Maureen's Travel Blog

First things first!  Big brunch at Poverty Bay Club

Two poached eggs on toast with tomatoes on the vine and, something I’ve never had before… the leaves and tendrils of the pea plant – this provided a very nice flavour.

Apologies if the pics appear upside down on your device…. it’s an iPad/new user thing!

There are just so many beautiful beaches around the coast of this country.  It was so hot in Gisborne that a welcome paddle at Wainui Bay just out of the city was needed.  We watched a Maori family having fun whilst keeping an eye on their older children leaping in the waves further out.
We then head inland back towards the clouds and Opotiki through wineries.
This was a very fertile and productive area – crops to be seen as we passed by were maize, pumpkins, citrus fruit, grapefruit, etc.  I loved the amazing walls of poplars that sheltered some of the crops from the wind.  These were beautifully maintained to provide very tall green fencing.   We passed by Kaiwaitiri winery and Grey’s Bush Reserve before a quick toilet stop in Matawai.

The countryside then became increasingly hilly as we left the fruit growing area for hill farming and then rugged bush with deep gorges. We stopped many times to view the deep turquoise rivers meandering and splashing over rocky crags, overhung by garlands of lichen built up from constant damp conditions.  At one point Dan thought he saw a trout keeping out of the heat behind a rock.  Many little ones were coming to the surface for insects.

As we motored on round sharp hairpins the Pongas became more prolific like a mass of huge fanned umbrellas all the way up the sides of the steep gorges to the sky high above.

We then passed through Opotiki where Dan taught in 1978. He told me how he got an interview for a job there and came over from the States.

Suddenly we were back at the coast – This was the Bay of Plenty. Again a stunning stretch of ocean with long white rollers. From here you could just make out in the distance White Island, which is an active volcano. You could also see to the left, Whale Island, which is much more pointed like a volcano but this one is dormant.

Continuing on I notice it is the time of year for silage making and the fields were littered with pale green plastic bundles ready to be collected for winter feed.  There was very little hay making but then it was late in the year.

We passed through the village of Kuratere where there was one of Leigh’s schools. Then continued around salt marshes where I could see plenty of bird wild life and Leigh pointed out Ohakana Island.

Yet another beautiful piece of coast was Ohope beach.  I watched longingly as two horse riders moved across the sand in the distance…. maybe I will get a chance before I leave NZ.

Now we were passing through an old volcanic area as we arrived at Whakatane.  Smart holiday houses were tucked under the steep craggy rocks caused by previous volcanic activity.

Leigh pointed out the bar, an area where the ocean water meets the bay and can be very dangerous causing strong undercurrents and high waves.  Out in the bay is a statue of a girl on the rock – as the story goes Mataatua canoe was one of the 7 canoes which arrived in New Zealand with the migrating Maori people. It landed at Whakatane and the chief disembarked. The canoe was said to float back out to sea accidentally and the chief’s daughter who was still on the canoe, managed to paddle the canoe back to land. Hence the landing spot was called Whakatane which means “acted like a man” which is what the girl did to save the day.

Next stop Ice creams at Julian’s berries – delish!  There were certainly some interestingly named berries I’d never heard of there.  I just decided on a mix of flavours.   

More notables en route as we headed back inland towards Taupo – Mount Edgecombe – a dormant volcano, Lake Matahina and Matahina Dam, Aniwhenua Dam – a smaller dam in the Galatea region.

We then stopped to call on Dave and Alison, friends of Dan’s, Dave is a farmer with Highland cattle.  We sat out on their decking under a huge tree drinking beer and chatting for an hour or so before heading on home.  By now the clouds were hanging heavily over the dark hills dividing us from Taupo and night was falling.

Feeling hungry at the end of our little tiki tour of the East, we grabbed a takeaway.  Thank you Leigh and Dan for a great weekend to a part of New Zealand I had not yet visited.

The weekend and a little tiki tour to Gisborne with Leigh and Dan.

This will be mainly in note form as there was little time to update as we hurtled over rugged landscape, past hills and volcanic structures, viaducts, gorges and many tight hairpin bends!  Forgive me if at times I have got events in the wrong order – I’m sure you will be happy to correct the errors Leigh.

We left Taupo around 8.30 heading south east towards Napier and then north east towards Gisborne.   We passed the bush walk area just outside Taupo where Jessie had taken me to previously.

