice campsite on the lake edge near syracuse, we were camping by oneida lake shores, watertown, back to canada via cicero & pulaski on state highway 81 (sometimes referred to as the great indian warpath) , apples & cherries, country stores, hummers plus crossing back to canada near wellesley island, youngstown & the boss & 3 time superbowl winner Dallas Cowboy Daryl "The Moose" Johnson who was born here. We have been from one side of Canada to the other and in the states a few times, FACT

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A curated portfolio showcasing Decades of Travel projects, visual storytelling, maps, blogs, and creative travel archives from journeys across the world by KHWD. Decades of Travel Portfolio Portraitures from our Travels over the Decades

Explore our 2007–2008 New Zealand adventure across North and South Islands, packed with road‑trip stories, stunning landscapes, and real on‑the‑road travel notes. Journey Through New Zealand Inspiring Travel and Adventure North Island South Island Stewart Island NEW ZEALAND, 3 ISLANDS - North, South & Stewart - HOLIDAYs in 2007 & 2008 A Travel Blog Experience PLAY Embark on a journey inspired by our extensive travels through New Zealand, a land of stunning vistas and unique experiences. Our adventure, spanning the North, South, and Stewart Islands, captures the essence of exploration and discovery. Whether you're seeking travel website design inspiration or simply looking to relive moments of wanderlust, this page offers a glimpse into the vibrant landscapes and cultural richness of New Zealand. Let your creativity soar as you draw from the beauty and stories shared here, and find motivation to craft your own compelling travel narratives. North Island From our travels, our Holidays, North Island New Zealand, Gap Year 2007-8, 10 Dec-31 Jan, with family, summary of the much larger video now broken into 5 parts in nov2020 , auckland, family visiting, xmas, coromandel, wellington, rotorua, lake taupo, fishing, sky dive, sky tower, fishing with wayne & greg, remuera, the piano, camping, driving creek railway, Dargaville, baileys beach, mangonui, botanic gardens Auckland, marina, harbour, skytower, Papamoa beach, te papa, orwea, ohope, coalville, discos and thai birthday meal,are te uri, bottle nose dolphins, new Plymouth, sheep shearing, boysenberry wine, icecream, taupo, marina, aquarium, waves motel,the mad butcher, te kuiti, sheep, karekare, huraru falls, golden springs, waiwere, whangarai falls,raglan, surfing, hi di hi, matakohe, kauri museum, puhoi, Palliser bay, sky diving, tree lookouts, hastings, greenlane motel, waihi beach, hastings, hobbits, wairoa, strange bbqs,interisland ferry, northlands, kiwi fruit, gorges, shark poo, missing brulee, tairua, mount paka, manawatu gorge, paihai, Waitangi treaty, blue lakes, Tongariro, whakapapa village, mount doom, lower tama lakes, skydiving, napier, Gisborne, Opotiki, Wanganui, pohutakawa trees and blossom, piha,te marua, te mata, tuhirangi rugby, lake onoke, akatarawa road views & smells, wai-o-tapu geothermal wonderland, waipu cove, chicken and hen islands, waitekeri ranges, Westpac stadium wellington South Island From our travels, our Holidays, South Island New Zealand, Gap Year 2007-8, 1 Feb – 5 Apr, such fun, travel all over, including 434 images plus a summary of the much larger video now broken into 8 parts in nov2020, covering plus a whole lot more the following, picton, queen charlotte sound, cricket in Christchurch for my birthday, 5th ODI Blackcaps vs England, Collingwood, Prior, Pieterson, queenstown, trans alpine railway, 30th wedding anniversary, akaroa, greymouth, holitika, abel tasman national park, Dunedin, albatross, queenstown, pancake rocks, milford & doubtful sound, anatoki, salmon fishing, banks peninsular, lake roto-iti, lake Rotorua, Kaikoura, bungee, lake matheson, mount cook, sir Edmund Hillary, penguins, Blenheim, trams, omaru, barry bay, knights point,te anua, farewell spit, blowholes,bluff, the caitlins, fox & franz josef glaciers, Invercargill, ashburton, glenorchy,hamner springs, honer tunnel, keas, weka, kawa, kaiteriteri, Cromwell,kekeno, cape foulwind, lake benmoe,moeraki boulders,Littleton harbour, Marlborough, Westport,karamea, Palliser bay, punakaiki, sir joseph ward, shotover gorge, pukawau,Amberley, reefton, rodeo,st arnaud, tew ae wae, cable cars, seals, sealions,mauhinapau walkway,waikuru beach,nelson, wow museum, Timaru, haast, takiroa, sheep street, the steepest, niagara falls nz, boot hill, cadburys Dunedin, Christchurch cathedral & city before the 2011 earthquake, ross, festival of flowers, split apple rock, whales fluking, lord of the rings @ WOW, botanic gardens Christchurch, interisland ferry EXPAND CALENDAR dec 2007 jan 2008 apr 2008 dec 2007 1/5 2007 & 2008 10th December to 5th April We visited North Island taking up residence a lot of the time in Remuera with the boys at Greenlane motel, but not exclusively, then South Island & Stewart Island. SUMMARY (North Island → South Island → Stewart Island). ✨ Summary of Our New Zealand Travels (2007–2008) Our long‑awaited return to the Southern Hemisphere (we were kids , ok teenagers in Annie's case when we lived in Australia and our visit back in 1995 for the first time since then) was in 2007–2008 and brought us back to one of the most breathtaking places on earth: New Zealand. As part of our year‑long “Holiday 2007–8” adventure, we explored the country from top to bottom—North Island, South Island, and Stewart Island—capturing landscapes, wildlife, and experiences that still feel vivid years later. What began as a dream enabled by early retirement and a well‑timed redundancy became a deeply personal journey through a land we’d longed to revisit since our youth. 🌋 North Island: Culture, Coastlines & Kiwi Spirit Our New Zealand chapter began on the North Island, where Māori culture, volcanic landscapes, and coastal beauty set the tone for our travels. The island’s geothermal heartlands offered a sensory mix of bubbling mud pools, steaming vents, and sulphur‑tinged air—an otherworldly reminder of the country’s restless geology. We wandered through iconic sites shaped by ancient forces, marvelling at how seamlessly New Zealand blends raw natural power with everyday life. The North Island also gave us a taste of its vibrant cities and communities. Whether exploring local markets, coastal towns, or the cultural centres that celebrate Māori heritage, we felt the warmth and openness that define Kiwi hospitality. Rugby, of course, was never far from our minds—especially with Keef’s long‑standing love of the Fijian 7s influencing our wider Pacific route. The spirit of the game seemed woven into the fabric of the island. 🏔️ South Island: Mountains, Fjords & Endless Horizons Crossing to the South Island felt like stepping into a vast outdoor cathedral. Towering peaks, mirror‑still lakes, and sweeping valleys created a sense of scale that photographs can only hint at. This was the New Zealand of postcards and daydreams—dramatic, pristine, and humbling. We journeyed through regions where every bend in the road revealed a new panorama: snow‑dusted mountains, turquoise glacial rivers, and forests that seemed untouched by time. The South Island’s rugged beauty invited us to slow down, breathe deeply, and simply absorb the world around us. It was here that the “outdoor travel blog” spirit of our website truly came alive, with countless images and stories capturing the essence of our days on the road. Wildlife encounters added another layer of magic. From coastal birds to marine life, the South Island offered moments of quiet connection with nature—reminders of how unique and fragile these ecosystems are. The island’s small towns and friendly locals made the experience even richer, grounding the grandeur of the landscape with genuine human warmth. 🐧 Stewart Island: A Remote & Peaceful Finale Venturing to Stewart Island completed our exploration of New Zealand’s trio of islands. Remote, tranquil, and deeply atmospheric, it felt like stepping into a slower, more contemplative world. The island’s rugged coastline and dense forests created a sense of peaceful isolation, offering space to reflect on how far we’d travelled—both literally and emotionally—since leaving home months earlier. Stewart Island’s wildlife, especially its birdlife, was a highlight. The chance to experience nature with so few human distractions made this leg of the journey feel intimate and special. It was a fitting finale to our New Zealand chapter: quiet, beautiful, and unforgettable. 🌏 A Journey Woven Into a Larger Adventure New Zealand was just one part of our wider gap‑year odyssey, which also took us through California, Fiji, Western Samoa, Tonga, Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong. But it remains one of the most vivid sections of the journey—an arc of landscapes and experiences that shaped the heart of our travel blog. From highlights videos to photo galleries and travel tips, this page captures the essence of what we saw and felt during those months on the road. 🌄 Looking Back Our 2007–2008 travels through New Zealand were a celebration of freedom, curiosity, and the joy of rediscovering places that once shaped our younger lives. The landscapes were spectacular, the people welcoming, and the memories enduring. Whether navigating geothermal wonders, crossing mountain passes, or standing quietly on a remote island shore, New Zealand offered us moments that still resonate today. It was, in every sense, the adventure of a lifetime—and one we’re grateful to have captured, shared, and revisited through the Holiday 2007–8 website. Summary : New Zealand 2007 & 2008 118 Days travel 5843 Photos on our Canon Powershot G7 Camera Approximately 2700 miles travelled between Cape Reinga to Oban and much much more North Island Including Auckland, Coromandel Peninsular, Hawkes Bay - Wairoa/Napier/Gisborne, Tongariro Nat. Park, Raglan & the East Cape DIARY NORTH ISLAND WORDS NOTE these words were written on the trip. UPDATE 5/2/2008 We have now left North island. Te Ika-a-Maui (North Island): Weather quite choppy as we left via the Interislander for Picton. Before that we had travelled complete length of Wellington Harbour, Eastbourne to Lyle Bay (by airport) , ace views, read for hours in sunshine. Went to Parliament buildings and art gallery plus saw National Treasure Nick Cage movie (DON'T). Saw start of IRB Rugby Sevens in Wellington Camped 5 nights at Seaview, Wellington. Went to Te Papa Museum and 7's concert Stayed o/night in Greytown, went across 42k single track mountain pass (Akatarawa rd), oh what views! plus car stuck in sand on beach(oops) Camped in Levin and visiting local beaches, went to Uni & Rugby museum Palmerston North!!! Gr8. Stayed at Havelock North, Hawkes Bay wine region outside Hastings for 3 days. Was 32c & humid. Camped at Wairoa and went to Lake Waikaremoana (ace). Travelled down East Cape in drizzle from Hicks bay to Gisborne, some interesting stuff including longest wharf in NZ. Stayed in motel overlooking Hick's bay on the East Cape having travelled from Coromandel down the splendid Pacific Coast highway (mountainous, rugged and remote). Spent 3 days camping on the Coromandel peninsular, ace weather (28c) and scenery, Driving Creek Bush railway a must!!! Chillin day spent mostly doing 'retail therapy' at Slyvia Park Mall. Went out on the harbour on Greg & Vaughan's boat and did some seafishing....gr8 fun. plus we saw World Champs Windsurfing and played crazy golf on sea front! went up the sky tower and to the ice bar (Lenin's downtown) in eve and had sushi/ sashimi. Sad day (11/1), Sir Edmund Hillary (born Orewa NZ, resided Remuera just down the road) died (we have seen his statue and tributes!). been surfing at Raglan and seen Kiwi's (live) at Otorahanga as well as glowworms at Waitomo. Also New Plymouth (west coast) - ideal for Doug & Phoenix who went to Plymouth Uni...surfing, eating and chillin. Spent 7 days camping between Rotarua & Lake Taupo then onto the Tongariro Dual World Heritage National Park (Beyond ace!) Plus spent new year in Finn McCoulls' Irish Bar in Taupo with Boys & Phoenix. Seen and done loads, boys & P did sky diving. We all went on Hukafalls Jet boat (360deg spins - ahhhh!) Nice Xmas day initially on beach surfing the waves, then rain so Xmas dinner inside. Completed working our way around Northlands, via Twin Coasts discovery route ending in Orewa. Swimming with Dolphins, Whangarai Falls , amazingly after the boys arrived they stayed up and we all visited beaches & aquarium. Doug searched in City of Angels for having a UK passport and being born in Wellington (shropshire not NZ ,LAPD!!!!), booked campsites including 'swimming with dolphins' Visited Piha and Karekare beaches (site of Jane Campion's the Piano) on Tasman coast, W.Auckland, Previously Chatted online to Doug on his B'day,plus spent day on St Helier's beach. Harbour cruise, Auckland Botanic Gardens, Orewa, Warksworth and coast from Martin's bay to Sandspit. We have just booked ourselves in for Xmas & Boxing day on the beach in Orewa with Craig, Doug and Phoenix. Take a look at The Waves Website to get an idea....Currently based in Remuera, 5 mins from downtown Auckland Its good to be back in civilisation. We love the place even more now having been back for a second time in 2013 which was spent in the top half of North island. We remember Remuera, travelling with the boys and Phoenix, under canvas for 55 nights, experts in putting up and taking down a family tent, our Toyota estate, Tongariro, shark poo, boysenberry wine, sheep shearing, Came gates and Old for New Plymouth. We also returned again in 2017. Summary: NORTH ISLAND 58 days , Day 46-103, 10/12/2007 - 5/2/2008 From our travels, our Holidays, North Island New Zealand, Gap Year 2007-8, 10 Dec-31 Jan, with family, summary of the much larger video now broken into 5 parts in nov2020 , auckland, family visiting, xmas, coromandel, wellington, rotorua, lake taupo, fishing, sky dive, sky tower, fishing with wayne & greg, remuera, the piano, camping, driving creek railway, Dargaville, baileys beach, mangonui, botanic gardens Auckland, marina, harbour, skytower, Papamoa beach, te papa, orwea, ohope, coalville, discos and thai birthday meal,are te uri, bottle nose dolphins, new Plymouth, sheep shearing, boysenberry wine, icecream, taupo, marina, aquarium, waves motel,the mad butcher, te kuiti, sheep, karekare, huraru falls, golden springs, waiwere, whangarai falls,raglan, surfing, hi di hi, matakohe, kauri museum, puhoi, Palliser bay, sky diving, tree lookouts, hastings, greenlane motel, waihi beach, hastings, hobbits, wairoa, strange bbqs,interisland ferry, northlands, kiwi fruit, gorges, shark poo, missing brulee, tairua, mount paka, manawatu gorge, paihai, Waitangi treaty, blue lakes, Tongariro, whakapapa village, mount doom, lower tama lakes, skydiving, napier, Gisborne, Opotiki, Wanganui, pohutakawa trees and blossom, piha,te marua, te mata, tuhirangi rugby, lake onoke, akatarawa road views & smells, wai-o-tapu geothermal wonderland, waipu cove, chicken and hen islands, waitekeri ranges, Westpac stadium wellington Day 47 - Tuesday 11th December 2007,Greenlane Motor Inn, Remuera, Auckland, NZ Got up about 8, had a great breakfast Cereal, brown bread with Craig’s Boysenberry jam and marmite, apricots and teaafter the pacific islands this was bliss.Anne was overjoyed to see the shops of Remuera.Walked round to Remuera shops. Westpac ATM worked, posted DVD to Mum Bought map book and Auckland map Asked guy (v friendly) in coffee shop (ace café culture here) about wifi, free sometimes in Auckland so will try out Then caught bus with mad driver into DOWNTOWN went thru Newmarket, Parnell saw sky tower Hired a car from Juicy cars and drove back to motel for lunch Then headed out to Kea at Glenfield, up Highway 1 and over the harbour bridge. 20 mins max, not great weather Mostly rain.No camper vans nor big people movers anywhere on either island. All booked out for Xmas, so probably gonna get 2 cars and camping gear and stay in Motels/ campsites Steve and the Lady at Kea did offer us a 2 person camper with 20% buyback i.e we would loose £6k over 4 months. Too expensive, decided against A&I will reconsider when it is just us in mid Jan.Spent most of the afternoon on the phone trying to get a 8,9,10 person minibus all to no avail. We will take some other decisions i.e 2 cars.No photos taken, too busy sorting out arrangements for when the boys and phoenix come Day 48 - Wednesday 12th December 2007,Greenlane Motor Inn, Remuera, Auckland, NZ Keef spent a lot of time on the phone trying to contact a few more car rental people but without success. He did arrange to visit NZ Car Rentals later in the day to look at cars.We went shopping to Sylvia Park mall to buy all our camping gear from The Warehouse and got everything. Mall was easy to find – off Highway 1. It was a large mall and Keef also got a sim card for our mobile plus a Vodem which would enable us to use 3G Broadband with the laptop. When we got back to our motel in the evening, Keef tried it and it worked fine. Apparently we can also use it in Oz. Had lunch in motel then set off to see NZ Rentals people across the city. Kieran showed us a Bluebird car which had a very large boot with 4 doors. He had 2 available for the dates we wanted so we paid a $100 deposit and he said he would collect us from Juicy when we dropped off our current car on Sunday. Then the boys can pick up the other car with us after they arrive. The car hire worked out at £13.50 per day which is excellent value. Then we returned to our motel to sort out mobile phone and lap top. Went to Remuera shops and got a Chinese takeaway. Very tired and busy day but we were relieved that we had sorted out the mobile phone, internet access for laptop and car rentals. Kieran in NZ Car rentals – very helpful. Day 49 - Thursday 13th December 2007,Orewa, Warksworth, St Martins Bay to Sandspit Decided that we needed to find somewhere to stay with the boys for Xmas Eve & Day as well as when Phoenix arrives on Boxing Day. Set off past rush hour at 1135 am over the Harbour Bridge and headed north along Highway 1. Thought we would look at Orewa as it had a beach and was a tourist area and had a Top 10 holiday park. Orewa was a lovely coastal town with a long beach, grassy area between the road and beach with benches and huge pine trees and the red flowered NZ trees. Stopped to have a look at the beach then drove along to see the campsite – no good – mainly for RVs. Drove back along seafront and saw lots of motels before deciding on a modern motel called Waves. They had vacancies, were almost on the beach and the rooms were lovely so booked up right away. Set off up the highway and saw lovely coastal bays and beaches including a thermal springs resort, a pioneer village called Puhoi where there were some weatherboard houses and a church and Warksworth which was a small town on Highway 1 with small shops. Had fish & chips (snapper which was delicious) by the sandy bay at Snell Beach – quite a rich area with posh coastal homes with verandahs overlooking the bay and islands. Toured round the area a bit more after lunch and Sandspit was where you could take a ferry to an island but the ferry was not operating. Lots of rolling hills with sheep & cows and views of coast and sailing boats. Very warm but breezy with fresh sea air. Nice area.Returned to Auckland once rush hour was over. Good view of city and Skytower when approaching harbour bridge from the north. Unpacked camping goods to get rid of packaging and when we tried out the camping table found that it had some parts missing so would have to return to the mall tomorrow to replace it.Motel owners at waves were English from Derbyshire and knew Nottingham. Loved Orewa beach and drive north along coast. Day 50 - Friday 14th December 2007,Sylvia Park, Airport & Auckland Botanic Gardens Went back to shopping mall to exchange picnic table that had parts missing. Also bought some more camping stuff. Then set off to see how far it was to drive to the airport when we would pick up boys next week. Only took about 25 mins from the mall, plus extra 10 mins from motel. Had Subway sandwich at the airport precinct. Spent rest of afternoon at Auckland Botanical Gardens which was free entry. Very warm today – about 76 F. Gardens were nicely landscaped but mainly park with few flowers and a rose garden which was just coming into bloom but not perfumed enough. Jasmine flowers were very fragrant though. Saw native NZ trees and lots of palm trees and exotic plants. Not as good as Butchart Gardens or Wisley. Also gardens were situated next to motorway and under power lines.Saw a quaint homemade wooden campervan which Keef took a photo of. Motorway was very busy on the way back towards Auckland at 4.30. Stopped at supermarket and fresh fruit shop. At 5pm had lovely roast lamb dinner at Hot Roast Hut for $28 – meat was excellent.Weather was very warm today – is getting hotter every day. Day 51 - Saturday 15th December 2007,Auckland Harbour Cruise Vaughan & Greg suggested we go into town via Ascot Drive along the coastal wall . Excellent advice, superb route that we now use all the time. The Southern beaches are excellent and maybe better than what Sydneysiders get to see(?) Then turned around and headed back into downtown along Quay St up to Queens St (main posh shops) tried parking on Quay by Hilton Hotel and misread costs as it was Sat, parked uphill in a Wilsons car park. Fullers harbour cruise was great. 1 ½ hours and great commentary Really enjoyed it plus unlimited free return ferry ticket to Devonport thrown in. We may well use sometime. Then drove off in search of North shore beaches we had seen from cruise, especially Cheltenham (deeply disappointed) Herne bay on south side just over bridge is very up market, took picture of Masonic lodge for Brian. Harbour, Downtown, Various Islands, Southern & Northern beaches, Marina, Harbour bridge, horse and cart (v old) with 3 drays pulling in Devonport, which has lots of old ‘mining town’ type buildings (weatherboard and metal porches/verandas), met various folk on the cruise, lots of ozzies off the Sun Princess cruiser,Free cakes & coffee on the Fullers Ferry. Bizarre ship shaped Hilton hotel on quayside ferry Capt. said it was over budget, over time and not fit for purpose hence many men and companies went to the wall. It is a blot on the landscape, took pix of Harbour Cruise, Herne Bay, South coast beaches (i.e Hobson, Kohimara, Mission & St Helier) and North coast beaches (i.e Devonport & Cheltenham ($NZD15m houses, although we are not sure why?), Achilles point at St Heliers. Day 52 - Sunday 16th December 2007,Greenlane Motor Inn, Remuera, Auckland, NZ Returned Corolla hire car to Juicy motors in the Strand , downtown then Kieran came out from New Lynn to pick us up and go back to sign up for the 2 sedans, white auto Nissan Bluebirds. OK cars, big boot space, air con, twin air bags and bags of room. Happy. We have also asked him to get us a Station wagon for our last 3 months that we can dump in Christchurch. He is happy same price as bluebirds (approx £14/day with extra insurance) and so are we as he has dropped the $250NZD one-way excess. MEGA embarrassment when VISA card rejected for 2nd car then MasterCard rejected as well, don’t understand, bloody Barclays (maybe) Tried it out back ‘home’ online and ok so not sure, will try again 2moro and if blocked will phone and give B’card a bollocking Then had quick lunch back in Motor inn and went out to St Heliers beach for the afternoon Took our chairs and watched kite surfers for hours. Chinese girl posed in wedding dress. Weather overcast but HOT Keef got a little red, which shows how strong the sun is in NZ. Love south coast beaches. Went to Foodtown on way back to get some stuff for T Really good olives and bottle of Queen Adelaide Cab-Sav, xclent value.Kite surfers. Mt Eden although couldn’t get in, will try again sometime.Vaughan & Greg (again) clearing out 2 rooms for painting. As Anne said when we come back mid Jan we will have those ones.Kieran (nice guy) whose mum had come from Ipswich, told us houses about 4 times salary. His respectable middle class income is equivalent of £16k, not much in our books. Loved the Kite surfers jumping & St helier beach Day 53 - Monday 17th December 2007,West Coast via scenic drive, Piha & Karekare beaches Took trip out to west coast from Auckland via Highway 16 to Kumeu. Farming area with lots of stalls selling strawberries. Drove along scenic route to Piha beach. Route had hardly any traffic and we saw lots of tree ferns, tropical palm trees and trees with red flowers. Twisty road down to coast. Started to rain so had picnic lunch in car. Few people were surfing but waves were not very good. Drove on to Karekare Beach where The Piano was filmed. By now the rain had stopped and sun came out. Small stream weaved through black sand to the beach where there were a couple of people plus one surf lifesaver and a few surfies. Beach was unspoiled and waves were crashing on the beach – worth seeing and nice walk. Continued along scenic drive back to Auckland. Returned to motel and did washing. Then decided to go to the local supermarket from our motel but car did not work – battery failure. Keef rang NZ Car Rentals and Kieran came out at 8.30pm to sort out the problem. He replaced the battery & then we were OK after that. Met Kieran, Vaughan & Greg (again),Scenic road to Piha. Car gave up outside our motel room. Anne drove her first automatic around Remuera,Great view of Piha beach and lion rock from lookout point at top of hill leading down to beach. Karekare Beach where The Piano was filmed. Day 54 - Tuesday 18th December 2007,Greenlane Motor Inn, Remuera, Auckland, NZ Weather not so great, were going to either go to cinema at Westfield St Lukes or sit on the beach at Mission Bay, instead went and did shopping for first days camping with boys, not much else happened. Used I/net and read a bit,Had very late chicken from Foodtown, finished eating about 10.30pm then went to bed neither of us slept that gr8 as too excited about boys arriving Day 55 - Wednesday 19th December 2007,Boys arrive in Auckland Up very early about 4.45am had breakfast and went over to collect the boys from the airport. EXCELLENT to see them again. They were rightly quite jaded but insisted on staying up even though we had beds for them at Motor Inn. Went to the south bay beaches had a walk, then visited Remuera shops, Lunch Aquarium Had big Sunday dinner at Hot Roast Hut then back to motel where they did sleep from about 4pm thru most of the night. A Gr8 day ,Kelly Tartons marine life aquarium Day 56 - Thursday 20th December 2007,Auckland to Baylys Beach via Dargaville & the Kauri Museum Up fairly early, breakfast, Craig manages to get into the Guinness book of records by sleeping for almost 16 hrs. Went to Sylvia Park mall (Mt Wellington) so Doug could buy sunglasses. Then went over to New Lynn to pick up the 2nd car, another Nissan Bluebird auto to match the white one we already have. Set off from Auckland about 12 and had lunch on the beach at Wiemera Thermal springs just past Orewa. Very nice packed lunch, ham & cheese sandwiches and fruit. Saw Kauri Museum @ Matakope,met Mad Dutch guy who was biking around staying at our campsite in Baylys beach. Remember taking 40 mins to get the tent up for the first time and 4 hrs to prepare our evening meal of mashed potatoes/ scaloppini (summer squash), BBQ sweet corn, sausages & lambnot bad once it arrived. But a mission from Keef to get beer and wine (Hawkes bay Chardonnay, yum!) had to go into Dargaville and furtively find an open ‘liquor store’tricky and the publican couldn’t sell it to me. Annie. drove all the way from Auckland over the harbour bridge to Baylys Beach, some 250 km Day 57 - Friday 21st December 2007, Baylys Beach to Mangonui, Northlands, NZ Got up about 8, showered, had breakfast and broke camp. Very hot and a few very large mossies. Then went down onto the beach, wonderful. Spent about 20mins there if not more. Then drove up the west coast thru the Kauri Coast forests, Waipoua being the most interesting. Craig remarked on initiative of Maori’s who told you your car would get broken into at tourist spots unless you gave them $2NZD to guard it! Great motel to crash in , recharge our batteries (literally) as have to get to Bay of islands by 12 noon 2moro for ‘swimming with Dolphins’ experience Finished on PC updating daily diaries at 12.Largest remaining kauri tree, huge and spiritual. Apinhari at bottom of 90 mile beach although the weather was so crap it looked totally inhospitable. Doubtless Bay (ace), Coopers Beach (ace) then Mangonui, which supposedly has the best fish restaurant in the world!!! Lady from Boston , who had been 4 years in Mangonui and 14 in Japan She ran our Hill Side motel, luxury $NZD200. Remember all of the banter via the walkie-talkies between the 2 cars. Meal in Bushman’s Restaurant Kaitaia,lovely steak meals, expertly cooked. Doug had steak and oysters, I had steak scallops and king prawns. Especially liked the view of the west coast after kauri forest at Waipoua. Plus Baylys beach, campsite, Giant Kauri (although picky doesn’t do it justice) Ferry (MV Taurua) from Rawene to Kohukohu on highway 12, Doug was still in the shop! Day 58 - Saturday 22nd December 2007,Mangonui, Northlands, NZ to Bay of Islands + Swimming with Dolphins Got up earlyish, went with Doug down into Mangonui to get some breakfast. Got some good photos on route including the ‘best fish restaurant in the world’. Drove to Piahia (very touristy) and went on the swimming with dolphins cruise. Xclent. Saw lots of the Bay of islands. Saw a huge pod of Dolphins, but weren’t allowed to swim because they had babies. We were not sure you were ever really able to swim with them if the truth be known. Great time , loads of piccies. Then travelled to Haruru , probably the best campsite in the world, ever! Superb view from the end of our tent, gr8 BBQ, chicken & bacon, potatoes and scallopini ,Dolphins , lots of them, including cute babies,met boat captain who left the Germans behind at the island..’aufwidersehen pets’ Huruhuru falls site owner , drunk and glasses caused puss to run on his face where it looked like he had fallen over, indeed if I hadn’t volunteered to pay the next day he would probably not have bothered , we could easily have driven away.Remember Doug’s washing, puppy dog at campsite Day 59 - Sunday 23rd December 2007,Haruru Falls to Waipu Beach Rained a bit overnight, very sunny in the morning so tent mostly dried out. Had breakfast, they have gr8 kitchen facilities in NZ camp sites as well as what we have ourselves. Then quite a lengthy drive to waipou cove where we set up camp again. Exclent beach, very busy family campsite.Beach @ waipuu. Whangarai falls. Remember lack of space on camp site pitch , Police interrupt our walkie talkies at Whangarai, we think! Day 60 - Monday 24th December 2007,Waipu Beach to Orewa (Waves Motel) Not too long a drive, drove along tourist coast road, loads of nice beaches and eventually rejoined Highway 1 at Wellsford. Got to Orewa at about 12 and went and did meat and food shopping in New World and Mad Butchers. Really busy like UK so glad to have got in. Checked into Waves after that and chance to unload, straighten out stuff. Got out Crimbo cards, downloaded piccies, updated all electrical stuff. Keef had spa bath, ace, then cooked Lamb curry (lemon , coriander, tomato, garlic, gold kumara and beans) with rice and Turkish bread (Nan) . Met again Derby / Scots couple who run waves , remember Margaret’s number plate (?) Day 61 - Tuesday 25th December 2007 - Xmas Day,Orewa (Waves Motel) Got up about 7 to hear the boys talking. Phoenix had texted saying issues with visa at LAX even though she was only in transit Had a full English breakfast, opened our few cards, read our email xmas messages then went down to the beach, where we played rugby, read our books, paddled and then went for a swim in the waves. Good fun and a first for Xmas day. Craig’s xmas pressie to himself was a remote control helicopter which we flew indoors. Rained quite a lot from 2.30 on wards so sadly Annie and boys watched Only fools and horses on the TV. Keef caught up on daily diaries and had a Steinlager at 2.30. Rang Mum at about 9.30 am (8.30 pm Xmas eve there) she seemed good and was going to Jacky’s for Xmas and Glorias’ for Boxing day. Had an op on her finger. Kiwi’s walking on the beach and picnicking, met cleaning girl who almost walked in on Craig whilst he was in the loo, lots of Brits on beach, remember Craig’s Xmas socks. Swimming on Xmas day and rain (alas) pm. So did chicken with pots and veg for Xmas dinner with Preece wine Day 62 - Wednesday 26th December 2007,Orewa (Waves Motel) Boxing Day.Some confusion over Phoenix’s flight and arrival time but after Keef rang Air NZ Auckland we realized that she had not been allowed to fly via LA as a Chinese national without a visa even though she was only in transit, so rather than up at 4.30am we rose at 9am. Doug and Keef drove back into Auckland to pick Phoenix up but alas she was detained again by NZ customs who questioned her for 2 hours and unpacked all her stuff , bad news leaving her feeling like she never wanted to come to NZ again. Left Notts 6am arrived nz 2 days later 30 hrs travel, can well understand but we will convince her that NZ is good. Had a great BBQ (prawns ace) dinner and tea. In between went for a swim / sunbathe, played rugby and watched some Disney kids film, Zaphora, remember Poor Phoenix’s journey & our BBQ Day 63 - Thursday 27th December 2007,Travel from Orewa to Golden Springs park, between Rotarua and Taupo Boysenberry ice creams at Wildlife park nr Rotarua.Quite a long drive saw Huntly Power station, and loads of traffic going to Coramandel from Auckland.English guy who runs Golden Springs campsite. He has been in NZ 2 years and was selling the site. West Ham fan. Real cockney pleased to hear I came from London After travel we had meal in the restaurant on the site. Good, remember Getting both tents up. First outing for Doug’s Note we spent 7 days here and used it as our base to visit Rotarua, Taupo and Tuarangi plus cold swimming pool and very warm stream Day 64 - Friday 28th December 2007,Golden Springs Park, between Rotarua and Taupo (Highway 5) Wai-o-tapu Geothermal park, nr Rotuarua and Polynesian Spa,The most beautiful and fascinating thermal landscape. Artist palette particularly good but all of it really. Remember 28c: Sulphur smell. Heat in various thermal baths and pool ranging from 51c to 31c plus view out over lake whilst sitting in those pools plus cold shower to cool off plus split heels Day 65 - Saturday 29th December 2007,Golden Springs Park, between Rotarua and Taupo (Highway 5) Huka Falls Jet and Prawn Park. The jet does a whole series of 360deg spins the most spectacular of which is right close to the falls at the right hand end. The left hand end is a dam end that we came back to see open on a later day .Keef, Anne (2) and Phoenix catching 4 prawns after 4 hrs solid fishing, very satisfying. Alas we part boiled them and froze them back as the campsite with intensions of eating but in the end we chucked away as too risky.Loads of Russians prawn fishing. Remember 360deg spins, catching prawns and tour, almost hitting the golf stroke into the flagged holes (craig ace), walk round park and avoiding water / feeding trout Day 66 - Sunday 30th December 2007, Golden Springs Park, between Rotarua and Taupo (Highway 5) Sky Diving, Taupo Airport, all day event, up really early and drove to Taupo airport. Cost a lot but well worth it (so they said) 15,000 ft over 62 secs freefall with Freddie (German – Dougs), Phil (UK – Phoenix’s) & Greg (NZ- Craig) Their mad tandem pilots plus the American hubby who watched his mrs with anne & I firmly on the ground Young couple from London. Note All 3 had pictures taken by the professionals and DVD plus I took quite a few of their sky diving. NZ for extreme sports! Day 67 - Monday 31st December 2007, New Years Eve,Golden Springs Park, between Rotarua and Taupo (Highway 5) Turangi Trout Farm. Irish Bar Taupo for midnight celebrations, with Maori singer Vegas Brown and 2 much Guinness,New Years Eve: Thai meal Craig took us all out for in Taupo. We then went to the fair and Craig won marbles and a handbag (kiddies) on darts (or some such side show) Then went to Finn McCoulls bar ($20NZD entry fee each) for a boozy and rowdy eve, fun poor Annie had to drive the 35+ kms back. Tried texting folk back in UK but phones jammed, used email the next day Day 68 - Tuesday 1st January 2008 - Annes 54th,Golden Springs Park, between Rotarua and Taupo (Highway 5) Happy new year and 54th birfday me deary!!! Went round Moari Village, BBQ in eve with Preece wine ,Bubbling mud, haka and maori performance & main geyser blowing Heat from under your feet, met Nick Cage lookalike, remember Anne having her photo taken with the ‘cast’ very hot that day. Had hangi roll at site and D&P had sweet corn ‘boiled’ in sulphur spring Day 69 - Wednesday 2nd January 2008,Golden Springs Park, between Rotarua and Taupo (Highway 5) Trout Fishing from Taupo to Turangi,Hired 3 rods in Taupo and then set off around lake Taupo looking for ‘ideal’ spots went swimming and had dinner at Halletts Bay on Lake Taupo, superb, so cool clear and what views. Expert who said he was a novice at Taurangi who gave us loads of advice on mending the line and casting, not easy! Remember Didn’t catch any. Doug saying he had caught his hat, trousers and the trees, plus supposedly one bite!!! Day 70 - Thursday 3rd January 2008,Golden Springs to Tongariro National Park Volcanos, Chateau Tongariro, Mountains + stayed in Mountain lodge Motel (in 2021 now called the Ruapehe Mountain motel & lodge) Some of the best scenery ever. met Essex girl married to swede who ran the motel, remember Meal doug bought at Café Railway National Park village station and lunch at the Chateau. Craig having the best chocolate brownie in the world, loved Chateau Tongariro and the national park Day 71 - Friday 4th January 2008,Tongariro National Park to Wanganui Boys and Phoenix do the Tama lakes walk , up at 6am. Keef and Anne go up the cable car, which broke down on the way Superb views and very hot, although weather changed and was very cold when they let us down gently on the hour, glad to get down A&I spent rest of day reading in the sunshine. Very intense as always in NZ ,Superb , snow, glaciers, lakes, waterfalls etc, met guy on chairlift who got us down and annoying Kiwi kid who spilt our flat white at the top of the mountain. Owners of Anne& Dion Motel (Wanganui) they named the motel Anndion Lodge, wonder why, hee hee (Anne (Hard rock café bear collector and Dion , Maori welcome man) in Wanganui and yellowfin fish & chips. Nice aussie girl in spa pool at Anndion’s who gave us wine list for Barossa and had kayaked 4 days on Wanganui river. Remember The lift is broken!!!!! 2 + hour drive thru amazing scenery to Wanganui after their walk had finished. So hot road tar melted. Loved Mt Ruapuhe. Day 72 - Saturday 5th January 2008,Wanganui to New Plymouth via Surf Coast Highway Woke up showered , breakfasted and had Dion intro us all to all manner of people at the Anndion Lodge. Their spa, pool and sauna were most useful to the boys & P after their long walk. Went into Wanganaui, to fruit market and strolled thru old style town. Miner’s town. Found out how to pay for parking. Walked along river front, saw market had sushi saw tram reconstruction, then headed off via Harewa along surf highway stopping at Onupehe for surf day,Steam boat. Surf coast highway most disappointing. Boats over the surf throwing folk high into the air,Mt Taranaki (although mostly in clouds) almost going to KD Elvis impersonators house in Harewa American who was doing the tram Day 73 - Sunday 6th January 2008,New Plymouth, West Coast, NI Camped in sea front camp site for 3 days Found Boysenberry wine head quarters,Couple at Country wines and camp commandant,Sheep shearing first hand, Craig took us for a meal at Bistro on sea front, it was BYO We had 3 bottles and the meal lasted about 3.5 hours best lamb and steak ever. Shark Poo pud!!! and me not getting my Brulee, loved sheep shearing & rock carving Day 74 - Monday 7th January 2008,New Plymouth, West Coast, NI Great meal at harbour side bistro yesterday Day off for us catching up, the rest went surfing at Fitzroy beach but found it very difficult. I sent brief email to folks, Went off in search of the kids surfing at both Fitzroy and east end beaches, as it was so hard they had left early. Went to New World to get steak, cooked tea early. It pee’ed down, so went to cinema with Craig to see the golden compass, it was gr8. D&P went to see a movie but walked out as said it was crap ,Kiwi fisherman at campsite who had bought their mussels even though they had nets out at sea. Said at $2nzd a kilo ‘no worries’ They gave D&P a BBQ one each,Mums birfday. Must ring. Tried twice at 11.30 (she was out at MOT) got her the next day. Visited local park lights extravaganza in the rain Day 75 - Tuesday 8th January 2008,New Plymouth, West Coast, NI to Waitomo/Otorohanga Absolutely bucketed it down for about a day and a bit. Got up and put on trunks to take tent down. Forgot ice bag, blocks, food and beer in our hurry to be away by 10. Waitomo caves and the glowworms, including boat trip thru the caves. Stayed at Otorohanga in motel. Spa and pool again for only $NZD150 .Mike from White Cliffs brewery (Urenui, Taranaki) One of the few members of Camra in NZ Had long chat about beer, sampled his Mountain lager and Mild and bought 2 litres of each , yummy plus nice Dutch guy who ran the motel. Lived there since 1961, big infux of dutch farmers to NZ in the 60’s,rang Mum on her 76th birthday from inside BlueBird1 (the car) whilst it poured Great mussels/Mexican and strawberries meal cooked by the boys Family in next chalet from Greenland Day 76 - Wednesday 9th January 2008,Otorohanga Kiwi House and drive to Raglan Camped so we could get the tents dry which were still ringing wet from New Plymouth, not the greatest campsite in the world but had our last BBQ with boys & P, sausages and Chinese chicken washed down with real ale.Kiwi’s (the first and only we have seen live) alas they have to be kept in the dark so seeing them saw a little tricky and meant most of my piccies didn’t work however the videos did. Drove to Raglan, had lunch , watched locals jumping off bridge into river and saw surfing at Manu bay and Whale Bay. Remember Camp site at Raglan with HiDiHi motor bike and loud speaker system for prisoners. Hill top campsite with train carriages as kitchen etc Alas it was full but had an ace view of the bay North Island Diary Continued Day 77 - Thursday 10th January 2008,Raglan then Auckland Leave campsite, A&I up about 7 boys slept in til 9 Cold shower, boy really wakes you up. After Raglan drove back to Auckland via SH39 & 1. About 2.5 hours. Very hot,Boys & P doing surfing at Raglan. Ace beach. Doug & Phoenix hired a wet suit Craig didn’t. Craig first to fully stand up and surf. The other 2 then managed one run. Very steep cliff down but oh what views (superb),met English guy who kept telling everyone about ‘the one that got away’, remember Boys being able to surf Day 78 - Friday 11th January 2008,Auckland, Remuera+ Sad day Sir Edmund Hillary (Orewa/ Remuera) dies. We went up sky tower, north shore beaches (Little Shoal bay) and ice bar as well as all having Japanese,Sky tower and sky deck, just superb views of Auckland. You begin to realize how big it is and what some of the yachts look like, we took lots of pics up the sky tower especially the mad beardy who ‘dropped in’ – take a look Day 79 - Saturday 12th January 2008,Auckland, Remuera+ Alas boys last day, took them back to airport after a day at World Windsurf champs at Takapuna, Mini Golf and bagels/subways,Phoenix met the Chinese Wind surf guy and had her picture taken with him .Remember 27c: Sir Edmund Hillary fever in NZ. Anne shedding a tear as they left! 3 holes in one: C&D & me, the boys leaving (sad!!!) Day 80 - Sunday 13th January 2008,Auckland Harbour trip, Greenlane, Remuera Boys arrive in LAX after 12 hr flight, no problems this time. We and Phoenix went out with Greg & Vaughan on their boat around the harbour. Xclent weather and we did sea fishing, very much fun even if we caught nothing. Lots of bites and Phoenix caught a rock crab and sea weed,Rock crab, yellowfin and snails note shark in harbour the day after,Spent much longer talking to V&G over a fair number of beers. They are nice guys and most helpful.Boys (Vaughan & Greg) showed us where they used to live in Remuera after selling their Coramandel motel. Plus where Sir Ed lived. Phoenix took us for a lovely meal at Remuera shizuan. Boys (C&D) txt us to say home, tired but no probs. They saw loads of films. Fishing trip memories. Day 81 - Monday 14th January 2008,Auckland, Remuera+ Alas Phoenix’s last day, she is back to China for new year for 1 month. Enjoyed having her around,Got up about 9.30am had breakfast and went to do some ‘retail therapy’ at Sylvia park mall in Mt Wellington area. Keef sorted Vodafone (sort of) and came back and after various calls found the way to set up a separate account online so he can pay that way rather than via the post office,Lazy day really, saw no one apart from Phoenix. 25c: Used mall food hall, had Indian (P&I) Fish and chips (A) then went to Warehouse to buy some extra camping stuff, will sell on Trade me when we leave for Oz (hopefully), lazy pm after being all shopped out. Anne got some clip on sunglasses for travel we went and had roast lamb at roast hot with Phoenix as her final meal. Bad storms in Sydney. Remember sadly saying goodbye to phoenix. Day 82 - Tuesday 15th January 2008,From Auckland to Coromandel Holiday Park Up earlish, packed and said good bye to Vaughan and Greg. Over to Kierran in New Lynn to pick up Bluebird 3 (our Toyota camry gracia) for 81 days, drop off in Christchurch, 5/4Then repacked into new car and traveled off on the Pacific Coast Highway from Auckland thru Clevland, Kawakawa bay (where we had luncha complete whole shell beach) and onto the Coromandel peninsular at Thames (pronounced after London’s river). The view all the way along was superb, best yet. We really like the CP. Oh such great scenery and the weather was great, met Campsite owner-Coromandel Holiday Park (a family park,generally good in our humble opinion) Went back in 2013 when it was a big 4 park.Space lab bright in the sky. 6.30ish only 10 mins thought it was a plane Day 83 - Wednesday 16th January 2008,Coromandel Holiday Park Got up reasonably early first time as it was a cold night and then back to sleep again to wake up in a sauna inside the tent. 28deg, hottest yet. Did bacon & eggs then had a gr8 trip further up to Colville, end of the line before unsealed roads, then back to site for swim. Then gr8 trip on Driving Creek Railway (DCR) up Cliffside to the Eyefull (geddit!) tower b4 returning for pizza (our first use on an oven in 10+ weeks) b4 catching up on PC. Gr8 day,Superb views over goat island, met Scottish lady and Dutch partner who had moved from Aberdeen 10 years ago (at campsite and then again in Colville), she had only worked 3 of the last 10 years supposedly based on her UK property value, Hmm but by the same token she claimed that the average 3-bed house was £200k and salaries £12ksomething doesn’t add up they all have boats, summer batches (£100k) and food is more expensive,Buddist retreat, we thought about it but moved on. Driving Creek railway (superb)driving creeks were kauri dams for getting the wood down hillsides (ingenious) Day 84 - Thursday 17th January 2008,Coromandel Holiday Park Day of rest, went into Coromandel town, saw the town shops, waited outside Butchers for a while for him to open and then bought steak, mussel and sunripe tomato sausages. Had for t with fried kumara, yummy,28c, v hot. Had tent completely open although a little windy,French couple and 3 blond german ‘babes’ traveling in Hiace. Called them BBQ French couple spoke gr8 english (put me to shame), Germans also they were making icecream in a drinks bottle.Not much really apart from 3 hr chat to Bernhard & Esme from Hamilton. They gave us most of their bottle of Shiraz, a&I v drunk as we had already had Boysenberry wine and beer, loved Coromandel old colonial house, which is where I think greg and vaughan used to own/ let out Day 85 - Friday 18th January 2008,Coromandel Holiday Park to Mateku, via Bay of Plenty via Pacific Coast Highway Got up reasonably early, would have got away earlier apart from Bernhard & Esme (again) chatting to us. Eventually left about 10. Travelled across peninsular to Whitianga, then Tairau where we had lunch in front of the batches , superb views, then to Whangamata , Waihi beach, Katikati (mural town) , Tauranga (up and coming city), Mt Maunganui (New Auckland) , Papamoa , thru Te Puke and stayed at Maketu on the beach in a v expensive for what it was!!!) motel.Lots, including superb murals in katikati, lots of Maori ‘stuff’ and longship in Tauranga plus café culture in harbour side road (trendy), expensive yachts in Mt Maunganui and the whole of the wonderful 9 mile long Papamoa beach which we went swimming in but the rip was huge so didn’t go too far out,28c+. Giant Weta in Bernard and Esme’s awning note they are PETTITT@CLEARNET.CO.NZ , alas having no food other than toast and cheese at the motel, 3 books for $20NZD including 2 Ben Elton’s neither of us has read (Bargain hunters!) Day 86 - Saturday 19th January 2008,East Cape, Mateku to Hick’s bay, plus divert back to Te Puke Kiwifruit world Set off from Maketu where we stayed in a motel on the beach, v expensive for what it was $115NZD. Then to Kiwi Fruit world at Te Puke, great fun, v touristy traveled around orchard on kiddies KF train. Saw many fruits plus vines of KF. Yellow ones Zestri the most interesting. Allowed to sample fruit, juice and pick other fruit. Then traveled along Pacific Coast highway via Whakatane, Ohope (gr8) Opotiki, old town Maori statue where Anne found out details of up and coming rodeos, hawai, Whitianga, Awanui, te kaha, te kopua, whanaria bay, waihau bay (decided not to camp, too windy) then cross land to Hick’s bay. Excellent remote scenery, but alas cold, windy and eventually drizzly and drivers windscreen wiper stopped working (serious stuff)fixed at motel, gr8views when u could see plus cooked Mexican inside motel on our gas ring with oxford landing red and boysenberry wine, bliss!!! Day 87 - Sunday 20th January 2008,East Cape, Hick’s bay to Gisborne Very misty and drizzly this morning. Luckily fixed windscreen wiper myself (hopefully) We will travel thru Te Araroa via Tikitiki where there are some Maori sites, then Ruatoria, Tokomarey bay, via hot pools at Te Puia and Cooks 2nd landing at Anuara bay, then Tolaga bay which has the longest wharf in NZ, thru Whangara, setting for the film whale rider past whale graves into Gisborne,Lots of drizzle, long wharfs, deserted ship yards ,Couple who run the Motel we stayed at in Gisborne, White Heron v good $110NZD incl breakfast,From Previous day a sign for a motel which said ‘Bummer: you have just missed Motel XXXX’ nearly died crying.25 rain soaked wonders, including logging kiwi style and cooks 2nd landing Extract of note sent to B&A, Linda & Jacky, Pete & Chris,Most written by Annie.....you just couldn’t read my handwriting anyhow!!!ME: We are now in Gisborne on the East Coast, where James Cook landed A guy we met whilst camping said that when he arrived in NZ as a child in 1951 from Sussex his parents drove from Auckland to Gisborne and there were wheel barrows at the side of the gravel road to remove boulders that got in the way of the car. Apparently his parents almost gave up and went back but he is now a retired grandparent here. The roads aren’t that bad but there are still a few untarmaced ones around where we just traveled,ANNIE: We were sad to say goodbye to the boys at Auckland airport and they got home safely without any incidents although they were very tired. Doug had been challenged by the LA security police on the way to NZ because his passport stated he was born in Wellington and they thought he was a Kiwi (with that Nottingham accent I don’t think so!!) and therefore should have had a visa even though he was in transit. They took his passport away without saying why and took him off to an interview room. When Doug realised why they had taken his passport, he pointed out that he was born in Wellington, Shropshire and not Wellington NZ. The US customs guy did not apologise to him and Craig thought he was being carted off to Guantanamo Bay. Phoenix also had a problem coming to NZ because the travel agent had not told us that she also required a visa to be in transit to LA as she holds a Chinese passport. The NZ staff at Heathrow told her when she booked in and luckily they found her a seat on a plane to Auckland that went via Hong Kong but it meant she had to hang around for several more hours at Heathrow. When she got to Auckland she was quizzed for just over 2 hours by the passport people even though she had a visa which said she was on holiday and the date when she was travelling on to China. They wanted to know the purpose of her visit, looked at all her camera pictures to check up on her boyfriend and took everything out of her 2 suitcases to inspect it. Poor girl was exhausted and they were suspicious because she could not give an address in Auckland as we were travelling around staying in motels and camping. Keith and Doug were waiting for ages in the arrivals hall wondering what was happening. When we took her back to the airport for her journey to Hong Kong (& back home for Chinese New Year) there were no problems. She got back to China OK.All three of them had a brilliant time and really enjoyed NZ – it is something that they will always remember for the rest of their lives. They wanted to do some activities that they had never done before such as tandem sky diving, trout and prawn fishing (which we also thought was great fun), the 17km/8hr hike that they did in the national park by the volcanoes ,attempting surfing for the first time, going to the Minus 5 degrees ice bar in Auckland, the glow worm caves, the speed jet boat ride to the Huka Falls, seeing kiwi birds in the bird house, wonderful scenery, unspoiled and uncrowded beaches that stretch for miles, the good weather as well as the camping. Craig made us laugh a lot (he has a good sense of humour) and luckily he thought to bring out 2 walkie-talkies with him as he knew that we had two hire cars. This made it easy to communicate between the cars so we did not lose each other and at one town we thought that we got the local police on our frequency so had to have a ‘white out’ and lie low!! It was a hoot and I could not stop laughing at some of the comments that Craig and Doug made as we drove along.There is also the plus that there are no snakes at all here. There are a few small lizards though. We were told by a fellow NZ camper that all container shipments are sprayed inside to kill off any wildlife and apparently they have discovered the odd dead snake inside, probably from Australia. They definitely do not want these poisonous snakes here. They have already got a huge problem with possums which were introduced by settlers from Oz in the 1850s and these animals destroy the native trees by eating the leaves so are considered pests. As they are nocturnal we have only seen dead ones squashed on the roads which the Kiwis call ‘NZ pizza’. Recently we heard that 10 people had drowned in NZ since Christmas and some of the beaches have warning signs about the rip currents. So many Kiwis own boats (ratio is 1:10) and they are allowed to drink and sail boats even in Auckland harbour where there are ferries and huge container and cruise ships. It is only if they have an accident that the police may prosecute them for sailing whilst drunk. When we were out sea fishing in the harbour the other day we heard a cruise ship blast its horn because a small fishing boat was moored in the shipping lane. Although engines should give way to sail there was no way that a cruise ship could alter course quickly enough to avoid a small boat. Aucklanders start dingy sailing at the age of 10 apparently and no one requires any formal seafaring training, navigation certificate or licence to go out in a boat. The marinas around Auckland are huge – one alone near the harbour bridge holds over 1,000 berths. They also store their boats in boat warehouses where they are stacked vertically and if people want to get them out they just telephone in advance and the boat is taken down to a jetty for them. No wonder Auckland is called the ‘city of sails’.Keith and I are very impressed with NZ. Many people told us that the scenery in South island was much better than North Island but we think that what we’ve seen so far is ‘awesome’. The bush is tropical looking and almost impenetrable with huge tree ferns and other palm trees and native bushes and trees. There are a lot of reserves and national parks which preserves the virgin bush where no man has ever walked. There is a bushfire risk similar to Australia with road signs to identify the fire risk. They have volunteer fire crews outside of major cities who are called up by a loud siren going off as they do not have the people to act as full time firemen. We heard a siren go off on the Coromandel peninsular whilst camping and we were told that the siren continues to sound until the first volunteer fireman gets to the fire station to turn it off. All the houses are made of wood or part wood upstairs because of earthquakes. Recently there was a big earthquake in Gisbourne (east coast of North Island) which caused some structural damage to buildings but no one died. There is one place along the coast from Gisborne where they had 1,200 earth tremors last year (it was in the local paper). NZ is such a volcanic country that a lot of the mountains are in fact volcanoes. There are 40 extinct volcanoes in and around Auckland city alone.The coastal highways are wonderful and scenic although the roads are very twisty there are volcanoes (extinct) everywhere, even in and around Auckland. The people that we have met so far have been very friendly and chatty and we have picked up some useful information and advice from them. The campsites, busy at the moment because it is school holidays, are well equipped with kitchens with a fridge, microwave, kettle, toaster and electric cookers. Some of them charge for showers though. At the moment we are travelling along the Pacific coast highway from the Coromandel peninsular, along the Bay of Plenty and its superb sandy beaches heading to Gisborne and Hawkes Bay (wine growing area). We have stopped in a motel overnight at Hicks Bay due to the high winds and rain caused by Cyclone ‘Funa’ which is travelling south of Fiji and we are getting the outer edges of this storm. The weather forecast is that some parts of North Island could get monsoon rain. Some of the cattle pastures are looking very yellow so the farmers will be pleased to get rain. The temperatures average between 24-28 C and it was 29c in Auckland yesterday. We hope to see 2 of Captain Cook’s first landing places today. We did plus Sir Ed (Hillary's) funeral next Tuesday, v big here , they may rename one of their many mountains after him Hope you are all well,love Keef and Anne Day 88 - Monday 21st January 2008,Gisborne to Wairoa, via Mahia peninsular Left motel (colonial) at about 10. James cook statue and Young Nicks point plus gr8 views from up the reserve overlooking Gisborne. Then drive past wineries to Morere Hot Springs, didn’t go in, too hot today for thermals, had lunch outside instead. Afternoon around Mahia peninsular (about a 40km detour) but oh what views. Cloud alas cutting in and had to stop and u-ey (u-turn) car on gravel road after tarmac ran out. Then onto Wairoa to camp for 2 nights. Oldish town which was destroyed by earthquake in 1931. Pictures in gents urinal show what happened. One of the most interesting pees I’ve ever had hee hee! Met Rowena & Simon from UK. Ambitious trying to ‘do’NZ in 7 days, impossible. Was gonna do road to Rotarua in campervan via lake until I pointed out it was gravel. Humidity.plus putting tent up in it after string in one pole broke (twice), liked Wairoa,Gisborne, Mahia Day 89 - Tuesday 22nd January 2008,Wairoa. Drive to Lake Waikaremoana along State Highway 38 V Hot today. 32c and humid. Then v windy. Drove along partially gravel SH 38 to lake Waikaremoana, superb views 4 day walk to Rotarua starts from here, police on look out as hardest walk in NZ.Did ½ day there then came back and picnicked at far end of Waioa river along Kopu St (famous Maori chief of area). Then came back to site to repeg tent and do some washing, i/net updates,SH 38, gravel 200kms to Rotarua, don’t go there,Gr8 campsite, superb kitchens. Met lady owner whose hubby had driven their rig (40ft caravan) up Coromandel Peninsular, now that’s scary,SIR ED’S FUNERAL : national day of celebration/ mourning. Laid in state in parnell cathedral, do hope Brits sent someone!!! Police car in the middle of nowhere when we were at the reserve at L.W, liked BBQ on camp site Day 90 - Wednesday 23rd January 2008,Wairoa along SH2 to Napier, Hastings & then Havelock North (5kms past Hastings) Hot again, up early to try and avoid heat of ‘decamping’. Keef spent too long chatting to folk from Auckland so didn’t quite make it. Still left at 9.30 and got camplight charged. Napier museum, including Roland Hopkins (Hipkins?) art stuff and 1931 earthquake movie (v worrying) 529 aftershocks, no wonder Wairoa, Napier and Hasting were wiped out. Art deco buildings in Napier and Hastings, those in Hastings in my humble opinion were more impressive. Bluff lookout Napier, only of the port (really) with tourist guide to fork-lift trucks, as if we are interested! Met old guy and teacher wife from Birkenhead, North shore , Auckland.Railway structure over the gorges on the way to Napier Getting completely lost trying to find campsite in Havelock North and annoying git who insisted on driving up my boot, a Kiwi classic, some are not gr8 drivers. Loved the art deco buildings, Nat tobacco building @ Napier Day 91 - Thursday 24th January 2008,Havelock North Gr8 day, decided to stay at site 3 days as we like it and the area so much. So went up Te Mata again,Jack, site owner on rusty tin bike, he is a hoot to joke with, wicked sense of humourask Annie about the showers!Went for nice walk along Ocean beach. Loved Te Mata and ocean beach Day 92 - Friday 25th January 2008,Havelock North Chilling Day – Bacon sarnie for breakfast, treatsville at £3.20 for 8 rashers of streaky Then posted cards and pressie / letters to Margaret / Brian in Havelock North. This is a very posh town, 50 something blondes who love to shop and are wives of winery owners. V affluent Went back up Te Mata (339 ft) Love the view from the top, better weather today so crowded. Maori legend is some guy who needed to win the love of the princess his last talk was to each thru the mountain which he didn’t manage to do hence the shape of the valley, but realistically the gr8 scenery is due to again volcanic eruptions . After mountain we visited Black Barn & Te Mata wineries as well as cheese tasting, bought a sheeps blue cheese and bottle of Preece and Mission Estate (Hawkes Bay) so good lunch, then attempted to do North island DVDs for Mum,Divorced guy in caravan next door. His daughter went back today and I did a copy of new eagles for him and he loaned me some Kiwi bands. His music is gr8, pink floyd and bee gees and hootie so we ‘gassed’ music for quite a while. His claim to fame was seeing Bob Marley live in Auckland. Plus scots guy and family (2 & 13 year old daughters) who were traveling oz and nz for 7 months. He is a paid musician, like john martyn supposedly, who was touring playing Auckland etc. Forgot to find his name. Swim in site indoor ‘heated’? pool it was freezing but as 22c today most welcoming at least for Keef if not Annie. Corn beef hash 4 Tea. Great pix of vineyards (Winery in NZ speak) and us on Te Mata Day 93 - Saturday 26th January 2008,Havelock North to Palmerston North 3 MONTHS TRAVELLING ANNIVERSARY – boy it seems to have gone quickly! Packed up reasonably early, said goodbye to our next door neighbour, the divorcee. Went into town to post office to post 2 DVDs to Mum, bumped into guy from campsite again who gave us directions for quick route out of town. Drove along winery highway (SH2) until we joined SH3 to Palmy. Saw various small towns, had Egg & Bacon sarnie and lemon/ginger cake and 2 flat whites in the town beginning with W (which been purchased (haha) by Mr Mclean in 1851 from Maoris and then free passage for all Scots to work on his snippet of land, 2 towns, railway and 272 hectacres from Maoris. No wonder they now feel cheated.) Travelled thru very scenerific Manawatu gorge between Woodville and Ashhurst onto Palmeston North (named after a famous PM from UK, surprisingly) even found Nottingham Avenue!Vikings at Dannevirke, Manawatu gorge, Massey Uni (PN) old art deco buildings and Institute of Rugby. town center and life museum Palmy. Stayed at Awatea Motel, just outside main Palmy town. Watched ‘All the kings men’ with Sean Penn/ Jude Law/ Anthony Hopkins/ Kate Winslettace about (loosely) south American hick mp who gets shot, met lady in Museums (twice) Nice lunch in George St Palmy, Boysenberry juice/iced coffee/chicken lasagne & panini with brie and chicken (yummy!), cost about £10 Day 94 - Sunday 27th January 2008,Palmerston North to Levin Layed in (a bit) as in motel. Supposedly quiet one, but kids up and noisy by 7am playing outside our door which was on the park. Left about 10, went to rose gardens (Dugwald Mckenzie) interesting yet not inspiring. Was set in Victoria Esplande park, lovely spot, kiddies railway track (although like the main trains on this island) we didn’t see the train in action. Lots of bikers / joggers Then went to Manawatu art gallery, maori stuff plus heaven Karl Maughan exhibition (look out for this guy) After PN went to Foxton & Foxton beach before arriving at site in Levin very good campsite.A clear day exhibition wonderful, KM artist from Ashurst/PN went to Auckland FA then London, superb realistic oils of plants etc.Kiwi railway worker at campsite and English couple in camper van who seem to visit everything we did, they left the Levin campsite after only one night though! Remember NZ Rugby Museum, retail therapy in Kmart PN, plus King size duvet to keep out cold at night. Did meat balls, fried kumara and veg for Tea,loved rose garden/ art gallery and rugby, plus Foxton windmill Day 95 - Monday 28th January 2008,Levin Late up, pancakes, jam & syrup with Kiwi juice for breakfast, morning spend mooching in heat. Washing for Annie, pc for Keef. Off to beach/ wild life park pm.Went to Cobb & Co for lunch, I had beef escalope and Annie oriental chicken salad, yummy, we were the only folk in the place. Was a bit like being in the Bulls head at Breaston. Went to Horowhenua lake , lots of birds, swamp hens , ducks and geese. Bit smelly, lots of Didymo in lake. Then went to Waitareare beach (see below) and onto Hokio beach. Then back to tent for eve to read and relax.Kiwi railway guy who got up really early in the morning and was from Palmy and soon to move onto Wanganui after Levin. Drank what seem to be copious amounts of coke with ice in a chilly mug but my guess was it had rum in it as well judging by his slightly slurred speech. He told me about fly-fishing for trout, i.e. it took him 10 years before he caught anything.Driving on the beach at Waitareare beach after the surf guard said it was fine to drive along to Hokio We wanted to see the sunken ship, but only got as far as the first 30k signpost on the beach which I wanted to take a picture of but got the car bogged down in sand ‘ice cold in alex’-style. Annie and some kind kiwis helped with logs under front tyres and a big push to get us out!!! We turned round and got off the beach, that was enough for one day plus in the space of 2 roads at Hokio 2 idiots pulling straight out across me without looking, Kiwis are not gr8 drivers. Remember hick shack at Hokio village Day 96 - Tuesday 29th January 2008,Levin to Greytown Hot morning for packing up tent. Got away just before 10, not that it would have mattered as site quite empty. Went to Otaki beach, xclent, long drive along front. Was a pebble beach though and this time, yes I could drive up on it safely. View of kapiti island in background. Drove along Kapiti coast (SH 1) Waikanae town and beach (had to get there round back of houses but oh what nice houses). Had a walk in the water here, fun. Then lunch on chair overlooking Paraparaumu beach, disappointing as book said like Malibu but wrecked by Cyclone Funa’s after effects. Then back up thru Waikanae town again via Virgin Mary statue to Akatarawa Rd, single track steep road (superb views if a little frightening with sheer drops) Quick look at Hutt river at Beechville and then on thru windy SH2 to Featherston and Greytown where we stayed for the night in Oak motel. Relaxing eve Fish & Chips from local Chinese.Te Marau lookout on SH2 just outside Beechville. Watched Nick Cage in The Wicker Man (ace!),met poor couple from Auckland (and grandchildren) stuck at top of Akatarawa Rd where their radiator had burst. Smell of dead pig over powering so we didn’t stay long.RJs liquorish comes from Levin. Akatarawa Rd views thru Tatarua range (almost as good as Mt Tongarira,Akatarawa Rd , Giant statue at Waikanae Day 97 - Wednesday 30th January 2008,Greytown to Lower Hutt via Palliser Bay Up early-ish, packed and left at 10am. Went into look at Greytown and took some piccies of some of the older buildings. Its quiet and old (in NZ terms town, 1850s) then traveled via delightful road to Lake Ferry, Palliser Bay. Very deserted Few fishermen with quad bikes as long hard pebbly walk out (in flip-flops) past inland lake to bay. V dangerous rips, not swim able.Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt, cities (my foot) CBD was one skyscraper and Top 10 site pretty bad industrial area still reasonable facilities, cheap and good location. Sea view esplanade drive round into Wellington sea front.Lady in next tent who is a musician who suggested Golden bay on South island from her music tours there. We will give it a whirl. Alas hit a female pheasant with the car, dead I’m afraid. It walked straight into me and I couldn’t get out of the way. Not very nice and made me feel a bit uneasy for a bit, but hey us or a pheasant, we win!!! Day 98 - Thursday 31st January 2008,Te Papa Museum Wellington GREAT DAY IN WELLINGTON!!!! Up early, good breakfast in kitchens. Weird walk in freezer room with paid ($1NZD per day) locker to keep stuff cool in. Arrived at Te Papa museum car park about 10.30am ($12NZD all day, pretty gooddespite girl in museum saying if you leave after 9.30pm its free, not true barrier still in play) Museum ace, we did 2 floors, floor 2 & 4 and looked out on the roof. Left Elvis concert about 9.30, went wrong way along SH1 to seatown not seaview and then back home for 10.30 Just in before curfew and 2 bed very satisfied with a gr8 day.Floor 2: earthquakes and volcanoes, weather systems, passports, Scots, pacific islanders, coffee Floor 4: Maori stuff with supposedly the oldest Marae (meeting house) in NZ and the paid ($16NZD) whales section, fascinating, whaling, Maori whale rider stories, lovely T-shirt that I couldn’t buy alas. After 5 hours standing we were done in. Went to MacDs for late lunch (down under burger and nuggets combo) sad or what! Then to Reading Cinema to see Death at a Funeral hilarious. Then Keef lamb madras from food hall, Annie smoothie then off to Elvis concert in Frank Kitts park on harbourside, very very good.Met a few folk at concert. Maori guys whose phones went off in cinema (annoying). Remember Down syndrome guys pulling the blondes and dancing to Elvis and Heat with Feet rock dancers. Day 99 - Friday 1st February 2008,Wellington Got up late, v blowy. Listened to and watched various kiwi supporters getting dressed for the Irb 7s. Alas all tickets sold out, only available on Trade me for £250 so not going. England playing Cook Isles, Wales & Fiji. Fiji will be hard to beat. Went to Pak n Save for some stuff, did PC updates. Had lunch of Sweet corn and pumpkin soup. Went to Interislander ferry to collect tickets for Tuesday, booked motel at campsite (room 27) for Mon eve so we can get an early start and go up cable car.Went up lookout by cable car and botanic gardens. Had coffee and cake with YOGART at summit café. Gr8 views and very sunny if a little breezy. Also visited Oriental bay (man made beach) not impressed compared to Auckland. Saw lots of nutters (drunk) in costume for 7s. Babies, Durex, Surfschool, Cowboys & Indians, prisoners, you name it they were there. We weren’t so sure they were that interested in the rugger though.7s supporters in ludicrous costumes. Keef tried watching thru the caravan opposites window until he closed the curtains (wasn’t on TV) Friend of lady in next tent (another divorcee) who bought her daughter along, very pleasant and suggested Seatown beach.Very windy and a little rain overnight, 24c Day 100 - Saturday 2nd February 2008,Wellington DAY 100 Hoorah!!! Started off cloudy, got hot but remained windy. Final of Wellington Irb 7s, went to parliament house and had the tour of the beehive , main parliament building and library / archive house. Very interesting stuff. Took about 1 hour. 121 MPs and lots of committees. Follow the British constitution in all things parliament except banned house of lords and have a strong (rightly) Maori representation / ethic. Then back to Te Papa and floor 5, the art gallery. Gr8 Rembrandt original sketches otherwise disappointing that there was no real scenery of NZ. Then had woodbaked pizza in Sellar and Feijoa / wild berry juices and went to cinema to see Nick Cage / Helen Mirren/ Jon Voight in National Treasure. Don’t go.Drew out cash in Lower Hutt, Jackson St (off Cuba) they all seem to use the same street formats and names or is that just a coincidence, check on Palmy town map!!! Fireworks from Finals Day 101 - Sunday 3rd February 2008, Wellington Drove all the way along the Wellington harbour road in v bright sunshine 25c from Eastboune to Lyle bay and the airport. Stopped off in the morning and read books, papers, mags at coast side, then went onto Lyle bay and had a paddle. Watched planes arriving and taking off from extended runway into sea at Wellington airport. Sun lasted until at least 8.30 pm Drove back thru Oriental bay on coast road Went to Pak N Save and did Satay chicken 4 Tea.At Eastbourne amazing designer houses , guy swimming from one bay to the other and back (exhausting), snorkellers, jetskis, water skiing and subaqua with float / flag on water surface to show jet skiers where he was. At Lyle went to Warehouse had boysenberry icecreams and Keef bought a Hawaiian shirt for approx £6 not bad.Lady with little child in store at Eastbourne who only wanted muesli bars for his birthday (gr8 deal if you are a parent).Bloody dogs at Lyle bay, including the one who slobbered on our food bag. Hot day got both wind and sunburn and we are particularly brown. Tried to find Blue Penguins (no joy!), loved being around the coast Day 102 - Monday 4th February 2008,Wellington Up reasonably early to the sound of our German next door neighbours running water. Not too bad as had to pack up tent today which we managed to do just before it rained. Spent from 10-3 at Settlers museum lookout over beach reading and munching. Went into ANZ Patone to ensure account cancelled. Was set up in Wellington on 10/10 (shame they didn’t tell me about it!) No prob. Came back and got in motel on site. Pretty good and close to Ferry. Chilled on PC/ TV/ Reading. Did Audible book download Jenny Éclair and charged up stuff for journey to South island. Sweet corn (10p) and cheese on toast for tea washed down with Bundaberg plus rang Mum and early to bed.Rain 14c. Met Nutty guy from Coventry (married Canadian) who had been in NZ since the 70s. Cat shop that did books. Bought War & Peace for $3NZD and Anne got a book as well. RJ’s liquorish (not the red one) from Levin. See South Island Diary for Day 103. To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key. South Island Including Christchurch (Before the Quake), Akaroa, Milford & Doubtful Sounds, Mount Cook & Queen Charlotte Sound via the Interisland Ferry DIARY SOUTH ISLAND NEW ZEALAND NOTE all words in ITALICS were written on the trip. UPDATE 5/4/2008 We have now left the 'Shaky Isles' Finished with 4 days in Christchurch. This included Hagley Park, Botanic gardens, City Centre Art gallery, Cathederal, beaches and Gondola. Sold campgear via Trade Me to Andy & Family, Rangiora. Asburton, visited Peel Forest / Mt Hutt and the Big Tree Timaru for 3 days, nice motel / restuarant..Aspen on Kings! Went to the SUPERB Mt Cook Nat Park Camped at Lake Benmore for 3 days (with own en-suite ....'bloody luxury' Camped in Oamaru (home of the penguins) for 4 days Dunedin (Celtic for Edinburgh, and yes it does have a Princes St & a Fringe) for 3 days Gr8 City Take a look at our baby royal albatross @ the Webcam Website Stayed o/night in Balclutha. Drove thru a v hot Central Otago (32c) upto Alexandra and back out. Visited the Catlins Awesome!! 4 days in Invercargill and 2 on Stewart Island We really liked SI Went to Bluff Visited gr8 museum with Henry the Tuatara@ Invercargill. Went to Milford Sound (best yet!) wet in morning/ sun in afternoon, best way to see it. We took 350 pictures, shows it was ACE!!! Camped in Te Anau (Fjordland Nat Park), for 4 days. Visited Doubtful Sound Camped in Queenstown (Shotover gorge) for 4 nights. Went on a 4WD offroad LOTRs tour (ace!) Visited Arrowtown, the great road to Glenorchy and went up gondola to the home of tandem parscending, luge, heli bike and bungy (Wow we did none of these dangerous sports!)Travelled thru the Haast pass and thru glorious Glacier Lakes in Mt Aspiring Nat Park. Stayed in Haast overnight having seen the wonderful Glaciers & Lake Matheson. Travelled thru a very wet Arthurs Pass (ace with imagination!) and spent 2 days in Hokitika on West Coast. Camped for 4 days at Akaroa, on Bank's peninsular. 30th Wedding Anniversary, really enjoyed the Tranzalpine train & our drunken meal in the eve!!! sightseeing in Christchurch (best city in NZ for me!). 5th ODI Blackcaps Vs England in Christchurch , we would have won if rain and Duckworth Lewis didnt intervene! Visited Oxford via scenic highway 72, stayed in Kaiapoa. Went from St Arnaud to Lake Rotarua (ace) and then via SH67 down to Springs Junction and across Lewis pass (again) to Amberley. Visited Marlborough wine region, Blenheim stayed in St Arnaud (ski area) near the oh-so-lovely Lake Roto-Iti. We were in a log cabin which Annie loved. Spent 3 days camping in Kaikoura . Went whale watching and saw sperm whale, hector dolphin (rare), albatross and NZ furry seals Saw Atonement in 1930's hall (with Intermission), thought film had broken! Went to Reefton Rodeo, ace! Then on thru Lewis pass to Hamner Springs. It has been wet, wet , wet spent night in 'electric light' motel in Reefton. Plus 2nd night (so far) in car after mega electrical storm. Camped in Greymouth. Saw Pancake rocks and SH6 to Greymouth - better in our opinion than 12 Apostles and gr8 ocean rd. Plus stayed o/night in Westport and then drove to Kamerea, fun area. Very wet day and night again, such bad electrical storm we had to sleep in car for 2 hrs at Pakawua. Drove to Westport via Buller river gorge (wet but superb!) 2.5 in of rain overnight in Pakewua, needed - Went on Farewell Spit Eco Tour, 6.5 hrs across sand to farest north on South Island west coast. Camping at Pawawau beach for 3 days. Caught 2 salmon on Anatoki river and ate them Visited the Abel Tasman national Park via a 5&1/2 hr boat trip in hot sunshine, spectacular Arrived via ferry, choppy in Cook Straights but gr8 views in Queen Charlotte Sound. Nelson (which we both liked) where we saw WOW (World of Wearable Art & Classic Cars) Amazingly different and classy!!! Take a look yourself @ The WOW Website to get an idea....Anne has the 2006 official programme which we will bring back with us but it has IPR so we cannot reproduce here There was also a spin off exhibition in Christchurch based on wearable flowers The Jenny Gillies Website I haven't yet made reference to the wonderful Dunedin which we both really liked and the lovely little penguins, a magical moment. Summary: SOUTH ISLAND 58 days , Day 103-163, 5/2/2008 - 5/4/2008 MORE INFORMATION From our travels, our Holidays, South Island New Zealand, Gap Year 2007-8, 1 Feb – 5 Apr, such fun, travel all over,including 434 images plus a summary of the much larger video now broken into 8 parts in nov2020, covering plus a whole lot more the following, picton, queen charlotte sound, cricket in Christchurch for my birthday, 5th ODI Blackcaps vs England, Collingwood, Prior, Pieterson, queenstown, trans alpine railway, 30th wedding anniversary, akaroa, greymouth, holitika, abel tasman national park, Dunedin, albatross, queenstown, pancake rocks, milford & doubtful sound, anatoki, salmon fishing, banks peninsular, lake roto-iti, lake Rotorua, Kaikoura, bungee, lake matheson, mount cook, sir Edmund Hillary, penguins, Blenheim, trams, omaru, barry bay, knights point,te anua, farewell spit, blowholes,bluff, the caitlins, fox & franz josef glaciers, Invercargill, ashburton, glenorchy,hamner springs, honer tunnel, keas, weka, kawa, kaiteriteri, Cromwell,kekeno, cape foulwind, lake benmoe,moeraki boulders,Littleton harbour, Marlborough, Westport,karamea, Palliser bay, punakaiki, sir joseph ward, shotover gorge, pukawau,Amberley, reefton, rodeo,st arnaud, tew ae wae, cable cars, seals, sealions,mauhinapau walkway,waikuru beach,nelson, wow museum, Timaru, haast, takiroa, sheep street, the steepest, niagara falls nz, boot hill, cadburys Dunedin, Christchurch cathedral & city before the 2011 earthquake, ross, festival of flowers, split apple rock, whales fluking, lord of the rings @ WOW, botanic gardens Christchurch, interisland ferry DIARY Day 103 - Tuesday 5th February 2008,Wellington to Nelson Having stayed in motel on campsite overnight and rang Mum got up @ 6am to catch ferry Drizzly in the morning Got to Interislander about 7.35-ish Boat didn’t leave until 8.45am (late) Bit like being on a large cruise ship, weather improved as we went but wind in Cook strait so strong they wouldn’t open the leewardside deck doors. Annie read, Keef slept (and apparently snored) until we reached Queen Charlotte Sound on South Island Spectacular views. Disembarked in Picton, nice little place. Had coffee filled up with fuel and set off along Queen Charlotte Drive, ace views of the sound from the road. Windy twisty steep but it hugged the coastline. Then on to Nelson via SH6 and the WOW museum.Loved World of Wearable Art (WOW) & classic car museum.Met noone in particular.Have now left North Island Stayed in Golden Oak Motel, Nelson and had a spa (very relaxing) Day 104 - Wednesday 6th February 2008,Nelson to Kaiteriteri, Waitangi day (Maori treaty Public Hol) Just got out of the motel in time, 10.15am late went to investigate campsites in Nelson (No good) spent some time in Trafalgar sq, looking at trees, cathedral , town, parksNelson is very nice Then went onto harbour side to see settlers monument just open yesterday. Interesting. Sunny about 24c. Then drove thru fruit vineyard area Rabbit island and onto start of Abel Tasman Nat Park and campsite at Kaiteriteri (2 nights).Saw lots Rabbit island and Nelson church the highlights.Met Kiwi, swiss girlfriend and her sister and friends. They were very loud until 12midnight. We had to get up for boat at 7.30 so a bit pissed off V cold at night.Yummy, Boysenberry real fruit ice-cream and basket of fruit, cherries and plums Day 105 - Thursday 7th February 2008,Abel Tasman National Park (by Wilsons’ boat) An absolutely fabulous day..Too much to describe here, see photos to do it justice,met Kiwi next campsite, borrowed his can opener!Gr8 day, gr8 weather 25c, gr8 scenery, went for a swim when we got back, would like to stay another day but site slot full so will move on Day 106 - Friday 8th February 2008,Kaiteriteri to Golden Bay Left campsite at about 11 (eventually) Traveled via Hawk Lookout point with nice boardwalk. Then via Upper Takawa to Bencardi and the Amatoki Salmon Fishing then on thru Tawaka and Collingwood (weird little place) past Mussel inn to Pawaka camp site. Booked eco tour to Farewell spit for 2moro, saw lots, met old Kiwi couple who insisted on telling us which route to take around South island, partially useful for Doubtful sound bus/boat advice but delayed us about an hour whilst we tried to get away. Americans from Florida who were moving to Alaska (boy they will notice the difference) Geoff at Anatoki salmon fishing, who showed us how to kill my fish (not nice) and I had to do Annies one (ugh, thru the brain), caught my first ever salmon (1.14 kg or approx 2.5 lbs) and Anne’s first ever fish 11.58 kg or approx 3.5lbs We then had them apple wood smoked and coated in Cajun (one fish) and lemon pepper (other fish) best salmon and freshest ever Ate with garlic bread at lunch hot then cold with new potatoes and salad eve , loved Lookout, Salmon fishing and Pakawau beach where we are camping for 3 nights Note lady in wellington in next tent had recommended Golden Bay Day 107 - Saturday 9th February 2008,Farewell Spit Eco Tour Dossed around in the morning , quite hot went on beach read / pc-ed. Prepared sandwiches and went off to Collingwood to catch our Eco tour bus to Farewell Spit Bird sanctuary and 27 miles by about 5 wide in the shape of a kiwi’s beak if you see it on a map. Gr8 day out, v interesting especially if u r a twitcher which we are not! Pictures probably best way to see it,lots of sand and interesting coastline, ex river bed In 1800’s it was all trees not sand dunes, maybe that tells us something. Excellent guide who drove the bus, funny and knowledgeable. Computer guy who worked for the Bank of Austria b4 he retired. Unmarried, opinionated and never shut up, sort of guy you would avoid at work (or anywhere) except a sandspit! remember Eco tour Gr8, listening to final part of Time to Kill by Thomas Harris on Ipod (audible book) in the car with seats laid down , most relaxing. Started to rain which is oh so needed by the farmers and folk for water containers Day 108 - Sunday 10th February 2008,Pakawua Campsite Poured all night, 2.5 inches of rain, tent and some contents soaked, outside ground (note there was only us and 2 others on site and they were inside) drowned. Spent day drying out, luckily sun back out by about 12-ish used pc to catch up and sorted out our wedding anniversary. Cricket 23/2 Finally managed to get 2 tickets to see England Vs Blackcaps in 5th ODI, they play nearly all their matches on North Island except the 1st & 5th ODIs in Christchurch - hooray,Plus we are going on the Transalpine train (Christchurch to Greymouth & back) supposedly one of the best train journeys in the world for our 30th wedding anniversary on 25th and staying for 3 nights in some luxury in Christchurch across those 3 days, Annie taking me out for some posh nosh,Charged up cameras etc etc Nothing day really Had early T of spam, fried kumara and spaghetti, saw zip/diddly squat, met owner of campsite, droll Kiwi with a chauvinistic bent ‘ don’t carry plates for your woman’- stereotype. Said if they hadn’t had rain would have had to shut site as $NZD900 to buy in water (serious stuff), loved Rain stopping! Getting Cricket tickets Day 109 - Monday 11th February 2008,Pakawua Campsite to Westport, A1 Motel Drove from Pakawua back down road via Moutere (where we bought some stamp material for a shirt for me for about £35) Lovely fruit valley, bought apples (Red Goldenstein) and plums (red doris) Then superb scenery to Murchison where we had coffee (flat white) and blueberry muffins.Extract from note sent to Pete 2day “greets from a very wet (a first!) Westport on the top west coast of south island...the thunder and lighting (remember that) was so bad whilst we camped last night that we had to sleep sometime in the car.... but we can’t complain after months of sunshine,we are really enjoying ourselves but its going a bit too quickly... ,loved your lines about sophie.....she'll be beating you at chess b4 u know it,good result for spurs, i didn’t know that one. Interestingly premier soccer is big here in nz, they don’t really do soccer...Finally managed to get 2 tickets to see England Vs Blackcaps in 5th ODI (23/2), they play nearly all their matches on North Island except the 1st & 5th ODIs in Christchurch – hooray, as we are now on south island and we ain’t going back 4 the cricket ,Annie & I are going on the Tranz Alpine train (Christchurch to Greymouth & back) supposedly one of the best train journeys in the world for our 30th wedding anniversary on 25/2 and staying for 3 nights in some luxury in Christchurch across those 3 days, plus Annie is taking me out for some posh nosh,Trust you are both well, enjoy the camping in the Cotswolds if you do go, Love Keef & Anne” Met PAHOG & FUN41, old aussies on Harley D’s who we last met at Lake Ferry café near Pallister bay. remember Thunder & Lightening dumped 3 ins on Wellington overnigh t24c even tho it rained lots,Fish and chips in Motel definitely not Westport (awful place), run down ex coal town, loved buller river Day 110 - Tuesday 12th February 2008,Westport to Karamea Nice sunny day Good drive along SH67 up to Karamea along surf coast. We stopped for lunch and got eaten by Sandflies. Nice views though. Climbed through hills, high and tropical. Lots of land for sale but who would want it? Karamea was a quaint little place and start of Heaphy trail. Stayed in best studio motel yet, $110NZD and did cooking inside (naughty) without setting off fire alarm, Strange letter boxes (fish, elephants, tractors you name it),Nutty couple with very old car and 1900 car hats, saw them again out at Gentle Annie Beach. Woman at motel (hubby Conservation guy) who had traveled to UK in her youth. Salisbury. Remember little kittens getting in our car at motel Day 111 - Wednesday 13th February 2008,Karamea to Greymouth Brilliant day (23c) Drive back thru Westport (you have tono other choice) then down SH6 to Greymouth. Superb views all the way. Like Highway 1 in California and Big Sur (maybe better) Stopped at various places but Pancake rocks and the blowholes was the best, superb 30min walk around the edge Lunch at concrete table and chairs overlooking Tasman and not sure who ate most the sand flies or us! Camping 2 nights Top10, saw lots including faces in the rocks! Good campsite. Station at Greymouth (will revisit 2moro) , met guy from Loughboro living in Holland with Dutch girlfriend at Fox River, remember being camped at Top 10 at Greymouth next to airport runway! Bought duvet cover cheap for tenting (the warehouse), loved Pancake rocks and the Blowholes (see on video) Day 112 - Thursday 14th February 2008,Greymouth VALENTINES DAY!!! Wet day in Greymouth. Parked up the car and walked around the town for most of the day.Pier at Barry town, just o/side town, Quay wall in town, proverbial clock tower, art gallery (in old bank of NZ) very cleverly called ‘A New Land’ (see photo and painted ‘in’ lettering from ‘bAnk of NEW zeaLAND’), lunch at 124 MacKay yummy Annie had a special chicken with spinach and cheese, I had Moroccan lamb with couscous plus lots of garlic bread (one kiwi portion is 4 big bits) –cost approx $NZD76 with iced coffee and flat white. Then we popped down to see Tranz Scenic arrive and depart Greymouth (its what we are on for our 30th from Christchurch), Jade Boulder gallery/museum (v interesting), carrot cake (again) then back to campsite, sunny now 21c, and read our books Had wine , cheese/bics/grapes 4 T . started raining about 8.30-ish ,mey guy from St Austell in the loos.Lots of nutty girls walking round town with a red heart on a stick, we mistook it (old fuddie duddies’ for something to do with Heart Foundation but it was obvious when you know its valentines day. Almost ‘international incident’ when kiwis left bench to guard their motor home slot and Japanese moved it and parked there. A&I were hoping for fireworks but it was a bit of a damp squib. Not many photos, it was all too ‘Grey’ Named after a brit general , river town etc etc Day 113 - Friday 15th February 2008,Greymouth to Reefton And it finished raining at about 9.30am, bad night huge electrical storm had to make a quick exit to car (again) at about 2.30am. This time only there for about 30mins . rain horrendous (3” guess) came in tent a bit.So after wash and breakfast packed insides and read until the tent dried. Got it down just in time as started raining again soon after. Went to MacDs for b’fast (yuk!!!) Petrol then onto Reefton via SH6. Lots of rain, stayed in First Electric light motel.Its what Reefton is famous for. Went in museum, saw old street lamps/ quartz mines, old shops. Ok place but not much happening. Went out for meal at Alfresco (eve) cold sitting outside nice filling meal though. We are only staying in Reefton for rodeo so 1 night is fine,Snow on Mountain range in distance from Top10 campsite when it was sunny Probably Mt Cook (guess) They said on news it had snowed!!!, met danish family with 4 kids under 10 traveling in campervan . Anne finished Wilbur Smith – the seventh scroll (book) one paragraph b4 Keef finished Ben Elton – Inconceivable at about 10.30am. We had to wait for tent to dry b4 taking it down, not quite the last folk to leave the Greymouth site, that honour went to poor German couple on motorbikes with leaky 2 man tent Americans at restaurant who only have 4 days on south island, why the hell were they spending 1 of them in Reefton we ask ourselves!!! loved cars as gate posts. Day 114 - Saturday 16th February 2008,Reefton Rodeo, then onto Hamner Springs via Lewis Pass Rained all night, packed up car then had gr8 cooked breakfast for $10NZD, Rodeo was at Reefton racecourse, gr8 gr8 gr8 fun loved every minute of it, After it finished we had flat white and cakes in bakery before driving thru Lewis pass to Hamner springs. 9c outside (coldest yet) No vacancies anywhere in HS, real holiday spot and Kiwi weekend, not sure why but alpine spot, we will investigate 2moro. Lewis pass gr8.Animal lib folk outside rodeo. Frankly the only one hurt was rider on the bucking bronco who got kicked near the eye but St Johns patched him up,Guy in Electric light motel (Reefton is famous for having the first lights.bottled lightin southern hemisphere) when I told him his breakfast was the best in NZ plus guy at bar who I talked cricket to (especially as now 2-1 to blackcaps in ODIs), remember Rodeo and K being stung by wasp, plus Lewis pass, loved the rodeo especially the action shot with the mucous from the bulls mouth and Lewis pass Day 115 - Sunday 17th February 2008,Hamner Springs to Kaikoura Up early, indeed we had left by 9.30am unheard of, v sunny day. Good look around the ski resort of HS, then lovely drive across SH7, then 70 (Mt Lyeford) through to Kaikoura. The Kaikoura range in the distance had snow on it, oh what a view Arrived about 2pm and set up tent, field v wet from 4 days of rain but nice and sunny now.Mountain range.Guy from Norfolk who owned Hamner Springs campsite, been in NZ 3 years.21c, Views of snow on the range Day 116 - Monday 18th February 2008,Whale watching, Kaikoura Xclent day. Whale watching at 12.15 from old railway station behind campsite, watched movie (gr8 shots) then bused out to South bay where we caught the boat, v good seats. Saw sperm whale twice and hector dolphins (v rare and small) then seal colony After wards had fish & chips and drove round harbour (another waves motel, looked v similar), 1930’s cinema, whale bone archeds, Robert Fyffes cottage, Scots 1st whaler in Kaikoura, drowned then his bro took over, v interesting coast line that ended up at the seal colony ,Oh so much, whales a delight, Mostly cloudy all day, remeber Annie spotting whale blowing on horizon b4 anyone else (lookouts and all) well done! Hines best fish and chips in NZ in our humble opinion, had after trip, then bought loads of sweeties for Cinema – saw Atonement, v good Bought poster of Kaikoura overhead view to send back to Craig, ace, Interrupting film to ask guy to turn off the lights on his motorbike, loved sperm whale and hector dolphin Day 117 - Tuesday 19th February 2008,Kaikoura Quiet day at the Top 10 site, if you discount train and helicopter at midnight and 6 am, plus steady stream of campervan leavers. V cold overnight, bad night for both of us so we slept in to 10.20. Sun out, 20c, did washing, read a lot , popped into town to get paninis for lunch and the worst muffin ever (choc & raspberry but solid) Did PC stuff in eve, cold again , met australian lady whilst cooking in kitchen, sounded English had live in oz for 40 years. Lived at Morningtown on the peninsular so compared notes. She knew Elwood well they only have 4 weeks in NZ, with 3 on North Island (wow),Sent this to Linda and Doug 2day ‘We went to see Atonement last night here in Kaikoura in a 1930’s cinema, just like a scout hut. The film stopped halfway thru, no explanation and we thought it had broken, only it was the ‘intermission’ Not seen one of those since the 70’s To cap it all the ice-cream lady came in with a torch halfway thru the 2nd half to tell the ‘biker’ loudly that he had left his lights on.hoot!’ Day 118 - Wednesday 20th February 2008,Kaikoura to St Arnaud via Blenheim Cold night again, lots of condensation on the tent, had to leave it dry out until about 11am Then set off up SH1 to Blenheim. Stopped to see seals , baby cub especially Liked Blenheim Had a real scots feel to it Visited art museum, some crap from a lady from Rotarua pencil / colour unfinished but some good photos Nice square and oldish buildings School kids wearing tartan Then drove thru Marlborough wine region down SH63 ace views to St Arnaud and Lake Roto-iti (see the piccies) MIND BLOWING place,Black swans and an eel on Lake Roto-Iti,met brits who only had 7 days on south island and had spent 3 at the top 10 campsite in Kaikoura , barmy! Argentineans trying to con Countdown (supermarket) staff that they were over 25 for buying booze Nutter who dangerously overtook me on straight road with road train coming (I had to swerve in to save his life) only to find he had U-turn just up the road NZ drivers ain’t gr8.Montana Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Lake Roto-Iti, log cabin Keef went in lake but only up to his knees, very clear and cold water Couldn’t find the Cloudy bay winery nor for that matter the wine! loved lake Roto-Iti Day 119 - Thursday 21st February 2008,St Arnaud to Amberley Set off about 10am. Hot went up to 28c. Saw the oh so wonderful Lake Rotarua in the Nelson Lakes scenic park. (see the piccies) Annie ran back to car after seeing how big the sandflies were. Yep I got bitten bad but worth it for the view. Better than lake Roto-Iti and best yet in NZ. Then traveled along to Springs Junction over quite a lot of highway we hadn’t yet seen. Good scenery Then redid Lewis pass (in sun this time) A driving, K passenger thru Hamner springs again and onto Culverton, thru Waipara (up and coming wine area) and flat Canterbury plains. Very wide plain with mountains all around Ended up in motel on campsite at Amberley after seeing the beach. Mrs Henderson presents with Dame Judi Dench and Bob Hoskyns (fun) on Sky movies.Both at Lake Rotarua. 2 old guys from Wellington who were on a fishing fortnight I had to take a piccie for them at the end of the pier plus PAHOG and FUN41 The 2 bikers on Harleys I keep bumping into Geoff & Belinda had a chat saw them at Woodstock and Lake Ferry (Palliser Bay, NI) They have a campervan that they base in areas and then go off on the bikes, Leathers v useful against sandflies.Bacon sandwiches and Preece CabSau Annie passed 1000 km driving in NZ Big distance driven 2day, will do far less 2moro. Loved Lake Rotarua Day 120 - Friday 22nd February 2008,Amberley to Kaiapoi, via Scenic Highway 72 Left motel at 10-ish ($85NZD) Traveled on the loop road thru Asley Gorge to Oxford and then back to SH1 and down towards Christchurch and stopped at Kaiapoi in the Pinehaven campsite motels Functional if you like living in a mobile home ($75NZD).A few eastern bay beaches on route Ashley gorge really good Walked along it up to bend A stayed in car cos of sandflies I saw a flying stork (got piccie after he landed) plus bird of prey on fence (missed it) and helicopter spraying gorse bushes. No-one really apart from young couple with baby traveling in a Hiace space wagon rather them than us but created lots of humorous material whilst we had lunch. Oxford quite interesting. Not sure why the SH72 was scenic, v flat in our opinion Tea : fried kumara/ onions/ chicken Day 121 - Saturday 23rd February 2008,Christchurch 5th ODI Blackcaps Vs England. Ace day really enjoyed it. Up early from Kaiapoi and traveled in to find our motel for 3 nights in Papanui rd. Nice area. Went to find the ground and get our tickets 15 mins from motel but Christchurch is very one way traffic. Ground only half built (east stand missing) Then bought sandwiches from take away and ate those plus choccie cake before match started. Barmy army and Kiwis in south stand fun, rowdy and often evicted,Whole game until rain and Duckworth Lewis gave it to the Kiwis, loved watching the Barmy army, Free crisps plus see Scorecards in south island photos Day 122 - Sunday 24th February 2008,Christchurch GR8 day around Christchurch 32c and hot Got up late had showers and then parked up at Science alive and caught the free shuttle bus into the center of town. Then got the Tram/Gondola combo (2nd part to do later) did 2.5 trips round key sights by tram,saw so much, love Christchurch, met lots of nutty cricket supporters.N.E.W flower wearable art ex, superb spin off from WOW in Nelson, Classic cars , Oxford/Cambridge style colleges/ architecture and punting (bizarre) Day 123 - Monday 25th February 2008,Christchurch 30th Wedding Anniversary – Tranz Alpine to Greymouth and back Gr8 fun, rained on way up v cloudy but oh so hot and sunny on the way back and gr8 scenery Hard to take pictures thru windows.Superb scenery, will go back via road at some stage but train takes you in places where no roads go so it will be our special memories. Brummie couple (amazingly well traveled) who now live in Weston Super Mare Chatted to them all the way to Greymouth because of the rain. Loving Annie so much. Meal at Italian (sadly keef ill next day), liked Arthurs pass. You can see how we celebrated our 35th Wedding anniversary on North Island in 2013 back in the same restaurant we went to with the kids earlier! Day 124 - Tuesday 26th February 2008,Christchurch to Akaroa Left Milano Motor lodge at 10, got my copy of the PRESS newspaper. Went to Bank, Petrol and PakNSave in Papanui to fill up on groceries for our proposed stay on the Bank’s Peninsular, about 85k from Christchurch ,Superb views on the way (Little river was a nice township) and from Hill top the view of the harbour area, met the folk we had met on the train, what a coincidence same campsite, alas as Keef so ill unable to have some wine and chat with them,26c, Alas Keef having v bad food poisoning, was it the Butter Chicken Fettuccine in the Italian or off milk, who knows but I had ate lots of diarrhea tablets and threw up big style 3 times. Slept from 3 thru 8 and then 10 to 10, hopefully it has now gone. Sweet corn for 9cents a cob (i.e 3p) and watermelon for 59cents (i.e 25p) whole one Day 125 - Wednesday 27th February 2008,Akaroa Alas day spent with Keef recovering No food only water & Tea very sunny day and quite relaxing with us both doing a lot of reading so no bad thing I guess. Read papers, finished Ben Elton’s 1st world war ‘who done it’ plus started War & peace , saw only view from campsite, heard loads of Brits, remember weakness & noisy drunk brits and gr8 sunshine, hot all day 24c mostly until 7 and later at night Day 126 - Thursday 28th February 2008,Akaroa, Banks Peninsular Laid in a bit to avoid queues at kitchen and showers. Went into Akaroa and looked around the town. Took loads of piccies of the quaint houses and French streets, it does have a distinctly French feel. Then traveled the Banks peninsular. Good day v hot, 27c and sunny, saw Ohanu Marae, Le Bons Bay, Little Akaroa bay, Pigeon Bay, Summit Road, Barrys Bay, Robinsons Bay, French’s farm & Wainui, we both loved the superb Banks Peninsular Day 127 - Friday 29th February 2008,Akaroa Again laid in a bit, a bit more overcast 2day. Relaxing day reading in the morning, Anne did some washing, then we went to the charming Akaroa café-Cinema TWICE, saw Sweet Land (Alan Cummings , Ned Beatty and others) about a arranged Norwegian marriage in early Minnesota and Once with the lead singer from the Frames. Both excellent movies and superb little cinema where you could take your tea pot in with you.met great Kiwi guy who had been traveling with his wife for 6+ years doing odd jobs etc he gave us some gr8 advice on Doubtful sound trip Plus he knew Notts and had dated a polish girl from Sherwood rise in his youth! Cloudy but still 25c sun tries to shine thru the clouds and the covering seems to keep the heat in, it was most humid, remember Films and Cinema experience oh and it was a leap year! Happy birthday Brad! Day 128 - Saturday 1st March 2008, Akaroa to Hokitika via Arthurs Pass Pissed down, and I mean gales all day Not too bad when we broke camp but had to pack tent in black sacks as wet,Telegraph Road, 37kms of the straightest road ever and then thru Darfield, Springfield, Sheffield thru the superb views (although hindered by low cloud) of Arthurs pass. Managed to take pictures thru the window. Awful weather. Avalanche creek shelter at Arthurs pass was interesting. You could see why it was needed with the steep gorge sides. Otira gorge amazing (especially when having visited museum in Hokitika you can see how it was all constructed in early 1870s etc) Very steep Then on thru rest of highway to Kumara Junction and west coast sh 6 down thru Chesterfield to Holitika (gold mining town) Stayed at Host Accommodation motel 252 Beachside. To escape the rain. Then having watched sky movie Marie Antoinette went to see Glowworms up Dell. Gales, driving rain and winds, soaked but happy Then back for wine and movie Casanova Heath Ledger (as he died they are showing ALL his movies) This one was real good, met Motel guy Hokitika from Nelson who had been in the British Navy and lived in Corby (god help us!), remember Jacksons Pub, T of fresh sweetcorn and chicken rice plus shiraz , cheese & biccies and Arthurs pass and glowworms @ Hokitika Day 129 - Sunday 2nd March 2008,Hokitika Another really wet day in Hoki, no lets say beyond wet. Did walking round Hoki, went to Museum (gr8), wharf, round old buildings, book store, new world for shopping, bank and cinema Lazy day really to try and avoid the rain, saw After the wedding, Danish art house movie in Rialto. 1930s building with comfy leather sofas and a glass of wine should you wish. Worked out the guy on 4 films 50 at each could make mega bucks ($NZD2400 / day) and as he was only showing a DVD not sure it was legal on a copyright front, met Girl in iSite with helium voice, mother in secondhand book store (in old damp government building (up for sale haha) ) who left everyone whilst she went off for daughter PLUS Hippie in Rialto cinema, now he was a classic. Route to Happiness movie with Will Smith on Sky (good surprise) and Thai chicken and rice Day 130 - Monday 3rd March 2008,Hokitika to Haast via Franz Joseph and Fox Glaciers Gr8 day both weather and scenery wise. Left Hokitika at about 10 it was 12c but by end of the day was over 20c Traveled in beautiful sunshine to Franz Joseph, Lake Matheson, Fox Glacier, Bruce Bay, Knights Point to Haast. Stayed in 3rd chosen motel, 1st far too expensive but they have a monopoly. One we stayed in was $115NZD and we dried tent over back fence, saw loads including gr8 views of Mt Tasman & Cook in the distance , met too many Germans, all on organized tourist coach trips. Remember Both glaciers and Lake Matheson but especially Franz Joseph glacier. Day 131 - Tuesday 4th March 2008,Haast to Queenstown Another v sunny day Left Haast about 9.30am having loaded up the car over the back fence. Went to Haast beach and had to traverse cows loose in the road. Then A drove thru Haast pass (v interesting valley/gorge and glacial river and waterfalls) down passed Lake Wanaka and Hawua into Cromwell and then onto Queenstown. We are staying 6 km outside in the Top10 site at Shotover Gorge. It will be ‘well cold’ 2night,Vineyards galore, Otago wine we must try (Pinot Noir apparently the best, weak red in our humble opinion) Cromwell old town, old gold mining town from 1870s Otago gold rush,Finally got tent fully dried out from Akaroa rains. Lunch F&C at Lake Hawua, Tea Had buffet and free pint of Speights Salvation ale (v nice) at Point Albert pub, loved the lakes Day 132 - Wednesday 5th March 2008,Queenstown Now been on South Island a whole month. Very cold o/night Camping in Top10 Shotover gorge o/side Queenstown Got up late had breakfast about 11.30 luxury! Was overcast and drizzly. Then went to Arrowtown , came back read for a bit and then went on a drive about 5.30 to Glenorchy, just so good.Arrowtown a bit touristy and false as rebuilt. Chinese area interesting. Gr8 views all the way to Glenorchy down Lake Waipatu.Various folk in kitchen at campsite, many brits, plus brit girl with french boyfriend and Scandinavians with 3 kids who are looking to buy a house. Sun coming out just as we did our drive. England blackcaps 1st test in Hamilton 30th Wedding Anniversary treat, Trans Alpine train, South Island, Christchurch to Greymouth and back South Island NZ Diary Continued Day 133 - Thursday 6th March 2008,Queenstown V sunny day & clear 2day, up about 9. Usual shower/ breakfast then into town to iSite and book LOTRs tour. Expect cold again at night as so clear skies.Superb views from Gondola restaurant and top. Luge/ tandem parascending/ bungee/ heli bikes and gr8 views over Queenstown.Various folks, guy from Broxbourne who took our picture on the gondola ride.$35NZD for pictures, can download eventually,Picture of my car from top with guy looking in, caught in the act!!! Stars and moon meant to say loved y’days trip to Glenorchy Day 134 - Friday 7th March 2008, Queenstown Lord of the rings tour by 4WD 2day 1-30pm to 5.30pm Excellent tour off road with Fran our guide and driver. First up the Remarkables Ski field then Winery above AJ Hacketts with Keruwara Gorge used for LOTRs shots Then Arrow river along real road although mostly under water and cobbles to Macetown an old gold mine town, Then Gold panning Then Skippers Canyon The views over Queens town and back. Morning beforehand most relaxing reading books and wedges for lunch in the oven,3 LOTRs scenes and a whole lot more,Fran our nutty guide with replacement knee joint, boy could she drive the 4WD on 2 I did ask to have a go but she wouldn’t let me Plus 2 Hungarians who had been in Oz 3.5 years but still couldn’t get a visa She knew loads about LOTRs Must have just rewatched them b4 the trip Plus 2 swedes,remember (hoot) Fran grabbing hold of my trousers as she fell in the Arrow river whilst we were gold panning, Plus finding a few specimines, Mexican meal at Sombreros Plus the BUCKET LIST movie (superb) in teeny cinema which surprised us as Queenstown is second largest town on South island (supposedly) Day 135 - Saturday 8th March 2008,Queenstown to Te Anau Got up fairly early, it had been raining o/night packed remaining stuff (had done ½ day before) We are getting quite proficient at this now And cos of rain quite warm o/night 20c during the day and sunny which isn’t bad for Autumn V windy split tent tie (again) Waited until sun partially dried tent then packed and went shopping in Fresh Choice in QT for 3 days as realized wouldn’t t get much in Fjordland Nat park, especially as all shuts 12 sat and not open Sunday Arrived Te Anau 2.30pm. Much more gentle scenery with dried slopes, farmland and much dried grass humps.Canadian Doctor from Prince Edward isles, sailed to NZ with wife took 1 year and had now been traveling NZ since 1/11/07 Very interesting guy Was gonna leave his boat here go back to Canada for his daughter to give birth and then come back again and sail to Oz Plus v friendly lady in Top 10 Ta Anau who gave us a gr8 pitch with roses and Germans in campervan next to us Lots of Germans on this site.Nice picnic lunch with the Deer at Five Rivers in car Day 136 - Sunday 9th March 2008,Te Anau Doubtful Sound trip $340NZD (£136) each but worth every penny of it. Immense scenery Got up early Picked up by coach outside the Top 10 in Te Anau (where we are staying for 4 nights) @ 8.45am Early if you are Pensioners like us! Then round the motels and sites to pick up others and 20km drive along Lake Anua to Manapouri. Driven by wife of DoubtfulSound.Coms owner who hires Geoff (partially deaf but drives 2 boats and one 4WD coach) whilst he goes off cray fishing on the Sound, nice office life if you can get it! Paid at office and we were off on the Fiordland Explorer across lake manapouri. Only way to DS. Tin boat (or was it bath?) holding 20. Really choppy because of wind. Took about 1hr 20 to other side of the lake. Then onto coach at West arm and gravel road across the national park but popped into 2km deep manapouri powerstation visitors center before hand (quite interesting, especially the digging and their comments at good safety record, predicted 50 dead but only 16, hmmmm, crazy logic). Then onto great little boat for gr8 3.5hr cruise along the sound. Up to Tasman sea entrance and back close to the edge back to campsite at about 6pm.Oh so much, exquisite day, met American couple from Texas, well traveled, indeed she had not been in the US for more than a 3 month stretch since retiring How nice would that be? Canadian family from Ontario who had taken their kids out of school for 3 months and are working their way around some of the farms. Camping talk as they like us were in tents. Danish guy and family (3 girls) who was in the campervan on the next plot to us. They had done Milford sound and were leaving Te Anua after 2 days to finish off NZ b4 going to Thailand. Ozzie lady who still sounded like she was from the UK. Remember Rainbows..Packed lunch and oh-so-beautiful scenery Sandflies on coach on the way back as door left open, more than we have seen b4. V cold o/night 5c Crazy signs i.e Hotel in sound and sign saying "Beware, SPICE girls" on Road Weather amazingly changeable rain to sun, loved the waterfalls Day 137 - Monday 10th March 2008,Te Anau Chill day, up late after v cold night, Annie found it hard to sleep. Went and looked around Te Anau and the new housing area reckon it could be as big if not bigger than Queenstown in a few years time as new airport opens bringing international travelers to the Fiordland Nat Park. Odd that all the roadway infrastructure and lights are built but all there are are Plot numbers Good sunny day though 20c Did some retail therapy, bought shirt and A bought new PJs & NZ rucsac Then back to site, dinner panini and pumpkin/Kumara spread and read/pcthen late T still full from lunch (sweetcorn on cob/ pasta/ cheese & bikkies) Fiord land cinema, Te Awetua film so good I bought the DVD, met no one really apart from Kiwi in Cinema who was fun,Not much, caught up on PC and got Travelodge (Sydney) and flight to Tassie booked plus doing Mums DVDs of South Island,Ta Anua building area Day 138 - Tuesday 11th March 2008,Milford Sound Best day yet!!! Wind (gusting 140km ) and heavy rain overnight, tent almost took off but in a way this was a blessing in disguise Our trip to Milford Sound meant the most magnificent waterfalls and then the sun came out just as we were going on our boat trip. Superb only the pictures can describe it .Lakes trees plains valley waterfalls,oh the best scenery in the World!!!! Lady on boat who kindly took our pictures and Chef from MS lodge who came from Invercargill and worked up there.Remember the whole day..MILFORD SOUND is superb!!!! The road to and from Milford was fab and we were so lucky to have both rain & sunshine. Day 139 - Wednesday 12th March 2008,Te Anau to Invercargill Nice and sunny (hooray) so first collapse of tent in the dry for quite a while. Packed, breakfasted and gone by 10.30am Drove along scenic highway all the way to Invercargill; saw and stopped at many of the beaches including McCrackens Rest for lunch and Monkey island. Gr8 tasman surf again although there did appear to be some pollution and boy was it blowing a gale. The Roaring 40s Went to bed quite late and slept v well.Some gr8 mountain views in the distance, Southern Alps. Watched 2 movie on Sky in Motel.Keeping Mum (Maggie Smith,Rowan Atkinson & Kristin-Scott-Thomas) & Stranger than Fiction (Will Farrell, Emma Thompson).All the staff at Te Anau top10 were really friendly and concerned about our ‘survival’ in the storms/gales.Booked sat night on Stewart island in Kaka Cottages, v hard to get in as only a few places and quite expensive but hey we only live once.Loved views of Fiordland nat park & Southern Alps with snow on them. Day 140 - Thursday 13th March 2008,Invercargill Relaxed day in Invercargill. Got up late had brekkie, went and booked an additional 2 days here at the Evergreen Motel on Dee st (hahabuilding work next door and fashioned like a 70s version of crossroads) Went to the Southland’s Museum, spent about 2 hours there v interesting especially Tuatara (lizards) and sub Antarctic islands stuff (roaring 40s, furious 50s) Then shopped at Countdown and went to Invercargill Brewery and tasted some of their gr8 beers and bought a selection pack. Saw lots of Tuatara Henry took a long time to come out of his burrow but what a magnificent specimen plus 2nd test against the blackcaps Gr8 innings by Tim Ambrose and Paul Collingwood to rescue things Some very old and large and palatial Victorian Buildings. Invercargill was obviously once of significance.Helpful lady at motel.All roads on a grid system are named after Scottish rivers. The Tuatara HENRY was ace!!! A Maori at the waterfall at Dusky sound by William Hodges (illustrator on James Cooks 2nd voyage (HMS Resolution) to NZ.Remember Henry and the beers. Day 141 - Friday 14th March 2008,Invercargill/ Bluff/Atoki Beach Got up reasonably late again, made sandwiches and headed off to Bluff . Checked out our Stewart island trip for 2moro. Tickets and car hire. Got to get up early 2moro then went up to the lookout up the hill into Bluff reserve Weather not gr8 so views over islands not that good Did bits of the Bluff Heritage trail, older buildings owned by J G Evans (PM twice) then went along Marine parade to Stirling Cove NZ’s answer to Land’s End (although not quite the most southerly part of South island) that is on private land but for tourists it counts as the end Took loads of piccies there.Test Cricket from Wellington basin reserve again, England on Top Although we had to get up early and it finished late we watched Blood Diamonds on Sky. Met no one really except the ladies at SIE (Stewart Island Experience) who were not keen to print off our tickets. We still owe $60NZD for car which I offered but they said they were cashing up and I should pay 2moro There you go.Shops selling Oyster and Chips Local luxury in Bluff. See Stewart Island for Days 142-3. Day 144 - Monday 17th March 2008,Invercargill to Balcutha, thru the Catlins St Patrick’s Day to be sure!!! Up early-ish Rather drizzly day until late eve when it went up to 18c (was 11c) Visited Invercargill Bakery and bought stuff for lunch then traveled down the scenic coastal highway all the way thru the Catlins. Very interesting park , trees to coast ending up having done at least 70km on Gravel roads in Balcutha Stayed at Motel just over the bridge.Sea lions (lots) ,birds but NO PENGUINS. Annie was disappointed.Met French couple who didn’t heed the warnings when photographing the sea lions Cannibal Bay.Loved the scenery and the wildlife. Day 145 - Tuesday 18th March 2008,Balcutha to Dunedin, via Alexandra (Central Otago loop) Travelled upto Alexandra / Clyde and then back down to Dunedin,saw Lake Dunstan, Central Otago, Rock lands, Blue Mountains, Roxbourgh Fruitlands, Middlemarch, Dunedin Motorway, St Bathans Goldfield ghost town,32c, Nice Chinese meal out in South Dunedin (Nanking) Stayed in converted hospital/ old folks home/ psycho ward in South Dunedin Day 146 - Wednesday 19th March 2008,Dunedin Gr8 day – went along Cliffside drive to Taiaroa head and the albatross sanctuary then back around the 31km harbour via the Portabello rd,Saw baby Albatross and adult. Did the tour most informative. NZ furry seals close up and some gr8 scenery both back into Dunedin and down to Taiaroa head.Staying in Commodore Motel, Great Cumberland Street North, Dunedin. Remember The albatross sanctuary and the perfect sunshine and annie standing next to full sized albatross, 3m wingspan Day 147 - Thursday 20th March 2008,Dunedin Leisurely breakfast watching what’s-is-name TV’s Paul ? (who is most funny) and Pippa on TV one Had hot cross buns Then went to explore Dunedin City Baldwin St first (bought the T Shirt, steepest street in the world) Parked up in the Otago Settlers Museum carpark (all charge in town) then up on cnr of Raffety & Broadway for Speights Ale House and Brewery (It is the oldest it NZ 1870s) Then off down coast to St Clair’s beach and Brighton beach b4 returning to motel (Commodore) nr botanic gardens. Early t and off to see the blue penguins.Baldwin street (steepest street in the world) Good stuff in museum (old art deco bus depot forms the middle) Lots of stuff on steerage shipping of Settlers to Otago The picture gallery has ALL Otago settlers (mostly Scots) The first guy William Cargill wanted Dunedin to be the new Edinburgh hence half the road names (PS they ripped off the local Maori seriously in this area after they had been so helpful) The railway station and old buildings some made from Aberdeen stone shipped over Can see why it once was the leading city in NZ (and hopes to be again with Carisbrook stadium replacement $188mNZD).Gr8 sunny day Beautiful Uni city Octagon, loved all of the city and beaches and Baldwin st. Day 148 - Friday 21st March 2008,Dunedin to Oamuru Stopped along the coast at various points. SH1 v busy as all the Kiwis off for Easter weekend. Drove about 150km with lunch on one of the coastal areas near Shag point. Moeraki boulders (v touristy) then along the coast via kaunui to oamuru, arrived at site about 2.20 pm and set up Nice pitch Day 149 - Saturday 22nd March 2008,Oamuru Visited town, penguin colony to book tickets and hide for yellow eyed penguins,One penguin obscured after 2 hrs,Gr8 bloke at next pitch who lives in Christchurch, used to live in Perth and Long Eaton and was born in Hartlepool, amzingly small world.Remember Play in the evening – the storm of 1868 hot day/ v cold night and the yellow eyed penguin taken from the hyde. Day 150 - Sunday 23rd March 2008,Oamaru Went to see the Blue penguins in their burrows on a guided tour Then onto the lookout and yellow-eyed penguins and the hide again. Good day , saw one on the beach They are very rare See piccies then spent most of the afternoon eve talking to the Brits on both sides of our pitch and cooking our superb fillet steak BBQ (yummy best yet!).Blue and yellow-eyed penguins.Fiona – Blue Penguin colony guide. Alan Weathley, teacher, born in Hartlepool, lived in Long Eaton, Perth and Christchurch, his Irish wife (who loved Enya) and their 2 children Dale and Alana.hoot the little boy had a metal detector and wanted to start digging up the inside of our tent. On the other side the young couple from Harpenden who had traveled thru the Anderman isles, Vietnam & Thailand before coming to South Isles (NZ) who were emigrating to Perth.good time to do it! Remember the evening chatting, but not the v cold nights and my lilo with slow puncture oh and boysenberry ice creams heaven Day 151 - Monday 24th March 2008,Oamaru Up about 9-ish v cold night again and bloody air mattress ‘going down’ all the time, neither of us slept that well,Croatian ringing home at 12pm didn’t help outside the tent, still got up said goodbye to alan rang mum & craig to hear about appalling Easter weather in UK, snow etc So felt way better, Nice emails from Doug, Linda and Phoenix off to cinema later Booked 2days at Lake Benmore site supposedly with en-suite Went to see Love in the Time of Cholera at the Omaru 3 Movies cinema, laid back cinema with coffee/ wine etc but popcorn all over the floor, yuck! Film most disappointing had Xavier Bardem in it .Anne did a bit of washing, sun came out and in, probably gonna rain which will wash tree pollen off car and tent Keef did PC stuff Day 152 - Tuesday 25th March 2008,Oamaru to Lake Benmore Travelled about 108kms today. Packed up tent in cloud and by the time we had reached Takiroa (Maori Rock art place) the sun was out and it was 22c. Travelled round back of Lake Aviemore (lots of DOC campsites) and had lunch there with the sandflies, no kept windows closed and air con on. Arrived at campsite at Lake Benmore at about 2.30pm .Great lakes.Nice lady and her hubby who work the campsite. They live in Nelson, do a summer season up here at Lake Benmore (although this will be the last) and spend the winter in their campervan in Oz. Doing WA this year. Remember en-suite pitch for tent with own shower, loo and washbasin. We have decided to stay 3 days ,$200NZD bid (so far) on our camping gear in Trade Me (Kiwi equivalent of ebay) Day 153 - Wednesday 26th March 2008,Lake Benmore Holiday park & Mt Cook Nat Park BEEN AWAY 5 MONTHS 2DAY!!!!! At this campsite for 3 nights.Drove thru Twizel to Aoraki – Mt Cook along SH8 & 80 past Lake Pukataki (superbly blue) Left at 1.30 returned at 7.30 as very cloudy in morning which then cleared to bright sunshine Drove down Tasman valley gravel road for 8km and then walked up to Blue Lakes Hard walk, missed out on tasman glacier walk as too knackered. Remember Mt Cook Nat Park,boo hiss, no one else bidding on our Trade me auction Meal in Twizel (weird place) and copper with rifle, loved Mackenzie plains and Mt Cook Nat Park . Day 154 - Thursday 27th March 2008,Lake Benmore Spent most relaxing day at site, quite warm. Read loads of Gossip magsboy what we don’t know about Angelina Jolie and designer 3rd world babies doesn’t bear questioning! Got up early to watch Trade Me bid on our camp stuff conclude, winner who didn’t hit the reserve was from Auckland (dummy – despite my explicit details about delivery in Christchurch) Sold to Andy from Rangiora who we will deliver to later $260NZD , lost about $1110NZD over 3 ½ months, not bad! Good weather, surrounding mountains and a very calm Lake Benmore,Lakeflies and midges attracted to the light in Kitchen as we tried to read at night Good pork Tikka masala for lunch with med grain rice, yummy! Nice ladies from campsite again who told us in the 80s when the roads weren’t tar sealed it took a day from Blenheim to Nelson, wow! Plus in Winter lake Benmore freezes no snow (often) but –20c temps because of surrounding Southern Alps Plus Canadian from New Brunswick who comes over without his wife every Jan for 3 months to escape the Canadian winter, can’t say I blame him, the weather I mean, not his wife hee hee! Day 155 - Friday 28th March 2008,Lake Benmore to Timaru Up reasonably early, packing takes little time now. We know the ropes and pack some stuff the Night B4. This will be our last night under canvas as have done 52 nights now and it is getting somewhat cold and autumnal and we have to deliver the camp gear to Andy, so motels from now on and campervan in Oz for the SA to QLD leg. It had rained o/night which helped with some of the sticky stuff from birch tree at Oamaru. Annie cleaned tent and ground sheet up well so put stuff to bed. Drove up to Twizel area and along Bullock heritage trail tourist route via canal off SH8 to see LOTRs sites then along SH8 thru Mt Cook Nat Park, thru Lake Tekapo, up Mt John to Observatory, then thru Breakers pass back into the slightly flatter lands via Fairlie and P Point to Timaru. Staying in Aspen on Kings Timaru is v big maybe 2nd to Christchurch.Superb views of Mt Cook and surrounding mountain range as v sunny over that area, some good shots down Mt Cook salmon farm gravel road. Lake Tekapo most disappointing (v touristy) Mt John Observatory superb views again.English guy who runs motel, left east London 35 years ago but still has some sort of UK accent .Gr8 meal in Aspen on Kings restaurant A had salmon, I had beef medallions plus lemon meringue / coffee cheesecake for pud watched 2 DVDs – Emma (rubbish) and Beyond Borders (good clive owen superb), went to bed late Day 156 - Saturday 29th March 2008,Aspen on Kings, Timaru Alas up early because of kids playing outside at 7.30 am, kill their parents if we see them,. Did bacon & mushroom butties for b/fast and watched tv in bed, decadent or what! Cloudy day, only 16c Caught up on PC, paid bills, noted down our Sydney accommodation and flight to Tassie otherwise a chill type day off to town pm . 2 DVDs – Mrs Palfrey at the Claridge (Mrs Olivier – Joan Crawford) Ace, plus some other unmemorable Stealing home with Jodie Foster (bit part) and not her best, met the guy from Motel (again), Not much, chill day, Timaru is not that interesting Day 157 - Sunday 30th March 2008,Timaru Went out to Temuka and Milford Huts (just o/side Timaru) having been to Caroline Bay, not the nicest parts of South island if we are honest. Weather good and sunny 25c Got pumpkin and mushroom quiche from New World (Temuka) 4 tea and then went back to motel to sort out camping gear for our sale to Andy in Rangiora and watched 4 DVDs whilst quaffing Sav Blanc , creamy blue cheese and grapes. Ladies in lavender, Kid (Bruce willis, crap, stopped), Vows of deception (Cheryl Ladd) and Let them eat cake (series) Dawn French/ Jennifer Saunders (Gr8). Day 158 - Monday 31st March 2008,Timaru to Ashburton, via Mt Hutt Gr8 day, v interesting. Out of motel by 10am, started at 16c ended at 23c, drove up after petrol refill and screen wipe to Temuka, then Geraldine (v touristy) but walked around quaint township and saw museum (mostly farming community), then up Inland scenic highway to Mt Hutt / Methven , diverting down to Peel Forest and Rakianga Gorge (raft tour start).Sheep droving, nice hills/ mountains, deer, walk to the Big tree in Peel forest,gr8 fun , 30 mins, lots of bird life in this natural forest Some Germans at the big tree, lady who runs Commodore motel, Ashburton,Weather, humid, 23c and big tree and little birdie that flew to us in the forest. Loved Mt Hutt bungy, big tree and sheep droving Day 159 - Tuesday 1st April 2008,Ashburton to Christchurch, then Rangiora Visited Ashburton Town center, gardens , museum and art gallery, then drove out to Wakanui beach nearby across Canterbury plains and then up parallel to SH1 thru lots of little places, Mitcham included, and back thru Lincoln into Christchurch. Staying at AAA Motel on North road nr airport (-ish) for 4 days b4 flying out to Oz. Very nice town square and clock with flowers, flat countryside and NZs longest bridge over No water (or very little) – not that impressive if we are honest but maybe we have been spoilt.Andy and family, 8 Kensington Ave, Rangiora, sold gear for $260NZD , cost $1400+NZD but not bad considering we couldn’t take with us and we had used for 52 nights.Ok weather, student art better than Colin McMahon (NZs best living artist) Day 160 - Wednesday 2nd April 2008,Christchurch beaches Visited New Brighton , Sumner (polluted) and Gondola up above CC and Bank’s peninsular, very sunny but getting a little colder.New Brighton pier, cave rocks Sumner, Lyttelton harbour from above.Free coffee and gondola ride, good chicken meal in the eve (teryaki) Day 161 - Thursday 3rd April 2008,Christchurch After wasting 3+hours packing, unpacking and repacking stuff to be posted off to Craig, numerous U-turns on SH and 3 visits to the post office we finally got off to visit the city center. Parked up behind the Science alive on Moorhouse St and caught the free shuttle into Cathederal Sq. walked passed market, river Avon to Art Museum (lovely building) Colin McMahon stuff no good but Goldie and Gottlieb on old Maori’s ace,Art museum, cathedral and graffiti freeze for City of flowers (now complete).Slightly effiminant gent desk at museum.How long it takes to get a parcel off including guy I rang for shipping freight who said when I asked about personal effects ‘that as long as they were horses that was fine!!!’ hoho a horse merchant.Remember a couple of Kiwi speedway giants Day 162 - Friday 4th April 2008,Christchurch Day spent at the Botanic gardens and packing. See NSW (Oz) for Day 163 a flight day.. 7-8 30th Wedding Anniversary To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key. Stewart Island Including Oban, Test match cricket, Smart car hire and a short walk thru the National Park from Lee Bay DIARY Stewart Island, New Zealand NOTE all words in ITALICS were written on the trip. Stewart Island HIGHLIGHTS Kaka bird on our balcony, hire car trip, Oban, Walk in the national Park LOWLIGHTS None A really nice place, one of the comments I remember was a plaque in the National Park saying "is there a mainland?" Day 142 - Saturday 15th March 2008,Stewart island Up early, parked up car in Bluff Then took catamaran ferry across Bit choppy but not 2 bad Took 1 hour Collected by Isaac and stayed in Kaka cottages Liked SI walked around Oban a bit and spent some time in the South Sea Island Hotel (the only pub) Then had meal Excellent in the Hotel Nice day, we met Isaacs (host at Kaka cottages) Remember the roaring 40s wind England doing well against the blackcaps as seen on TV screen in pub in Oban, which is where most travelers seem to congregate. See South Island piccies mixed in with the Catlin's Day 143 - Sunday 16th March 2008,Stewart Island back to Invercargill Hired a Ford Ka for 4hrs on the island There are only 27km worth of roads (most of which are gravel) even though it is the size of Singapore 98 % is forest and the Rakiura National Park Returned on 6.30 boat after time in pub (again) and then A drove back to Invercargill Evergreen motel, visited Lee Bay, Rakiura track, Braggs Bay, Butterfield beach (which we walked) Thule Bay (which we walked to) indeed all we could drive to. Cost $60NZD for ½ a day, for a manual tin box which is twice what we were paying a day for the Toyota Camry but hey it was worth it Stewart island is lovely watched last king of Scotland on TV in Invercargill, spoke to Isaac our host at kaka cottages at least 3 times and a Kaka who landed on our balcony whilst we had breakfast. Shame a lovely 2 days on Stewart Island had to end. Summary: STEWART ISLAND 2 days , Day 142-143, 15/03/2008 - 16/03/2008 . To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

Discover a full 2013 North Island New Zealand motorhome route with campsites, highlights, scenic drives, local history, and must‑see attractions motorhoming 4 all New Zealand by Motorhome, 2013, Kiwi Campsite Guide & Blog New Zealand 2013 North Island only , including amongst others Papamoa beach, Russell, Whangamomona and Cape Reinga, 1 visit 6th February to 5th March, 28 days in total PLAY We returned to New Zealand which we both love and found we loved it even more. We just (careful Keef, others have to work) had one month here this time as opposed to our 4 months last time and that was all spent in the top half of North Island going back to see the things we didn't have time to see last time. This meant much more time in Northlands, The Bay of Islands, Mata Mata & Hobbiton plus Whangamomona (the Republic's capital) - where the current president is a sheep and the previous one was a dog hee hee oh and lovely delightful days of R&R on NZ's superb beaches. Like 5 years ago this was the best summer they had ever had . A kiwi @ Orewa said you poms have history we have beaches. So true! Our Mercedes Sprinter 313 motorhome was good but not as good as the equivalent one in OZ. We picked it up in Auckland and returned it there. We definitely miss the land of the long white cloud. We drove 2559 miles in NZ. To see all the images have a look at the individual visits via the dropdown menu Whilst camping in New Zealand we joined the following two organisations which saved us a lot of money, these site clubs were called Top 10 and Kiwi Holiday Parks campsites. Just a thought for fellow motor homers , it may help. HIGHLIGHTS:- 35th Wedding Anniversary Cape Reinga, Russell, Keri Keri & Whatuwhiwhi Forgotten world highway Art Deco Napier Lake Taupo & Kinloch The Coromandel Peninsular Hot Water Beach Hobbiton at Matamata The wonderful Papamoa beach, Ocean drive Lamb curry @ Kiwi Airport Motel And completing the NZ census Orewa beach & revisiting Waves Motel All the fab Campsites we stayed at during our 2559 miles of North Island exploration The friendliness of all the Kiwi nation, Big Tick LOWLIGHTS:- None 🌿 Discover New Zealand Like You Were There With Us New Zealand’s North Island is one of those rare places that stays with you long after you’ve left—and this page brings that feeling back to life. Our 2013 journey wasn’t just a holiday; it was a rolling adventure through beaches, forests, geothermal wonders, iconic film locations, and the warm, easygoing rhythm of Kiwi life. Whether you’re dreaming of your own motorhome trip, planning a future escape, or simply love losing yourself in real travel stories, this is the kind of page you’ll want to bookmark and return to. 🚐 A Road Trip Told Through Real Moments From the freedom of travelling by motorhome to the joy of discovering hidden bays, quirky towns, and unforgettable viewpoints, every stop is captured with honesty, humour, and detail. You’ll find campsite insights, scenic drives, personal anecdotes, and the kind of practical tips only travellers on the road can share. It’s not a brochure—it’s lived experience. 📸 Photography That Pulls You In The page is packed with original photos that show New Zealand at its best: sweeping coastlines, volcanic landscapes, Hobbiton’s magic, and the everyday beauty of life on the road. It’s visual storytelling designed to make you feel part of the journey. 🌏 Why Visitors Come Back Because this isn’t just a travel diary—it’s a growing archive. Every visit reveals something new: a detail you missed, a route idea you want to save, or a spark of inspiration for your next big trip. It’s a place to wander, revisit, and dream. Here is a HIGHLIGHT movie culled from the talkies movie we have here on the site. We created a more up to date one, created and uploaded by KeefH Web Designs in November 2023 (KHWD), enjoy. The total movie is almost 4 minutes long and covers all the areas we visited in New Zealand's North Island, notably Cape Reinga, Hot Water beach, Tongariro area and Taupo, Whangerei & Harura Falls and Hobbiton at the Mata Mata farmstead. New Zealand touring by Motorhome, 28 Days, 6th Feb-5th March, some wonderful campsites on North Island Read the Travel Blog Diaries, Look at the Travel Blog Slideshows, See the You Tube Videos, Use the 2013 CHOICES MENU to Explore, 3 Days at a Time (mostly) Have Fun, This travel blog is referenced as our 3rd Holiday of a Lifetime to cover our trips in 2007/8 (Downunder) & 2010 (Across Canada), we have since had a 4th in 2017 (Downunder) All the usual travel blog information can be found here. and for New Zealand North Island is broken down into areas we visited, namely the lovely Orewa , we would live there if we moved to NZ, Tutukaka Coast, Keri Keri, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay, Tongariro, Taranaki, Auckland and of course our 35th Wedding Anniversary back at that lovely restaurant in National Park. Campsites we stayed at 1 mar 2013 pitch 7 hamilton 12 feb 13 keri keri campsite, northlands 1/59 NEW ZEALAND, North Island, Orewa Etc.,6-8 Feb 2013 Northlands including Auckland, Orewa, Bream Bay Area & Whangarei, New Zealand, Northlands 6-8 feb 2013 auckland, orewa, bream bay area, whangarei, covering amongst others 63 selective slideshow images, steak and cheese pies plus frankly any kiwi pie just fab from service stations everywhere, put brit pies to shame, auckland airport, kiwi airport motel, wonderful homemade lamb curry, kiwi census, orewa, countdown supermarket car park in orewa, New World Supermarket for phone stuff plus Vodafone for wi-fi dongle (the height of technology back in 2013), the mad butcher revisited for bbq meat, auckland, norfolk pines, pohutakawa trees, red fronzes, surf club, waves hotel revisit, top 10 sites at orewa and whangerei, joined Top 10 club, twin coast discovery highway, aratoa way, bream bay, hen and chicken islands, helicopters, mangawhai, mangawhai heads, info boards, maori fables, ruakaka beach, waipu cove, spolit soil contaminated by cows, sunshine, relaxation, deep joy in northlands. We were previously in Orewa & Whangarei in 2007 and then again in 2017. annie outside our kiwi merc motorhome us _orewa 1/32 Wednesday February 6th 2013 Arrived in Brisbane Queensland Australia at 2.35 p.m. local time, bags were in transit. We then flew on from Brisbane to Auckland, North Island, New Zealand mid afternoon local kiwi time. We were now 5 hours ahead of the local time in Georgetown Penang Malaysia, so our body clocks were somewhat out of kilter. We were both very tired from both the flight and body clocks, super jet lagged, but managed to get a free pick-up van to the kiwi motel near the airport and unpacked some stuff and fell into bed for about an hour. Had showers, it was really all a blur, airports, planes, luggage, movies, music, eating at weird times etc etc. We then went and had a meal in the Kiwi Motel restaurant , lamb curry which was very nice and cooked by the Indian family who manage the motel. We will return and indeed did in 2017. We even did the Kiwi census here even though we are tourists, they insisted. So if any of our descendants in the future are into Genealogy they will find us in New Zealand’s census and wonder why, this is the answer. Interestingly my parents would have emigrated to New Zealand in the mid-50s but because of Dad’s apprenticeship papers they went to Australia instead as did I since then born. We went as a family to Melbourne 1960-63. Thursday February 7th 2013 Summary today we collected our rental van and went from the airport kiwi motel to the wonderful Orewa to the north of Auckland. We had a continental breakfast at 8 a.m. at the Kiwi motel, we paid them $10, approximately £5 to take us to the motorhome company which was about 8 minutes’ drive away. After doing some necessary admin and watching a DVD on how to drive the motorhome and how it all works (kind of familiar to us already from previous hires) we set off from Auckland using our Sat Nav. Keef had loaded on both New Zealand, Australia and Singapore maps to our gadget back home saving some dosh in hiring the companies Sat Nav, good news. We drove across the bridge over Auckland harbour and arrived in Orewa where we did our food shopping in the Countdown supermarket, we remembered from our 2007-8 Gap Year trip. We also unpacked our travel bags in their car park, so we had the van all straightened out for our fun times ahead. We arrived at the Top 10 campsite in Orewa at midday and joined the club as members kiwi $49 which provided a $4 discount each night camping, roughly £2 so easily covered the cost of membership for the time we were in NZ. The campsite and our pitch were fronting onto the beach, lovely blue seas, and skies and just a beautiful summers day with no humidity. We had steak and cheese pies & cobs for lunch. Frankly any kiwi pie is just fab , available from most service stations (servos) everywhere, put our British pies to shame. We then walked along Orewa beach, beautiful views, and trees especially the Pohutukawa trees and Norfolk pines. A local woman (her parents lived in Grantham, small world) kindly took our photo on our camera for us, our trusty Canon Powershot G7 which we took down under in 2007-8, sadly by 2022 it was now defunct, and we have bought Annie a new one, I use my phone. This local lady had been in New Zealand for 37 years, we noted she now had brown leathery skin, beach ready ha-ha. We had a long chat to her and then walked to the Vodaphone shop to sort out the internet and wi-fi for our trip, we purchased a dongle for the duration which worked well even in out of the way places. We also bought a kiwi phone SIM and topped it up with $20 at the New World Supermarket at the till. We walked back to the campsite having seen the Waves hotel that we stayed at for Xmas 2007 with the boys when we were on our Gap Year. Phoenix joined us there for Boxing Day. See the HOLIDAY in 2007-8 . It was a lovely motel just by the beach. We noted all the lovely architect designed houses along the Orewa beach front as we strolled back, bare feet in the sand. Dinner was beef escalope’s, new potatoes, salad, and an apple each for after's. It gets dark around 8.30-8.45 p.m. here , quite noisy with traffic during the day past the campsite which was on the edge of town but on its main through road, but very quiet at night. Reckon we walked about 2 miles around Orewa today. The Britz campervan mileage at the start of our trip was recorded as 246,253 kilometers , recorded just so at the end of our time in New Zealand we can work out how far we had travelled. Clever, eh? Friday February 8th 2013 Summary of the day, Orewa to Whangerei. Cloudy start to the day but got sunnier and very blue skies again by 10 a.m. We left the site at Orewa for town and visited the Vodafone shop (again) to sort out the equipment for our netbook to view the internet and emails whilst we were travelling, yesterday eve had proved it didn’t quite work as suggested, typical. Took a while but eventually got it all working with their help. #Tick We then set off from Orewa up the highway and along the coast using the famed twin coast discovery highway initially to Mangawhai Heads where we had lunch. Beautiful scenery, lovely homes, plus views along the coast and beach. We very much liked his place. Sadly, we saw lots of dead possums on the road, known as Kiwi pizza in NZ but protected in Australia. We then drove to Waipu cove where we paddled and walked along the beach. Lots of small bits of seaweed in the sea so we decided not to swim, a seaweed bath despite costing a fortune at health spas was not for us today. We then went to a lovely bay called Bream Bay with views of Hen & Chicken Islands. We then turned