As ever, beautiful scenery which became increasingly rugged with very high hills and deep valleys and gorges.

 About half way to Hawkes Bay, we stopped in the scenic Te Haroto hills.  We went through the Hawkes Bay region but didn’t go into Napier this time as I had visited there before.  Then on through Eskdale and the Esk Valley…. We crossed the Mohaka river over a bridge near a huge viaduct by Mohaka village and passed numerous wineries.

Stopped at Lake Tutira ….midges joined me back in the car.

I commented on some unusual seed heads. 

We stopped for a picnic lunch beside the river in Wairoa which means long boat.

Leigh talked about different little schools she had visited in her work as we passed near to them.

Stopped on hill at Wairoa to see the river going out to sea.
Further down the road we turneD off to Mahia Peninsula.

Then headed on to the Mahia Peninsula – beautiful!  Dan and Leigh had been here before and told me the story of them becoming marooned in their boat when the tide went out.

Everywhere here Wild ginger was growing beside the road and you could smell the fragrance when you rolled down the window.

We enjoyed views of Gisborne from Bartlett Hill.  Leigh and Dan even stood up on a picnic table to see.

Arrived at Gisborne 7 hours after leaving Taupo and it was 32 deg.

Checked out a little church on the way up to Kaiti Hill – views over GIsborne city and harbour where timber was being shipped. – Princess Diana had planted a pōhutukawa  tree here over 30 years ago.

We called on Heather and Greg (friends of Leigh’s) nearby and had drinks on their deck.  It was very windy and nearly blew away the sunshade.

Our accommodation for the night was at the Senator.  After freshening up we walked along a disused railway track across the river to Soho restaurant, where we enjoyed delicious seafood and Pinot!

Jessie invited me to go to Wanganui with her. This is where she attends college for her nursing degree. I’m pretty impressed, not only that she has embarked on this full-time course as a single mum, but that she travels this 6 hour round trip at least twice a week. It is a very winding road through the mountains, leaving at 5 in the morning in the dark.

I recognised quite a few places along the way that Leigh had taken me to 5 years previously. Mount Ruapehu looked stunning against the pink morning light.

This time the countryside was dotted with many Toi-toi and fruiting flax where before there were just tussocks in the volcanic sand. Even the dreaded heather was in flower!

Jessie showed me the little town where she had been brought up and her little primary school, and the wooden house where her school friend used to live – her friend’s dad still lives there.

We arrived in the college car park where Jessie handed me her car keys. She would be about 5 hours, leaving me time to explore Wanganui. First I headed on foot to the information centre across the road where they were very helpful. Then Sparks to get sorted with a phone I could use in New Zealand. Next an interesting contemporary Glassworks exhibition by Emma Campden.

Relaxing with a flat white and a lemon shortbread in a wifi area, I set up my cheap NZ phone (local sim would not work in my iPhone so guess it was locked for UK).

Next the Sargeant Gallery which was temporary as the main exhibition building was being refurbished to withstand earthquakes.  I enjoyed the work of Edith Marion Collier, who had spent time in St Ive’s and the Cotswolds, evident in her collection.

I then decided to go back to the college to pick up Jessie’s car which would take me further afield.  The Virginia Lakes were situated just outside town to the north, according to the map the young man in the tourist information centre had kindly marked up for me.

The main city centre was quite busy with lights slowing the traffic all the way through.  However this gave me the opportunity to admire the Art Deco style of the buildings, not dissimilar from Napier.  Parking was easy outside the gardens, with no entrance fee and I spent a leisurely hour or two strolling round the edge of a veridian lake.  It was very quiet for high summer and the ONE DUCK appeared on cue from behind some reeds in many guises and colours and even managed a double act…. then I must have been seeing double, as there were 4 – no 8.  I guess it was the heat getting to me as I imagined so many ducks, geese, swans, coots… even this baby Pukeko posed for a photo.  His feet were incredibly out of proportion with his fluffy little body!

After touring the Winter Gardens with their huge begonias and busy lizzies and the fern garden with interesting metal and wooden sculptures, I settled in a shady spot at the cafe for a spot of lunch – veggie fratatta and ginger beer.  Then my new phone pinged with a message from Jessie saying she was almost done, so I headed back to the college.

jessie had had a productive morning (I think) and drove me out to the Collegiate School, which her daughter, Hunter, had attended previously.  We heard much cheering and banging as we walked through the smart school buildings towards the swimming pool where House Teams were racing against each other.  Jessie knew some of the children and parents here and caught up with them while I chatted to a grandmother next to me who had 4 grandchildren at the Collegiate.  Jessie described the school as a way of life rather than just a place of learning as we left to pass through a rougher end of town…. and the beach.