off the highway to Ruakaka where there was a stunning beach of soft fine sand and no seaweed and fab views along the bay. You could walk for miles along this beach. Keef got the chairs from the motorhome which was a Britz Mercedes automatic (love this model had them a few times) and we sat on the beach until 5.45 p.m. Then we drove to the Top 10 camp site at Whangerei (pronounced fangari) and arrived at 6.45 p.m. Annie did 2 lots of washing and Keef cooked a nice meal with wine. It got dark at 8.30 p.m. We had showers at the site to wash off the sea spray and beach sand and then Keef checked the emails. We booked 2 nights at the Whangerei Top 10 site so we could rediscover the area, we had been here before with the boys and phoenix in 2007-8. NEW ZEALAND, North Island, Coromandel Peninsular,15-17 Feb 2013 Northlands including Matakohe, Coromandel Peninsular & Hot Water Beach, New Zealand, Northlands 15-17 feb 2013 matakohe, coromandel , hot water beach, covering amongst others 113 selective slideshow images, matakohe, coromandel peninsular, apihara, bamboo, 90 mile beach, dargaville river, Dargaville town, arapohue, matakohe, banana bread, our new step, arapaoa river, citrus fruits, twin bridge gorge, dargaville revisit, coromandel range mountains, tree ferns, the kauri pioneer museum , lake Omapere, Kaikohe, twin bridge gorge, post offices, pioneer church, log haulers, helensville, art work, brynderwyn, thames, kawau parau inlet, muriwai and muriwai beach, black sand, coromandel town, tricky roads, views to die for, matarangi, whitianga, mercury bay, sunsets, bruises from steps, Shipwreck Bay, Kaitaia, revisiting Greenlane & Remuera in Auckland, Sir Edmund Hillary. We were previously in this area in 2007 and then again in 2017. slow start to 90 mile beach ahipara whitianga beach 1/56 Friday February 15th 2013 Summary Ahipara to Matakohe Left the Kiwi Park campsite at Ahipara and went down a side street and parked and walked down to 90 Mile beach. There were vehicles using beach as a road, 4-wheel drive only allowed allegedly. There was big surf today as very breezy, however today there was no one surfing, kite or cart wise. We took photos of shipwreck bay and the sweeping 90-mile beach and then returned to Kaitaia and south on State Highway 1. Lots of mainly cattle farms and then dense scrub lands and tree ferns everywhere zig zagging up and down the mountain sides. It felt very “New Zealand”. The roads were very wiggly. All this area in the far north and I guess a lot of Northlands are very Māori inhabited including Ahipara and Kaitaia. We passed lake Omapere and then turned right to Kaikohe where we re-fueled $70 or £35 for ¾ of a tank of diesel which was somewhat cheaper than the UK at the time. Again, Kaikohe is mainly a Māori town with one road of shops running right through it. We then took the inland road to Dargaville near the west coast, a town we know well having 1st camped near there with the boys back in 2007-8 on our gap year. We stopped for lunch at twin bridge gorge. The weather was cloudy and much cooler than yesterday. Again, some very nice rural countryside heavily enhanced with the tree ferns which we love, do so wish we could get them back and growing in the UK (cheaply) but guess we don’t have the right climate for that. Arrived Dargaville around 4 p.m. and Keef posted a postcard to his Mum. Anne looked in a craft shop. Decided to move onto Matakohe to stay at the Kiwi Park campsite there, especially now we are fully paid-up club members, as we are with Top 10 sites, it widened our overnight stay options quite nicely as they are the major camping chains in NZ. The site was just down the road from the kauri pioneer museum which we had already visited with Craig & Doug in 2007. A very nice campsite with views of the Arapaoa river and surrounding farmlands. Annie did some ironing and chatted to an Aussie woman in the laundry. Keef did lamb steaks (just so good in NZ), and kumara chips on the barbeque again, becoming quite a staple meal for us, lovely cheap and fresh local produce, you can’t beat it! There were a few spots of rain this afternoon (arvo) but nothing much. NOTE This was the first meal we have eaten in the van since we arrived in NZ, rain, eh? Brian and Gina have returned to the UK from their holiday in Borneo / Malaysia. Saturday February 16th 2013 Summary Matakohe to Coromandel Town We travelled south on State Highway 1 (the kiwi’s main lifeline one feels!) then onto highway 16. We visited Muriwai beach, a black volcanic sand beach, sadly not very attractive but different. Summary is Muriwai, also called Muriwai Beach, is a coastal community on the west coast of the Auckland Region in the North Island of New Zealand. The black-sand surf beach and surrounding area is a popular recreational area for Aucklanders. The Muriwai Regional Park includes a nesting site for a large colony of gannets. The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "water's end" for Muriwai It was cloudy at first again today and then cleared and turned very warm. All the grasslands and farms we passed looked very dry. Not much livestock either. We joined highway 1 again and stopped off at the Green Lane exit for Remuera, we stayed at the motel here on our last trip in 2007-8. The gay couple who owned it, lovely people, had sadly now moved on and it certainly looked a bit different. Such lovely memories and a nice suburb to Auckland, Sir Edmund Hillary came from Auckland and died in Remuera. We then continued south and across to the Coromandel peninsular. We purchased diesel at Thame cost 80p a litre or in kiwi money 60 cents. Keef chatted to a Pom from Leicester who worked in the garage. We then drove along the scenic road north with the bay on our left, all hair pin bends and very windy roads, then we climbed the Coromandel range, which was very steep, but lovely views in the afternoon sun. Arrived at the Top 10 campsite in Coromandel town , cost $45 per night with $4 dollars discount as members so not too bad but on the higher price side compared to other sites. This is where we had previously camped in a tent back in 2008 under the large tree there. We had a swim in the campsite pool which refreshingly was now heated. We had had a long drive today with some tricky roads on the peninsular where you really needed to concentrate, kiwis with boats towed certainly drive fast with no particular concern for what is coming in the opposite direction, just an observation folks’ tee hee. We showered and then had a chat to an old couple in an old-fashioned motorhome parked next to ours. She was 88 and he was 84 and they still loved travelling in their van, do hope we are the same assuming we get to that age. The campsite was full as a weekend with Aucklanders who have got away for the weekend. Coromandel was where the first gold was discovered in New Zealand. Sunday February 17th 2013 Summary Coromandel to Hot Water Beach, Joy’s birthday today Chatted to a couple from Welwyn Garden city who were camped at the Coromandel campsite. Small world as this is where Annie lived as a child for 10 years. We then had a walk through the town which on reflection we didn’t think had changed much in the intervening period. We then drove out of town on Highway 25 and turned off at Matarangi, a beautiful sandy beach which we walked along, with some very expensive holiday homes and golf resort. Hot and sunny but sea breezes. Then we went on to Whitianga and Mercury Bay where we had lunch and swam in the sea. It was a gently shelving sandy beach and therefore ideal for swimming and a much needed cool off. We bought boysenberry ice creams and walked through the towns and saw the shops although it was quite a small town really. Then we drove along highway 25 again onto Hot Water Beach and the Top 10 site there. It cost $41.40 to camp there. The site was very dry and dusty with the grass almost gone due to lack of rain, a true drought in NZ currently. There were water restrictions on the Coromandel in place. We had dinner and then drove the van to a car park near Hot Water Beach. We had been loaned two spades for digging from the Top 10 campsite for $20 deposit. We only needed them for that night’s sunset. We walked along the beach to where lots of people were digging in the wet sand at low tide at about 6.45 p.m. There are hot springs under the sand at about 2 kilometers deep and if you dig down to about 9 inches to a foot the hot water comes up, quite an experience. Steam was coming out of many people’s sand holes and they were sitting in them like baths. There were even some Japanese and Brazilian tourists as well as weekend Aucklanders and us Brits. It was great fun. The water was quite hot, but Keef loved doing some digging to create our own little bath. Deep Joy! We took loads and loads of photos. We then walked back along the beach and returned in the van to the campsite at 8.10 p.m. The sun had set. We had showers to get rid of the sand and retired to bed happy but exhausted. It had all been good fun. NEW ZEALAND, NORTH ISLAND, TONGARIRO AREA,24-26 Feb 2013 Including Tongariro area, 35th Wedding Anniversary & the Forgotten World Highway ending at the Republic of Whangamomona, New Zealand, Tongariro area 24-26 feb 2013, whangamomona, national park, lake taupo triathlon, ruepehi, 35th Wedding Anniversary, covering amongst others 203 selective slideshow images, highway 43 to the republic of Whangamomona, national park anniversary meal, Tongariro, mount doom, Tongariro Alpine crossing walk, ruapehu, Mt Ngauruhoe, Raurimu Spiral, 35th wedding anniversary, day & meal, volcanoes, active and otherwise, the shaky isles, aotearoa, Maori influence, chateau tongariro, black swans, lake rotiari, station restaurant, kumara, forgotten world highway i.e state highway 43, gravel roads, tranz scenic railway better known as the Northern Explorer, tawai falls, gollums pool, makatote viaduct, waikato river, totara, pohutakawa, republic of whanga, turangi, tracks, Tawhai Falls, Tongariro National Park, targarakau gorge ,tapu island, whakapapa village, desert well maybe, rangipo, huka falls, moki tunnel, hobbit hole, ohakune, raetihi branch bridge, mangateitei stream, waimarino old name for national park railway station, tongariro river, motuopuhi, otunui riverboat landing, taumarunui, herlihy’s bluff, stratford, taranaki, whanga, tahora, republic, passport stamped, heritage trails, New World Supermarket at Turangi. We were previously in this area in 2007 and then again in 2017. ❤️ 35th Wedding Anniversary Our 35th wedding anniversary will always feel like a story written in sunlight and mountain air. New Zealand gave us the perfect backdrop: the gentle rhythm of the TranzAlpine, the quiet charm of the station restaurant, and the peaceful stillness of our campsite tucked beneath the national park’s towering peaks. Wandering through Whakapapa Village, watching for kiwis at dusk, and ending the day under a sky painted with a glowing sunset reminded me how lucky I am to have shared this journey with you. Every moment felt like a celebration not just of a milestone, but of us — of the laughter, the adventures, and the way we still choose each other after all these years. That day in 2013 captured the heart of our marriage: simple joys, shared wonder, and a love that keeps finding new horizons. We went to the same restaurant we had been to with the kids back in 2007-8, you can see about our 30th Wedding anniversary stamping our passports ROW annie on tawhai falls walk 1/78 Sunday February 24th 2013 Summary, Taupo to Tongariro National Park. We left the Taupo Top 10 site and went to see Huka Falls again. Despite drought the rapids and falls were still going strong, so majestic. We last visited in 2008 when we went on the rapids jet boat with the kids, great fun. 360 was the call ha-ha. We drove around Lake Taupo, there was a triathlon taking place today and part of state highway 1 was closed off because of it. We headed for Tongariro National Park. We stopped for a coffee break in a lay-by. We had lunch in a small village Ohakune with a giant carrot, supposedly the Carrot capital of New Zealand. Here there were lovely views of the 2 active volcanoes, one had snow on its top the other was Mount Doom (from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy of films), its real name of course is Mount Tongariro. They are both famous for the Tongariro Alpine crossing walk. We then called in at National Park village to the railway station restaurant and café to book a table for our 35th Wedding Anniversary coming up on the 25th .,tomorrow for 6 p.m. The station is the stop point for the Trans Scenic Railway. It is now called the Northern Explorer and if you like is the sister train journey to the TranzAlpine on South Island. Some words about this journey are: - The Northern Explorer train service is a scenic rail journey through the five unique geographical regions of the North Island - travelling between Auckland, New Zealand's largest city - home of the Sky Tower, through the central heartland of the North Island to Wellington - New Zealand's harbour capital and arts and culture centre. Along the way, you will see fantastic views of New Zealand farmland, rugged bush landscapes before ascending up the world famous Raurimu Spiral to the volcanic plateau passing the majestic volcanoes of Mt Tongariro, Mt Ngauruhoe and Mt Ruapehu - the home of the North Island ski fields and descending through stunning river gorges to the farming landscapes and rocky seascapes of the lower North Island - all from large panoramic windows and the open air viewing deck of the Northern Explorer train. The Northern Explorer carriages have an advanced air bag suspension system for quieter and smoother travel, un-tinted, non-reflective, panoramic side, and roof windows to capture the dramatic coastal and mountain views of the magnificent North Island. GPS triggered journey commentary in five languages at your seat via headphones, plus information displays and overhead HD video and are centrally heated/air conditioned for passenger comfort. We then drove to Whakapapa village and Chateau Tongariro. We went to the campsite in the village and booked 2 nights at $38 a night, good value when one considers the amazing location. We did a walk along the river, rapids, and gorges with a bridge over the rapids. We then did a short nature walk near our van pitch, both great fun and great views. Anne did some handwashing and Keef cooked dinner, we then took our torches at dusk to look for kiwis along the nature trail , a full moon was helpful, we listened intently for any searching for insects, grubs, or worms in the undergrowth but disappointed to see nothing. Kiwis are amazingly illusive #fact We then returned to the van for boysenberry wine instead. Monday February 25th 2013 Summary, Our 35th Wedding Anniversary Day at Whakapapa Village and tour around Tongariro National Park. Opened our anniversary card from Linda & Ian. K did bacon cobs for breakfast. We headed north for Turangi direction. On the way stopped to see the archeological remains of a Māori village by a lake which was deserted by 1850 after inter-tribal musket wars. Then we got the view of Lake Taupo and surrounding area from a lookout point. We saw Sulphur and steam coming out of an active volcano from the road, which were marked on the map as exploding craters. We took lots of photos. In Turangi we looked at shops, a small square of pedestrianised shops. Some were empty. We got hot pies and cakes from a bakery for lunch. We found out from the info tourist board that the Trans Scenic railway runs from Auckland to Wellington and vice-versa 3 times a week. Sat in the van and Keef checked emails as there is no wi-fi at the campsite, it is to be expected as so remote. Drove back to the site via Rangipo. Had showers and got changed for our Anniversary meal at the Station for 6 p.m. We had a lovely meal, 3 courses, wine, and coffee. Keef had a rack of lamb with cracked pepper, kumara and carrot mash, veg in blueberry jus and lime oil. Annie had beef strips in salsa. For pudding we both had banana and macadamia nut spring rolls in a caramel sauce with ice-cream and cream, just yummy! Podged we returned to the campsite and got changed and went kiwi spotting again with torches, or as it happened not spotting, tee-hee. We think however we did hear one calling in the bushes some distance away but not confirmed. Tuesday February 26th 2013 Summary, Whakapapa Village to the Republic of Whangamomona. It was a very cold night around the Tongariro region, which I guess is understandable with so many mountains. Today’s daytime temperature was 28 degrees centigrade. Nice. Stopped the van on the outskirts of the village to do the 20-minute waterfall walk. Its start was on the road past the Tongariro chateau and was called the Tawhai falls walk. We then went onto Turangi again and did some shopping at the New World supermarket there. We then headed to Taumarunui, a small town at the start of the Forgotten World Highway, a heritage tourist route. Keef checked emails and paid the Barclaycard whilst Annie went to the Tourist Information centre to get stuff about the Forgotten World Highway route. We called in at the McDonald’s for a McFlurry ice-cream before setting off on the heritage route. We passed a lavender farm and quite a few farms with sheep, cows, and deer. Venison is now so big in NZ I would suggest it outstrips sheep farming. One farm was sheep shearing in the sheds, we watched. The scenery was very unusual, hobbit-like hills, deep blue gorges and a river that was almost dry. Lots of abandoned sheep farm buildings. We drove through what was called the Hobbit hole, a tunnel cut through rock about 4.5 meters high and just wide enough for one vehicle, luckily not much traffic on the Forgotten World Highway. Lots of the hills were volcanic ash and pumice stone, now covered in grass where the Taupo area had erupted millions of years ago. About 12 kilometers of the highway was gravel road, we had no choice but to travel on it. Fab views of Tongariro in the distance. We arrived at Whangamomona at about 5.45 p.m. We took many photos of the hotel and other heritage buildings. The campsite was $20 in the grassed area of the old school. We had a meal in the pub and got our passports stamped as Whanga declared itself a republic in 1986. It cost $2 to get your passport stamped, rather a touristy gimmick but hey why not, its fun. The history is locals were angry about local boundary changes so went independent and elected a pig as the mayor and even have sentry boxes on the town’s outskirts, ha-ha. There were lots of historical pictures on the pub wall that were fascinating. All in all a great place to visit if you like quirky, we do! NEW ZEALAND, North Island, Tutukaka Coastline, 9-11 Feb 2013 Northlands including Whangarei, Tutukaka Coast & the fabulous Russell, New Zealand, Northlands 9-11 feb 2013 whangarei, whangarei marina and town basin, hatea bridge, and Huarahi o te Whai Hātea Loop Walkway, tutukaka coast, covering amongst others 133 selective slideshow images, the Warehouse DIY chain store, buying that fatal plastic step (oh the benefits of hindsight 😉), russell, hatea river, pouihi carvings, clapham clocks, boardwalks, top 10 sites, raeburn house, town basin, kauri factory, our lovely kauri bowl with paua shell inlaid 35,000 years old, many other European nations at the campsite, whangarei falls, otuihau, sandy bay, ngungunu, tutukaka marina, whangaumu bay, whale bay, church bay, beach baches, designer houses, wooley bay, posh yachts, poor knights islands, tarakihi fish (yummy), air roots on trees, pohutukawa trees, matapouri rocks, oakura campsite at whangaruru south, flowers, BBQ's, the strand, museums, pompallier mission, weak, kowharewa bay. We were previously in this area in 2007 and then again in 2017 see the links in the trailer below to visit. anne on the strand, russell, nz along the hatea river 1/67 Saturday February 9th 2013 Summary, Whangarei 79 degrees Fahrenheit 26 degrees Centigrade Woke at 9 a.m. Lots of Dutch and Germans at the campsite. Had breakfast outside and Anne collected in most of the washing. Another sunny and hot day in New Zealand, yippee. Drove the van to the Warehouse DIY chain store in town and bought a few extras for the campervan / motorhome such as pegs to keep curtains together, 2 hand towels and a plastic step for the van as 2 foot drop down to the ground out on the van was a little tricky for oldies like us at ages 59 & 58 respectively. This proved to be not such a great idea if you read on under Russell later. Then did a bit of shopping for bread, milk etc. in the Countdown supermarket. We then walked along the boardwalk by the boats moored at the old quayside, and saw the old heritage buildings with cafes, restaurants, and shops. The whole area was very nicely landscaped, surrounded by trees and bushes, and with fab views, we adore the marina and town basin area. Whangarei has a very large harbour and although it is termed a city to us it feels so much more like a small town. A comparison would be a UK city like Nottingham Population 794,000 whereas Whangarei’s population is 54,300, Erewash which includes Long Eaton is 115, 490… I rest my case my lord! We missed the craft market up on the hatea river bridge (sometimes known in Maori as the Huarahi o te Whai Hātea Loop Walkway, which had finished at 1.30 p.m. but went into some craft shops instead which had some very expensive items, so we didn’t buy anything. We then drove to the Kauri clock factory outside town on a small industrial estate, interestingly run by Germans. There were lots of massive kauri tree stumps in the yard looking very weathered. We took some pictures. They turn these into beautiful wood clocks, highly polished. We bought a kauri round bowl inlaid with NZ paua shell which cost £60, well worth it, it looks lovely and is highly unusual. Then we drove out along the harbour edge which was the residential area and a bit swampy. There was also a port with oil refineries. We then returned in the van back to the campsite. Anne did some ironing and Keef cooked lamb steaks on the camp barbeque. Annie also reorganised storage of some of our clothes in the van and put her undies in the microwave, hot, eh? 😉 to save space. Keef did some photos on the laptop. Got dark around 8.45 p.m. Showered and then went to bed. The England cricket team had played the Black Caps in Whangarei a couple of days before we arrive, shame would love to have seen it, Collingwood and McCullen era. Note we did see them do battle in Christchurch on South Island back in 2007-8. Note the inscription on the back of our kauri bowl “Far North New Zealand, swamp kauri , 35,000 years old, with paua shell , radar” 1/2 Sunday February 10th 2013 Chinese New Year, the Year of the Snake, big love to Mr. & Mrs. Douglas in Singapore celebrating. Summary. Whangarei to Oakura Road Holiday Park & Motel site, Whangaruru South, located at address 4, Te Kapua Street Ōakura 0184. Whangaruru is a rural community and harbour on the east coast of Northland, New Zealand. Mokau, Helena Bay, Whakapara, Hikurangi and Whangarei are to the south and the Bay of Islands is to the northwest. Woke at 8 a.m. and had boiled egg and toast for breakfast. Drove out to Whangarei falls, Keef took some photos but as we had already visited them with Craig, Doug back in 2007 we only stood on the top platform rather than doing the circular walk around down to the bottom platform views. We then took a circular route to the coast north of Whangarei to Ngunguru and Tutukaka harbour. The harbour had a huge marina, and it was Sunday many kiwis were boating and sailing. What’s the line, one in 2 kiwis’ own a yacht. There were art and craft shops and cafés. We stopped at Matapouri beach, but it was very busy and difficult to park the motorhome, so we went onto Wooley’s Bay, a lovely long curved beach. We had lunch there then cooled off in the sea. People were body surfing on boards. Another hot day with blue skies and sea, ah bliss! There was so much lovely scenery along this coastline. We chatted to a Scot who had emigrated in 1965 to Auckland. We left the beach at 5 p.m. and intended to take the road to Russell but must have missed the turning and went 16 kilometers out of our way on State Highway 1. It was difficult to find a turning point on the highway but we eventually managed to and found a campsite at Oakura near Whangaruru South, on Oakura Road and not to be confused with the Oakura Bay near New Plymouth some 300+ miles away. Oakura was a tiny place with lovely views of the sheltered bay. The campsite cost $39 and was quite basic. Keef cooked pasta carbonara with chicken. We read for a bit and went to bed at 11.25p.m. Note and we saw lots of these, Pohutukawa trees have red flowers at Christmas and massive aerial roots. We saw lots at Tutukaka especially around the landscaped harbour area as well as naturally all along that coastline. Monday February 11th 2013 Summary Oakura site Whangaruru South to the wonderful Russell, one of our fave places in NZ. Anne woke at 7.30 a.m. Keef at 8.45 a.m. After a light breakfast we drove along the loop road to Russell through lots of bush with NZ tree ferns and many cattle and sheep farms. It was very twisty roads and hilly scenery but nice. We arrived at the Russell Top 10 site at 1 p.m. to book in. $23 per night, not bad with our Top 10 card discount. It is a lovely site overlooking the Bay of Islands and Paihia. The site is on 4 levels, and we were on the top level. We returned to the same spot in 2017. We wanted to do the Tall ships sailing excursion for 2 hours in the afternoon but on that Monday they only did a full day and we had arrived too late, becoming a bit of a theme that after craft market in Whangarei ha-ha. Anyhow after filling the motorhome with water, we walked into town and saw many wooden houses with verandas, some built up hillsides with decking on stilts. We also saw a weka, an NZ flightless bird, which scuttled away into a garden. We walked around the town and the jetty and then visited the museum along the front and saw a video about the town’s history. The town had been notorious in the Victorian era for lawlessness, drunk sailors, whalers, and prostitutes. It is however now very touristy but sadly not many historical buildings are left. We had fish and chips, yummy, the fish was tarakihi, a white fish, $10 each or £5, very tasty. We then walked back to the campsite and wrote some postcards to Craig, Doug, Margaret of 90 mile beach which we hadn’t reached as yet. We fed the ducks bread and a weka who came quite close by. He was a brown and black bird, size of a hen with long curved beak and 3 toes. Now the really bad news, Annie fell off that plastic step we bought at the Warehouse store to make getting out of the van easier, she was probably not concentrating, who knows , not nice, very painful and eventually developed into a huge bruise, way worse than the ones from the bouncy boat in Langkawi Malaysia. There were lovely views at twilight and beyond of the lights across the bay in Paihia. We talked to a couple on the next pitch from Cambridge who were also touring NZ. They had also just been to Georgetown, Penang, small world. We heard the noise from the nocturnal kiwi birds at dusk and in the night. They were in the bushes across from our pitch and up the hillside, we tried looking but didn’t find any, they are quite illusive flightless birds, but the New Zealand emblem and populations namesake. We have only seen them in captivity at the Otorohanga Kiwi House. NEW ZEALAND, Bay of Plenty,18-20 Feb 2013 Bay of Plenty including Papamoa beach, Hobbiton,Rotorua and Gisborne, New Zealand, Bay of Plenty 18-20 feb 2013 papamoa, rotorua, gisborne, covering amongst others 145 selective slideshow images, Britz Mercedes motorhome, matamata, hobbiton, hobbit holes, sam wise gangee, lord of the rings, peter Jackson, hahei beach, cathedral cove caves, frodo, bilbo baggins, waiha beach, katikati and wall art murals, pukeko, Tauranga, james cook, farthing woods, te karaka, papamoa beach, ocean drive, fave campsite in all the world, Tip Top icecreams, boysenberry, hokey pokey, the Pacific Ocean, precious, dragon inn, gandalf, party tree, mount manganui, waioeka, opotiki, White Goose Winery, Gold medal plum wine, Feijoa (unique friut to NZ), top 10 campsites, kiwi campsites, whakatane, ohope, the ngaitai maoris, white island (smoking again in 2017 sadly a death trap dec 2019), whangamata, beaches, kahikatea range, young nick, Captain James Cook (definitely one of our heroes), otahu river, ocean beach, hauturu island, maukaha rocks, karangahake gorge, paeroa, waikino, railway café, bay of plenty, i-site, Maori poles, holiday baches. We were previously in this area in 2007 and then again in 2017. hobbit coat rack young nick gisborne 1/73 Monday February 18th 2013 Summary, Hot Water Beach to Papamoa Beach It rained at 8am but not for long. We left the campsite and drove to Hahei, Hahei beach and Cathedral Cove caves. Hahei is a small beach with lots of holiday homes most of which are closed, and empty given away by the shuttered blinds on windows. Clearly holiday baches. We then drove down along the highway to Waihi beach where we had lunch. There were steep roads crossing the Coromandel Ranges to get there. Some background info on Waihi Beach is it is a coastal town at the western end of the Bay of Plenty in New Zealand's North Island. It lies 10 kilometres to the east of the town of Waihi, at the foot of the Coromandel Peninsula. The main beach is 10 kilometres long. The town had a permanent population of 2,730 as of June 2021. At the northern end of Waihi Beach, the 145 hectares (360 acres) Orokawa Scenic Reserve offers several short walking tracks along the coast and to Orokawa Bay. While the main beach is backed by the residential area of the township of Waihi Beach, Orokawa Bay is undeveloped and surrounded by native bush including pohutukawa, puriri, and nikau palms. At the southern end of the beach is the small settlement of Bowentown and the northern side of the northern Katikati entrance to Tauranga Harbour. Waihi beach is a lovely sandy bay. We saw 2 men fishing with long nets from a few metres off the beach, but they did not catch any flounder or snapper which they said was what they were after. We then drove further on down Highway 25 through KatiKati which is the township with lots of wall art as murals. Often referred to as the Mural Town. This time we didn’t stop as we had seen them before, but we did pay a revisit in 2017 see out HOLIDAY2017 site with pals https://www.holiday2017.co.uk , thanks for looking We arrived at Tauranga , a very busy city with an oil refinery, harbour and port with many container ships, a real working transport hub for New Zealand. We drove through quickly and on to the wonderful Mount Manganui., which is a volcanic peak and along the beach stretching for miles to Papamoa. There are lots of expensive looking houses and apartments fronting the beach. We checked into the Top 10 campsite right on the beach at Papamoa. It cost $44 a night (£22) and paid an extra $4 for a beach plot on Ocean drive. Worth every penny, this is our fave campsite in all the world. Anne put some washing in the machine in the laundry costing $4 and then we both walked to the local shops to buy ice creams as by now it was hot and sunny. Anne hung up washing when we were back and chatted to a couple from Windemere, Cumbria , the Lake District, UK. Then we took our chairs onto the beach , we also went in the sea to jump the big waves, exhilarating, it is the Pacific Ocean. We sat on the beach and watched the surf club on speedboats and canoes practicing. We then had showers and dinner, it was a lovely day and a lovely place to be and the end of the day. Tuesday February 19th 2013 Summary, Papamoa Beach to Rotorua Light rain very briefly. Grass still very dry and brown everywhere as no proper rain for 2 months we were told. There were now some water restrictions in New Zealand as most reservoirs were low or running dry. Keef did dump station black water and took on fresh water in the van ready for our onward travels today. We drove onto the outskirts of Tauranga which had grown so big from our memories 5 years ago, then onto Matamata and Hobbiton. It is based on the Alexanders farm just outside Matamata. This is the Hobbit village movie set for the Lord of the Rings (and Hobbit) movies made by Peter Jackson. We had booked our tickets online the previous night $150 for 2 tickets i.e., £75 total in English money. We got the tour coach from the information centre in Matamata which drove 20 minutes to a local sheep / cattle ranch. The film scouts had searched for a location that matched the description in the Tolkien book and found this farm was ideal. Took 9 months to film and the farmers had to sign a non-disclosure and confidentiality agreement so nothing leaked out into the public domain. The tour guides took us around the village, a lovely setting with a lake, mills, the Green dragon pub, all thatched, and hobbit homes set into the hillsides with quaint little gardens, just so cute. We saw a big tree up on the green and Bilbo Baggins and Frodo’s house, not inside obviously as those scenes were filmed in Wellington at the studios. It was very interesting to hear about the logistics of filming and creating the set. The tour was about 2 hours long and ended with a free drink in the Green Dragon pub. A real Wedding had recently been held on the set with the ceremony held under the big tree and all the guests get the option to wear the stick on ears, feet and hands of a hobbit, hilarious. We returned by coach to the town and had McDonalds and milkshakes as it was now getting late. We then drove to Rotorua which took about 1 hour and camped at the Top 10 site there by the Blue Lake. The price was $41.40. The smell of Sulphur as we drove past Rotorua Lake was most distinctive and what we remembered well from our last trip there. We shopped at Countdown for supplies, the campsite was fringed by bush and hills but sadly there were no kiwis calling, maybe they don’t like bad egg smells either tee-hee. Wednesday February 20th 2013 Summary, Rotorua to Gisborne via Whakatane Shopped at Pak N’ Save Rotorua and Anne went into Spotlight and bought some fabric. We then drove on Highway 30 past 3 lakes and saw someone swimming and schoolgirls canoeing / kayaking. The weather was warm and sunny. We stopped for lunch at Whakatane by the jetty and council offices. There were some heritage buildings in this town. On leaving the town for Ohope we went up a very steep curving hill. Ohope had an inner estuary with people sun bathing on the grass, it was a very hot sunny day. Some info on Ohope is Ōhope, until 1974 known as Ohope Beach, is a beach settlement in the eastern Bay of Plenty, on the northeast coast of the North Island of New Zealand, six kilometres east and over the hill, from Whakatāne We then went onto Opotiki, a very long beach with lots of driftwood and tree logs washed up on its shores. We took a photo of a Māori carved totem pole here. Some info on the town of Ōpōtiki is it is situated exactly on latitude 38° South. The climate is temperate. Summer temperatures reach the mid-20s (Celsius, mid-70s Fahrenheit) on the coast and encourage a continuation of the beach culture of the Bay of Plenty. Winter days are often cloudless, the daytime temperature never drops below freezing but there may be a mild frost at night. Winter snow falls along the crest of the ranges, and on the higher peaks (over 1000 m) may remain for a few weeks. Rain occurs at any season. Severe localised rainstorms ('cloudbursts') may occur in the high country and have caused flash flooding including past inundations of Ōpōtiki township. To give it is full name it is Ōpōtiki-Mai-Tawhiti. Here is a picture taken in 1871 at Opotiki, a very interesting township. We then turned south along Highway 2 to Gisborne, it was a very twisty road through the Kahikatea Range, a bush trees and forest area. Lots of lorries use this route we discovered, and many were loggers. We stopped for lunch by a picnic area near the big bridge over the gorge and river. The road then went through a hill farming area and again the grass was very dry and brown. We arrived in Gisborne late afternoon and stayed at the Top 10 site there, costing $32. This site was not as listed 4 stars but, in our opinion, only 2 stars. The facilities were poor and very old fashioned. We went for a walk along to the statue of Captain Cook and young nick who was his cabin boy who spotted landfall in New Zealand and is immortalised in bronze rightly for this. They landed in Gisborne and a Maori haka made them think they were being attacked so Cook’s crew sadly killed them. We bought boysenberry ice cream just outside Whakatane and some yummy plum wine from a Liverpool man’s house called White Goose winery, corner of SH30 and Luxton Road. Superb $15 a bottle he had won gold medals for it, he showed us around and even let us try his passionflower fruit that was growing up the side of his house, so scrumptious. Home of Feijoa, Plum and Berry Fruit wines, Whakatane's first boutique winery established in 1983. That’s all for now folks. NEW ZEALAND, Taranaki area,27 Feb - 1 Mar 2013 Including Taranaki area, Whanga, New Plymouth, Waitomo, Hamilton, New Zealand, Taranaki area 27 feb – 1 mar 2013, new plymouth, waitomo caves, hamilton, covering amongst others 145 selective slideshow images, whangamomona, te rewa and the te rewa bridge, douglas, forgotten world highway, state highway 34, tupare gardens, hallard gardens, kiwis, bbqs, cape light house, doves, east end beach, fruit wines, plum, boysenberry, whakatane, flowers, stratford, all things shakespeare, the bard, Glockenspiel town clock, otorohanga, opunake, surf highway, strathmore, mount taranaki, cape egmont, opunake, egmont national park, Mt Messenger, Matau, state highways 3 & 3A, visitors centres, Te Kuiti, rugby, hamilton gardens , taumarunai, whanga, wanganui national park, fitzroy beach, waiwhakaiho river, tupare house, orangery, ferns, sir ed hillary, top 10 sites, waikato river, Otorohanga kiwi house, bought kiwi as replacement for phoenix (lost original found in dressing gown 2019 stored in our garage ), greenslade house, hayes paddock, turtle lake, hamilton gardens, rogers rose garden, paradise gardens, Chinese scholars garden, japenese garden of contemplation, Indian char bagh garden, Italian renaissance garden, English flower and American modernist gardens, te parapara maori gardens. We were previously in this area in 2007 and then again in 2017. annie _ te rewa rewa bridge blue kiwi chick 1/73 Wednesday February 27th 2013 Summary, The Republic of Whangamomona to New Plymouth. Set off along the rest of the Forgotten World Highway, State Highway 34. Climbed some very high mountain ridges and zig zag roads, with sheer drops to the river gorge and valleys below. Bit scary. Took lots of photos along the route. There was a small hamlet called Douglas in the valley, mainly farming made is chuckle and take a photo for later doctoring especially for Mr. Douglas. The Forgotten World Highway ended at Stratford. All streets were names after Shakespeare’s characters from his plays. We went into the Tourist information centre and met the local lady MP. The Glockenspiel town clock chimed several times a day, sadly we missed it as allegedly spectacular. Click on the link in the summary on the Taranaki page to get more details about this fascinating town. We then went through Eltham , which is an old town starting circa 1912 and turned to go into Opunake, a black sand beach with poor surfing conditions which is odd because it is on what was inaptly names the Surf Coast Highway, ha-ha. We then carried on the surf highway to Cape Egmont and saw a small lighthouse, with black basalt housing edging the Tasman Sea. We arrived in New Plymouth where we had previously camped with the kids , we drove through the city and the main shops to the Top 10 site which cost $43 for the night. We the n went for a swim in the site’s heated pool, very nice and relaxing. We chatted to a local farmer who bragged about his cars, farm, motorcycles etc, Were we impressed, guess? He then told us he was paralysed from jumping from a great height into a pond, brawn rather than brain but we did show some sympathy. Annie did wash in the laundry, a little black and white kitten was roaming around the campsite. We talked to some Aussies from New South Wales who were here on holiday. They were in a very tiny tent. Thursday February 28th 2013 Summary, New Plymouth to Waitomo Caves. Drove around the city centre and then visited the new wave design bridge called Te Rawa over the Waiwhakaiho river and board walk just north of the city centre. There were lots of landscaped parks and picnic areas. The board walk was used by both walkers and cyclists. We then visited Tupare Gardens, In 1932 Sir Russell and Lady Matthews started to create a garden from a gorse covered wilderness on the edge of the Waiwhakaiho River around their family home. It was very steep as built on a hillside , there were nice shrubs and plants and it had been superbly landscaped. We liked it a lot. We then drove to North Egmont visitors centre on a sealed road. Mount Taranaki as it is better and now know , using its original Māori Name rather than that bestowed by the Brits, is 2518 metres high. A dormant volcano which last erupted in 1755. It was covered in cloud today at the top. It was a very windy & winding road to get to the Visitors centre. In winter the volcano is totally covered in snow. We then headed north on the 3a motorway and then the number 3 highway east. Many farms then the scenery got dramatically hillier around Mount Messenger. We stopped for a very late lunch around 4 p.m. at Matau for a snack. It was a very scenic route on highway 3 up to Te Kuiti, the NZ sheep shearing capital, we saw a few sheep on farms, all of which had very yellowing grass, it was a large town but realistically not much worth seeing so we drove through reasonably quickly. We turned off for the Top 10 campsite at Waitomo Caves. Costing $41.40 so on the more expensive end but worth it. We had seen the glow worm caves before , use the link in the overview if you wish to see more. The campsite was quite modern with both a swimming pool and hot tub. Had a swim, shower and cheese and biscuits with the lovely Plum wine we had got from the White Goose Winery near Whakatane. Yummy. There were schoolboys in the cabins on an excursion, they were very noisy and that was added to by teachings trying to control them, and if I’m honest failing. Friday March 1st 2013 Summary, Waitomo Caves to Hamilton. 30 degrees centigrade or 86 degrees Fahrenheit. In the 5 years since we had been to Waitomo caves the area had changed a lot, the new Top 10 campsite, a café, tourist information office, and lots of other touristy things. Indeed, the area was now a Mecca for tourists because of the Glow worm caves. We then set off for Otorohanga, we called in at the Kiwi House to get a replacement kiwi for Phoenix as she had lost the one Doug had bought her here back in 2008. In fact we bought 2 kiwi’s one chirps when you squeeze it, novel. Saw the same noisy school trip again who had sadly landed at the Kiwi House, we left pronto. We then drove onto Hamilton, luckily our Sat Nav came in useful as Hamilton is a very big city, 2nd we guessed only to Auckland in size, Wellington feels more compact. Sprawling suburbs in Hamilton and plenty of road works. We did a shop for food at New World supermarket. We then had a bit of a nightmare getting to the campsite because of the major road works improving Hamilton’s ring road. Annie did some laundry $4, and Keef prepared lunch. It was another hot sunny day . We then drove off to park near the Botanical gardens so we could do the river walk along to them. The campsite owner had told us where to park, very useful. It was about a mile walk to the gardens but fun however the views of the Waikato River were not great as it was totally overgrown with trees and bushes. We found the gardens and it was free entry, which was nice. We saw a lot of roses then found the i-site information office and picked up a map of the gardens which proved very useful. We then visited lots of individual paradise gardens including , with the Indian garden with nice Mogul architecture in a courtyard garden with a fountain and raised terrace. The English flowers throughout the Māori garden were interesting, plus gourds and kumara growing and lots of traditional wood carvings. We then walked back to the motorhome; it must have been over 3 miles we had walked in the boiling hot afternoon sun in the end. We then returned to the Hamilton holiday park campsite, which cost $38 to stay at, we were both very tired. It got dark at about 8.30 p.m. NEW ZEALAND, North Island, Keri Keri, 12-14 Feb 2013 Northlands including Keri Keri, Cape Reinga, Whatuwhiwhi & Manganui, New Zealand, Northlands 12-14 feb 2013 kerikeri, cape reinga, Manganui, 90 mile beach, car stuck in the sand with tide coming in oh dear!, apihara, Whatuwhiwhi, covering amongst others 174 selective slideshow images, long beach outside russell, cape reinga, okiato, opua, car ferry, paihia, haruru, haruru falls, waitangi, waitangi river, rainbow falls, Christ church Russell alledgedly the oldest in NZ , waipekakoura river, million dollar view, kumara, whangaroa, woodland walk, stone store, st james church 1868, kerikeri basin & woodland walks, Kemp mission house, cavalli islands, matuari bay, st paul's rock, marlin hotel, blue marlin, doubtless bay, mill bay suites where we stayed 2007, Pak N' Save supermarkets, endless fruit, wine and veg especially kumara in Northlands, karikari peninsular, parakerake beach and bay, waipapakauri, mitimiti stream, te kao, state highway 1, sheep, kiwi parks and top 10 camp sites, st. james church grounds kerikeri where annie's edmonds rellies are buried, awanui, kaitaia, brancott estate wines, bbqs, karikari coastline, John Edmond's house ruins off Edmonds road is a New Zealand National trust heritage building and rightly so, the true work of a great stonemason. We were previously in this area in 2007 and then again in 2017. whatuwhiwhi pronounced fat-u-fi-fi but we prefer watch-u-wee-wee us at millionaires view 1/88 Tuesday February 12th 2013 Summary Russell to Kerikeri Woke at 7.35 a.m. had showers then breakfast. Posted 3 postcards and then visited the church in Russell, allegedly the oldest in New Zealand. It was a hot sunny day again. We then drove through the town to see long beach a little sandy bay. We then drove to the car ferry catching it at okaito to opua, cost $18.50 which is about £9.50 pounds, saving a massive journey around to get to Paihia, foolishly we didn’t do it in 2017 and Chris slowly punctured his tyre on the gravel roads manufacturing itself fully near Cape Reinga. Paihia, we had gone on a boat trip back in 2007 with Craig & Doug to see the dolphins. We gave it a miss this time around. We then went to the Waitangi treaty grounds (1840) and Haruru Falls (meaning in Māori unlimited water). We arrived at the campsite in Keri Keri at 12.20 just after noon. It is a small town with lots of fruit and wine farms and spin off shops. We walked about a mile through the shops to St. James church where some of Annie’s Edmonds relatives were buried. We then walked to the Stone Store and paid $10 for a guided tour of Kemp House (mission) next door, and an upstairs exhibition about the mission and the history of Māori in the far north, all very interesting. John Edmonds born 1799 in Swanage, Dorset, England died Kerikeri 1865, was a stone mason who emigrated with his family to work for the Church missionary society in Kerikeri. He was Anne’s 2nd cousin 4 times removed as witness by our family tree, a man to be rightly proud of. The lady who did our guided tour around Kemp house for just the two of us was very chatty. Anne found records about John Edmonds but as it was 5 p.m. and the Stone Store was closing the kind shop staff said we could return tomorrow with the same tickets to continue our genealogical research, think really, they found it quite interesting to have visitors from the UK who had a link to this Stone Store and Kemp house. We chatted to Kawi, a Māori lady who worked at the stone store shop who told us she had 2 aunts who had married Edmonds. She was very smiley and helpful. She told us there had been an Edmonds reunion in Kerikeri the last year, which was a huge gathering from far and wide, plus there were still Edmonds families living in Kerikeri. Another kind Kiwi lady gave us a lift back up the hill in her car. We had dinner at 7.15 p.m., a busy but fruitful day with lots of history about both New Zealand and the Bay of Islands area, great fun. Wednesday February 13th 2013 Summary Kerikeri to Whatuwhiwhi (pronounced Fatufifi not as you might expect what you wee wee which always makes me laugh ha-ha) After breakfast we went again to the Stone Store as Anne wanted to look at some books there about John Edmonds. We took lots of photos. We then drove along the inlet road to Edmonds Road to the old ruins of the Edmonds family dwelling. Acres of land with black basalt dry stone walling, perfect for a stone mason. The house was a ruin, no roof, windows or doors but the walls and chimney were still standing. It is now registered as NZ National Trust as a heritage building. We saw old peach and fig trees near the house which was quite large for the time. It took 18 years to build in stages adding extensions. We then returned to town to see the other side of the water looking back at the stone store, wonderful views. We did not go into the Māori village as very touristy reconstruction and besides we had seen a more realistic one at Rotorua back in 2008. We spoke to an old NZ couple from Hamilton. We then visited Rainbow falls which is 27 meters high. We bought 4 avocados from a house on the inlet road for $2 a bargain. Fruit & veg and wine is grown all around Kerikeri. We then bought some vegetables and 2 steak and cheese pies from a local grocer. We then set off for Matuari Bay along the coastal scenic road and stopped for lunch as a viewpoint called million dollar view which was true, with fab view of Matuari Bay, the whole coastline and the Cavalli islands, just superb. At Whangaroa we drove 2kilometres further to the harbour, it is the Marlin fishing capital of NZ. We weren’t disappointed as some guys had just brought in 2 huge Marlin on a boat. One weighted 165 kg apparently took 2 hours to reel in and the other was large as well. The largest caught there was 195 kg, see the pictures to get an understanding of what a whopper these fish are. We understandably took lots of photos, what a privilege to have witnessed it. We then drove through Manganui on a nostalgia trip re snapping the Mill Bay suites for old times sake. We then turned up the Kari Kari peninsular to Whatuwhiwhi Top 10 campsite arriving at 6 p.m. This was an expensive site costly $45 but in a fabulous position right on the beach. We walked on the beach and paddled in the sea. K cooked garlic prawns and coconut rice. It was 26 degrees Centigrade today. Thursday February 14th 2013 Summary Whatuwhiwhi to Ahipara via the top end 90-mile beach and Cape Reinga. 24 degrees centigrade. Anne got up at 7.30 a.m. and did some washing in the laundry. After breakfast we drove back down the Kari Kari peninsular and then took the route to Cape Reinga. We stopped at Waipapakauri beach to see 90-mile beach which is designated a road by NZ authorities, 4-wheel drive cars only of course. We saw an ordinary car stuck fast in deep sand by a kiwi drive, not a tourist. The beach is 64 miles long. We returned to the main road and continued north through farmland, mainly cattle as sheep no longer profitable. It was lovely scenery mostly coast and sand dunes. Another hot and sunny day but with sea breezes to cool you. We arrived at Cape Reinga and parked the motorhome and walked down the sloping zig-zag pathway to the lighthouse. Māori legend says this place is where the dead spirits depart and is therefore sacred to them. Also, the Tasman meets the Pacific here. We could not see any whales despite looking. We had lunch in our van, such great views. Anne got melted tar on her sandal it was that hot. We returned down the same route on State Highway 1 and stopped at a pack n save supermarket for groceries. The guy’s car stuck in the sand was now encircled by water, poor chap but maybe should have read the warning signs first. There are lots of Māori’s in this far north area, we tried not to stare at some of the Māori ladies with their faces heavily tattooed as that is disrespectful to their culture, but it was hard as to us anyhow so unusual. Found a Kiwi Park campsite at Ahipara (we joined this campsite chain as well) which is at the south end of 90-mile beach. Anne did the laundry, Keef did a lovely barbeque of steak, sausages, salad and grilled kumara (sweet potato) chips on the camp BBQ. We sat at a huge kauri table and bench , beautiful wood, to eat it and washed it down with a lovely kiwi Brancott estate sav blanc. We chatted to a retired couple from Rotorua. Tomorrow we are heading down towards Dargaville via the kauri forests. NEW ZEALAND, Hawkes Bay Area, North Island, 21-23 Feb 2013 NEW ZEALAND, New Zealand, Hawkes Bay area, 21-23 feb 2013, wairoa, QE2 and American tourists in Napier, taupo, earthquakes, Lake Taupo is the same size as Singpapore, views of Tongariro National Park from Lake Taupo, rose gardens and parks, Spa Park in Taupo, we have covering amongst others 103 selective slideshow images, rotorua, mount doom, lake rotorua, boysenberry & feijoa ice-cream, hoki poki, ruepehi, sunken gardens, art deco, black swans, fejioa, bungee jumping, earthquakes in this region, huka river, criterion hotel, 1930s, kinloch, lake tuito, marine parade, museums, artwork, hawkes bay, whaiapunga falls, pohutakawa trees in bloom, top 10 site taupo, bay view, gisborne, wairoa river, waikiki lagoon, picnics, mohaka river, viaduct, berry farm and berry ice cream, Bay View Snapper holiday park (now Napier Beach) , kiwi parks campsites, thermal explorer highway (state highway 5), fruit ice creams, yummy, kaweka forest park, lucky escape Wairoa had an earthquake at 4.3 on the Richter scale at 7.15 p.m. on the 22nd, we were only there yesterday. We were previously in this area in 2007 and then again in 2017. keef, huka falls in the background lunch sh2 mohaka railway viaduct 1/52 Thursday February 21st 2013 Summary, Gisborne to Wairoa to Bay View just north of Napier We drove around Gisborne on the way to Wairoa. Gisborne had many palm trees down the centre of the main street, it is quite an old town, New Zealand of course calls it a city, despite in UK terms its relative size. We stopped in Wairoa which is on a large river. In 1930 it had been flattened by an earthquake although some of the buildings had survived. We used the walkway by the river which had huge date palms and cycads and Pohutukawa trees. It was very sunny, but our stroll allowed us to take in both river views and the architecture of the high street. We then drove through the town after our circular walk back to the van, out to a point where there was a beach, we had camped in Wairoa in 2008 and remember with some fondness the BBQ made from the back end of an old 1950’s car. Wairoa had seen better days, most of the shops were tatty and a lot were now sadly empty. We then carried onto Bay View, just north of Napier. Highway 2 which we traveled on was very twisty up and down mountains lined with a lot of bushes, also a lot of lorries transporting timber in the form of newly cut logs. We arrived at Bay View having stopped at a real fruit ice cream place on the highway as it was a very hot day and who are we to refuse the opportunity of yet another ice-cream, well not us ha-ha. We stayed at the Kiwi Parks Bay View Snapper Holiday Park (by 2022 it has been renamed at Napier Beach) Anne was not impressed it was supposedly 4 stars, she thought more like 2. Very overpriced at $44. The beach was black shingle and looked a bit like a highway roads depot gravel supply. As it was sunny weather Anne did some hand washing, the showers cost $1 extra which was a complete rip off as we thought the site was charging too much anyhow. Not impressed. It rained slightly overnight. Friday February 22st 2013 Summary, Bay View Snapper Holiday Park to Napier Town to Taupo. We slept in until 9.30 a.m. obviously tired. It was cloudy and overcast when we got up which made the site feel even drearier than it was. Drove into Napier which we have seen before but it is a lovely place. Very 30s after the earthquake forced a complete rebuild. The QE2 cruise ship was in port which made the place incredibly busy with American tourists. We walked along Marine parade gardens which are just lovely, and all the flowers were out in full bloom. Just so colourful. We then saw Scottish bagpipers in the shopping precinct, Napier has a strong Scottish feel , their influence is quite widespread in NZ but not particularly welcome in places like Waitangi where they exchanged vast acreage of land for a couple of sheep, now that is what I call taking advantage of the natives. There were lots of old vintage cars to take tourists on a trip around the town. We walked around the town and bought a small hand luggage sized flight bag on wheels costing $59 (or £31) in a deep purple colour. We stored it under the seat in the motorhome ready for use on our trip to Oz and Singapore to carry a few extras. Earthquakes, it should be noted that in 1931 Napier had an earthquake that was 7.8 on the Richter scale, in 1932 Wairoa had an earthquake that was 6.8 on the Richter scale and today (remember we were there only yesterday) Wairoa had an earthquake at 4.3 on the Richter scale at 7.15 p.m. a lucky escape me thinks! They don’t call it the shaky isles for nothing. The epicenter was actually 35 kms south of Wairoa but it was well and truly felt there. We then took highway 5 out of Napier heading north to Taupo on the Thermal Explorer Highway. We saw forests, gorges, and mountainous scenery plus a waterfall, all very nice. This journey took about 3 hours as we stopped for a brief lunch at a picnic stop. We arrived at Taupo to sunshine, a very blue lake which in case you don’t know is massive, the size of Singapore in fact. We visited it with C&D&P in 2008 where we attempted fishing not with much success, tee hee. Taupo itself is a very busy city stretched out over a wide site but with no high-rise buildings. We got to the Top 10 5-star resort campsite in Taupo at 4 p.m. We then spent the rest of the afternoon in the thermally heated swimming pool with a constant temperature of 30 degrees centigrade, just lovely. The weather was very warm at 24 degrees centigrade, and there were lots of tents, motorhomes and families on the site being as it was the start of a weekend and kiwis love the outdoor life. Saturday February 23rd 2013 Summary, Taupo. 26 degrees centigrade and overcast at first but sunny and blue skies by 10 a.m. Sadly a little girl in the tent on a pitch behind us screamed continually until 5.30 a.m. Annoyingly the parents did nothing to comfort her. Other campers made complaints to the Top 10 site office but there wasn’t much they could do about it and anyway the night was over by then. We went into Taupo to Pak N Save to do some food shopping and drew money out of a Westpac Bank machine. We then walked around the fascinating harbour area, with great views of the 3 mountains in the Tongariro National Park, one had snow on top. We then visited the rose garden and a small park beside the harbour. Lake Taupo looked fantastic, blue clear waters and surrounded by mountain ranges. The lake as I think we said earlier is the same size as Singapore. The country not just the city. It is huge. We then drove out to Kinloch round the lake and had lunch thereon our camp chairs. It was a shingle beach but there were lots of people swimming and riding on jet-skis. A lovely bay, we could not see Taupo as Kinloch sets it apart via a promontory. A man got cramp whilst wearing flippers and snorkeling off the beach, he called out for help and a family who had a jet ski rescued him and bought him back to shore, good stuff. We had an ice-cream (again tee hee) It was Tip Top again, the best in NZ in our opinion. Boysenberry obviously. We bought them from a café in Kinloch. We then drove back to Taupo and stopped at the Spa Park. Lots of people were walking down the hill to go to the hot springs and spa. We then went to watch the bungee jumpers down Spa Road, near our campsite. Besides dangling from an elastic band there was also a chair on a rope option. You wouldn’t get us on them but fun to watch even over the screams, ha-ha. They were jumping down a river canyon. Back at the campsite we went swimming. A very relaxing day and gorgeous weather. Back home in England it was 2 degrees centigrade with more snow, I think we made the right choice. NEW ZEALAND, Back to Auckland, 2 - 5 Mar 2013 Back to Auckland via Papamoa Beach, Karangahake Gorge & More, New Zealand, Back to Auckland 2-5 mar 2013, Tauranga, Papamoa beach 2nd time, Shopping Mall at Papamoa including the Warehouse store, Cambridge - horse breeding area, Hamilton city centre has some 1930s architecture, karangahake, manukau city, Farmer's department store, kiwi hotel, covering amongst others 47 selective slideshow images, kiwi hotel, Auckland, ocean drive, beach road, sunsets, chillin, mainland creamy blue cheese and biscuits washed down with plum wine, sunsets and waves crashing, music on the beach, 2nd visit this time to our fave campsite, kite surfing, wake boarding, mount manganui, beach strolls, waves and warmth from the sun, ice creams, reading, tea breaks, karangahake river, gorge, bridges, info boards, goldmining, suspended walkways, NZ census, talisman mill. We were previously in this area in 2007 and then again in 2017. wobbly bridges _ karangahake gorge views from ocean drive, papamoa 1/24 Saturday March 2nd 2013 Summary, Hamilton to Papamoa Beach. 24 degrees centigrade. Another lovely summers day. Drove through Hamilton city centre to see it, nothing to write home about I’m afraid, just another busy city. We saw the Waikato River again from the other side. We would class Hamilton as a small town rather than a big city, but we come from the UK. The city centre had 3 main streets with some 1930s architecture. We then took Highway 1 through to Cambridge, which is a horse breeding area. We then headed for Tauranga on the Pacific coast and back to Papamoa beach again as we liked the lovely long sand beach and waves so much first time. We can now officially call it our fave campsite in the whole world having returned in 2017. Maybe that won’t be the last time. You never know. We arrived at 12 noon so before check in time for a Top 10 site so we went down the road to Papamoa’s shopping mall. Keef bought a Hawaiian shirt for $8 in the sale in the Warehouse. Then we had a drive around the area, some new houses on estates and saw all the colleges and schools, reminded us of California in look and feel. However, in our humble opinion Papamoa beach rivals any Californian beach. We eventually checked into the campsite at 1p.m. $45 per night, booked 2 nights as we like it so much, same pitch as last time with a view of the beach and so close to it, we even get an outside shower at the end of the pitch to wash off the sand, what more could you ask for. Spent the afternoon on the beach listening to music and watching kite surfers. We both went in the sea, there were some pretty big waves, so we didn’t venture far. Had a lovely dinner with the last of the plum wine , cheese and biscuits , our fave creamy mainland blue and we sat outside the motorhome at dusk watching the sun set and listening to the sound of the waves crashing on the beach, just perfect, so love Papamoa Beach. Sunday March 3rd 2013 Summary, Papamoa Beach. 28 degrees centigrade, 83 degrees Fahrenheit. Spent a very relaxing day on the beach and the campsite. There were a few clouds first thing in the morning, but they soon moved inland. Then it was blue skies, sea, and sunshine all the way, yippee! The light sea breeze kept the temperature not too hot. We walked along the beach towards Mount Manganui, which is another supposedly extinct volcano., along the waters edge and foreshore for about an hour. Had lunch on our picnic table and then sat on the beach in the afternoon. There were kite surfers, body surfers , a surf lifesaving boat but only a few people on the beach considering it was good weather and a Sunday. We had changed our pitch site as caravans on either side of us had gone this morning so we could get the pitch right next to the sea. We were now Pitch S9, Beach Street, pole position. Previously we have been in S7 and S8. At 6 p.m. after a nice cup of tea Annie did some hand washing, Keef did BBQ chicken, bacon, egg and salad on the campsite gas barbeque up in the kitchens. We noticed it now gets dark at 8.15 p.m., still no lovely sunsets to photo though. The east coast of New Zealand is nicer than the west for beaches, apart from Napier and the Gisborne area. Monday March 4th 2013 Summary, Papamoa Beach to Manukau City. We left the campsite at 10 a.m. and drove to the mall at Manukau to look for a T-shirt for Doug. Sadly, we did not find anything at all suitable, so we drove on to the Top 10 site at Manukau City. Good job we had the Sat nav if not we would never have found it. Annie did some final hand washing after a late lunch. Decided we would pack our stuff in the Kiwi motel car park. Anne cleaned the inside of the motorhome. By 7pm the campsite was packed full as it is the nearest one to the Auckland airport. Tuesday March 5th 2013 Summary, Manukau City to Kiwi Motel Auckland. We had to hand back the motorhome by 2pm to Britz. We left the campsite at 10 a.m. and went to another shopping mall to look for a T-shirt for Doug. Had a look in Farmer’s a department store in the Westfield shopping centre in Manukau. We drove to the Kiwi motel at 12 noon but could not check in yet, so we packed up our belongings into our suitcases in the motorhome. We then checked into the motel and dropped our fully packed bags off into our room. We then drove the van to the motorhome depot to drop it off. The total mileage on the clock was now 250, 370 km. No damage to the van. We told the employee there about the squeaky brakes and a few other minor problems with the van, no doubt they would take no notice, however Keef managed to get 1 days compensation out of them, $180 was refunded, not bad really. We returned to the Kiwi motel, had a shower, and ate there in the evening. We had to complete the NZ census forms as visitors and handed them into the motel reception. Very tired went to bed as have to get up early tomorrow for flight to Australia. Miles driven in New Zealand. 250, 370 minus 246,253 kms equals 4,117 kms or 2, 559 Miles 🌏 Summary of “2013 Travelling North Island New Zealand by Motorhome” The page chronicles a month‑long motorhome journey across New Zealand’s North Island from 6 February to 5 March 2013, forming part of a wider long‑haul adventure through Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. It is presented as a rich blend of travel diary, campsite guide, photo archive, and personal storytelling—particularly meaningful because it includes the couple’s 35th wedding anniversary, celebrated in Tongariro National Park. The narrative begins with arrival in Auckland after long flights from Malaysia via Brisbane, complete with jet lag, a memorable lamb curry at the Kiwi Airport Motel, and even completing the New Zealand census as visitors. After collecting their Mercedes Sprinter motorhome, the couple heads north to Orewa, rekindling memories from their 2007–08 gap‑year trip. They join the Top 10 and Kiwi Holiday Parks networks, which become essential throughout the journey for affordable, reliable camping. The early days explore Northlands, including Orewa, Whangārei, Tutukaka, and the Bay of Islands. The diary captures everyday pleasures—steak and cheese pies, pohutukawa trees, beach strolls, chats with locals—and practicalities like buying a Wi‑Fi dongle and SIM card. Highlights include Whangārei Falls, the marina and town basin, the Kauri Clock Factory, and the scenic Tutukaka Coast. A mishap with a plastic step leads to a painful bruise, adding humour and realism to the account. From Russell, the couple travels to Kerikeri, where family history becomes central. They visit St James Church, the Stone Store, and the ruins of the Edmonds family homestead—significant because Annie’s ancestors were early settlers and stonemasons in the area. The journey continues to Cape Reinga, the spiritual northern tip of New Zealand, and along 90‑Mile Beach, where they witness a local driver’s car becoming stranded in the sand. Heading south, the route passes through Matakohe, Dargaville, and the Coromandel Peninsula, with its winding roads, kauri forests, and dramatic coastal scenery. Stops include Muriwai’s black‑sand beach, Coromandel Town, Matarangi, Whitianga, and the famous Hot Water Beach, where they dig their own thermal pool at sunset—one of the trip’s most joyful moments. The Bay of Plenty section features Papamoa Beach, Rotorua, Gisborne, and the iconic Hobbiton movie set at Matamata. Papamoa becomes a favourite campsite, praised for its long sandy beach, warm Pacific waters, and relaxed atmosphere. The Hobbiton tour is described in detail, from the Green Dragon pub to Bilbo’s house, offering behind‑the‑scenes insights into filming. The journey then moves inland to Hawke’s Bay, Napier, and Taupo. Napier’s Art Deco architecture, cruise‑ship crowds, and Scottish influences stand out, as do the region’s earthquakes—past and present. Taupo offers thermal pools, lake views, rose gardens, and a visit to Kinloch, where a swimmer is rescued by jet‑ski. The emotional centrepiece of the page is the Tongariro National Park section, where the couple celebrates their 35th wedding anniversary. They revisit the Station Restaurant at National Park Village, where they had celebrated their 30th anniversary with their children. The diary describes volcanoes, the Raurimu Spiral railway, Tawhai Falls (Gollum’s Pool), Whakapapa Village, and attempts at kiwi‑spotting by torchlight. The anniversary dinner—rack of lamb, beef strips, and banana‑macadamia spring rolls—is lovingly detailed, symbolising the trip’s personal significance. From Tongariro, the couple drives the Forgotten World Highway to the quirky Republic of Whangamomona, famous for electing animals as presidents and stamping visitors’ passports. This stretch features gravel roads, tunnels, abandoned farms, and dramatic volcanic landscapes. The final leg covers Taranaki, New Plymouth, Waitomo, and Hamilton. Highlights include the Te Rewa Rewa Bridge, Tupare Gardens, Mount Taranaki, the Waitomo glowworm region, and the Hamilton Gardens with their themed “paradise” sections. The journey ends with a return to Papamoa Beach for two final days of sun, surf, and sunsets before heading back to Auckland to return the motorhome. Across 2,559 miles, the page blends humour, history, scenery, and personal memories. It serves as both a practical guide for motorhomers and a heartfelt record of a couple revisiting beloved places, discovering new ones, and marking a milestone anniversary in the land they love. 13 NZ Coromandel 13 Bay of Plenty 13 Hawkes Bay 13 Tongariro 35th WA 13 Taranaki 13 Auckland 13 NZ NI Summary

Discover real motorhome travel across Australia and New Zealand with photos, diaries, routes and highlights from a 4½‑month adventure around the Southern Hemisphere. The Big Long Haul Trip with Friends 2017 Travel Blog 🗺️ HOLIDAY 2017 — FULL ROUTE MAP (JAN → JUN) All locations in strict chronological order. 🇸🇬 SEGMENT 1 — SINGAPORE (31 Jan → 3 Feb) Heathrow → Dubai → Singapore (Marine Terrace) East Coast Park Parkway Parade Science/Arts Museum (Future World) Marina Bay Sands Eurasian Community Restaurant Din Tai Fung Changi Airport → Perth 🇦🇺 SEGMENT 2 — WESTERN AUSTRALIA (4 Feb → 14 Feb) Perth & Swan River Perth CBD Elizabeth Quay Swan River Cruise → Fremantle Kings Park & Botanic Gardens Indian Ocean Drive → Coral Coast Perth → Ledge Point Pinnacles Desert Cervantes (Thirsty Point) Jurien Bay Geraldton Northampton Shark Bay & Monkey Mia Billabong Roadhouse Overlander Roadhouse Denham Monkey Mia (2 nights) Little Lagoon Shell Beach Carnarvon & Gascoyne Region Carnarvon (Space & Technology Museum) One Mile Jetty Gascoyne River Return South Carnarvon → Port Denison Port Denison → Northam Northam → Merredin 🇦🇺 SEGMENT 3 — SOUTH AUSTRALIA, NORTHERN TERRITORY & VICTORIA (1 Mar → 14 Mar) Adelaide → Alice Springs → Adelaide Adelaide → Alice Springs Desert Park Royal Flying Doctor Service Alice → Adelaide (Glenelg) Barossa Valley → Adelaide Hills Glenelg → Tanunda Wolf Blass Winery Angaston Mengler Hill Lookout Jacob’s Creek Bethany Hahndorf Fleurieu Peninsula → Coorong → Limestone Coast McLaren Vale (Hardy Winery) Meadows Strathalbyn Langhorne Creek Milang Wellington Ferry Meningie Kingston SE (Big Lobster) Robe Mount Gambier → Victoria Mount Gambier (Blue Lake, Sinkhole) Northumberland Point Portland Cape Bridgewater Port Fairy Warrnambool Great Ocean Road → Melbourne Bay of Islands Bay of Martyrs The Grotto Loch Ard Gorge Twelve Apostles Princetown Cape Otway Apollo Bay Kennett River (koalas) Lorne Winchelsea Geelong Mount Macedon Hanging Rock Coburg (Melbourne) Melbourne CBD, Yarra River, Cricket Ground 🇦🇺 → 🇳🇿 → 🇨🇰 SEGMENT 4 — NSW, TASMANIA, COOK ISLANDS, NEW ZEALAND (Mar → May) New South Wales (Sydney) Beacon Hill Wynyard → Central → Broadmeadow (Newcastle) Merryweather Heights Circular Quay → Manly Tasmania Sydney → Launceston Evandale Campbell Town Bicheno Swansea (base) 9 Mile Beach Spiky Bridge Spiky Beach Rocky Hill Lookout Freycinet National Park Tourville Lighthouse Coles Bay Triabunna Orford Raspins Spit Lake Leake Road Launceston → Sydney Cook Islands — Rarotonga Auckland → Rarotonga Titikaveka (Raina Beach House) Avarua Botanical Gardens Cultural Centre Arena New Zealand — North Island (May) Papamoa Beach Te Puke Whakatane Edgecumbe Lake Aniwhenua Murupara Broadlands Rotokawa Taupo Lake Taupo (free camp) Turangi Rangipo Desert Road Waiouru Ohakune Whakapapa Village Taihape Moawhango Ruahine Range Flaxmere Hastings (base) Te Mata Peak Ocean Beach Waimarama Bare Island Havelock North Kairakau Beach Waipukurau Porangahau Herbertville Wimbledon Ti Tree Point Weber Waione Pongaroa Alfredton Eketahuna Masterton Castlepoint Riversdale Beach Martinborough Lake Ferry Ngawi Featherston Tararua Range Wellington → Christchurch → Sydney → Singapore 🇸🇬 SEGMENT 5 — SINGAPORE & MALAYSIA (30 May → 14 Jun) Singapore (family stay) Desaru, Malaysia (weekend break) Return to Singapore End of trip SUMMARY Singapore Perth Ledge Point Geraldton Shark Bay Carnarvon Alice Springs Coober Pedy Flinders Ranges Adelaide Great Ocean Road Melbourne Sydney Hobart Cook Islands (Rarotonga) Auckland Queenstown Singapore Desaru Kuala Lumpur Singapore PLAY THE BIG TRIP HOLIDAY 2017, A TRAVEL BLOG WITH FRIENDS With our pals Chris & Allyson "If it moves snap it, if it doesn't.. snap it" 😉 OUR "THIRD HOLIDAY OF A LIFETIME" HELLINGER TRAVEL RECORDs for 2013, Replicated by TRAVEL BLOG 168 Travel Blog fun. The Big Trip: In 2017 we explored Singapore, Australia , the Cook Isles & New Zealand with our dear friends Chris & Allyson. At the end of the trip Annie & I spent time in Singapore / Malaysia with our family and Chris & Allyson visited Hong Kong. A lot of planning and pre booking went into this adventure to ensure we had a great time. We flew to Singapore for a stop over of 2 days to break the journey down under. We visited East Coast Park and the wonderful Quentin's restuarant. We arrived in Perth a bit jet lagged but excited and cruised the Swan river to Freo and had a fab day in the Botanic gardens in Kings Park. After a few nights we picked up our Britz motorhomes and after a quick swim off the Indian Ocean Drive we initially explored Monkey Mia (sadly no dolphins due to inclement weather) then onto the tropics of Western Australia Geraldton, Northampton (gallahs and Allyson fear of the clientele 😉 and a spin in Apollo 11 at Carnarvon before doing the loop thru the Wheatbelt and Wave Rock back to Perth via Albany. Esperance and Kalgoolie at this time were off limits due to some massive rains which washed out essential roads. We then took the luxurious Indian Pacific Railway to Adelaide across the Nullabor Plain. After that its was a quick flight to Alice Springs where we visited the fab Desert Park , ate Roo (Camel was off 😉 ) at the Red Ochre Cafe , avoided the cockroaches and pondered the insoluble Aboriginal problem. Then it was back to Adelaide to pick up another motorhome to explore some of South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) before ending in Sydney for time with families. K&A flew down to Launceston in Tassie to visit rellies before returning to Sydney. From here we touched down in Auckland briefly before spending a fab but somewhat wet and humid week of chillin' in the Cook Isles in the Pacific ocean on the main island of Rarotonga, snorkelling, BBQ-ing or whatever took our fancy, lager at the Rarotonga brewery. Mis planned lugagge allowances to Rarotonga meant a somewhat fraught early morning experience trying to retrieve K&As 3rd bag, but all OK in the end 😉. Then its was back to Auckland to pick up another pair of motorhomes to explore both North & South island of New Zealand, crossing between the two via the Interislander ferry. After much Boysenberry ice cream we returned to the UK via 2 weeks with family in Singapore and C&A 3 days in Hong Kong. Saw so much and had such a fun time shared with our pals. What an amazing journey - travel definately broadens the mind. Those lovely Quokkas NOTE: For the Big Trip All photos, videos and slideshow content on this site were taken by one of the 4 of us! A much more in depth appreciation of what we did and when can be gleaned from the diaries. I encourage you to use the dropdown menus to fully immerse yourselves in the Big Trip, we also have galleries by person as well as headlines by place visited whether country, island or state. HEADLINES < > 1/12 The Big Trip Overall GALLERY This Big Trip gallery covers Singapore, Australia (Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territories,Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania), The Cook Isles (Rarotonga), New Zealand (North & South Islands) & Malaysia (Desaru long weekend break with family) #TICK #TheBIGTRIP gallery of images for the Big Trip downunder 2017 created by KeefH Web Designs gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/41 Are you ready for the ultimate adventure with your friends? Picture this - cruising through the stunning landscapes of Australia and New Zealand, with your best buddies by your side, all packed in a comfortable motorhome. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, it doesn't have to stay as a dream - it can become a reality! Gather your pals and get ready to embark on the journey of a lifetime, exploring the incredible wonders of these two beautiful countries. The first step to planning this epic adventure is finding the perfect motorhome to accommodate your group. Thankfully, with the convenience of modern technology, your search has been made remarkably easy. Head over to https://www.holiday2017.co.uk/ and discover the motorhomes we hired, they may suit your needs and preferences. With different sizes and models available, you can select the ideal one that provides both comfort and space for everyone. Try folk like Transport Holdings Ltd, they run Apollo, Britz, Maui etc. Once you have secured your stylish motorhome, it's time to hit the road and enjoy the breathtaking landscapes of Australia. From the iconic Great Barrier Reef to the spectacular Uluru, this vast continent offers countless natural wonders to explore. Imagine waking up in the morning to the sound of waves crashing on the golden beaches of the Sunshine Coast or enjoying a sunset picnic overlooking the scenic Great Ocean Road. With a motorhome, you have the freedom to go wherever your heart desires, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the beauty of Australia. After you have thoroughly enjoyed the wonders of Australia, it's time to hop across the Tasman Sea and experience the awe-inspiring landscapes of New Zealand. From stunning mountains and fjords to picturesque lakes and vibrant cities, New Zealand has it all. Start your journey in the charming city of Auckland and make your way down to the adventure capital, Queenstown. Along the way, you'll encounter breathtaking sights such as the geothermal wonders of Rotorua, the majestic Milford Sound, and the stunning Franz Josef Glacier. With a motorhome, you can take your time, soak in the stunning views, and create memories to last a lifetime. One of the greatest joys of travelling with pals in a motorhome is the sense of camaraderie and freedom it offers. You get to bond over long drives, share laughter at roadside picnics, and experience the thrill of discovering hidden gems together. Plus, with the convenience of having your accommodation on wheels, there's no need to worry about booking hotels or constantly unpacking and repacking your belongings. You'll have everything you need right there with you, making every day of your journey stress-free and enjoyable. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your friends, visit our website of 3 decades of travel, and start planning your unforgettable adventure across Australia and New Zealand. Get ready to create memories, witness stunning sights, and experience the joy of travelling with your closest pals. This journey will undoubtedly be the highlight of your friendship, so don't miss out on this incredible opportunity. Start your engines and let the adventure begin! For more information contact us anytime at KeefH Web Designs , you may even want a travel blog like this to record those adventures, you take the picture and videos and we will do the rest for you, how's that? Long Haul Holiday Travel in 2017, 4.5 Months Away, 31st January to 14th June Covers travel guides to Singapore, Australia, Cook Islands, New Zealand & Malaysia. Read the Travel Blog Diaries, Look at the Travel Blog Slideshows, See the You Tube Videos, Use the 2013 CHOICES MENU to Explore, This is our 4th long haul trip taken in 2017 (Downunder) and hopefully not our last! All the usual travel blog information can be found here. The Big Trip GALLERIES by Person - ANNIE more images in a gallery created and uploaded by created by KeefH Web Designs gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/36 The Big Trip GALLERIES by Person - KEEF images featuring Keef uploaded and created by KeefH Web Designs gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/31 The Big Trip GALLERIES by Person - CHRIS images of Chris uploaded and created by KeefH Web Designs gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/21 The Big Trip GALLERIES by Person - ALLYSON images of Allyson uploaded and created by KeefH Web Designs gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/22 Your Choices Calendars Singapore Campsites Australia Distances Cook Isles Wildlife New Zealand Travel Route Malaysia

Practical tips for motorhoming across Europe and Scandinavia in 2016—routes, costs, campsites, planning advice and insights from months on the road. 2016 Travel Blog & Guide - Scandinavia 🗺️ SCANDINAVIA 2016 — MASTER ROUTE LIST Chronological - All locations extracted directly from Blog 100 motorhome travels 🇬🇧 UK → 🇳🇱 Netherlands 8 May – 11 May Harwich → Dovercourt (Green Acres) Harwich → Stena Britannica ferry → Hook of Holland (Europort) Zandvoort (De Branding campsite) – 2 nights Amsterdam (day trip) 11–13 May Zandvoort → Koudum (Vakantiepark De Kuilart) – 2 nights Koudum → Weidum (Wiedumerhout campsite) – 2 nights 🇳🇱 Netherlands → 🇩🇪 Germany 15–16 May Weidum → Wingst (Knaus Campingpark) Wingst → Wischhafen → Elbe ferry → Glückstadt Rendsburg → Sehestedt ferry → Schlei-Karschau (pitch 7) 🇩🇪 Germany → 🇩🇰 Denmark 17–19 May Schlei-Karschau → Flensburg → Mommark Marina Camping (pitch 63) – 2 nights Sonderby → Rømø → Havneby → Ribe → Esbjerg (2 nights) 21–23 May Esbjerg → Billund → Silkeborg → Viborg → Farsø Farsø → Limfjorden → Aalborg → Hirtshals → Skagen (pitch 76) 23–26 May Skagen → Randers → Aarhus → Jelling → Middelfart Middelfart → Odense → Svendborg → Tåsinge → Langeland (Emmerbølle Strand) – 2 nights Langeland → Sio → Tåsinge → Nyborg → Storebælt Bridge → Roskilde → Holbæk (2 nights) 28 May Holbæk → Helsingør → Kronborg → Fredensborg → Frederiksborg → Holbæk 🇩🇰 Denmark → 🇸🇪 Sweden 28–29 May Holbæk → Øresund Bridge → Malmö → Lund → Kristianstad → Åhus (campsite) 29–31 May Åhus → Karlshamn → Karlskrona → Kalmar → Öland Island Beijershamn Ottenby / Långe Jan lighthouse Mörbylånga (campsite) 30–31 May Mörbylånga → Borgholm → Solliden → Pataholm → Mönsterås (pitch 8) 31 May – 1 June Mönsterås → Oskarshamn → Västervik → Sandvik → Källvik → Valdemarsvik (fjord campsite) 1–2 June Valdemarsvik → Göta Canal (Norrköping) → Oxelösund (campsite) 🇸🇪 Sweden — Stockholm Region 2–5 June Oxelösund → Stockholm (Bredäng campsite) – 3 nights Gamla Stan Vasa Museum Harbour cruise ABBA Museum (outside) Hard Rock Café City sightseeing bus 5 June Stockholm → Kapellskär (campsite) 🇸🇪 Sweden → 🇫🇮 Finland (via Åland Islands) 6 June Kapellskär → Finnfellow ferry → Långnäs (Åland) → Naantali (Finland) Naantali campsite (sea views) 7–8 June Naantali → Hanko → Helsinki (Rastila campsite) – 2 nights Helsinki HOHO bus Market Square Cathedral Olympic Stadium Harbour Hard Rock Café 9–10 June Helsinki → Porvoo → Vaalimaa (Russian border) → Hamina (campsite) 10–11 June Hamina → Turku → Naantali (pitch 51) 11 June Naantali → Finneagle ferry → Kapellskär (pitch 16) 🇸🇪 Sweden — Northbound 12–14 June Kapellskär → Uppsala → Dragon Gate → Gävle → Rättvik → Mora → Orsa → Älvdalen (2 nights) 14 June Älvdalen → Nusnäs (Dala Horse factory) → Särna → Idre → Cross into Norway 🇳🇴 Norway — Fjords & Mountains 14–15 June Idre → Engerdal National Park → Hedmark (campsite) 15–16 June Hedmark → Hanestad → Tynset → Tolga → Os → Røros (UNESCO) 16–17 June Røros → Støren → Hell → Trondheim → Vikhammer → Flakk (campsite) 17–18 June Flakk → Halsa ferry → Kanestraum → Surnadal → Kristiansund (Byskogen campsite) 18–19 June Kristiansund → Molde → Vestnes → Stranda → Loen/Stryn (Lo-Vik campsite) 19–20 June Loen → Jostedalsbreen NP → Fjærland Glacier Centre → Sogndal (Kjørnes campsite) 20–21 June Sogndal → Mannheller ferry → Fodnes → Lærdal Tunnel → Aurlandsfjord → Nesbo Tunnel → Hovet (Hol) 21–22 June Hovet → Gol → Dokka → Lillehammer → Øyer → Hunderfossen (campsite) 22–24 June Hunderfossen → Oslo (Ekeberg campsite) – 2 nights Frogner Park Fram Museum Viking Ship Museum Royal Palace Harbour Karl Johans Gate 🇳🇴 Norway → 🇸🇪 Sweden → 🇩🇰 Denmark 24–25 June Oslo → Ski → Momarken → Ørje → Töcksfors → Årjäng (Midsummer festival) 25–26 June Årjäng → Trollhättan → Göta Canal → Stenungsund → Orust Island → Ellös (campsite) 26–27 June Ellös → Gothenburg → Varberg (campsite) 27–30 June Varberg → Helsingborg → Malmö → Copenhagen → Køge (Stevns campsite) – 3 nights Køge Rødvig Stege 🇩🇰 Denmark → 🇩🇪 Germany → 🇳🇱 Netherlands → 🇬🇧 UK 30 June – 1 July Køge → Farø Bridge → Guldborgsund → Lolland → Sakskøbing Rødby → Schleswig-Holstein ferry → Puttgarden Puttgarden → Plön (Plönsee campsite) 2–3 July Plön → Hamburg → Garlstorf (campsite) Garlstorf → Hemslingen → Bremen (campsite) 4–5 July Bremen → Osnabrück → Tubbergen (Netherlands) Tubbergen → Bilthoven → Utrecht (day trip) 6–7 July Bilthoven → Gouda → Delft → Delftse Hout campsite Delft → Hoek van Holland → Harwich (delayed ferry) Home (3 a.m., freezer disaster!) 16 Route Visuals SUMMARY United Kingdom – Essex – Harwich Netherlands – South Holland – Hook of Holland Netherlands – South Holland – Rotterdam Netherlands – North Holland – Zandvoort Netherlands – North Holland – Amsterdam Netherlands – Friesland – Koudum Netherlands – Friesland – Weidum Germany – Lower Saxony – Wingst Germany – Lower Saxony – Wischhafen Germany – Schleswig-Holstein – Glückstadt Germany – Schleswig-Holstein – Rendsburg Germany – Schleswig-Holstein – Schlei-Karschau Denmark – South Jutland – Flensburg Denmark – South Jutland – Mommark Denmark – South Jutland – Sønderby Denmark – South Jutland – Rømø Denmark – South Jutland – Ribe Denmark – South Jutland – Esbjerg Denmark – Central Jutland – Billund Denmark – Central Jutland – Silkeborg Denmark – Central Jutland – Viborg Denmark – North Jutland – Farsø Denmark – North Jutland – Limfjorden Denmark – North Jutland – Aalborg Denmark – North Jutland – Skagen Denmark – South Jutland – Jelling Denmark – Funen – Middelfart Denmark – Funen – Odense Denmark – Funen – Svendborg Denmark – Funen – Tåsinge Denmark – Funen – Langeland Denmark – Funen – Nyborg Denmark – Zealand – Roskilde Denmark – Zealand – Holbæk Denmark – Zealand – Helsingør Denmark – Zealand – Fredensborg Denmark – Zealand – Hillerød Sweden – Skåne – Malmö Sweden – Skåne – Lund Sweden – Skåne – Kristianstad Sweden – Skåne – Åhus Sweden – Blekinge – Karlshamn Sweden – Blekinge – Karlskrona Sweden – Småland – Kalmar Sweden – Öland – Beijershamn Sweden – Öland – Mörbylånga Sweden – Öland – Ottenby Lighthouse Sweden – Öland – Borgholm Sweden – Öland – Solliden Sweden – Småland – Pataholm Sweden – Småland – Mönsterås Sweden – Småland – Oskarshamn Sweden – Småland – Västervik Sweden – Östergötland – Valdemarsvik Sweden – Östergötland – Norrköping Sweden – Södermanland – Oxelösund Sweden – Stockholm County – Stockholm Sweden – Stockholm County – Kapellskär Åland Islands – Åland – Långnäs Finland – Southwest Finland – Naantali Finland – Uusimaa – Hanko Finland – Uusimaa – Helsinki Finland – Uusimaa – Porvoo Finland – Kymenlaakso – Hamina Finland – Southwest Finland – Turku Finland – Southwest Finland – Naantali (return) Sweden – Stockholm County – Kapellskär (return) Sweden – Uppsala County – Uppsala Sweden – Gävleborg – Gävle Sweden – Dalarna – Rättvik Sweden – Dalarna – Mora Sweden – Dalarna – Orsa Sweden – Dalarna – Älvdalen Sweden – Dalarna – Nusnäs Sweden – Dalarna – Särna Sweden – Dalarna – Idre Norway – Innlandet – Engerdal Norway – Innlandet – Hedmark region Norway – Trøndelag – Røros Norway – Trøndelag – Trondheim Norway – Møre og Romsdal – Kristiansund Norway – Møre og Romsdal – Molde Norway – Vestland – Stryn Norway – Vestland – Sogndal Norway – Viken – Hovet Norway – Innlandet – Lillehammer Norway – Oslo – Oslo Sweden – Värmland – Årjäng Sweden – Västra Götaland – Trollhättan Sweden – Västra Götaland – Göta Canal region Sweden – Västra Götaland – Orust Island Sweden – Västra Götaland – Ellös Sweden – Västra Götaland – Gothenburg Sweden – Halland – Varberg Denmark – Zealand – Copenhagen Denmark – Zealand – Køge Denmark – Zealand – Farø Bridge Denmark – Lolland – Rødby Germany – Schleswig-Holstein – Puttgarden Germany – Schleswig-Holstein – Plön Germany – Hamburg – Hamburg Germany – Lower Saxony – Garlstorf Germany – Bremen – Bremen Germany – Lower Saxony – Osnabrück Netherlands – Overijssel – Tubbergen Netherlands – Utrecht – Bilthoven Netherlands – Utrecht – Utrecht Netherlands – South Holland – Gouda Netherlands – South Holland – Delft United Kingdom – Essex – Harwich (return) Practical tips for motorhoming across Europe and Scandinavia in 2016—routes, costs, campsites, planning advice and insights from months on the road. 🗺️ Planning a European or Scandinavian motorhome trip? Our 2016 guide brings together real on‑the‑road experience: routes, costs, campsites, border tips, fuel insights and the little things that make long‑distance touring smoother. From Norway’s dramatic landscapes to Europe’s easy‑rolling highways, this guide captures what we learned over months on the move so you can plan with confidence. Camping with a view, Norway The write up is coming......

Explore Saskatchewan the fun way—big skies, bigger prairies and a motorhome that battled every gust of wind. This 2010 Saskatchewan travel guide follows KHWD across Regina, Saskatoon, Wanuskewin, Lake Diefenbaker and more, mixing diary notes, 79 photos, wildlife moments and classic road‑trip mishaps. Perfect for RV travellers, Canada‑trip planners and anyone chasing adventure across the Land of Living Skies. 2010 Saskatchewan Travel Guide & Blog SASKATCHEWAN - HOLIDAY in 2010 A Travel Blog Experience DIARY During 2010 we have now been from one side of Canada to the other in a motorhome, British Columbia to Labrador, we loved it, it is a fabulous country and quite an achievement with memories we shall treasure forever. For Saskatchewan the following were some of the highlights, Saskatchewan landing provincial park and camping there, a bit of a write up on this campsite we stayed at is, Straddling the South Saskatchewan River Valley at the west end of Lake Diefenbaker, the Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park celebrates the site of the first historic crossing on the South Saskatchewan River. A great area to be enjoyed by all ages, the park is popular for its fishing, sun-bathing, and hiking opportunities. This park features several interpretive trails and historic sites including the handsome Goodwin House, now home to the park’s visitor centre, main office and interpretive centre. The boat launch is located on the north side of the lake while the main beach area, located on the west side of the park, is a perfect place to enjoy a warm summer’s day. We remember with some fondness saskatoon, Regina, visiting the Royal Canadian Mounted Police - RCMP "Mounties" academy, chapel and museum in Regina (capital of Saskatchewan), Goodwin house, red river cart, the fantastically interesting wanuskewin heritage centre, and here are a few words about its heritage, and what it hopes to show, Wanuskewin Heritage Park sits above the Opimihaw Creek and the South Saskatchewan River near Saskatoon – a window into a part of Canada’s history that remains largely undiscovered, and a link to our past unlike any other National Historic Site in Canada. Wanuskewin’ s uniqueness is not just the fact that there exists evidence of ancient peoples, but rather the composition of many different aspects of habitation, hunting and gathering, and spirituality – all in one place. The Wanuskewin area contains some of the most exciting archaeological finds in North America, many of which pre-date the pyramids of Egypt. To date, 19 Pre-Contact archaeological dig sites have been identified on the terraces and point bars in the Opimihaw Creek valley bottom or coulee depressions along the valley wall of the South Saskatchewan River. As soon as the Opimihaw Creek valley became available for human occupation 6,000 years ago, virtually every Pre-Contact cultural group recognized across the Great Plains visited this location. The result is a remarkably complete and intact record of cultural development in the region over that time span. The archaeological resources of Wanuskewin are exceptional and among the finest examples of Pre-Contact occupation of the Great Plains of North America. Indigenous peoples of the Northern Plains came to the Opimihaw Creek area year-after-year, following the bison and range animals who provided sustenance, and gathering plants of the prairies. Their way of life evolved to suit their unique environment. Wanuskewin today gives us the opportunity to delve into the past and discover what life was like for these nomadic hunter-gatherer peoples. The theme of Wanuskewin Heritage Park is one of interpretation – exploring and explaining the meaning of Plains cultures to gain a better understanding of ourselves, Saskatchewan’s Indigenous peoples, and our common heritage. Saskatchewan, Canada, Travel Guide for Motorhomers keef with the mountie bear annie with the mountie bear 1/40 Other things we remember in no order are, it is called the land of living skies and we can see why, the old colonial government house in Regina, swift current battle field, wheat and barley fields and grain stores everywhere, Lake Diefenbaker and memories of that TV show from our childhood, cranberries growing in fields, Shaw street marching, bison heads, railways and cedar clad out buildings, there is just so much local wood in Canada via its massive forests that you would expect houses, apart from the risk of fire, to be built with wood, they often are, north exhibition artwork, which was just so brilliant, chief sitting bull, the wheat belt town of Kyle across the windy plains, the Hudson bay company heritage in Regina, fort Ellice on the elbow trail, and a whole lot more, maybe have a look at the slideshows and images on the website to accompany these fine words, thanks Enjoy Saskatchewan , we certainly did 2010 5 Days in Saskatchewan, Canada between 29th May and 2nd June INCLUDES 79 PHOTOS 5 Days in Saskatchewan, Canada - 29th May-2nd June 2010, 79 Photos, the summary slideshow is selective, amongst others we covered saskatchewan landing, saskatoon, regina, visiting the Royal Canadian Mounted Police - RCMP "mounties" academy and heritage centre, chapel and museum in regina , goodwin house, red river cart, wanuskewin heritage centre, heritage, prairies, railways, swift current, elbow, lake diefenbaker, davidson, moose jaw, First nations including cree, matis, lakota tribes, hudson bay company, meewasin park in saskatoon plus we saw bears and we have now been right across canada in a motorhome and we loved it #FACT The wind on the Prairies and having to take the van back into the Canadreams depot in Regina to get the steering sorted, as a new van it was incredibly dangerous to drive in high winds with it badly attuned, they agreed and fixed it thank god, then we had no further problems, rf prairies, railways, swift current, elbow, Davidson, First nations including Cree, matis, Lakota tribes, Hudson bay company, meewasin park plus we saw bears and moose.