I just loved the beach here – it was wild and volcanic – black sand littered with large sun dried skeletal tree remains.  The sea crashed over the rocks where brave fishermen stubbornly braved the elements.

Then we headed back through the ‘ghetto’ to the Tower, with it’s amazing panoramic views of the brown river.  The colour of the river is derived from the clay in the hills and is only on the surface, Jessie informs me, it is actually quite clear below.We then headed back towards Taupo, a long drive ahead of us but not without event!  Before long Jessie noticed an injured hawk on the side of the road.  Not wanting to leave it in pain, we threw a towel over it an I nursed it on my lap til we arrived at the house of a vet she knew near her old home town.  The vet kindly put the bird down as it’s wing was beyond repair and we continued on our way arriving back at Taupo Lake by sunset.  

Dan had been busy with the barbecue so there was a delicious meal waiting for us when we got back.  A great day out Jessie, thank you.

Slept really well last night after taking an antihistamine to ease some of the mozzie bites acquired in Coromandel. Woke up to a beautiful summer’s morning. After breakfast I continued a bit with my yellow roses (Leigh tells me it is a David Austin rose called Graham Thomas).

After lunch Leigh had another Facilitation presentation at a school in Tokoroa. I had already planned to go for a walk through the bush nearby with Jessie, otherwise I might have gone along with Leigh to check out Tokoroa.

The bush walk Opepe reminded me of similar walks I’d done with the Kiwi backpacker bus. It was a comfortable walk pretty well on the level, a very well maintained path, through a variety of native trees, with very few people on it.  We were actually surprised to see just 2 other homosapiens!  Many of the trees were named and Jessie corrected my pronounciation and made fun of my English accent.

I loved the way the ferns cast shadows against the sunlight on the path.

On the way back we picked up Hunter from school.  She was delighted to have been made school representative for her year.  Well done Hunter!

I spent the rest of the afternoon chilling out under the shade of the yellow rose bush in the garden listening to ‘The Girl on the Train’ before Leigh returned and brought out the G&Ts.

Didn’t sleep much – Shonnie kept coming in through different windows but eventually settled on the bed.  I was also continuing with my audible book ‘Girl on the Train’ which I couldn’t put down.

Late start this morning and just chilled out after long drive the previous day.  Leigh had a couple of school presentations, Hunter back at school, Jessie studying for her nursing degree…..  I decided to do a bit of botanical drawing to keep my hand in.

Although it is high summer here, it is an in-between time for flowers.  Many have now gone over compared to when I was here last in the springtime.  In Leigh’s garden there are Agapanthus, lilies and roses.

Later in the afternoon while Leigh was presenting to the staff at a primary school in Taupo, Dan and I went shopping in Countdown for some groceries.  It was still drizzling but the sun burst through briefly and made it very hot and muggy.

When we returned, Hunter was home from school and Jessie was helping her with her homework.  Hunter then went off to her ballet class while Jessie prepared for a 12-hour voluntary shift with St John’s Ambulance.

We enjoyed a delicious lamb roast dinner and a bit of tv catchup before retiring for the night

Hello Leigh!  She was already up and on her iPad when I opened my eyes.  (I had been sleeping on a bed behind the sofa in the sitting room looking out to sea). ‘Twas another beautiful sparkling morning as I sat down to mixed muesli with yoghurt, peaches and apple and some freshly brewed coffee.  We spied a two-mast sailboat out in the bay that had not been there before.

Leigh, Mary and I decided on one last swim in the ocean before heading back to Leigh’s home in Taupo.  She had been away for over a week at conferences.

The sea was inviting as ever but the initial big wave still took us all by surprise and we shrieked as we threw ourselves into the water.  Dan, Leigh’s husband stayed well away, probably disowning us!

All showered and changed, we packed up the car and said our farewells to Mary.  What a wonderful way to unwind after my long haul from England via Beijing on Friday and an excellent start to my second New Zealand trip.  Thank you Mary and Leigh!!

We wound our way along the coast of the Coromandel Peninsula, this time enjoying the stunning scenery which I missed in the dark late on Friday night.  At Thames we stopped for delicious fish and chips – lemon fish, terakihi and snapper.  Then continued on our way through familiar territory including Tirau with its corrugated figures.