A real 2013 travel diary across Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia and Singapore. Photos, stories and motorhome adventures from a once‑in‑a‑lifetime trip done 3 times. 2103 Australia Motorhome Travel Road Trip with Diaries, Hints and Photography PLAY Australia 2013 All States & Territories except Queensland, Northern & Australian Capital one visit 6th March to 6 April, 32 days in total We returned to the wonderful world that is Oz both for the 4th time, once in our youth when we lived there, Sydney & Melbourne respectively and then 3 times together as a full family in 1995 with Craig & Doug then on our own after retirement in 2008 and now in 2013. Australia is such an awe-inspirring place of extremes and vastness. We wanted to experience and see things (mostly) that we haven't done before this time. But we loved spending time with family and friends in Sydney & Tassie as well. Much love to you all , you know who you are and thanks for looking after us so well. We HEART Bondi (obviously not the American one #haha) *smile*. On my bucket list was travelling across the Nullarbor, this was a true epic journey similar to travelling on the Ghan from Darwin to Alice in 2008. NOTE as this was updated in 2020 we have also been again in 2017. Anyhow take a look at our treasured memories via Anne's dairy and our pictures. We joined the BIG 4 campsites whilst in Australia which certainly saved us money on our overnight camping. We also signed up with Top Tourists Parks (by 2022 they have been renamed G'Day Parks) Just a couple of tips for fellow motor homers. HIGHLIGHTS:- Sydney, Tasmania - friends & rellies Coastal walk - Vaucluse to Watson's Bay Bruny Island Adelaide shores Outback Australia & Coober Pedy Opals Cromer stay and North Shore beaches, plus coastal salt water pools Port Lincoln & Coffin Bay Nat Park Crossing the Nullarbor, Ceduna to Norseman (1194 kms / 742 miles in total on the crossing - 3 days) Esperance and the fab Great Ocean Drive Peel Zoo, Pinjarra Indian Ocean Drive Geraldton & Picnic on Port Denison shores Driving in our hired Britz van 3810 miles & seeing "loads" LOWLIGHTS:- Slow puncture via cracked wheel rim crossing Nullabor Having to pay my $120Nz fine picked up near Ahipara, Northlands, NZ which Craig emailed onto us from back in the UK, boo! Australia finally crossing the Nullarbor Plain in a Motorhome, 745 miles Read the Travel Blog Diaries, Look at the Travel Blog Slideshows, See the You Tube Videos, Use the 2013 CHOICES MENU to Explore, 3 Days at a Time (mostly) Have Fun, This travel blog is referenced as our 3rd Holiday of a Lifetime to cover our trips in 2007/8 (Downunder) & 2010 (Across Canada), we have since had a 4th in 2017 (Downunder) All the usual travel blog information can be found here. and for Australia it is broken down into visiting New South Wales, Tasmania, flying to South Australia, then Coffin Bay (magical) and across the Nullarbor, Ceduna to Norseman, up to Geralton and eventually flying onto family in Singapore from Perth. Bucket List Stuff - Crossing the Nullarbor in a Motorhome AUSTRALIA, Vaucluse area of Sydney, New South Wales,6-8 Mar 2013 Arriving in Sydney, Staying with Family, Vaucluse area exploration, Australia, Arriving Sydney from Nz 6-8 mar 2013, arrive from Auckland into Sydney, Family collected us, covering amongst others 110 selective slideshow images, expensive Kiwi speeding fine from Ahipara oh dear!, watson’s bay, Doyles on the beach, fish and chips, posh restaurant, kookaburra, riley, hannah and david-such hospitality, vaucluse and Vaucluse House, gap bluff & jacobs ladder lookout, banksias, bottlebrush, harbour ferry, darling harbour, diamond bay, south shore road, signal hill reserve, dog walking, lorikeets, Sydney opera house UNESCO World Heritage site, Jorn Utzon, shark bay beach, parsley bay, Sydney harbour bridge, nielsen’s reserve NSW national park, lots of walking in the sun, ice cream, boardwalks, clarke reserve, south head signal station, fisherman's wharf, manly crossing, Robertson's park, circular quay, garden island, cruise liner, queen mary 2, water taxi, ferries, campbell parade, bondi beach, water dragons, shark beach, jet cat from Watson's Bay. We were previously in this area in 1995, 2007 and then again in 2017. riley takes keef for a walk queen mary 2 , tug and sydney harbour bridge 1/55 Wednesday March 6th 2013 Summary, Flew into Sydney from Auckland, New Zealand. NZ is 2 hours ahead of Australia. Got up at 5 a.m. Kiwi time and got motel shuttle bus to Auckland airport. Our flight to Sydney left at 8.45 a.m. 10 minutes late but not bad, the usual airport runway congestion. We flew with QUANTAS, it was a good flight as nice views as we flew into Botany Bay. We arrived 9.30 a.m. Australian time, the flight time was 2 ¾ hours, it should have been 3 ½ hours but the tailwind sped our journey in the skies. We waited at the airport for Hannah & David to pick us up at lunchtime as they were both at work. No real hassle to us, we read our books and chatted about the fab time we had just had in Kiwi land. When we met up they drove us back to their apartment in Vaucluse in their car which was very kind of them. They have a lovely flat and Riley their schnauzer doggie is gorgeous. He is a quiet dog, laid back but friendly with silky ears and brown eyes. Hannah and David returned to work, and we unpacked and took Riley out for a short walk. It was very hot and sunny, and he only wanted to stay in the shade, so we brought him back and walked to Coles and got some wine for the BBQ tonight. We had showers and got changed ready for the BBQ Laura Langthorne came over to join us, H, D & L were friends having met on various travels earlier on the way out to Australia. A huge coincidence for us. But a lovely one. A very nice evening and lovely to see family and friends again. We went to bed at 11 p.m. very tired understandable. Thursday March 7th 2013 Summary, Sydney 29 degrees Fahrenheit. Up at 8 a.m. Annie did some handwashing, Keef checked emails etc. We were notified by the Kiwi motorhome company that we had got a NZ speeding fine for NZ$120 and the company added on a further $35 admin charge, not good news. Later found out it was for driving too fast past a school area in Ahipara, bad boy Keef, think it was when we parked up to relook at 90-mile beach. We had breakfast then walked along the coastal path to Watson’s Bay. Hot day and very blue skies. It was a nice walk and we saw the lovely homes in Vaucluse and Watson’s Bay. We had cobs (bread rolls) for lunch near Doyle’s restaurant at Watson’s Bay. We bought tickets for the jet cat ferry to Circular Quay $5 each. It was a long wait as they closed for lunch for one hour, we hadn’t realised this when we purchased the tickets. When we finally got going it was bliss, such lovely views in the harbour. The Queen Mary two cruise ship was moored at Circular Quay. Sydney centre was very busy. There was the same Aboriginal family as we saw in 2008 at Circular Quay playing didgeridoo etc. We had a chocolate milkshake as it was very hot. We called in at the tourist information centre to get a city centre map and sort out various bus routes. We got the bus back to Vaucluse before the main commuters had left work, a very wise move as Sydney is a very busy place and more specially so during rush hour. We had bath / shower and Hannah & David returned from work around 7 p.m. David cooked home made pasta which was lovely and very tasty. We all did a Skype with Brian & Gina around 9.30 p.m. They had enjoyed their remaining holiday in Borneo. Nice to see and talk to them again. Friday March 8th 2013 Summary, Sydney David very kindly lent us his car and we drove to Vaucluse house in Vaucluse, the Sydney suburb they live in. This was an early settler’s house owned by William C Wentworth, his wife and 10 children. He was an explorer in the Blue Mountains as well as a lawyer and businessman in the colony. We had a guided tour around the house which was very interesting. We then drove to Parsley Bay which has a netted beach to protect against shark attack and had lunch there. We paddled for a bit in the bay to cool off then drove onto Shark Bay which has a much better beach with great sand and was also netted. We sawm in that netted area so we can say we have both swam in Sydney harbour and very cooling it was too. A very hot day once again. It was lovely to see the yachts and ferries in the harbour. We then returned to Vaucluse and did some shopping at Coles to cook Hannah & David a meal. They got home at 6.30 p.m. Keef cooked lamb, kumara chips and sweetcorn (a true kiwi dinner for Aussies ha-ha). Anne did strawberries, cream and melon slices for pudding. We watched the Hunger games movie on TV, David has a huge Plex library. It was good. AUSTRALIA, Tasmania, 15-17 Mar 2013 North Shores Beaches & Flight Down to Family in Tasmania, Australia, North shore beaches & onto Tasmania 15-17 mar 2013 collaroy, curl curl, hobart, Mackay Cyclone remains affecting North Shore, covering amongst others 70 selective slideshow images, dee why, beaches galore, salt water pools, narabeen beach and lakes, family, Cromer goodbye and farewell poopie the dog, Kingsford Smith Mascot Sydney airport, flight to tasmania, Jet Star internal flights, family, apple juice, ss carnival in port, huon valley, roses, stanley and florence twight reserve, long reef, aquatic reserve, ranelagh, maple tree cottage, north huon road, chicken coop, river derwent, mount nelson, lookout, kunanyi , derwent estuary, richmond heritage town and bridge, Sorell, howrah, hobart harbour, signal hill, truganini reserve, mount wellington, bicentennial park, mount stuart lookout, tasman bridge, sandy bay, wrest point, sleeping maiden range We were previously in this area in 1995, 2007 and then again in 2017. a stroll around sandy bay john, keef & diana mt nelson signal hill 1/36 Friday March 15th 2013 Summary, Sydney Woke up to rain! First real rain we have had on this trip and especially in Australia. Keef checked emails and sent messages and did some photo processing / saving. Anne did laundry and a big pile of ironing. The rain stopped, we had a late lunch and then drove to Collaroy beach, which has quite coarse sand. Amazingly big waves here, lots of surfers, we sat and watched them from the Stanley and Florence Twight reserve or park in English (lovely name for some now long-gone locals). Some of what the surfers were doing looked very difficult. We then drove to Dee Why beach and visited quite a few smaller beaches in between. We parked the car at Dee Why for free which was quite a novelty , nearly everywhere else in Sydney we have had to pay. New Zealand is the complete opposite so we had been used to bowling up to beauty spots for free. At Dee Why we walked to the sea water swimming pool by the beach. The waves here were huge crashing into rocks and over into the seawater pool. It looked very stormy but did not rain. The weather currently was the edge of the cyclone that had hit Mackay in Queensland. It was what was causing such huge waves. Perfect for the huge number of surfers as Dee Why. We then drove to Curl Curl beach, which had lovely architect designed individual houses all with fabulous sea views. We could even see Narabeen lakes from the hill tops overlooking Curl Curl beach. We then returned to the cottage and packed our bags ready for our early flight to Hobart, Tasmania the next morning. In the evening we watched a Bruce Willis film about an African rebel army attacking nuns and local people whom BW had to rescue, a bit gory and not very good, really can’t remember what it was called as totally unmemorable. Saturday March 16th 2013 Summary, Sydney to Hobart, Tasmania. Got up at 5.30 a.m. and left for the airport to get the jet star flight to Hobart at 11.30 a.m. We handed back the hire car at the Kingsford Smith (Mascot) Sydney airport. It was about 42 minutes driving via Warringah Road, and you had to be there 3 hours earlier, who knows why hence such an early start which seemed strange for what in the end was only a 90-minute flight down to Hobart. Jet star had very cramped seats, no food and you even had to pay for water. Not sure how much we like these budget airlines, but I guess you get what you pay for. Anne had security check for explosives, see looked dodgy ha-ha. At Hobart airport it was pouring with rain. John Terry met us at the airport, it all felt about the same size as Jersey airport, very small and only 1 luggage carousel. John kindly drove us back to his and Diana’s house in Ranelagh, outside Hobart in the Huon valley. We all had afternoon tea and hot cross buns, and afterwards we unpacked our bags. We had a lovely roast lamb dinner in the evening. John and Diana have sold their house to some people from Victoria and must move out by the end of April. At the time they believed they were going abroad to live near Diana’s son Steven and his family in Denver, Colorado in the USA. Time subsequently changed their plans and they moved to Swansea, south of Launceston in Tasmania. They also hoped to return briefly to the UK to visit her daughter and grandchildren as well as other family and friends, they would always be welcome at our house. Subsequently that plan didn’t mature, they did come to us in Derbyshire however back in 2001. Sunday March 17th 2013 Summary, Ranelagh, Tasmania. We had a cooked breakfast and then drove in John & Diana’s car to Richmond, a historical town with then allegedly oldest bridge in Australia. Many of the houses and buildings were built by convicts. The town was very busy and hard to park in, so we drove through looking at stuff on the way up to the bridge. We then drove onto Sorell. We then returned to Hobart and went to the Mount Nelson signal point lookout which we had been to before back in 2008. There you get fabulous views of Hobart, the Derwent valley, and the River Derwent. There was a cruise ship , the SS Carnival, sailing in at the time we were at the lookout. We had a coffee there and then drove to Sandy Bay and walked along the river estuary which had very clear water, it turned very sunny and hot. John then drove us back to their house. He did a very nice Thai green curry in the evening. AUSTRALIA, Coffin Bay National Park, South Australia,24-26 Mar 2013 Coober Pedy, Port Augusta, Coffin Bay National Park (NP), Dolphins & Elliston, Australia, Port Augusta to Elliston 24-26 mar 2013, port lincoln, coffin bay NP, Sir Isaac Coffin Navy Admiral, elliston, bush tortoise, blue tongued skink, covering amongst others 134 selective slideshow images, coober pedy to port augusta 335 miles, almonta beach and bay, yangie bay, Golden Island, avoid bay, Port Lincoln, birdlife, particularly Osprey, eagles, foxes, dolphins, marinas, reefs, franklin harbour, golden island, cowell, gums, road trains, left coober at sunrise, long journey, 6 hours back to port augusta, lake eyre, salt lakes, lake gardiner, Stuart explorer highway, arid lands botanic gardens, aussie humour re shark fin, 144 stuart highway, tracks, spencer gulf, whyalla, port bonython, franklin heritage hotel, mount dutton, iron baron, arno bay, tumby bay, Top Tourist campsites, Our Britz motorhome slow puncture, turned out to be cracked rim, great australian bight, , dolphin pod 40 strong magical, boston bay, south shields, BIG 4 campsites. We were previously in this area in 1995, 2007 and then again in 2017. 24 mar 13 port aususta campsite dolphins surfing 1/67 Sunday March 24th 2013 Summary, Coober Pedy back to Port Augusta Got up at 5.45 a.m. to set off at 7.25 a.m. when it was dawn’s first light to return down the Stuart Highway to Port Augusta, 335 miles in total. We stopped for rest breaks and lunch on the return journey, and it started to get really hot around 11 a.m. We took photos of many eagles and we saw another fox. We arrived at Port Augusta at 1.20 a.m. and the total return took us 6 hours travel. We visited the Arid Lands Botanic Gardens on the way back which was just outside Port Augusta. Went to the Tourist Info Centre for leaflets and bought souvenirs, we then returned to the same Big 4 campsite we had stayed at before in Port Augusta, it was a lovely site with fab gum trees all around and a reasonably arid landscape. It cost $36 a night to stay there. Annie did the clothes washing and then we both went swimming in the campsite pool, it was very cold water at 17 degrees centigrade, so it immediately cooled us down, yippee, needed that. We then read our e-books (kindles) and relaxed and had obligatory ice-creams, well someone has got to do it, tee hee. Flies are very persistent anywhere in South Australia apart from big towns. They crawl up your nose, around your eyes etc. ugh!!! Monday March 25th 2013 Summary, Port Augusta to Port Lincoln We set off from the campsite at 9.45 a.m. and got diesel. We stopped at Whyalla, a steel and mining town, industrial and if we are honest and not that interesting apart from the steel ship and cuttlefish craig. The town is on the spencer gulf on the right-hand side of the Eyre peninsular. We saw the harbour and lots of washed-up sea grass on the beach, which disappointingly looked messy. As we left the town, we got stuck behind an oversized vehicle convoy, a huge mining digger (bit like we had seen at the Kalgoorlie Super pit in Western Australia back in 2008). It took up 2 road lanes and was impossible to overtake. Eventually it turned off to Kimba, there were then 2 more travelling in the opposite direction that moved equally slowly, maybe these things should be moved at night. We saw a huge iron ore mine in the bush a way off the road. This may have been at Iron Baron township. We stopped at Cowell, Arno Bay and Tumby Bay, all are little fishing harbours and very pleasant and interesting. This coast produces fish and shellfish to provide about 85% of South Australia’s needs. Some oysters are shipped to Melbourne, Victoria. Late in the afternoon we arrived at Port Lincoln, once again termed as a city but to us just a large town. A coastal port with a long jetty and grain stores for cargo ships. The town looked busy and very prosperous with lots of shops. We went to the Top Tourist campsite which cost $31.50 for the night. It had lovely views of Boston Bay. Our pitch was level but on concrete, no swimming pool but great showers. Keef used the barbeque on the van, a pull out at the rear that joined up with the gas tank, such a great idea, do wish this was possible on our van at home. He cooked veal escalope, salad and garlic bread, mouth watering and all washed down with affine wine outside. Whilst eating our meal we watched the many rosellas and lorikeets chattering in the eucalyptus trees. Plus, lovely views of the sea, Boston Bay is 3 times the size of Sydney Harbour which is saying something. We sorted out our finances online, emails and Keef paid his New Zealand speeding fine online, $120 kiwi money. Tuesday March 26th 2013 Summary, Port Lincoln to Elliston plus highlight visiting Coffin Bay National Park. We had boiled eggs and toast for breakfast, lovely views of the sea but very windy this morning. We set off at 10.30 a.m. back into Port Lincoln town, got groceries and a 10-litre container of water from Coles, fuel and Annie posted postcards to friends and family in the post office there. We then headed off to Coffin Bay National Park which cost $10 fee only to get into the park. There was 22 kilometers of sealed road along shrub bush and coastline. Fantastic scenery and views, a very hot day again. The sea looked perfectly turquoise, and the sand dunes stretched for miles. There were supposed to be grey kangaroos, emus and reptiles in the park, but we only saw two dead emus by the roadside. From a lookout point on the cliffs, we saw Golden Island and Almonta beach. Here we saw a pod of dolphins, about 50 of them in the bay from the cliffs. Just magnificent. They were having great fun chirping and playing in the gentle waves and brilliant blue sunshine. We also visited Yangie Bay by road, but it was a bit sandy and muddy on the road, so we didn’t stay long. We were very impressed by the National Park, a real highlight. We then left the park and travelled to the town of Coffin Bay, named after Isaac Coffin a sailor in the Royal Navy who eventually became a British Admiral of the Navy. We had a snack lunch there sitting outside a general store. It was very hot and windy. We then drove to Elliston along the highway which was deserted for long distances on it. It was mostly farming area but as usual the grass was dried up because of the lack of rain. We saw a bush tortoise by the edge of the road and a blue tongued skink slowly crossing the road on its very short legs. Keef straddled him luckily. We arrived at the Elliston Caravan Park at about 5 p.m. and immediately after setting up, electrics etc., went in the campsite swimming pool, cold water but wonderful after such a hot day. We both had showers and Keef again used the van attached BBQ to cook chicken parmigiana. The campsite was mainly Aussie campers and fishermen in caravans rather than motorhomes. There were so many mosquitos that we ate in the van. AUSTRALIA, Geraldton, Western Australia, 2-4 Apr 2013 AUSTRALIA, Geraldton, Western Australia, 2-4 Apr 2013, Australia, Albany to Geraldton, 2-4 apr 2013, albany, bunbury, ledge point and fab Big 4 site there, geraldton, perth, jurien bay, covering amongst others 150 selective slideshow images, getting the tyre / cracked rim fixed in perth, pinjarra, lancelin, big 4 campsites, snakes including carpet, black and brown ones, cervantes, coral coast, animals galore, possum, birds, koalas, dingos, koombana bay and the dolphin discovery centre, the Indian Ocean, relaxing in koombara pool, kangaroos, dolphin boat tours, never saw one despite trying, blackwood river & park, bridgetown, indian ocean drive, state highway 60, jurien bay, pinnacles national park, desert, lorikeets, parrots, sunsets, inland waters, manta ray, dolphin discovery centre, dunes, sunsets, tasmanian devils, rusty the koala, 10 interesting facts about Koalas, photoshoots, the wedge, warrengaren nature reserve, bunbury wildlife park, collie river, patrick joseph usher obe, mayor of bunbury, places to shop, coles, woolies, iga, bottlenose dolphins, evening swim, Peel Zoo at Pinjarra, ibis, gouldian finch, red rumped parakeet, golden pheasant, eclectus parrots, lovebirds, annie in the feeding pen (smile), white cockatoo, peacock, owls, potoroo, skink, wedge island, whitlock island. We were previously in this area in 1995, 2007 and then again in 2017. cervantes pier down to jurien bay 1/75 1/15 Tuesday April 2nd 2013 Summary, Albany to Bunbury. Fixing the cracked rim on the Motorhome at Britz Perth, it should never have been let out of Adelaide like this, especially as crossing the Nullarbor, Grrrr Britz!!! Posted off postcard to Doug & Phoenix at the Albany post office, with a picture of the Nullarbor Plain on it. We also called in at the Telstra office to get our pay as you go internet service extended, it cost $30. We then rang Britz in Perth as Easter over re the tyre problem. Left Albany early and called in at the petrol station for air for the tyre and a fuel fill up. We then drove through farmland, bush land, cows, sheep, plus some grass that finally looked green and water still in puddles on the ground from recent rain. Australia is moving towards Autumn. Sadly, didn’t see any wildlife along the route but you can rest assured we were looking for kangaroos, wombats, and dingoes. Stopped for lunch by the Blackwood River and park at Bridgetown. Nice area tranquil with good scenery. The river was an olive green colour and flowed quite slowly. Arrived in Bunbury, a large town to us but in Australian terms it is a city. Went to the tourist info situated in the old railway station, quite quirky, we loved it. The lady there was very helpful about the dolphins in the bay and Peel Zoo at Pinjarra, further up from Bunbury as they had koalas there. We then drove to Koombana Bay, the local beach and had a walk along the lovely soft sand there, bare footed of course. The sea and skies were just so blue with bright sunshine. So love the Indian Ocean, it was very hot today. We checked into the Big 4 campsite across the highway from Koombana bay, a lovely modern campsite with great facilities, tennis and basketball courts, swimming pool, jacuzzi. We had a quick swim before it got dark at 6.30 p.m. It cost $35.10 to stay there, well worth it. Had showers after the swim and Keef cooked a lovely steak on the BBQ attached to the side of the motorhome, we had it with salad and garlic bread and a jacket potato done in the microwave. We watched telly, the Australian version of Who do you think you are, it featured Aussie comedian Adam Hills who at the time we had no idea who he was, now in 2022 he is on UK telly often and despite his family being back in Melbourne lives a lot of the time in England as he is the main presenter of the last leg, a UK comedy programme born out of the 2012 Paralympic games and it champions disability awareness, Adam and one other presenter are disabled. Aussie programme is on both SBS1 & 2 at 7.30 p.m. on a Tuesday each week, wish we had known sooner, it is a genealogy programme we like back in the UK. Wednesday April 3rd 2013 Summary, Koombana Bay, Bunbury to Ledge Point, 90 minutes north of Perth. 32 degrees centigrade today and very hot. We got up at 7 a.m. the tyre was very deflated; we are quite worried. There were speed humps on the campsite which made in doubly difficult getting out, it was almost down to the rim. Drove back into town gingerly to find a garage to put air in the tyre. We then headed back to Koombana bay by 8.15 a.m. to look for dolphins as they allegedly came into the bay in the morning. We had been to the Dolphin Discovery centre yesterday which is where we got the tip. The girls aid they usually arrive about 8 a.m. We saw nothing. We know she was lying as trying to get us on the tourist boat trip which cost $185 each for a half day trip, a lot of money. She offered a reduction down to $149 but we politely declined. This was a con as from past experience and this we knew the dolphins were not often in the Bay but much further out. Annie, Chris, and Allyson did see one from the jetty to the left in 2017. We then set off for Pinjarra and Peel Zoo, it is north of Bunbury. This was a small independently run zoo with lots of Australian animals and birds. A truly wonderful experience can’t recommend them highly enough. We loved the parrots and hand fed the grey kangaroos and one of them had a joey in her pouch. We also hand fed goats, deer, and llamas. Annie got mobbed as she held the food bag. A deer tried to knock it out of her hand. The we saw Rusty the Koala and we had pictures taken with him on a branch. The zoo charged $5 for the privilege, well worth it. By 2022 Koalas have been declared endangered, would be horrid if they die out especially as when we were on Kangaroo Island in 2008, they culled 30,000 of them saying they were a farming pest. Sadly, they are tied to the type of eucalyptus trees in their area and cannot be repatriated, or so they say, not sure how this stacks up with zoos around the world. Rusty was very sleepy; they sleep about 20 hours a day. We then walked through the bird aviary and hand fed with supplied apple pieces rosellas, lorikeets, and many other native Australian birds. It was just so memorable, they were on our heads, hands, and shoulders, not shy at all and obviously hungry, ha-ha. There were so many beautiful coloured birds. We also saw dingoes, emus, Tasmanian devils, pythons, and wallabies. We really enjoyed Peel Zoo, it was fantastic. We then drove on to the Britz tyre repair department near Perth airport. It took 1 hour to fix. Conclusion it was a cracked rim. Thank goodness it is fixed, a huge weight off our minds, it could have been a whole lot worse. We then headed north and arrived at the Big 4 campsite at Ledge Point off the Indian Ocean at 6 p.m. Had a quick swim in the pool which was relaxing after such a hot day, by now it was already getting dark. Thursday April 4th 2013 Summary, Ledge Point to Geraldton. 35 degrees centigrade today and very hot. The Big 4 campsite at Ledge Point was excellent with very modern facilities, a spacious pitch with grass, not sand or grit and a pool, gets our vote. So much so we returned in 2017. Headed north to Geraldton and called in at a few small holiday / fishing towns on route off the Indian Ocean drive, such as Lancelin, Cervantes, Jurien Bay and Dongara. We visited the Pinnacles National Park off the fab Indian Ocean drive near Cervantes. It cost $11 to get in, although you can drive your vehicle around the one-way sand road we decided not to and parked the motorhome in the car park and walked to the desert through the shrub land on a board walk to the start of the pinnacles. They are limestone pillars on a sandy terrain, hundreds of them, the remains of erosion of what was once the ocean floor. It was very hot, Keef took lots of pictures. We did not see any animals around the pinnacles and we did walk around quite a bit across the park, but just too hot so we returned to the cooler visitors centre which was both interesting and informative. We then drove on and saw a whole emu family down a side road. There were lots of huge sand dunes along the road and occasional glimpses of the Indian Ocean. We had lunch in Jurien Bay. A small fishing town, our fish and chips bought there were exquisite the fish being so fresh. We later joined the main state highway to Geraldton. Highway 1. We arrived at the Big 4 campsite which is about 6 kilometers north of Geraldton on the coast. Annie did some laundry and then we went for a walk on the beach at 5.45 p.m. The tide was coming in and we saw both beach runners and a man beach fishing we watched him cast into the twilight. There was a lovely sunset at 6.30 p.m. AUSTRALIA, New South Wales,9-11Mar 2013, Sydney Area Around Sydney area, Budderoo NP, Kangaroo Valley then on to Cromer, Australia, Sydney area 9-11 mar 2013 Around Sydney with Family then on to Cromer, stayed at place with a pool and the fab poopie the dog, a Labrador, very friendly but hadn't learnt yet how to clean up after himself 😉 This page covering amongst others 110 selective slideshow images, homemade Bondi Banana bread, the rocks, masks, sydney centre, darling harbour, rose bay, double bay, ferries, jet cats, spray can artist and the picture we bought, kangaroo valley, sea cliff bridge, holden hire car, bondi junction, bondi bay, beach, sunsets, bald hill, oxford lookout, military road reserve, street musicians, friends, family, our spray can art work bought, Cromer cottage hire, Minnimurra falls which now I have read Annie's Mum's diary from 1970 they visited as a family on a long Labor Day weekend camping at Kiama, the Minnimurra rainforest centre, southern highlands, camp cove, woolongong, lyre birds, Eastern water dragon, Kiama, princes highway, deer at night - very scary but great driving by David, Flat white coffee and Hyde Park, aussie humour, opera house, lyne park rose bay, bay street double bay, coal cliff, grand pacific drive, Dharawal National Park, fishing, budderoo national park, cromer, goldie (poopie) the labrador, 155 willandra rd stay, private pool. We were previously in this area in 1995, 2007 and then again in 2017. Look for the links to those sites at the bottom of this page, thanks webber bbqs are the bees knees, want one woolongong from jamberoo lookout, budderoo NP 1/50 Saturday March 9th 2013 Summary, Sydney Saw Hannah and David’s wedding photos, and we showed them Doug and Phoenix’s wedding ones in return. Had a lovely breakfast of homemade banana bread made by David and smoothies and coffee made by Hannah. Since one of Keef’s brekkie staples is Bondi banana bread whenever he needs use up over ripe bananas, the blacker the better for flavour. David drove us all to Watson’s Bay and then we parked up and caught the ferry to Circular Quay. We then walked to the Rocks area for the market, lots of craft and food stalls, lovely atmosphere with musicians playing. Keef & Annie bought a spray can painted picture of Australia for $40 (£26.19 at the time). We then watched the artist do another painting which he did in 5 minutes, just so talented. We then caught the ferry back from Circular Quay to Watson’s Bay for a splendid lunch at Doyle’s seafood restaurant on the beach, Doyle’s had been operating for 128 years. Laura L joined us for lunch, what fun times. Annie had barramundi and chips , with stuffed jumbo prawns as the starter and a lovely Aussie white wine to wash it all down with, tee hee. Lunch started at 2.45 and finished at 5 p.m. most leisurely, thing they eventually had to throw us out. The restaurant was very busy. K&A treated H, D & L to lunch, it was our treat and especially as H&D were putting us up. We then walked to Camp Cove beach nearby, we said goodbye to Laura as she was meeting her boyfriend at the time Steve. The four of us continued walking along the beach back to the car. There are some lovely old character cottages in this area. We then returned to Hannah & David’s flat to collect Riley to take him with us to Bondi beach. Sadly we were all locked out of the flat as no one had taken the keys with them, oops! David went next door and hopped over the fence. We collected Riley and then went to Bondi for a walk on the beach just as the sun was setting, magical. We took lots of photos. Riley loved the beach. We then had a lovely Ben & Jerry’s ice cream cone. We got back late, and all went to bed at 10.30 p.m. as needed to get up early the next morning. Sunday March 10th 2013 Summary, Sydney, and surrounds Up at 7 a.m. Hannah baked fig muffins to take with us, lovely smell of cooking. We were going in the car with Riley for a day out. Riley sat on Hannah’s lap on a cushion and stuck his head out of the window of the car as we were going along, hilarious but cute also. Annie so loved his fluffy ears. Tick. We drove through the Sydney suburbs which stretched for miles and headed south towards Wollongong. Went through a national park, Dharawal, nice scenery, then stopped at a viewpoint for the Seacliff bridge at Bald Hill. The sea was very blue, you could see along the coast and the curve of the earth, something you can never really do in the UK. We then drove over the bridge, parked up and walked back along the bridge walkway with Riley. Further long we stopped at a shop in town for coffee and had some of Hannah’s fabulous muffins. We then drove through the lovely scenery to Minnimurra Rainforest center in Budderoo National Park. Riley was not allowed to leave the car, so David stayed with him to look after him whilst the rest of us walked to the Minnimurra falls along a rainforest board walk. Luckily for Annie saw no snakes but we did see an Eastern Water dragon and a lyre bird. Interestingly the NSW written guides on the dragon don’t list Budderoo as one of the places to find the dragon, well we did. It was quite an arduous walk, very hot, humid and a steep path up to the gorge. Once we arrived the falls were lovely and so glad, we made the effort. We took lots of photos and then returned to the car and drove through Kangaroo Valley stopping at a viewpoint. It was a very scenic route. We stopped at Kiama (the blowhole place) for a Thai meal. We used the princes highway back to Sydney and Vaucluse, in the dark a deer ran out in front of the car on the dual carriageway but David’s lightening reactions saved the day. We got back at about 10.30 p.m. lovely day, very tired. Monday March 11th 2013 Summary, Sydney 24 degrees centigrade, 67 percent humidity. We were up at 6 a.m. David and Hannah back at work. They gave us a lift into Sydney centre. 8.15 a.m. they dropped us off at the car hire place. As our hire vehicle was not ready until 11 a.m. we went and had a coffee and sat in Hyde Park opposite watching the commuters going to work and thinking how nice to be retired, we are truly privileged. Our hire car was a white Holden 4 door. We could fit in all our luggage. We used our Sat Nav take the tunnel under the harbour over to the north shore. We arrived at 12 noon at the holiday rental home in Cromer, a new suburb at least to Annie, a former Sydneysider, near Dee Why. Petrol costs $1.46 a litre in Sydney, not bad. There was no one in the holiday cottage. There was a golden Labrador in the back garden (we later named him poopie for obvious reasons). Decided after talking to a neighbour to enter the garden by the side gate and enter our chalet at the back of the garden. The dog was ok, just very inquisitive. We unpacked our bags; it was a lovely accommodation and a beautiful, secured pool in that back garden of the owner’s house. They were a couple from Liverpool with 1 son. We then went shopping, it was extremely humid and hot today, after shopping it was a relief to get into the pool. The owners returned from work and had a chat. Their dog was called Goldie. He was a very large and overly friendly Labrador. Anne did washing in the machine and Keef did BBQ chicken and salad using the provided Webber BBQ, they are so nice and efficient. Then sorted our emails and photos. There were noisy parakeets at dusk. Thought we should go to Palm beach and Pittwater tomorrow. AUSTRALIA, Bruny Island, Tasmania & Fight to South Australia, 18-20 Mar 2013 Bruny Island, Family in Tassie then Off to South Australia via Melbourne, Australia, Bruny Island to Adelaide shores 18-20 mar 2013 , bruny island, cygnet, family, hobart, covering amongst others 51 selective slideshow images, berry ices, coal bay, lookout, skink, alonnah hotel, coal point, the neck, truganini lookout, fairy penguins, adventure bay, home hill winery & restaurant, eating wallaby, huon river, kettering, car ferry is a 15 minute journey, roberts point, the red velvet lounge, b66 road thru bruny island, revisit from 2008, lunawanna, great bay, simpsons bay, lennon road, fish and chips, captain cook 1776, the endeavour, penguin rookery, views to die for, halloumi cheese and sweet chill dip for the first time, a lifelong favourite now, left tassie for adelaide via Melbourne (rang mum), picked up britz campervan, Adelaide shores campsite, south australia . We were previously in this area in 1995, 2007 and then again in 2017. we heart bruny island adelaide shores exercise 1/26 Monday March 18th 2013 Summary, Ranelagh, Tasmania. Didn’t do much in the morning, sat on the decking whilst Diana was emailing her son about the trip to the USA and UK. We all went out to a local vineyard for lunch, we treated John & Diana at the Home Hill winery. A had a pork chop and K had wallaby on a pumpkin tart with spinach, a lovely and classy meal very well prepared. K talked to the chef to find out how the wallaby was so succulent and tender, he explained it was cooked in a water bath at a controlled temperature inside a bag for a very long period, real specialist cooking techniques. We then drove to Cygnet and had tea in a café called the Red Velvet Lounge. The weather was unfortunately drizzly, so we returned to the house and watched telly and had cheese and biscuits. Tuesday March 19th 2013 Summary, Bruny Island visit, Tasmania Got up early and had a cooked breakfast. We drove to Kettering to get the car ferry across to Bruny Island. It took 15 minutes on the ferry, John paid $20 return for the car and all of us, great value. We drove around the island seeing many lovely places but about 11.40 a.m. Diana wanted to sort out where we were going to have lunch as there are only a few places to choose from and she has a gluten allergy so would need to talk to them on arrival, rightly to ensure all ok. After a lot of driving, we found a pub that did fish and chips, it was indeed the place we had first called in at. Sunny weather all the way and Bruny island is so lovely. We visited Adventure Bay and spent some time walking along the beach. This is where Captain James Cook (our hero) had landed in 1776 searching for fresh water for the Endeavour and her crew. 2 eucalyptus trees were still there on the beach, a sketch from an officer on the Endeavour had showed them , they are now some 250+ years old. We had an ice cream at the Berry Farm opposite Adventure Bay, Diana had berry cheesecake. We then drove back towards the ferry at Robert’s point and called in at a Penguin Rookery at the Neck and climbed the steps to the top to get the wonderful views. The lookout is called Truganini on the Neck Reserve. Here is some info on the wonderful place. “Bruny Island Neck is an isthmus of land connecting north and south Bruny Island in southern Tasmania and offers stunning 360-degree views. Just 40 kilometres from Hobart, Bruny is Tasmania's fourth largest island. The Neck is an important habitat for Bruny Island's native wildlife. Boardwalks and viewing platforms let you observe short-tailed shearwaters and little penguins (also known as fairy penguins). You'll see these remarkable birds returning to their burrows in the sand dunes at dusk - little penguins making their way up the beach in tight groups and the shearwaters gliding in from the sea. The best viewing period is during the warmer months of September to February.” Keef took loads of photos. Sadly the penguins only come ashore at dusk but we did see lots of their burrows. We got the 5.30 p.m. ferry back to Kettering and returned to John & Diana’s house. We did our packing . Had halloumi cheese with sweet chili dip for dinner (fantastic we have it still to this day, but it was our first experience). After dinner we watched Telly. Wednesday March 20th 2013 Summary, Hobart, Tasmania to Adelaide, South Australia via Melbourne, Victoria Got up at 5.30 a.m. and set off at 6.30 a.m. for Hobart with John & Diana in their car. It got light at 6.45 a.m. and the roads were very quiet. We arrived at the airport far too early so had coffee with John & Diana. Keef had the usual security check for explosives, it was now his turn to look dodgy. The Quantas plane left at 9 a.m. for Melbourne. We were in the transit lounge for 2 hours at Melbourne waiting for our onward flight to Adelaide. We had snacks and coffee and then got the Quantas flight to Adelaide. When we arrived, we got a taxi to the motorhome rental place which was near the airport on Sir Donald Bradman Way. It took a while to get everything sorted, there was no safe and no smoke alarm in the van so we complained, but on the plus side the van did have air conditioning and a TV, plus sleeping bags and sheets rather than duvets. Finally checked out with our new home on wheels at 3 p.m. and drove to the Adelaide shores BIG 4 campsite on the suburbs by the beach. It cost $36 per night, and we finally got on our pitch at about 4 p.m. We unpacked everything inside the motorhome and went to the Woolworths shopping centre for food supplies. On return we went for a walk on the beach, which is right next to the campsite, its nice, we came back there in 2017 and stayed in one of the chalets. Adelaide Shores has huge sand dunes and soft sand. Calm seas and lots of yachts. Watching the setting sun was so relaxing. We had pasta salad and the air con worked really well inside the Britz van and was most welcome. The campsite is very modern and spacious, great for tourists with pools and good facilities. A big tick! The campervan milage on pickup was 146,816 kilometers. The car ferry from Kettering on Tassie to Robert's Point on Bruny Island takes about 15 minutes, below is travel times by car between places on Bruny Island, we have been to all of them, if not on this trip back in 2007-8 on our gap year when we spent 2+ weeks in Tasmania, we absolutely love Bruny Island. AUSTRALIA, South Australia to Western Australia via the wonderful Nullarbor Plain, 27-29 March 2013 The truly fabulous experience that is the Nullarbor (Treeless) Plain crossing from Ceduna to Caiguna Roadhouse, 514 miles Australia, Crossing the Nullarbor Desert 27-29 mar 2013, Elliston, Elliston Walkers Rocks, Venus Bay, Streaky Bay, Ceduna, Nullarbor Desert, the explorer Edward John Eyre, covering amongst others 180 selective slideshow images, Nullabor the treeless plain, start road sign, motorcyclist crossing Gibson & Simpson deserts, dingoes, eucla telegraph station, head of bight, nullarbor lookout, border crossing, quaratine station, western Australia, southern Australia, border village campsite, caiguna roadhouse, ceduna foreshore, yalata, dingos, roe plain, trees, eagles, eagles nest, weird golf course, elliston bay, emus, coastal path, eucla, great Australian bight, pelicans, hampton tablelands, longest golf course in the world, murphy's haystacks, smoky bay, start and end of the nullarbor, marked with smart signs, madura roadhouse, mundrabilla, roadkill, rfds-royal flying doctors, big 4, head of bight visitors centre, madura pass, Roe Plains, Yalata aboriginal land, murphys haystacks, inselbergs, piers, diggers hats, blue tongued skink, southern right whales, flies, kondole, anangu peoples, marine park, bunda cliffs, nullarbor national park, , leeuwin way, whales, sand dunes, delisser sand hills, east-west telegraph service & station at eucla, munrabilla station, 200km from gate to farm house, cocklebiddy, highway 1 the eyre highway, moodini bluff, 90 miles straight at caiguna, nuytsland nature reserve, eucla national park. We were previously in this area in 1995, 2007 and then again in 2017. 1st telegraph station in the dunes a fun adventure begins 1/88 1/19 Wednesday March 27th 2013 Summary, Elliston to Ceduna It rained heavily overnight and was extremely windy. It was overcast first thing then cloudy but warm all day. We drove to Elliston rocks by the sea, often called by the locals Walkers rocks, there is a campground there as well, we then continued up the coast north to Venus Bay, a small fishing hamlet where all the holiday homes were shut up. We saw lots of pelicans bobbing on the sea. We then went onto Streaky Bay which was mostly about fishing. We then saw 2 blue tongued skinks crossing the road in front of us. These are lizards with little legs and chubby bodies and quite numerous through out Australia. We took a photo of one of the skinks. We then had lunch at Smoky Bay right by the beach with many palm trees and Norfolk Pines. Very relaxing lunch. It has a fabulous jetty. It was very quiet as again a holiday home area, presumably for folk from Adelaide but currently all shut up. We arrived at Ceduna at 3 p.m. and purchased fuel and then checked into the campsite. A Big 4 site costing $27 for the night. We did some final groceries shopping in town and visited an ATM at the Westpac bank (ours whilst on holiday) to get money out for fuel on the Nullarbor. We also visited the tourist info to get the weather forecast and purchase the crossing the Nullarbor sheets etc. See the site for image details including our certificate for proof of crossing. The temperature for our crossing was predicted to be between 21 and 24 degrees centigrade so somewhat cooler than it had been of late which was good news. It was also suggested there would be a few rain showers on the Nullarbor as well, another good sign for our long journey across to Western Australia. It was 38 degrees centigrade at Eucla yesterday which we have to pass and is not good news. We saw lots of Aboriginal people in Ceduna town, sadly many were drunk, with the police patrolling in case of trouble. To some extent the aboriginal issue is a problem of our making, they do not fit in well to a western lifestyle being somewhat more nomadic, the Māori in our humble opinion have integrated much more successfully in NZ that the Aboriginals in Australia. Anne did laundry and Keef did jacket potatoes in the microwave with a tuna mayo filling. Checked and sent emails. We then watched TV in the motorhome which was only the second time we have done so, preferring chatting, and reading our books. Still, lots of flies around but they disappear at night, thank God. We are getting up at dawn tomorrow. Thursday March 28th 2013 Summary, Nullarbor Plain Crossing, Ceduna to the South Australian border with Western Australia at Border crossing village. It was 21 to 24 degrees centigrade. We got up at 5.45 a.m. having set the alarm. We finally left at 7.30 a.m. after taking a shower and eating breakfast. There was not much traffic on the road apart from a few road trains until about mid-morning, so it was a good time to travel, and mostly selected to keep the temperature under control, too hot is just not good. We drove through farmland, much of it wheat which had been grown and cut. It stretched for as far as the eye could see and then we moved into scrubby bushland. 10 kilometers before the Nullarbor plain officially started the landscape changed to low vegetation, sandy soil and few to no trees, hence Nullarbor or no trees. Then as we got near the cliffs on the coast the plants began to look greener, there were lots of small round hummocks of shrub and hardy plants. We saw an emaciated dingo after crossing a dingo fence / panel grid on the road used to keep them segregated. There was surprisingly very little roadkill squashed on the road and we did not see any roos, camels, or wombats, which was a real shame and something we had hoped to see. There were a few puddles of water at the roadside so there had been some rain via limited showers in the early hours before we arrived. We then stopped at the start and took a lot of photos of the Nullarbor Plain Road sign, a motorcyclist stopped and kindly took a joint photo of us both with the sign behind. We now use this as our HOLIDAY2013 logo. The motorcyclist was English from East Anglia. He was on a road trip camping from Fremantle across the Plain and Gibson and Simpson deserts. He told us he had been surrounded by a pack of 8 hungry dingoes at night in his tent whilst cooking his bacon supper in the tent and had to use his remote alarm on the bike to scare them off, very frightening, they are ferocious when hungry… remember Cindy Chamberlain and the movie A Cry in the Dark. He also told us he had seen a brown snake under his ground sheet whilst camping in the Port Lincoln National Park, scary or what. His wife had chosen not to travel with him (very wise) and stayed in a luxury hotel in Perth. We visited the Head of Bight to do some whale watching. We saw nothing, but it was fantastic coastal views from the lookout at the end of the pathway in the visitors’ centre. Much of the cliffs and coastline was aboriginal land owned by the Yalata peoples. We had lunch on a clifftop viewing point and then called in at 2 more on route, just lovely scenery. We arrived at 3 p.m. at the SA / WA border crossing roadhouse which had a campsite at the back of the motels. We paid $25 to stay overnight as a bit tired after 500+ miles of driving. We used the toilets and showers in the portacabins but the “keep the door shut” against snakes and snake themed tiling did not particularly calm us, hee-hee. We had a power nap, Keef did photos and Annie read her iPad book. We actually drove 481 kilometers today. Friday March 29th 2013 Summary, Nullarbor Plain Crossing, South Australian border with Western Australia at Border crossing village to Caiguna, WA. We got up at 8.15 a.m. as less milage to do today. Had wash in the portacabin, breakfast and checked the motorhome for any plant, fruit, or vegetable matter as we were about to go through the quarantine area at the border crossing into Western Australia. It was only 100 meters from the campsite back on the Eyre Highway, highway 1 at this point although the National route A1 starts at Sydney and ends at Esperance, to the border crossing station. Keef noticed that the front driver side tyre was looking particularly flat, he had noticed in in Port Lincoln first. It was now beginning to cause some stress as we had to keep pumping it up at every roadhouse or fuel stop, we made. At the quarantine station a man came aboard the motorhome and looked in our fridge and some cupboards. He asked if we had any animals, we said no. He even checked in the van loo to see if we had any stowaways, ha-ha, as if. Then we noticed a sheep had run across the border, we said aren’t you going after it, he joked you can have it if you want for a BBQ assuming you can catch it. So much for their hot quarantine regulations. At Eucla on the Eyre highway we saw the monument to Edward John Eyre explorer, and then drove 4 kilometers down a dirt track to the old Eucla Telegraph station, which was now a ruin amongst the sand dunes. It operated from 1877-1927 to link Western Australia with the rest of Australia and the world. It was a key communications station in its time, so sad to see it as just a pile of rubble nowadays. IN its hey day it sent 11,000 messages annually. We then rejoined the Eyre highway and drove with a high ridge of land on our right and sea on the left which could be seen from the hills. We stopped at Madura pass, which counts as the halfway point between Adelaide and Perth, to get a view over the vast Roe Plains. We stopped at the Madura roadhouse for more fuel. Then off the highway we saw 2 emus. There were lots of eagles eating roadkill kangaroos off the highway. We sadly still hadn’t seen any live roos, camels or wombats which was a tad disappointing, to say the least. We had lunch at Cocklebiddy roadhouse and watched a man do golf into the hole at Eagles nest, part of the longest golf course in the world, it covers Ceduna to Kalgoorlie, wow with one hole at most roadhouses. We stopped at 3 p.m. at Caiguna which has 10 powered sites costing $25, we had to turn our watches back 45 minutes as now on western time. We relaxed and read our books. We drove 347 kilometers today , it was 22 degrees centigrade in Caiguna. AUSTRALIA, Perth, Western Australia, 5-6 Apr 2013 Geraldton to Perth then Singapore, via Port Denison & Burns Beach, Australia, Geraldton to Perth to Singapore, 5-6 april 2013, burns beach & perth centre including the fab elizabeth quay & swan bells, covering amongst others 78 selective slideshow images, geraldton's sand dunes, The Aussie Shop Geraldton, 3810 miles in motorhome in Australia, victoria house, rubic’s cube changing rooms, wreck of the Batavia, Viking longship replica, marina, beach, HMAS Sydney 2 naval memorial, old station, foreshore street, museums, Victoria hospital, tourist info, penal prison, town hall, court house, memorial gardens, hibiscus, marina, harbour, surf rescue, Brand Highway 1, greenough's leaning gum tree, brand highway, banksias, sunsets, dongera, port denison, lobster, beach side lunch, city of joondalup, board walk, marmion marine park, trigg island, burns rock, early morning joggers, wanneroo, wattle grove motel welshpool, forest fields shopping mall, leaving oz for family and Singapore, meeting up with the newly weds. We drove 3810 miles in our hired Britz motorhome from Adelaide to Perth across the Nullarbor. We were previously in this area in 1995, 2007 and then again in 2017. room 3 wattle grove motel perth burns beach farewell 1/40 1/12 Friday April 5th 2013 Summary, Geraldton to Burns Beach, Joondalup. 35 degrees centigrade today. Drove into the city from the Geraldton Big 4 campsite. Bought some gifts for the family at the Aussie shop. There is a small compact shopping centre based around a long main street. They also had a Myers department store. Then we parked the motorhome near the boat harbour and walked along the boat moorings, ogling the posh yachts enviously. Very clear waters in which we saw lots of small fish as we ambled along the jetty in the heat. We saw a longboat replica made in 2002 in the harbour named the Batavia, it was based upon the 1641 Dutch East Indies ship that was wrecked 40 nautical miles west of Geraldton, some of the crew sailed in a longboat to Batavia (Jakarta, Indonesia) and all survived including 2 women and a baby. The rest of the crew on the island were massacred by a senior officer and his assistants. Then we saw the old courthouse, the old hospital based around Victoria House which was now Geraldton’s tourist information centre. The HMAS Sydney 2 war memorial, it was an Australian World War two naval war ship that was sunk in battle and 649 Aussies died on board, a huge loss and reverently remembered in the memorial grounds, a lovely tribute. We both liked Geraldton, beautiful trees with flowers, bougainvillea everywhere, it felt very Mediterranean. We then drove south on the Brand highway, and did a slight detour / deviation at Dongara which had some historical pioneer homes and Port Denison, where we had lunch overlooking the sandy beach, bay and harbour. It is the lobster fishing capital allegedly of Australia and there were lots of processing factories on the harbour side. Again, beautiful turquoise water and blue skies, ideal for a lunch break, and we were cooled by the nice sea breeze. We camped at Burns beach in one of Perth’s many offshoot “cities” this being to the north, the City of Joondalup. The site was 2 star and cost $40. It was our most expensive campsite in Australia and easily the worst for quality. In Annie’s words crap, cramped, poor facilities and hugely overpriced. We went for a walk along the embankment and saw the beach and the rocks just offshore. Burns beach campsite was 30 kilometers north of Perth as have to hand in the motorhome tomorrow. Saturday April 6th 2013 Summary, Burns Beach, Joondalup to Perth, Western Australia, and hand in the motorhome by 2.30 p.m. Today’s temperature a little cooler at 29 degrees centigrade. We were woken up early by women talking and whistles blowing, about 25 women and 1 man doing keep fit exercises on a grassy area just by our motorhome on the other side of a low fence. This was 6.45 a.m. Outrageous! The path along the coastline was packed with joggers, cyclists, speed walkers, dog walkers, roller skaters and the world and his wife and all at 7.15 a.m., we thought it was busier than Bondi beach, ha-ha. Keef did dump station, dunny man duties after breakfast and Annie cleaned the van by sweeping the floors, cleaning sinks and loos. We got ready to hand the van back, despite the cracked wheel rim, tyre episode it had been a great way of seeing more of the wonderful country that Australia is. We then set off on the Brand Highway again to Perth area. We got to our motel, the wattle grove in welshpool having had to drive through Perth city centre as one of the highways was closed. It is only 6.9 kilometers from Perth airport which is why we chose it. We saw the main hospital and arena entertainments centre on route. It all looked very modern. The motel would not let us into our pre booked and pre-paid room until 2pm, we had been told 12 noon by email last October when we booked online so a little disappointed as we had a deadline on motorhome drop off by 2.30 p.m. so this would be cutting it fine. We went to the Forest Fields shopping mall nearby and bought some batteries for the computer mouse and more suntan lotion. Then we packed out bags in the van, has a KFC lunch, then got to the motel again at 1.45 p.m. They let us into the room, finally, we dumped our bags quickly and drove to the Britz motorhome rental place near the airport. Got there just in time for 2.30 p.m. The van was OK, no damage but we rightly moaned about the cracked wheel rim and got one day’s rental reimbursed, $109. We then got a taxi back to the motel and had a nice cooling swim in their pool. We had showers and a microwaved pasta meal for dinner that we had bought in the shopping mall earlier. We then watched TV in the room. The motel cost $125 a night for the two of us with no breakfast included. AUSTRALIA, Sydney Harbour North Shores area, New South Wales, 12-14 Mar 2013 North Shores Sydney, Cromer,North Bridge, Heads, Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park, Australia, Sydney North Shore 12-14 mar 2013 cromer, eco boat, Pittwater, Freshwater beach, north heads and sanctuary, covering amongst others 170 selective slideshow images, north shore with family & friends, west head lighthouse, Palm beach, ocean swimming pool, Whale beach, surf info in and around the area, jelly fish, aboriginal rock carvings, Hard Rock Cafe in Darling Harbour and associated rush hour - a no no on reflection, fish, Ku-ring-gai chase national park, French's Forest (Annie's old haunts) , lion island, apple tree bay, Barrenjoey lighthouse, Laura's place in Rushcutters Bay, Aussie meal at Laura's , croc, roo and lamingtons, yummy, Bay View, bobbin head, church point, reserves, west head point lookout, commodore heights, manly beach, manly town, illawong point, Scotland island-so love it, red gum , scribble bark, gum trees of all sorts, surfing, north heads, warratah, new south wales (NSW), northbridge, roseville, boating, battery powered eco boats, middle harbour, Bantry Bay, picnic on board the eco boat, meal at Laura's, Hordern park, cabbage tree boat harbour, broken bay, port jackson, willungra track, black cockatoo, bandicoots, basin aboriginal engraving site, guringai land, hawksbury sandstone, the Pacific Ocean, empire marina, bobbin head inn, kalkari, birrawanna track We were previously in this area in 1995, 2007 and then again in 2017. us at aboriginal rock carvings bobbin head boats 1/85 Tuesday March 12th 2013 Summary, Sydney 28 degrees centigrade We drove in our white Holden hire car to see the wonderful Palm beach, especially so now we are again on the Sydney North shore residing at Cromer. We had last visited in 2008. Had to pay $5 ussie dollars an hour to park our car. We went swimming in the pool next to the beach. The pool like many beach side pools in Sydney and surrounding areas is filled naturally by sea water, it’s a great idea if you are on the coast. School kids were having swimming lessons there as well. We then drove to see whale beach and around the local area, quite steep and narrow in places and then onto the just lovely, Pittwater. Then it was onto Bay View & Church Point. All very expensive and exclusive areas to live because of the splendid locations. We saw Scotland Island from Church point plus a lady who was clearly a nanny ferrying kids from an exclusive Scotland Island family over to the mainland, see how the other half (or is it 1% ha-ha) live. We returned to the cottage and went for a swim in our garden pool to cool off, lovely after such a hot day. In the evening we set off in the car into Sydney for a meal at Laura’s flat. On route Keef wanted to go to the Hard Rock Café to get a T-shirt. Big mistake, rush hour in Sydney is not a fun time. Took ages to get to Darling harbour. The journey was very stressful, and it cost $10 to park the car but Keef thought it was well worth it to get his Sydney T-shirt. We then got lost trying to find Laura’s flat in Rushcutters’s Bay. It was dark by now, so we rang her to get final directions. We arrived late, Laura, Steve her then boyfriend, and her flat mate, Penny Lane (maybe her parents were Beatles fans, who knows) did us a real Aussie meal, crocodile kebabs, roo steaks with salad and Lamington’s for dessert. It was all lovely and such friendly people. Went for a stroll after the meal with Laura and Steve to get a view of downtown Sydney at night from Rushcutters. We returned to Cromer very tired, but it was a super quick journey on the way back as no one about. Wednesday March 13th 2013 Summary, Sydney Visited North Heads sanctuary to get views of the harbour and Vaucluse across the water, Watson’s Bay, and the city centre skyline. All lovely. Bandicoots live there but they are nocturnal. Another hot day. Visited Manly and walked along the beach in the water, just so cooling. There was poor surf today, but the beach and promenade were busy. Cost $5 to park on Manly Sea front. We then visited Freshwater beach, a little cove with soft sand. It was far too hot, so we returned to the holiday cottage in Cromer for a swim in the pool. The dog had calmed down and is not so bothersome, but it is sad he never gets taken on a walk. We then drove to Northbridge near Roseville, north Sydney for an evening boat excursion on the harbour with Steve, Laura, Hannah & David. Lovely evening. We were early as our side of the harbour, but the rest got stuck in traffic. It was a small pleasure boat, battery powered and owned by Steve. Steve also owned one more of this battery powered boats fronting his eco boat business. It had comfy cushions on the seats. Steve steered the boat out of the marina into middle harbour and surrounding bays. There were lovely homes on the wooded hillsides. We had beer, wine, and food, all very nice and listened to music. When it got dark, we moved into Bantry Bay and looked at the stars. A lovely evening and one we will always remember. Thursday March 14th 2013 Summary, Sydney, and Phoenix’s birthday We went to Ku-ring-gai chase today. A national park near French’s Forest, it cost $11 to get in. We spent most of the day here driving to various beauty spots with views of Palm beach, the Pacific Ocean, and the Hawkesbury River. We saw some black Cockatoos at west head point. We looked hard for other animals but did not see any sadly. We stopped at a picnic area and saw a bush turkey. We then walked along a wide bush track to see some ancient Aboriginal rock carvings of men with fish. Interpretive panels explained the carvings. It started to get misty, and we thought it might rain so we returned to the car. Outside the park we saw a dead wallaby on the side of the road. We stopped at a bakery in the Sydney suburbs, to buy the pud for evening meal, on the way back to the holiday cottage. We prepared a meal for Hannah & David who drove over to Cromer with little Riley, he is such a cutie. We did a BBQ with cheesecake and wine. Said our farewells and thanks as they returned to Vaucluse. David’s brother and his partner were now visiting from the UK, they had done us proud. We will miss Hannah & David and Riley the dog, they looked after us so well. AUSTRALIA, Coober Pedy, South Australia, 21-23 Mar 2013 Glenelg, Port Pirie, Port Augusta,Coober Pedy & Opals via Stuart Highway, Australia, Glenelg & Coober Pedy 21-23 mar 2013, adelaide, glenelg, port augusta, port pirie, annies rellies called in at port pirie on the ss port stephens, coober pedy, covering amongst others 215 selective slideshow images, roadhouses, pimba, joeys, milk fed, glendambo, big 4 campsites, woomera, eerie, sunsets, drive in cinemas, outback, opal, mining, lake patawalonga, adelaide shores, west beach, flies, beaches, trams, port wakefield, museums, underground houses, serbian underground orthodox church, miners and boot hill graves, port pirie, salt water lake, big winch hill, rockets, swimming pools, outback flower gardens, holdfast bay, tarniwarra park, crystal brook, john eyre, sturt, eyre highway, sturt highway, stuart national highway no 87, john mcdouall stuart, dingo, emu, eagles, roxby downs, andamooka, road trains, woody's outback resort glendambo, rfds royal flying doctors landing strip outback, stuart range campsite, big4 also nown at the time as Oasis, opal inn hostelry, opal mining , mining blowers, murals, oasis tourist park, jospehine’s gallery bought annie opal here, coober pedy historical society and heritage trail, saint elijah’s church, minnie berrington, old timers mine museum, marree, oodnadatta track, kangaroos, in the bush saw 1 roo, 13 emus, 2 dingos, 1 fox & 10 eagles . We were previously in this area in 1995, 2007 and then again in 2017. you scratch mine ill scratch yours port augusta sunset BIG4 site 1/106 Thursday March 21st 2013 Summary, Glenelg, Adelaide to Port Augusta, South Australia Very windy today and waves crashing onto the beach. Visited Glenelg beach and the marine. It is a very nice beach, saw the sailing ship called the Buffalo which doubles as a restaurant at the marina. There are lots of architect designed houses around the marina area. We got some rain today, unusual. We then headed north on the highway from Adelaide to Port Pirie in the motorhome. There were some historical houses and public buildings in town, mostly quite old plus a lovely harbour. Anne’s great grandfather and his family called in at Port Pirie onboard the SS Port Stephens whilst collecting cargo. Listen to the audiobooks from the Diary of Gertrude Littlejohn on Soundcloud here to find out more. We then saw a long goods train that seemed to go on forever. We arrived at Port Augusta Big 4 campsite in the afternoon. We called in at the Tourist Information site at 4.45 p.m. to ask about our intended journey to Coober Pedy, the opal mining town in the outback. Told the Stuart Highway was ok to travel on but not after dark, currently about 7.45 p.m. oh and ensure you take lots of water with you as there is only an arterial bore in Coober township and water will be limited. Decided we would go to Coober Pedy tomorrow morning and get up early in the dark so we could leave at dawn to give us plenty of time to get there. With this in mind we went to bed early. Friday March 22nd 2013 Summary, Port Augusta to Coober Pedy, Outback South Australia We set off at 7.25 a.m. just as it was getting light from Port Augusta on the Stuart Highway. As soon as we left town we were in the outback, desert, scrubland, bushes, and a few trees but a definite desolate landscape. We saw lots of road trains later in the morning. Some had 4 connected trailers to the cab. We saw lots of dead kangaroos by the roadside, emus roaming, salt lakes, foxes, eagles, and crows. It was cloudy and quite cool at first, ideal driving conditions but as we neared Coober Pedy the sun came out and the clouds disappeared. Had lunch at a roadhouse called Glendambo. The price of diesel fuel here was $1.72 whereas in Port Augusta we only paid $1.52, not surprising, very remote and transportation costs would have been factored in. As a comparison Sydney a huge city was $1.46. It was very dry and dusty in the desert, red earth. We had plenty of water in the motorhome, 135 liters. We called in at Woomera, a weird, deserted ex Australian army place in the middle of the desert used for scientific research and rockets. We arrived at Coober Pedy at 2.25 p.m. and stayed at the campsite named Oasis. It had an excellent modern toilet block, a small round indoor swimming pool basically fashioned out of an old water storage container, great for shade whilst swimming. You had to pay 20c for a shower, due to the water restrictions in force. We put the aircon on in the motorhome as it felt extremely hot. Annie did some hand washing and then we both went for a swim in the pool. At 5.30 p.m. we walked to the shops selling opal jewelry, there were a lot to choose from. Keef bought Annie a blue opal bracelet. We saw a lot of orphaned joey kangaroos at the back of the shop where they were caring for them. We fed some roos and saw the babies being fed with milk bottles. They were adorable. Saturday March 23nd 2013 Summary, Coober Pedy, Outback South Australia, 30 degrees centigrade We went up the hill in the town called the Big Winch to get views out over the town. Coober is quite a weird place, with mines and large holes in the ground everywhere in amongst homes, motels, shops etc. It was very dry and dusty everywhere. There are endless mines surrounding the town for miles. We then visited Boot Hill cemetery and a Serbian Underground church. We then returned to town and the Old Timers mine which was an original 1915 opal mine and had an underground house where the miner and his family lived. There was a good mining museum as well. We had to wear hard hats as the roof of the mine was low in many places. Lots of protected seams of opal in the museum walling which was interesting, shame no way of making off with it though, ha-ha. We saw a man demonstrate machinery for extracting opal, this equipment cost $30,000 As just so hot in the afternoon we went back to the campsite for a swim. We loved Coober Pedy an amazingly unique place and we have lots of lovely memories of it. AUSTRALIA, Esperance area, Western Australia, 30 March - 1 April 2013 Caiguna to Norseman, Great Ocean Drive Esperance & Albany, Australia, Caiguna to Albany,30 mar-1 apr 2013, caiguna, norseman, nullarbor (meaning treeless) crossing (note this helpful link is for crossing in the opposite direction to that we took) , esperance, albany, covering amongst others 155 selective slideshow images, the 90 miles straight stretch of the nullarbor, balladonia roadhouse, hotel, museum, twilight bay, blue seas, old cars, fourth beach, the nullarbor plain, limestone head, seal island, great ocean drive, mistaken island, mount clarence lookout, camels, memorial gardens, founding fathers, Easter weekend busy campsite wise, maps, animal droppings, outback, golf course, rigs, road trains, beaches, rocks, sea swells, west beach, crossing certificates, west beach, winnebegos, redex rally, the pink lake, reflections & chemicals, great white sharks, ngadju people, quandong, shameful native citizens act, eyre highway, historical crossing, the nullarbor highway, skylab crashing over, balladonia, blue haven beach, sunshine & blue seas, observatory island, dempster head, chapman point, twilight beach road on the great ocean drive, the pink lake esperance, what makes them pink?, castleton beach jetty, ned kelly garden gnomes, salmon beach, twilight beach, nine mile beach, castleton beach, ravensthorpe, welstead community, board shorts, bibblemun track, clarence downhill, frenchman's bay, middleton beach, top tourist campsites, stayed multiple times We were previously in this area in 1995, 2007 and then again in 2017. Completing 1,194 kms/ 742 miles of Nullarbor Crossing 90 miles on auto pilot TICK early roadhouse sign 1/78 1/16 Saturday March 30th 2013 Summary, Nullarbor Plain Crossing, Caiguna to Norseman. Woke at 6 a.m.as light outside the van. We set off on the Eyre Highway, Highway 1, at 7.45 a.m. having put more air in the tyre of the van as Keef was worried it was low and we may now have a slow flat. The signpost on the side of the road stated it was the start of the 145 kilometers of straight road, the longest in Australia, if not the world. We saw eagles and a few dead roos, but no other birds or animal life apart from the odd crow eating roadkill. The terrain changed from a perfectly flat treeless plain to a few small bushes and then finally a few trees. We had some rain showers and it looked like this section of the Nullarbor had had rain in the night and early morning. The weather was cool and overcast and very cloudy which for travel was a good thing. We stopped at Balladonia roadhouse for fuel and visited the museum there. The entrance was through the roadhouse shop and was both free and very interesting. It was about the early explorers, pioneers, camels used for transport, flora and fauna, the Red-Ex road race all around Australia and the Skylab metal debris falling on the Nullarbor plain right near Balladonia. Near the Fraser Ranges we saw a few billabongs filled with water and even 2 lakes, a real novelty after our very dry journey. We arrived in Norseman at 12.15 p.m. We had lunch as the Tourist Information Office was closed until 1 p.m. When they opened we got a free certificate stating we had crossed the Nullarbor and purchased some souvenirs of our crossing. We then drove around town , lots of very dilapidated and boarded up homes with snake fences surrounding them still. The gold mine we had seen on our travels in 2008 was still working. We went to stay in the campsite in town we have stayed at before. It cost $38 for the night. We then relaxed for the rest of the day. The campsite was poor, no dump station and only 2 showers in the ladies. The outback golf course behind the site did not seem well used. On the Nullarbor crossing from Ceduna we had travelled 1,194 kilometers or 742 miles. Sunday March 31st 2013 – Easter Sunday Summary, Norseman to Esperance. 203 kilometers driven today. We went to the garage to top up air in the front tyre of the motorhome as the slow puncture has got a lot worse. We will have to stop more often for a servo air pump. We arrived in Esperance at about 12 noon and did the fabulous Great Ocean Drive along the coast, which we had done 5 years prior. There are just so many splendid views on this coastal drive. It was all blue seas and skies, sunny and fantastic scenery. Saw lots of vintage cars on the route which were part of an actual Eyre Highway rally, recapturing the old Red-Ex 50s rally spirit. The road went slightly inland and went past the pink lake. A Salt Lake with microorganisms that give it its pink tinge, very unusual. Read the links in the overview on the HOLIDAY2013 site to see more and understand how nature makes this happen, just a thought if you are interested further. Here is a quick science write up on why many of Australia’s salt lakes turn pink “The water of some lakes in semi-arid regions turns a pink colour during the warm and dry months of the year, when brine concentrations are highest. In places, even precipitated salts exhibit this pink colour. The carotenoid red pigmentation of halophilic bacteria and algae is responsible for imparting this colour to sodium- and chloride-rich lake brines. The alga Dunaliella salina actually develops its red pigment as the salinity approaches saturation and, in contrast to other organisms, populations of this alga and of halophilic bacteria such as Halobacterium rise as brine concentrations increase.” We then went to McDonald’s for a late lunch at 2.30 p.m. and withdrew some money at Westpac. We then drove along the sea front to Castleton beach, the old jetty there was being refurbished. The new jetty (not so nice) had tankers docked there. There were lots of new homes being built so Esperance had expanded quite a lot since our last visit. We then went to the Top Tourist site at Esperance, which we gave 3 stars, not very scenic and far too cramped, too many trees and grit everywhere. We had pre booked as it was the Easter weekend. It cost $39 for the night which we felt was overpriced for both the site and amenities. We walked along the beach in front of the campsite, there was a horrible smell of stagnant seaweed / sea grass in mounds on sand washed in from the sea. Not impressed as it was also an artificial beach with imported grit / sand and looked nothing like the picture in their brochure. We watched telly, Bondi Rescue, and the Melbourne Comedy Festival, pretty good both. Monday April 1st 2013 – Easter Monday Summary, Esperance to Albany. 505 kilometers driven today. 24 degrees centigrade in Albany. 8 a.m. called at garage to put more air in the ever more worrying front tyre. Not looking good at all and very stressful as not sure the tyre will hold out until we reach Albany, and it is also the Easter weekend and Britz are not open. Will keep putting air in whenever we can, we are both not very happy with this. The scenery now was mostly bush and farming country as we headed towards Albany, the farming was mixed wheat, cattle, and sheep. No other animals seen except the usual skinks. They are quite prolific. We arrived in Albany in the early afternoon and went to the Tourist Information office to find out where the Telstra shop was as needed to get the computer updated with more money and our Telstra phone had also run out of funds. This means we cannot check emails and use the internet and let people know we crossed the Nullarbor safely and soon more importantly once Easter is over contact Britz in Perth to ask them to sort out our tyre. Keef bought some new shorts in one of Albany’s many shops. We drove around the town and along the sea front, we remembered it well from our last visit. We climbed the hill in the van to get a view of the coast. You could see Middleton beach, the bay where 5 years ago when we were there a man had been attacked by a great white shark whilst swimming, he had been rescued by a lady schoolteacher who was out for her early morning swim and punched the hark in the eye, so it released its grip on the swimmer. Lucky for him, brave of her. We then went to the BIG 4 campsite at Middleton beach which cost $37.80 for the night. Naively thought it would be empty as Easter was over but very busy with kids and family, presumably on school holidays for the week. By now it was 5.30 p.m., and it gets dark at 6.15 p.m., so we did not got swimming in the pool on the site even though it is a bit of a luxury pool. This site is excellent, it has space, location and based right on Middleton beach but only has 4 showers for the whole site in the ladies, not enough when it is busy. However, on return in 2017 they had private amenity blocks with showers and loos attached to each luxury pitch for an additional fee, we took this as ideal. SUMMARY Across Australia East to West via the Nullarbor – 2013 Motorhome Road Trip This comprehensive 2013 Australia travel diary documents a full east‑to‑west motorhome journey across the country, covering New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia, the iconic Nullarbor Plain, Western Australia, and the final leg into Perth. Designed for travellers researching Nullarbor road trip itineraries, motorhome hire in Australia, coastal drives, and outback adventures, this guide blends first‑hand experience, practical tips, and detailed day‑by‑day insights from a 32‑day, 3,810‑mile journey. Overview of the 2013 Australia Road Trip The trip spans 6 March to 6 April 2013 and includes almost every Australian state and territory except Queensland, the Northern Territory, and the ACT. It’s the fourth major visit to Australia for the travellers, combining family time in Sydney and Tasmania with a bucket‑list goal: crossing the Nullarbor Plain in a motorhome. The journey includes coastal walks, wildlife encounters, national parks, outback towns, and some of Australia’s most dramatic landscapes. Key highlights include: Sydney’s harbour, beaches, and coastal paths Tasmania’s Huon Valley, Bruny Island, and Hobart region South Australia’s Coffin Bay National Park, Port Lincoln, and Coober Pedy The full Nullarbor crossing from Ceduna to Norseman (1,194 km / 742 miles) Western Australia’s Esperance, Albany, Geraldton, and Perth The travellers used BIG4 and Top Tourist Parks (now G’Day Parks) throughout, offering reliable facilities for motorhome users. Sydney & New South Wales: Coastal Walks, Ferries, and Family Time The journey begins in Sydney after a flight from Auckland. Based in Vaucluse, the travellers explore Watson’s Bay, Parsley Bay, Shark Beach, and the iconic Bondi Beach. Classic Sydney experiences—harbour ferries, Circular Quay, Darling Harbour, and the Opera House—feature heavily. A standout experience is the coastal walk from Vaucluse to Watson’s Bay, followed by lunch at Doyle’s, one of Sydney’s most historic seafood restaurants. Additional days include: Minnamurra Rainforest and Falls in Budderoo National Park The Sea Cliff Bridge and Wollongong coastline Manly, Freshwater Beach, and North Head Sanctuary A memorable eco‑boat evening on Middle Harbour This section of the trip is ideal for travellers searching for Sydney coastal walks, best beaches in Sydney, and North Shore day trips. Tasmania: Huon Valley, Bruny Island & Hobart Region Flying from Sydney to Hobart, the travellers stay with family in the Huon Valley. Tasmania delivers cooler weather, heritage towns, and dramatic viewpoints. Key experiences include: Richmond’s historic bridge and convict‑built architecture Mount Nelson lookout and views over the Derwent Sandy Bay, Hobart Harbour, and the Tasman Bridge A full‑day trip to Bruny Island via the Kettering ferry Bruny Island highlights: Adventure Bay, where Captain Cook landed in 1776 The Neck and Truganini Lookout Penguin rookery and sweeping 360° views Local produce including berry ice cream and halloumi with sweet chilli This section is rich in SEO value for Bruny Island itinerary, Hobart day trips, and Tasmania road trip ideas. South Australia: Port Augusta, Coober Pedy & Coffin Bay National Park After flying to Adelaide and collecting a Britz motorhome, the travellers head north to Port Augusta and then into the outback via the Stuart Highway. Coober Pedy The opal‑mining town offers: Underground homes and churches Opal shops and mining museums Orphaned joeys being hand‑reared Harsh desert landscapes and red‑earth scenery This portion appeals to searches for Coober Pedy things to do, Stuart Highway itinerary, and outback Australia road trips. Coffin Bay & Port Lincoln Returning south, the travellers explore the Eyre Peninsula: Coffin Bay National Park’s turquoise waters and white dunes A 50‑strong pod of dolphins at Almonta Beach Fishing towns including Cowell, Arno Bay, and Tumby Bay Boston Bay views from Port Lincoln This area is ideal for SEO around Coffin Bay National Park, Port Lincoln attractions, and Eyre Peninsula road trip. The Nullarbor Plain: Bucket‑List Crossing from Ceduna to Norseman This is the centre piece of the trip and a major SEO opportunity for your site. The Nullarbor crossing spans three days and 1,194 km, travelling from Ceduna in South Australia to Norseman in Western Australia. The travellers document: The official Nullarbor Road sign Head of Bight cliffs and whale‑watching platforms The SA/WA border village and quarantine checks Eucla Telegraph Station ruins Madura Pass and the sweeping Roe Plains Roadhouses including Cocklebiddy, Caiguna, and Balladonia The famous “90 Mile Straight” (145 km of uninterrupted road) Wildlife sightings include dingoes, eagles, emus, and skinks, though kangaroos are surprisingly scarce. A cracked wheel rim adds tension to the journey, requiring repeated tyre inflation until repairs in Perth. This section is perfect for ranking for: Nullarbor Plain road trip Ceduna to Norseman itinerary Driving the 90 Mile Straight Best Nullarbor roadhouses What to expect on the Nullarbor Western Australia: Esperance, Albany, Geraldton & Perth Esperance & the Great Ocean Drive The travellers revisit the Great Ocean Drive, featuring: Twilight Beach Blue Haven Pink Lake (with scientific explanation of its colour) Coastal viewpoints and turquoise bays Albany A long drive from Esperance leads to: Middleton Beach Mount Clarence lookout Historic whaling and maritime sites Geraldton & Indian Ocean Drive Heading north, the travellers enjoy: Geraldton’s marina, HMAS Sydney II memorial, and beaches Jurien Bay, Cervantes, and the Pinnacles Desert Lancelin dunes and Indian Ocean views Perth The journey ends with: Burns Beach coastal walks Elizabeth Quay Swan Bells Final motorhome return and a restful night before flying to Singapore Conclusion This 2013 Australia travel diary offers one of the most detailed, experience‑rich accounts of crossing Australia east to west via the Nullarbor Plain. Packed with practical tips, campsite reviews, wildlife encounters, coastal drives, and outback insights, it’s an invaluable resource for anyone planning a motorhome holiday in Australia, a Nullarbor crossing, or a multi‑state Australian adventure. 13 Tasmania 13 Bruny Island 13 Coober Pedy 13 Coffin Bay 13 Nullarbor 13 Esperance 13 Geraldton 13 Perth 13 Oz Summary

A real 2013 travel diary across Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia and Singapore. Photos, stories and motorhome adventures from a once‑in‑a‑lifetime trip done 3 times. Long Haul and World Wide Travel Blog 2013 2013 Travel Long Haul Route Full travel route (chronological) Leg 0 – Departure from UK Home to Asia: Route: East Midlands/UK → Kuala Lumpur (via long‑haul flight, likely with a hub such as Dubai/Singapore). Trip start: 22 January (what would have been Dad’s 86th). Leg 1 – Malaysia (first visit, 23 Jan–5 Feb) Kuala Lumpur (KL): Base: Central KL hotel (near HOHO bus route). Key spots: HOHO city tour, Chinatown, Little India, Batu Caves, Concorde Inn, Hard Rock Café T‑shirt. Langkawi (wedding): Route: KL → Langkawi (domestic flight). Key spots: Kuah Town, island‑hopping (Bunting Island, Beras Basah, Pregnant Maiden Lake), wedding venue on Langkawi. Penang – Georgetown: Route: Langkawi → Penang (ferry/flight). Base: Cheong Fatt Tze’s Blue Mansion, UNESCO area. Key spots: Georgetown heritage streets, Chinatown, Little India, exotic fruits, Nasi Goreng, Batu Ferringhi. Exit Malaysia (1st time): Route: Penang/ KL → Auckland (via Asian hub). Leg 2 – New Zealand, North Island loop (6 Feb–5 Mar) Auckland pickup: Route: Arrive Auckland → collect Mercedes Sprinter 313 motorhome. Direction: Anti‑clockwise loop of upper North Island plus central regions. North of Auckland / Northlands: Orewa: First coastal stop, beach walks. Tutukaka / Whangārei area: Coast and Haruru Falls region. Bay of Islands: Russell, Keri Keri, Whatuwhiwhi. Far North: Ahipara/Apihara area, 90 Mile Beach, Cape Reinga (traffic fine picked up near here). East coast & Coromandel / Bay of Plenty: Coromandel Peninsula: Coromandel town, coastal drives. Hot Water Beach: Digging pools at low tide. Papamoa Beach (Bay of Plenty): Ocean Drive, long beach days. Hawke’s Bay & central plateau: Napier (Hawke’s Bay): Art Deco town. Lake Taupo & Kinloch: Lakeside camping, volcanic scenery. Tongariro area: National park landscapes and walks. Forgotten World & Taranaki: Whangamomona: “Republic” capital, remote roads. Taranaki region: Around Mt Taranaki and rural routes. Return to Auckland: Orewa revisit & Waves Motel: Final nights. Route end: Return motorhome in Auckland, 2,559 miles driven. Exit NZ: Route: Auckland → Sydney (flight). Leg 3 – Australia (6 Mar–6 Apr) Sydney & New South Wales: Base: Vaucluse / Eastern Suburbs. Key spots: Coastal walk Vaucluse → Watson’s Bay, Bondi and North Shore beaches, ocean pools, family & friends. Tasmania: Route: Sydney → Hobart (flight). Key spots: Time with family, Bruny Island, coastal scenery. Adelaide & South Australia: Route: Tasmania → Adelaide (flight). Pickup: Britz motorhome. Base: Adelaide Shores and surrounds. Eyre Peninsula & outback: Port Lincoln & Coffin Bay National Park: Coastal drives, seafood, national park. Coober Pedy & outback: Opal town, desert landscapes. Nullarbor crossing (3‑day epic): Route: Ceduna → Nullarbor Plain → Norseman. Distance: About 1,194 km / 742 miles. Notes: Slow puncture from cracked wheel rim en route. Western Australia coast: Esperance: Great Ocean Drive, beaches. Indian Ocean Drive: Coastal run north. Geraldton & Port Denison: Picnic on the shore, Indian Ocean views. Perth area & finish: Base: Perth region. Route end: Return Britz motorhome, total 3,810 miles driven in Australia. Exit Australia: Route: Perth → Singapore (flight). Leg 4 – Singapore & Malaysia side‑trip (7–21 Apr) Singapore base: Base: Geylang East, staying with Doug & Phoenix. City highlights: Gardens by the Bay & Marina Bay Sands (MBS). Botanic Gardens. Clarke Quay: Day and night river cruises. Jurong Bird Park. Little India & hawker centres. Raffles Hotel Long Bar: Singapore Slings. Local life: Geylang swimming pool, library, MRT everywhere, durian tasting. Malaysia side‑trip from Singapore: Route: Singapore (Woodlands crossing) → Johor Bahru → Melaka (Malacca). Melaka: UNESCO old town, Mr Li’s tea house, riverside walks, Hard Rock Café T‑shirt, some “rats & smells” along the river. Return: Melaka → Johor Bahru → Singapore. End of trip: Last night: Bad tummy, emotional goodbyes. Route: Singapore → UK (long‑haul flight back to East Midlands/Derbyshire). 13 Route Visuals 🌏 2013 Long Haul Trip — Summary Each item follows the structure: Stop | Country | Location | Date(s) | Notes Malaysia (Leg 1) Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur | Kuala Lumpur City | 23 Jan–26 Jan | HOHO bus, Chinatown, Little India, Batu Caves Malaysia | Langkawi | Kuah / Island Hopping | 26 Jan–31 Jan | Wedding, Pregnant Maiden Lake, Beras Basah Malaysia | Penang | Georgetown | 31 Jan–5 Feb | Blue Mansion, UNESCO old town, Batu Ferringhi New Zealand (Leg 2) New Zealand | Auckland | Auckland Arrival | 6 Feb | Collect motorhome New Zealand | Orewa | Orewa Beach | 7 Feb | First coastal stop New Zealand | Tutukaka / Whangārei | Tutukaka Coast | 8–9 Feb | Haruru Falls region New Zealand | Bay of Islands | Russell / Kerikeri | 10–12 Feb | Far North touring New Zealand | Ahipara | 90 Mile Beach | 13–14 Feb | Cape Reinga area New Zealand | Coromandel | Coromandel Town | 16–17 Feb | Coastal drives New Zealand | Hot Water Beach | Coromandel Peninsula | 18 Feb | Hot pools at low tide New Zealand | Papamoa | Bay of Plenty | 19–21 Feb | Long beach days New Zealand | Napier | Hawke’s Bay | 22–23 Feb | Art Deco town New Zealand | Taupo | Lake Taupo / Kinloch | 24–25 Feb | Lakeside camping New Zealand | Tongariro | National Park | 26 Feb | Volcanic landscapes New Zealand | Whangamomona | Forgotten World Hwy | 27 Feb | Remote republic town New Zealand | Taranaki | Mt Taranaki Region | 28 Feb | Rural touring New Zealand | Auckland | Orewa / Waves Motel | 1–4 Mar | End of loop, return motorhome Australia (Leg 3) Australia | Sydney | Vaucluse / Eastern Suburbs | 6–10 Mar | Coastal walks, Bondi, Watson’s Bay Australia | Tasmania | Hobart | 11–15 Mar | Family time, Bruny Island Australia | Adelaide | Adelaide Shores | 16–17 Mar | Collect Britz motorhome Australia | Port Lincoln | Eyre Peninsula | 18–20 Mar | Seafood, national park Australia | Coffin Bay | Coffin Bay NP | 21 Mar | Coastal scenery Australia | Coober Pedy | Outback | 22–23 Mar | Opal town Australia | Nullarbor | Nullarbor Plain | 24–26 Mar | 3‑day crossing, cracked wheel rim Australia | Esperance | Great Ocean Drive | 27–28 Mar | Beaches Australia | Geraldton | Port Denison | 29–30 Mar | Indian Ocean coast Australia | Perth | Perth Region | 31 Mar–6 Apr | End of Australian leg Singapore & Malaysia (Leg 4) Singapore | Singapore | Geylang East | 7–12 Apr | Staying with Doug & Phoenix Singapore | Singapore | Marina Bay / Gardens by the Bay | 13 Apr | MBS, Supertrees Singapore | Singapore | Clarke Quay | 14 Apr | River cruise Singapore | Singapore | Jurong Bird Park | 15 Apr | Wildlife Singapore | Singapore | Little India | 16 Apr | Hawker centres Malaysia | Johor Bahru | JB City | 17 Apr | Cross-border trip Malaysia | Melaka | Melaka Old Town | 18–19 Apr | UNESCO area, Mr Li’s tea house Singapore | Singapore | Geylang / City | 20–21 Apr | Final days, return prep Return Home United Kingdom | UK | Arrival | 21 Apr | Singapore → UK flight DIARY PLAY Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia & Singapore 2013 OUR "THIRD HOLIDAY OF A LIFETIME" HELLINGER TRAVEL RECORDs for 2013, Replicated by TRAVEL BLOG 167 Travel Blog fun. We have been lucky enough to spend 3 months away again recently, firstly in Malaysia where our youngest son "Mr. Douglas" got married on the lovely island of Langkawi. Our time in Malaysia included Kuala Lumpur (KL to its friends), Langkawi , Georgetown (Penang) and latterly Melaka (Malacca - the UNESCO World Heritage site) via Johor Bahru (JB to its friends). We then hired a Motorhome for a month to travel around the top half of North Island New Zealand (NZ). We had already spent 4 months seeing North & South island of this lovely country back in 2007/8 and wanted to see the places we missed out on last time, namely Cape Reinga, 90 mile beach, Hot water beach and the forgotten world highway. After NZ we returned to Australia both of us for the 4th time. Starting in Sydney with family & friends we had a great time. Then Tasmania again with family we flew into Adelaide to pick up our motorhome to travel the Nullabor plain from east to west but this time with a built in external gas BBQ, bliss! Including our previous trips to OZ we have now travelled around the outside from Cooktown (QLD) to Geraldton (WA) plus Broome, Kunannarra, Darwin (NT) and thru the middle on the Ghan including Alice & Uluru. We have been to all States and can thoroughly recommend Oz to anyone wanting an adventure. We HEART Oz & Nz big style. We finished our trip with 2 weeks in lovely Singapore with Doug and his new wife "Mrs. Phoenix". If we tot up the miles / kilometers we drove on this trip we can say we drove the equivalent of the distance from London to Tashkent (Uzbekistan).It is nice being back in the UK now to our own little Motorhome with a whole host of new & exciting trips to look forward to which you can see on our website motorhome-travels. This website shows some of our best pictures and Anne's diary as a memory of a truly wonderful time. Love K&A . We drove 7253 miles in total whilst away in both hire cars and motorhomes. Summary of those travel blog total miles driven is as follows:- In Motorhomes described via this travel blog 6369 (2559 in NZ, 3810 in Australia of which 742 were crossing the Nullarbor Plain), In Cars 884 (Sydney 187, Langkawi 342, Johor 2 Melaka 355) I suggest you read each travel blog section visited in conjunction with the appropriate travel blog days dairy, thanks for looking Hints and Tips - Weddings on Langkawi Island Weddings on Langkawi Island, Malaysia, what you need to know! Langkawi Island, located in Malaysia, is a serene and breathtaking destination that attracts visitors from all around the world. Nestled amidst the Andaman Sea, this tropical paradise is not only known for its stunning beaches and lush greenery but also for its enchanting wedding venues. If you are planning to tie the knot and are looking for a destination that offers unrivaled beauty and a touch of exoticism, then Langkawi Island may be the perfect choice for your dream wedding. Let's delve into what you need to know about weddings on Langkawi Island. First and foremost, when it comes to planning your wedding on Langkawi Island, it's important to find a reliable and professional wedding planner who specializes in destination weddings. These experts are well-versed in the local customs, laws, and procedures, ensuring a hassle-free and smooth planning process. They will assist you in securing the necessary permits, arranging transportation and accommodation for your guests, and curating the perfect wedding experience. Langkawi Island offers a plethora of stunning wedding venues, ranging from luxurious beach resorts to private villas and even traditional Malay kampong-style settings. One popular venue is the Four Seasons Resort Langkawi, boasting elegant spaces with breathtaking views of the Andaman Sea. This secluded resort provides an idyllic backdrop for exchanging vows and celebrating with your loved ones. Another distinctive option is The Datai Langkawi, an exquisite rainforest resort that seamlessly blends nature with luxury. Its pristine beaches and lush surroundings create an ethereal atmosphere for a romantic and unforgettable wedding ceremony. For couples seeking a more intimate and private affair, Langkawi also offers secluded beachfront villas that can be exclusively reserved for your special day. These secluded havens provide an intimate setting with personalized touches, allowing you to create memories that will last a lifetime. This is the full travel blog diary of our trip, stop the travel blog slideshow where you wish to read, however it is worth noticing that each individual travel blog page on the site has the travel blog diaries specific to that particular visit, mostly 3 days at a time. OUR ROUND THE WORLD FLIGHT TICKET ROUTE Pre Planning Makes perfect, I even enjoy the mental exercise, but it always pays off, the first Gallery shows Flags (with start and finish dates for each place visited) , Currency converter cheat sheets and finally the coins and notes of each nation, clearly the rates are somewhat different today (2022) 😉 ✅ Malaysia Footer kiwi flag hdr and footer start to end 1/10 2013 Slideshows Now follows a Summary slideshow of some of the memories from that lovely third trip of a lifetime, they are organised sequentially, clearly the complete set of images and slideshows is available under each 3 day diary write up , thanks for looking. The slideshow / gallery will run at 2 slides per 4 secs viewing , if you hover over and then click you will see full screen pop up and be able to scroll through at your own speed, the controls at the bottom of each gallery allow for forward or halt. NOTE this applies to all galleries throughout the site, enjoy and happy viewing Weddings on Langkawi Island Continued . One of the advantages of having a wedding on Langkawi Island is the abundance of natural beauty that surrounds you. From the azure blue waters to the stunning sunsets and lush rainforests, Langkawi Island offers unparalleled opportunities for breathtaking wedding photographs. Capture the magic of the island as you embark on your journey as a married couple. Aside from its natural wonders, Langkawi Island is renowned for its warm hospitality and delectable cuisine. Traditional Malay dishes intermingled with flavors from various cuisines are readily available to tantalize your taste buds. Plan a customized menu with your wedding planner and savor a gastronomic experience that will leave your guests craving for more. To make your wedding on Langkawi Island a truly memorable experience, take advantage of the nearby attractions and activities the island has to offer. From island hopping, thrilling water sports, to exploring the UNESCO World Geopark, Langkawi Island has something for everyone. Create unforgettable memories with your loved ones as you embark on new adventures together. In conclusion, if you envision a wedding in a breathtaking tropical paradise, Langkawi Island in Malaysia is an ideal choice. With its stunning venues, warm hospitality, and natural beauty, this island offers the perfect setting for your dream wedding. Enlist the assistance of a professional wedding planner who can guide you through the entire process, ensuring a seamless and enchanting experience. Celebrate your love in a destination that will leave you and your guests in awe. Long Haul Holiday Travel in 2013, 3 Months Away, 22nd January (what would have been Dad's 86th) and Snow to 21st April and Spring Bulbs Read the Travel Blog Diaries, Look at the Travel Blog Slideshows, See the You Tube Videos, Use the 2013 CHOICES MENU to Explore, 3 Days at a Time (mostly) Have Fun, This travel blog is referenced as our 3rd Holiday of a Lifetime to cover our trips in 2007/8 (Downunder) & 2010 (Across Canada), we have since had a 4th in 2017 (Downunder) Here is a schematic of the trip with the round the world (RTW) route mapped out including length of flights and number of days spent in each location. All the usual travel blog information can be found here. trad wedding photo, langkawi island, malaysia so happy for them 35th wedding anniversary, new zealand another wedding celebration, went to this lovely restaurant back in 2007-8 taken by nice japanese lady easter time, gardens by the bay, singapore trad wedding photo, langkawi island, malaysia so happy for them 1/13 Jan13 Final Feb13 Final Apr13 Original Jan13 Final 1/8 keef by the blue mansion door georgetown in very old age 1/78 Your Choices for 2013 Travel Guides Malaysia Travel Summary Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Kuah Town Islands Plus Wedding Penang Georgetown Malacca Travel Summary New Zealand Orewa Tutakaka Keri Keri Coromandel Bay of Plenty Hawkes Bay Tongariro Taranaki Back to Auckland Travel Summary Australia Vaucluse Sydney North Shores Tasmania Bruny Coober Coffin Bay Nullarbor Esperance Geraldton Perth New Zealand Australia Travel Summary Singapore Hop on Hop off Bus Sentosa Island Jurong Bird Park Little India Singapore Malaysian Long Haul Travel Guide 2013 Including amongst others Langkawi,Penang, Malacca, Georgetown , 1st visit 23rd January to 5th February , then the second visit 12th April to 14 April, 17 days in total MALAYSIA 2013 OUR "THIRD HOLIDAY OF A LIFETIME" HELLINGER TRAVEL RECORDs for 2013, Replicated by TRAVEL BLOG 167 We were in Malaysia twice during our 3 months away. Initially for Doug & Phoenix's wedding on the lovely island of Langkawi and then again when we visited them at their home in Singapore where we slipped back over the border via Woodlands crossing into Johor (JB) before driving up to the Unesco World Heritage site @ Malacca (Melaka in Malay). Our 1st stay in Malaysia was initially centred around Kuala Lumpar (KL) using the Hop On Hop Off bus (HOHO) to look at various things then onto Langkawi then for 3 days at the end in Georgetown Penang another Unesco World Heritage site at Cheong Fatt Tze's Blue Mansion. Annie kept a diary and you can read that here on the website day by day as well as see the pictures we took as memories on each day. If you prefer to speed that viewing up you can view the slideshows for this country on each of those days. HIGHLIGHTS:- Doug & Phoenix's wedding Unesco Blue Mansion Georgetown Exotic Fruits Chinatown & Little India, Georgetown Evening tour of Malacca Food @ Concorde Inn KL Mr Li's tea house Melaka Monkeys on Bunting Island & Basah Bahai Pregnant Maiden Lake Hard Rock Cafe T-shirt from Malacca & Batu Ferrighe Penang Nasi Goreng LOWLIGHTS:- Bumps on island boat hop Langkawi Rats in roads & smells on Melaka River MALAYSIA, Kuah Town, Langkawi Island, 25-27 January 2013 Arriving from KL and meeting up with family at the De Baron Hotel, Malaysia 25-27 Jan 2013, Kuah Town, Capital of Langkawi Island, plus a verbal reading of the diary covering amongst others leaving the Concorde inn KL and flying to Langkawi island, De Baron Hotel, hire car, lovely swimming pools, sunset views and strolls, no durian in lifts, Taylor Swift's red, straits of Malacca, jacaranda trees and pods, family arriving for wedding, 1st meal of tricky curried prawns at sunset, air con, such fun! The number of images in the selective slideshow is 51. Feel free to look at what Langkawi has to offer, click HERE Friday January 25th 2013 Still at Concorde Inn Hotel near KL airport. Woke up early again at 5.45 a.m., must still be jet lag, heavy rain. Yesterday we found all Malaysians friendly and very helpful and all spoke very good English, we tried out our pigeon Malay whenever we could to try and be good but in general their English was way better than our Malay. Annie did Indonesian at school in Australia and said many of the words were similar. We had an excellent breakfast at the hotel, Keef did some online banking and emails, we then when swimming / sunbathing at the hotel pool. It was very hot and then like clockwork the rain clouds gathered and around 6 p.m. there was another terrific rainstorm with thunder and lightening. The rain was tremendous, and we mean TORRENTIAL! Anne had a little siesta as was suffering from jet lag and tired. We then had a lovely evening meal in the hotel restaurant, Annie had chicken satay with rice, curd cake and carrot cake for pudding, Keef had nasi lemak , chicken, rendang sauce, coconut rice, with an anchovy and nut garnish followed by cheesecake for pudding, all very yummy and hugely well prepared, thanks Concorde Inn Hotel staff, much appreciated. We then organised the taxi pickup for the next morning to take us to the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) in Kuala Lumpur for our Malaysian internal flights at 10 a.m. (arriving at the terminal 2 hours earlier as directed) Never know what that is all about, mostly to get you to spend money at the terminal. Night night we will be up early tomorrow. Saturday January 26th 2013 Today we travel onward to Langkawi Island, Malaysia, a chocolate (tax free) holiday paradise island for all Malaysians and the place where our youngest son is due to get married. Tick! Got up at 6 a.m. and had breakfast at 7.15 a.m. we then got the taxi to Kuala Lumpur’s LCCT terminal to catch our 10 a.m. flight on Air Asia to Langkawi. We had to be at the terminal 2 hours in advance. In the end the plane left at 10.15 a.m. and took about 1 hour to get to the island. It was very hot in Langkawi, about 30 degrees C, we checked in at the De Baron Hotel , a 2 star hotel, having picked up our hire car from the airport for 1 week. It cost about £230. The hire car had air con, 4 doors and seemed very good. Apparently, there are monkeys and buffalo on the roads away from the main Kuah Town although on our journey to the hotel we didn’t see any. Cars drive on the left in Malaysia. We unpacked our bags in the hotel room, which was not as good as the one at the Concorde Inn in KL. We then went for a stroll around the hotel and grounds to familiarise ourselves with where we were. We then walked to the nearest shops to find a restaurant for some food. This is hilarious, we ordered fish and chips, but the waiter only bought one plate. He naively assumed it was only the man eating, wow now that is a cultural difference. 😉 We asked for the 2nd meal which duly arrived, but the fish was not cooked properly. We left in disgust and found another restaurant. Anne had lemon chicken (not very good) and pineapple rice which was wonderful. We then found a wine shop and bought both red and white for D&P’s wedding. Both of us has a siesta as knocked out by the massive heat or more succinctly humidity. Keef took sunset pictures from the hotel grounds. Brian and Gina arrived at De Baron Hotel, Kuah Town, Langkawi Island at 10.15 p.m. Sunday January 27th 2013 Went for a swim and met up with Brian and Gin who had got up early and had breakfast and walked along the bay to the Eagle Square statue (famed on Langkawi and visible in all the tourist brochures). It was again very hot today. We all got sunbeds around the pool which had 2 lovely slides. K&A went off to collect Craig and Leanne from the airport at 12.15 p.m. and then once they had both checked into their room they joined us on the sunbeds which we had rotated to be in the shade, a very good move for us pasty skinned Brits abroad, ha ha. 😉The only 2 awake around the pool were Annie & I as we had now arrived in the right time zone body wise. In the evening we had dinner at our hotel outside in the gardens overlooking the bay a bit cooler and a lovely romantic setting and great company, what more could you ask for. We took some sunset photos over the bay. Hotel had wonderful and beautiful views of the bay which is part of the straits of Malacca. Being a Muslim country, they did not serve alcohol, but we took along some beers etc. and sat along the bay frontage and watched the sun set, just magical. That afternoon Keef & Brian had walked 10 minutes to the quay to book an island-hopping boat tour trip for 9 a.m. the next day, so looking forward to that. This is an extract from a tourist brochure from Langkawi. “Kuah, the main town of Langkawi, is a good starting point for visitors who travel via ferry. While clear white stretches of beaches are non-existent here, ships are ever-present in the distance and the looming mountains on the nearby islets are visible during the day. The town is well-regarded as a shopper’s haven, housing many excellent duty-free stores selling everything but the kitchen sink. Due to its relatively large population and the number of hotels in the area, visitors can also find a good range of dining venues to choose from while places of interests that are great for picture moments can be found in Kuah. Kuah, Kuah Town or Bandar Kuah is a town, mukim and district capital of Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia. It is the entry point for those coming by ferry from either the mainland or Penang Island. The town is centred on its jetty, which is a point of arrival for tourists from the mainland. Kuah has become a major town due to the growth of visitors after Langkawi developed into a tourist centre since 1986. Kuah is the most important town on Langkawi Island. Though it is not an actual city, local people from Langkawi refer to it as a city. Kuah is a nice and small town with a relaxed atmosphere. There are no big malls, no heavy traffic and no places to eat on every corner but more than enough to satisfy your appetite. Langkawi Island has a duty-free status. You can buy cheap liquor, cigarettes, fragrances, and other souvenirs in Kuah. Kuah has a couple of hotels, but you will find better accommodation outside of the city. “ The hotel address was de BARON resort, Bandar Baru BARON,07000, Kuah Langkawi, Kedah Darul Aman. 27 jan 2013 first full evening get together in kuah town poolside dolphins 1/26 MALAYSIA, Berjaya to Penang 31 Jan-2 Feb 2013 Leaving family after the Wedding, Oriental Village, Elephant rides & Lebanese meals then goodbyes and onto Penang, Malaysia 31 Jan-2 Feb 2013, Skycab, Oriental Village, Berjaya hotel resort Brian & Gina's hotel in the south west of Langkawi Island, Plus Reading Annie's Diary, covering amongst others airport, berjaya hotel resort, eagle quay, shops, pantai chenang, pantai kok, seaweed crisps, batik fabric prints, penang, bayview hotel, Georgetown, drove 225 miles on langkawi, hire car, taxi, permata kedah, langkawi jewel of kedah, skycab, cable cars, oriental village, mount machinchang, family, parascending, parasailing, Lebanese meal in Pantai Kok, yacht harbour, farewell to Brian & Gina, Craig & Leanne, Doug & Phoenix, Air Asia flight to Penang , only 18 mins our shortest flight ever, 51 images in the selective slideshow Thursday January 31st 2013 Brian and Gina transferred to their new hotel, Berjeya Hotel Resort on the southwest of the island at 4 p.m. Got up late and had breakfast in the Sands restaurant in the Tanjung Rhu hotel. We chatted to John & his partner Tammy. We had to check out of our room at 12 noon, but Doug and Phoenix were staying on until Friday. We put our baggage in the hire car and then spent the rest of the afternoon by the pool as did the whole of Phoenix’s family. Brian and Gina then left at 4 p.m. for their next hotel. We got showered to leave at 6.30 p.m. Unfortunately only B&G caught Phoenix’s Mum to say goodbye, we didn’t manage any of P’s party, the whole of her entourage were not around, B&G did say farewell to Doug & Phoenix however who were off for a spa treatment, luxury eh but true honeymoon stuff for Mr. & Mrs. Douglas (as they became known by the hotel staff tee hee). They were also doing snorkeling on Friday morning before flying to Penang to briefly stay with their friends Kim & Jayne, who were also wedding guests. Kim volunteered to show us around Georgetown his home when we got to Penang in a few days’ time but we decided against it as in fairness didn’t know him that well and wanted to look around at our own pace. We will stay with Doug & Phoenix at the end of our trip for two weeks in April so its as they say not goodbye but more au revoir ha-ha With Craig and Leanne we then drove to the tourist resort of Pantai Chenang again and had a lovely Thai meal, this was the scene of C&L’s parascending experience tomorrow having worked up the courage watching other on our previous visits here , something we are not sure Leanne would do again. Very tired as late night previously so we all went to bed when we returned to the hotel De Baron in Kuah Town. One thing we remember from around the pool at Tanjung Rhu resort was the pompous Brits who told as they always holidayed here every year and were complaining about the riffraff lowering the tone for the plebs wedding, little did they know that was us, awful snobs and people for that matter, happy never to see folk like that again, thank you very much Friday February 1st 2013 Had breakfast at 8.30 a.m. with Craig & Leanne and then returned to Pantai Chenang for them to do parasailing, which cost them £12 for 10 minutes in the air. The speedboat took them out for a very small island offshore where they took off from its beach. Then we drove to the southwest side of the island and visited the Oriental Village with shops, a lake with koi carps, fish, monkeys etc. maybe click on the link on the website page for the oriental village Langkawi Island to see so much more. We saw the cable car but the queue to get on was so long we just didn’t have time to do it so Craig & Leanne did an elephant ride instead. Their elephant was called Lasah, we took lots of photos of them then K & A fed him afterwards with bread slices and bananas provided. We saw a small boy with a python wrapped around his neck. We then went into the spa shop where Craig & Leanne put their feet into a pool where small fish nibbled the hard skin on their feet, it made Craig giggle. We had already done this with Linda & Ian in Cornwall before we came so gave it a miss this time around. We then drove to Brian & Gina’s new resort hotel which was quite close to the Oriental Village and spent the afternoon on the beach and in their pool which had a waterfall. Their hotel grounds were nicely landscaped with tropical palms etc. Maybe click on the link for the Berjaya hotel resort to see more. We took the little bus up the hillside to their chalet amongst the trees, it was an extremely steep road, so transport was most welcome. We all had a shower there and got changed ready for the evening. There were monkeys in the trees. We went to dinner in a fab Lebanese restaurant along the coast in Pantai Kok, which is a lovely fishing and yacht harbour. The food was very tasty and we had to do the usual walk to the far corner of the restaurant to wash our hands under running water as we mostly used our ands to eat, a cultural and maybe religion practice within Muslim countries, who knows! Brian and Gina returned to their resort by taxi. We all said our goodbyes and C, L,K&A returned to the De Baron hotel in Kuah town. We went to bed at 10.30 p.m. as an early start tomorrow. Brian and Gina were spending a further 7 days at the Berjaya resort before flying onto Borneo for the rest of their holiday. We had spent a lovely time together, such wonderful memories especially the Wedding at Tanjung Rhu, will remember it forever, very special. Saturday February 2nd 2013 Langkawi Island to Penang for Keef & Annie and the next leg of our Holiday 2013. Got up at 5 a.m. and took Craig and Leanne to Langkawi airport for 6 a.m. for their return flight to the UK. It was very dark outside but with the sound of prayer call in the air from the many mosques en-route. Keef sent emails and photos of the Wedding to family and friends in England an Tasmania. The photos came out very well and are a fab reminder of such wonderful times. We then had breakfast at De Baron and drove to Eagle Quay one last time, but it was very busy with tax free shoppers so decided to give shopping there a miss. Went back into Kuah town and Anne bought 2 lots of batik and Keef bought some seaweed pringles as we so liked Craig’s. We had previously checked out of the hotel but returned to get changed. We then returned the hire car to the airport at 3 p.m., we loved its air con ha-ha. And then had to wait until 5.30 p.m. for our Air Asia flight to Penang. The plane left early and took only 18 minutes, possibly one of our shortest flights ever. Got taxi coupon, 44 ringgits, approximately £5.50 in British pounds and then the taxi to our Georgetown hotel called the Bayview on the northeast of the island of Penang. Georgetown is its capital and highly colonial from its past. We stayed on the 15th floor with lovely views of the bay which is in the Melaka Sea and of colourful buildings and the red roofs of Chinatown from our own room. We had showers and unpacked. The air con was not working, and the room was hot so we called the man to fix it which made it a little bit cooler but not perfect by any means. We went to dinner at the hotel at 9 p.m. Annie had a prawn salad and Keef the chicken curry and we both shared some strawberry ice cream for pudding. As it was a long day we were very tired and collapsed exhausted but happy into bed soon after dinner. We had driven 225 miles on Langkawi Island. in brian and ginas room elephant ride return 1/26 ✨ 300‑Word Malaysia Travel Summary Malaysia in 2013 delivered the perfect blend of tropical adventure, vibrant culture and unforgettable travel moments — and this detailed travel diary is designed to help fellow travellers plan their own Malaysian journey with confidence. From the moment you land in Kuala Lumpur, the heat, colour and energy of the city hits you. Iconic landmarks such as the Petronas Twin Towers, Menara Tower, Istana Negara, Chinatown, and Dataran Merdeka offer a rich mix of history, architecture and local life, all easily explored using the city’s excellent Hop‑On Hop‑Off bus. From KL, the trip moves to the island paradise of Langkawi, where travellers can enjoy island‑hopping boat trips, quiet beaches, wildlife encounters and the laid‑back charm that makes Langkawi a favourite for couples, families and backpackers alike. Highlights include Kuah Town, Tanjung Rhu, and the famous Langkawi island‑hopping tour, perfect for photography lovers and nature enthusiasts. The journey continues to Penang, known for its colonial architecture, street food, and the cultural melting pot of Georgetown. With its blend of Malay, Chinese and Indian influences, Penang is a must‑visit for travellers seeking authentic Malaysian cuisine, heritage streets and vibrant markets. This diary doesn’t just document a trip — it provides practical insights for planning your own Malaysia holiday. Travelers will find tips on navigating Kuala Lumpur, choosing the best island excursions, understanding local customs, and making the most of Malaysia’s diverse landscapes. Whether you're researching a Malaysia itinerary, planning a Langkawi beach holiday, or looking for Kuala Lumpur travel inspiration, this guide offers real‑world experience, honest reflections and hundreds of photos to help shape your perfect adventure. 🌴 Dreaming of Malaysian Travel? Dreaming of a Malaysia adventure? This inspiring 2013 Malaysia travel diary is packed with real experiences, stunning photography and practical tips to help you plan your own unforgettable trip. Explore the buzzing streets of Kuala Lumpur, wander through colourful markets, visit the iconic Petronas Towers, and discover the city’s hidden cultural gems. Then slow the pace on the tropical island of Langkawi, with crystal‑clear waters, island‑hopping tours, wildlife encounters and peaceful beaches perfect for relaxing or exploring. Continue the journey to Penang, home of world‑famous street food, heritage architecture and the vibrant charm of Georgetown. Whether you’re planning a first‑time Malaysia itinerary or looking for insider tips on KL, Langkawi or Penang, this diary offers honest insights, real‑world advice and plenty of inspiration for crafting your own Southeast Asia adventure. Perfect for travellers researching Malaysia holidays, island escapes, KL city breaks, or Southeast Asia backpacking routes. Click through to explore the full travel diary and start planning your Malaysia dream trip today. MALAYSIA, Islands Boat Trip Plus Pantai Chenang, Langkawi Island, 28-29 Jan 2013 Beras Besah & Dayang Bunting Islands, Parascending and Water world, Malaysia 28-29 Jan 2013, Islands & Pantai Chenang, plus a verbal reading of the diary covering amongst others palau (or islands), salat began nyior, dayang bunting, beras basah island, palau tuba, kentut basah island, underwater world, pantai chenang, family fun, lunch at yellow beach café, smelly drains, taxi, hire car, sunsets, parascending, birds, fishes, reptiles, rain forest gardens, sun burn, ice creams, fresh water lake named the lake of the pregnant lady on dayang bunting island, just so cooling for feet dangling and swimming. The number of photos we took was 126 and they are all in the selective slideshow, maybe view in conjunction with the diary , either written or audiobook. Monday January 28th 2013 Early breakfast for us all and then got boat trip at 9 a.m. from Eagle Statue quay side. It was a longish boat with sun shades over seats and we rightly had to wear life jackets. There was bright sunshine, but it was breezy. The guy who drove the boat drove it very fast and it was incredibly bouncy. It bounced on some large waves which made us bounce on our metal seat structures quite hard so much so that Craig got a huge bruise on his lower back and Annie one on her arm. If I was being unkind I would say the pilot was doing it on purpose, i.e. an inert dislike of tourists, however I would say most strongly “don’t bite the hand that feeds you” PLEASE!!! We arrived at a small island with palm trees and a lovely beach. This was on reflection the island of beras basah. We had a short walk to the main jetty where there were other tourist boats, he had landed up on the sand as otherwise it was too crowded. The other boats were mainly full of Malaysian tourists. We all went for a cooling swim and then came onto the beach and saw a monkey steal someone’s plastic carrier bag and grab a slice of toast from within. He sat there proudly eating it and we all took lots of photos. We spent ¾ (three quarters) of an hour on that island , Craig having a go in the provided hammock, and then got back on the boat and went to another island where we saw eagles swooping to catch fish and the while island surrounded by mangroves. The last island we visited, dayang bunting, had lots of cheeky monkeys and we walked through the trees on a path with lots of steps to the island’s major lake with a floating pontoon. Craig swam and the rest of us sat on the decking and soaked our feet in the cool waters, this freshwater lake was called the lake of the pregnant maiden. We got on the boat from the dayang bunting jetty after a leisurely stroll back from the lake and lots more monkey pictures and returned to the quay at 12.30 noon. We swam in the De Baron hotel pool and got water, wine, and beer from the town locally in the hire car. After some hassle with the car not starting and having to call out the hire company to fix it (damn it looked like a new vehicle, not good) Keef , Brian & Gina finally arrived at the “passage to India” restaurant where we all had our evening meal after what had been a fun but slightly tiring day out. Its worth noting that the locals only came out to swim in the evening to avoid the heat of the day, oh well mad dogs and Englishmen as they say tee hee. 😉 Tuesday January 29th 2013 We all spent time around the pool relaxing in the morning after our usual friendly and substantial breakfast. Late afternoon we took Craig & Leanne in the hire car to Pantai Chenang and met Brian and Gina there, they had got a taxi outside to Underwater world which we all loved but lost Gina in tee hee. It was a very hot and humid day again, we saw the aquarium and the rain forest area with animals and birds and surprisingly penguins who were in what seemed to be a fridge area, we tried to stowaway (not really ha-ha). It was all very good. Brian had to do a search party for Gina who was reported lost as taking so many photos she strayed away from the rest of us. After this we all walked along the main road in the Pantai Chenang resort where we found a small sandy beach where there were jellyfish at the edge of the sea, after it had disappeared we went for a dip to cool off. We had lunch and drinks at the lovely beach bar, with great views of the Anderman sea and main beach where there were jet skis, banana boats and parascending / parasailing activities. We went for a swim in the sea and watched the lovely sunset at 7.30 p.m. We then collectively set off to look for a restaurant for dinner and found a nice fusion one serving southeast Asian cuisine. It was lovely food. We all got changed out of our wet swim wear in the loos after our swim. Brian and Gina got a taxi back to the hotel and us 4 returned in the hire car, all in all a great day out. yellow beach cafe lunchtime views yet another cheeky monkey island 1/63 MALAYSIA, Georgetown Penang 3-5 Feb 2013 Stayed Bay View Hotel, Saw UNESCO World Heritage Mansion, plus a lot of this historic Town, Malaysia 3-5 Feb 2013, Georgetown Penang , 2 selective slideshows includes reading diary, covering amongst other the blue mansion, UNESCO world heritage, lonely planets top 10 visits, cheong fatt tze’s mansion, Penang bridge, Georgetown, bay view hotel, Fort Cornwallis, batu ferringhe, town hall, wedding poses, china town, little India, temples, incense, the esplanade, industry, shop houses, hard rock café, hard rock hotel, lazy river, the Beatles memorabilia, Penang, airports, air asia, Komtar Centre & Tower, Chinese New Year was the year of the snake. There were 133 images of our wonderful cultural experience in Georgetown. Sunday February 3rd 2013 Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia, 97 degrees Fahrenheit, wow! Georgetown is a busy city with lots of high-rise buildings, but the historical area is preserved and has world heritage status i.e., UNESCO especially for Cheong Fatt Tze’s Blue Mansion. It is a very busy city as over 200 years old and got UNESCO status in 2008. We had a substantial breakfast at the Bay View hotel and then did some sightseeing and visited the Chinese Blue Mansion which cost 12 ringgits each, £2.40 pence in English which on reflection for such a world wonder was incredibly cheap. It was extremely interesting; the house was preserved but all the furnishings were new. Cheong Fatt Tze’s house had 38 rooms, 7 staircases, 5 courtyards, he was a millionaire who left China to make his fortune at 16 and went to Indonesia and then Penang in Malaysia. He had 8 wives and died in 1916, he was a trader and a banker. The house had gone to rack and ruin but was restored between 1990 and 1997. It has lovely wood carved panels and courtyards. By 2022 it was also used as a hotel and restaurant (sadly). After leaving the Blue Mansion we walked around the British colonial area to see the white buildings, City Hall, the museums, and cathedral. By this time, it was 12.30 p.m. and extremely hot and sunny and humid. We tried to walk in the shade wherever possible but it was exhausting. We Brits will get used to it eventually honest. We saw the esplanade and the bay near Fort Cornwallis. Then decided the heat was so intense that we walked (hard going) back to the hotel for a cold drink in the bar, shower than a cooling swim in the hotel pool. Luckily the pool was very cold, yippee! We had booked the buffet dinner in the revolving restaurant on the 16th floor of the hotel for 7.30 p.m. It was lovely Thai food with singing from a live professional act on karaoke who also dis requests from the diners. Keef requested some Adele songs. We also saw Georgetown lit up at night with illuminated fire flies hitting the restaurant windows, quite spectacular form of lighting and / or fireworks, tee hee. Some words about it are “Town heritage, traverse into the eclectic charm of George Town Penang’s illustrious history as you step into the world of Cheong Fatt Tze’s Blue Mansion. Conceived and constructed before the end of the 19th century, The Blue Mansion sets the standard for Penang’s boutique heritage hotel landscape and stands today as one of the most iconic boutique hotels in Malaysia. It is the only one to have won the prestigious UNESCO Conservation & Heritage award. The transcendental quality and timelessness of the mansion has been perfectly poised for over a century on firm foundations of architectural, cultural and historical superlatives. Here, time comes to a halt as you meander along the mansion and revel in the harmonious medley of history and culture. The Blue Mansion seamlessly blends old world charm with modern comforts. A wide array of amenities includes an exquisite dining experience at Indigo restaurant, a courtyard dining room and an idyllic terrace. There are guided mansion tours daily which give you further insight into the story behind the architecture and history of George Town’s first heritage hotel. The Blue Mansion is centrally located at 4km from the Gurney Drive seafront promenade, 9km from Kek Lok Si Buddhist temple, and just a 5-minute walk to China Town and other significant heritage spots in Penang.” In our humble opinion it is just a truly spectacular building. And here is some UNESCO words for Malaysia, we have been to both. “Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca Melaka and George Town, historic cities of the Straits of Malacca have developed over 500 years of trading and cultural exchanges between East and West in the Straits of Malacca. The influences of Asia and Europe have endowed the towns with a specific multicultural heritage that is both tangible and intangible. With its government buildings, churches, squares and fortifications, Melaka demonstrates the early stages of this history originating in the 15th-century Malay sultanate and the Portuguese and Dutch periods beginning in the early 16th century. Featuring residential and commercial buildings, George Town represents the British era from the end of the 18th century. The two towns constitute a unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia.” Monday February 4rd 2013 Georgetown 91 degrees Fahrenheit We set the alarm for 6.30 a.m. to start sightseeing early to avoid some of the heat of the day. At 7.45 a.m. we set off for the free hop on hop off shuttle bus around the old part of the city. We used that bus to alight in the Chinese area which is very old and saw interesting herbal medicine shops. We walked through a market and saw some strange fruits (well they were strange to us at the time, having been in Asia quite a bit since that novelty has worn off). We visited a Chinese temple yard where people lit incense for good luck. Chinese New Year, the year of the Snake was on the 10th of February that year. Red paper lanterns were up everywhere. We got off the bus at the National Museum which cost 1 ringgit each entry fee, 20 pence in English money. It was an excellent museum all about Penang and Georgetown in particular. It has been UNESCO world heritage since 2008. We then returned to the hotel for a swim, jacuzzi and shower. Annie found the cleaner had taken her flannel from the room, it was white like the hotel towels, and they had mistaken it as theirs for washing. The staff searched all the laundry but could not find it, so they gave her a hotel flannel. We were just about to go out at 5.20 p.m. when a torrential downpour and gusting winds started and the resultant lightening made us turn around from the lobby and return to our room. We were going to get a bus to Batu Ferringhe along the north coast of Penang and have dinner at the Hard Rock Café hotel there but rightly changed our minds. Instead, we watched TV and then had dinner at 8 p.m. in the hotel restaurant, we had nasi goreng, yummy. We then did our packing as travelling tomorrow however the hotel manager said we could check out at 1 p.m. Tuesday February 5th 2013 Today we left Georgetown for Auckland New Zealand via Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Got up at 7 a.m. had a quick breakfast and got free hop on hop off shuttle bus to the KOMTAR CENTRE then bus 101 to Batu Ferrighe along the north coast of Penang Island. All buses are air conditioned which was wonderful as again it was very hot and sunny. The bus took a while to get out of Georgetown as it’s a very busy and congested city. Initially all urban sprawl then the coastal road with views of the sea and large rocks. We got off the bus at the Hard Rock hotel past a lot of tourist hotels and restaurants. Keef bought his obligatory T-shirt from the HRC shop proudly displaying “Penang”. We looked around the hotel, it had a nice beach nearby plus pool and lazy river with rubber rings which cost £2 a day to hire. There was lots of rock and pop memorabilia. Got there at 11 a.m. and then took the same bus back to the hotel which took ages as Georgetown was very hectic. We got to the hotel at 12.55 p.m. luckily, they gave us an extra ½ hour to check out, we had showers and took our bags down to the foyer. We got the taxi to the airport at 2.15 p.m. The flight to Singapore on Jet Star Asia was 1 hour in duration and we then had to kill time in Changi Airport, Singapore until our flight to Brisbane at 9.30 p.m. that evening, we couldn’t meet up with D&P because they were elsewhere and in reality, would not have had enough time to check out and back into the airport. Keef watched Lincoln on the plane, Annie watched bits of films but could not concentrate as so tired. Both of us only got about 2 hours sleep that night in transit. our plane for penang from langkawi nice starter 1/67 Our Days in Malaysia MALAYSIA, Kuala Lumpur 22-24 January 2013 Tuesday January 22nd 2013 After collecting the hire car from the East Midlands airport and dropping keys etc around Craig’s house, we set off for Heathrow. Heavy snow in fields in countryside but Heathrow was clear. We flew British airways 8.30pm to Singapore, although the plane was waiting to taxi down the runway for 45 minutes. We had a few hours snatched sleep on the plane and arrived at Singapore at 5.40pm on the Tuesday. The flight was 12 hours 35 minute long. British Airways food was Ok but not enough seat space / leg space , cramped conditions, definitely what we call “cattle class” . We were cheeky and asked for an upgrade but were told there were no first-class seats available. Wednesday January 23rd 2013 Arrival Kuala Lumpur via Singapore Arrived Singapore (in transit) for Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia, sent text message to Doug. Phoenix’s parents staying with them currently in Singapore, where they were officially married at a civil ceremony on the 24th. We only had 1 hour 30 minutes to sort out our transit arrangements which was stressful since baggage had to be checked out and checked back in at the Changi counter, time flew by. Singapore lovely airport (Changi surprisingly was once a prison used by the Japanese to hound Singaporeans, bad news) and modern , tube used to take passengers to baggage hall / passport check etc. Flew Jet Star (operated by Quantas) 7.40pm to KL. Liked the airport in KL , clean modern etc. Flight was about 50 minutes. Found free shuttle bus at KL airport to take us to the Concorde Inn Hotel very near to the airport. Nice spacious deluxe room and wet room shower. Arrived at the hotel at 10.10 pm very tired and hot. After snow and freezing temperatures in England, arrived in jungle heat and then a ‘terrific tropical storm’ directly overhead with thunder and lightening. The thunder was os loud it was like an explosion. Spent 24 hours travelling fron the time we left home to arriving at the hotel in KL. Thursday January 24th 2013 Kuala Lumpur Woke at 6.20am. Bit jet lagged. Went into Kuala Lumpur city today having had a lovely hotel breakfast. The coffee machine inspired my 60th birthday present. Bought a batik fabric from the hotel foyer gift shop and practiced our Malay language skills. Got free shuttle bus from hotel to main airport and then took rapid train into the city (took 28 minutes) passing many palm tree plantations. Train cost 70 ringgits each return (about £14 at the time) and was like a very modern tube train. Got hop on hop off (HOHO) coach tickets from outside the station, cost 35 ringgits each or £7 which was very good value. The bus tour took in all the city sights / sites (😉 ) , old colonial buildings and those that were ultra-modern, including the world famous Petronus Twin Towers, 3 green belts in the city with flowering shrubs and trees. We saw monkeys outside the national palace fence. The whole bus tour took about 2-2 ¼ hours as they stopped for photo opportunities on several occasions. KL was not very crowded surprisingly. The Chinese shops were very interesting and lots of market and food stalls were available. We visited the national museum of Malaysia and saw traditional long houses and the Sultan’s throne and a man with a yellow python. Also on the 2nd tour around the city we stopped at a traditional crft centre and chatted to a batik designer / artist from Borneo. Terrific tropical storms again at 5.50 pm, we got back on the bus tour but interestingly the bus well and truly leaked 😉 We had a chicken meal at the main station got back to the Concorde In hotel at about 9.20pm tired, happy and educated (travel definitely broadens the mind) and very ready for bed. Arriving from the UK with snow into Malaysia at KL (Kuala Lumpur) to 30c & Jet Lag & Discovery, Malaysia 22-24 Jan 2013, Kuala Lumpur , plus a verbal reading of the diary covering amongst others concorde inn , leaving uk in snow, istana negara / national palace, menara tower, st marys cathedral, petronus twin towers, batu auch, batu linting, year of the snake, china town, burial poles, malay traditional housing, national museum, dataran merdeka square, cricket, colonialism, poverty, endless motorcycles , lovely hibiscus flowers, hop on hop off bus tour , total number of images with text is 121 in selective slideshows flamingoes _ the birdpark ahhh as a gardener i loved gardens by the bay 1/1 uni towards the palace panorama 1/61 MALAYSIA, Tanjung Rhu Resort, Langkawi Island,30 Jan 2013 "5🌠" Wedding Doug & Phoenix's Wedding, Tanjung Rhu Resort with family and friends, karaoke, food, ceremony on the beach, wedding breakfast and Chinese tea ceremony , beach skittles and the band, a lovely day ,the number of images in the selective slideshows is 93, so so happy for them both the wedding itinerary happy to nina simone 1/46 Wednesday January 30th 2013 Doug and Phoenix’s Wedding Day, Langkawi Island, Tanjung Rhu Resort definitely 5 star Set off from the De Baron hotel in Kuah Town with Craig & Leanne in the hire car. Brian and Gina took a taxi across the island and surprise, surprise got lost, you would thing the taxi drivers would know their way around. Anyhow we all arrived at the Tanjung Rhu hotel resort where the wedding was to be held late afternoon. We spent some time around the pool before the wedding and met up with D&P and Phoenix’s parents, her 2 cousins (including Shren whom we have got to know much better over the years as like P she went to university in the UK for about a year, since married in China). Again, a very very hot day. Lovely beach views and loved the hotel rooms and gardens, dead posh. The wedding was lovely and very romantic and held on the beach at 6.30 p.m. to take some of the days heat away. Phoenix looked lovely in her bridal dress escorted across the sand by her dad and 3 bridesmaids all in yellow dresses whilst hers was pure white. Doug looked very smart in grey trousers, waistcoat, white shirt and gold bow tie and cummerbund. The ceremony was very emotional and beautiful at the same time. They then went off for formal photos and then we went into the hotel for the traditional Chinese tea ceremony with her parents and the bride & groom. Then followed a beach barbeque and feast as by now dark skies, with a really good live band. The speeches were all excellent, Ps Dad, John the best man (one of Doug’s university pals) and Doug who did a long speech in both Mandarin and English. We are very proud of him, and the Chinese contingent laughed in quite a few places so it must have been good. He also recited a poem he had written to Phoenix which was very romantic. We then had dancing on the sand with Phoenix even doing lead vocals with the band at one point, she has such a lovely voice. Then wedding cake and did some beach games… China versus England, ha-ha. Skittles and throwing coconuts as the ball. Then more music and dancing and then we moved inside the hotel for some karaoke which finished at 2.30 am. The Chinese were great at Karaoke, we however tanked up on booze to give us the confidence to finish with Bryan Adams and Bon Jovi numbers, The summer of 69 and Living on a prayer respectively. All very tired but happy we retired to bed. Doug & Phoenix both seemed very happy with how it had all gone, what a wonderful wedding day! MALAYSIA, Malacca "The Historic State" 13-14 Apr 2013, also spelt Melaka Stayed at Mr & Mrs Li Wee's traditional Tea House with Doug & Phoenix, Malaysia 13-14 April 2013, Malacca “The Historic State” plus reading diary, Melaka or Malacca, city of bridges, mr and mrs li wee, tea house stay, UNESCO world heritage site, Melaka river, "Venice of the East" cruises, jambalan tan bin seng, chan koon cheng, old bus station bridge, kompung morten, waterside edge walks, shop houses, bastion Victoria, jonkers walk, night market, mr li’s taxi trip, famous chicken and rice, St John's Fort, chetti village, museums, Maritime museum, jonkers gallery, many churches, early Christianity, mosque by coast, sila tanggalhan, street kebabs and portugese shell fish restaurant by the harbour, orang utan shop, great to spend so much time with doug & phoenix, west ham drinks glasses, 112 images in the selective slideshows but poor doug and phoenix getting ill through eating some suspect street food, maybe the kebabs were not fully cooked who knows. Saturday April 13th 2013 Malacca or Melaka, Malaysia Guest house owners Mr. and Mrs. Li were very friendly and polite. Phoenix had booked this accommodation from Singapore. We had arrived in the hire car we picked up just across the border into Malaysia at Johor Bahru or JB in everyday parlance tee hee. We did the awful crowded lengthy Woodlands crossing by shuttle bus (cattle class tee hee) over the Johor Causeway bridge from Singapore to Malaysia. Not fun as the weekend when many of the Malaysian workers return to JB to their families after a week away working in the better paid country of Singapore, remember before independence on the 9th of August 1965 Singapore was a state of Malaysia. Mr. Li offered to give us a guided tour of Melaka at 6.45 p.m. We went to a local Chinese cafe for breakfast, our guest house is in the old part of town so very traditional. Melaka is now a UNESCO world heritage site along with Georgetown Penang which we went to early on this trip. After breakfast we walked around the old town down by the river, which was very smelly and sadly polluted. It was a dirty green sludge colour. We saw lots of old churches, one was built in 1756, which was when Malacca was on the spice route and had both Dutch and Portuguese colonies. There were lots of men on rickshaws covered in fake flowers driving tourists around the old town. Plus, lots of Chinese tourists on coach tours. Culturally the Chinese do like to travel in convoy which makes sense when language is an issue, potentially less so here in Melaka which is very multi-cultural as indeed Singapore is. It is worth noting we were some of the only westerners we saw. We saw monitor lizards in the river, they lived in holes in the walls at the rivers edge and came out to swim in the sunshine. After lunch of some Chinese food in a riverside café we went on a boat cruise for a few kilometers up the river and then back again affording a view of some of the surrounds. There was a fake sailing ship, a Dutch East Indies ship that had originally been shipwrecked off Melaka in a storm circa 1650. We then returned to the guest house which as it doubled as a Chinese tea house was a real treat and experience. We had fermented China teas, the ginger one was the best. We sat and rested there and chatted to Mr. Li. Then we had showers and at 6.45 p.m. he drove us in his battered car around the city and showed us the sights which was lovely. We visited a Muslim Mosque on the coast with views of the Malacca Straits, old Malay Chetti Village houses down by the river, and the old St. Johns fort where we saw monkeys and then went on for a Portuguese meal in the open air by the sea. We also saw people launching Chinese lanterns into the sky, all quite atmospheric. Mr. Li carried on our tour until about 10.30 p.m. when he dropped us all off at Jonker’s Walk to see the night market. It was busy and bustling and we remember the humourous advert for Mr. Potato Head crisps the ad poster being Wayne Rooney ha-ha. We then returned to the guest house which was close by, tired , had a shower and went to bed at 12 midnight. A very interesting day all in all. And here are some UNESCO words for Malaysia, we have been to both Melaka & Georgetown, Penang. “Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca Melaka and George Town, historic cities of the Straits of Malacca have developed over 500 years of trading and cultural exchanges between East and West in the Straits of Malacca. The influences of Asia and Europe have endowed the towns with a specific multicultural heritage that is both tangible and intangible. With its government buildings, churches, squares and fortifications, Melaka demonstrates the early stages of this history originating in the 15th-century Malay sultanate and the Portuguese and Dutch periods beginning in the early 16th century. Featuring residential and commercial buildings, George Town represents the British era from the end of the 18th century. The two towns constitute a unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia.” Sunday April 14th 2013 Malacca back to Singapore Had breakfast at 10.30 a.m. in a Chinese café was dim sum. Then we walked around the old town a different area from yesterday, seeing old Chinese temples, Chinese theaters, and a lot of little shops, busy with Chinese tourists. Keef bought some new flip flips (or thongs as our aussie friends would call them). Phoenix was not well and frequently sick, not sure if it was the street food kebabs in the morning or the sea food at the Portuguese restaurant the previous evening, who knows but poor Phoenix. K & A headed back to the guest house for a rest, the humidity was getting to us. D&P arrived back a little later and she went to lie down to try and recover. Mr. Li made us a lovely local coffee and then his wife kindly made us and Doug some winter melon tea, a vegetable we now know extremely well but didn’t at the time. We all chatted and rested up a bit. Phoenix recovered after her little nap and rejoined us. We all went off to a Chinese restaurant for lunch, we had already loaded all our bags into the hire car boot at this point anyhow. After lunch we set off at 3.15 p.m. for the long drive back to the city of Johor Bahru which is the Malaysian city on the border. We stopped at a service station for a comfort break. We played hunt the western loo ha-ha. It was mainly palm trees lining the motorway on the way back stretching for miles on either side. Not many signs of towns or villages. Palm tree oil (not great in COP26 times) and rubber are the main Malaysian exports. We used the sat nav to try and get back to the lady’s house whom we had got the hire car from but it took us to the wrong area, many are named the same in JB. By 7 p.m. we had already spent an hour circling around JB in a vain attempt to find the right address. Despite many phone calls to the lady to ask for directions she and her husband were not very helpful and did not know any of the local road names to the point where they could only tell us the name of the shipping mall that was nearby them. Very frustrating. Jalan Balau which was the road we wanted came up 14 different areas on the sat nav, so we methodically tried them all, grr! We needed Jalan Balau 1 to be precise. A nightmare to find but we eventually got there. Not a trip any of us would want to do again but as years pass, we would always remember it. We then took a taxi back to the border crossing; it was not so busy on a Sunday evening so getting into Woodlands crossing was a breeze. We all got back to Geylang flat at 10 p.m. Went out for a Chinese meal locally and then had showers and flopped into bed very tired, but happy to have spent such a lovely adventurous weekend away with Mr. & Mrs. Douglas, fun times. us HRC malacca brothers in arms or alms geddit ;) 1/56 2013 KL 2013 Kuah Town 2013 Islands plus 2013 Wedding 2013 Penang 2013 Georgetown 2013 Malacca Melaka 2013 Summary Malaysia Travel