 We stopped to pick up Leigh’s company car before our final destination in Taupo where we were greeted profusely by Sally and Shonnie.

Jessie invited me to join her and Hunter for a mini trek to the top of the hill that could be seen across the bay from Mary’s bach.  Duly blocked out, as the sun is fierce in NZ, we walked briskly along the beach and across the rocks to a further little bay where there was a path ascending steeply up through a dense forest of tree ferns.

 They decided I should set the pace in front as I kept stopping to take my breath and got further behind.  It was a winding way up over roots and ferns til we were almost at the top. The ascent lessened as we made our way round the side of the hill stopping every so often, not only to slow our heart rate but to admire the stunning view of the bay below and the surrounding peninsula.  When we got to the summit I flung myself down on the grassy opening and just lay there for some time feeling the earth under me and listening to the utter peace (apart from the crickets).  Thanks for inviting me along girls, the climb was certainly worth the view at the top!

We eventually returned more or less the way we came passing an amazing ancient tree on the way back.  I was thankful to return to the Bach for a well-earned jug of water, my workout done for the day…. or so I thought….

We all chilled out for a bit, before the girls packed to return to Taupo – school and college in the morning.  Then a tasty ham salad lunch with Malibu before my next surprise expedition.  A short ride in the car (we could have walked actually except I was still recovering from the morning’s climb) and we turned into a parking area and the most beautiful beach with huge rollers that went on for ever.

I watched for ages as the warm summer wind whipped up the surf on top of each veridian roller as it gently curled over to crash down on to the previous one along the whole length of the beach. We sauntered along watching Oyster Catchers and a group of Terns, checking out interesting shells amongst the huge variety washed up on the white sand.

I delighted at the Hairy Panics quickly rolling towards the waters edge at each receding wave.

It was a huge beach and we walked the length of it and back again almost lost in time.  Mary pointed out the set of jagged rocks beyond the headland that could also be seen from Little Bay but looked totally different from this angle.  The cliffs at the edge of the beach were beautiful oranges and browns in a marbled effect formed by solidified volcanic lava.

We returned to the bach in time for the yardarm on the deck and then tucked into a delicious chicken and mushroom supper.  The almost full moon rose up into the darkening sky, casting a silvery reflection across Little Bay.

Good morning Little Bay…. how long has it been?  Nearly five years. Really??  I got about 4 hours sleep then was wakened by the sound of the waves gently washing in over the sand outside the decking doors.  I drew back the curtains to this beautiful scene of the dawn breaking.

After breakfast with Mary on the deck I took a dip in the deep blue ocean…. heaven – then languished in the warm sunshine on the beach to dry off.  This was followed by further playing in the waves with Hunter later in the morning.

Malibu cocktails all round then Hunter and Jessie prepared a delicious chicken salad lunch.  Then just chilling out in the afternoon sunshine.  This is the life!!

Leigh, Mary Hunter and I wandered over to the tiny bay beyond the rocks to swim later in the afternoon then back for a shower before the Yardarm… various interesting cocktails!  Jessie and Hunter made delicious nachos for dinner

Nothing much to say about the flight really… good take off, chatted to a Chinese girl next to me who had spent Chinese New Year with her family in Beijing and was now returning to her home in Auckland – she teaches Tai Chi.  I tucked into chicken noodle supper as we passed over Korea, Cambodia, Vietnam and such like….. Then lights out for the huge expanse of Pacific…. Over 12 hours in an aircraft seat is a long time…. but perfect landing.  Never ceases to amaze me how those huge planes full of people stay in the sky and slowly and gently come in to land with no wing flapping…

I’d forgotten about the seriously slow queues getting through biosecurity at Auckland but that’s a good thing.  Poor Leigh was impatiently waiting outside for me having tracked the flight til it landed.

then finally…..

Then once out of the airport, the long drive to the Coromandel Peninsula and Little Bay?  It was a shame the awesome scenery I knew was there was not visible in the dark but there was a clear sky and that same old moon that accompanies me on my travels now sent a beautiful reflection across the water welcoming me to New Zealand.

This is where we stocked up with smoked mussels the last time I was here.

The final part of our journey is extremely winding and in the middle of nowhere but we finally made our way down the step track to Mary’s Bach, and there was Mary in her dressing gown to meet us at nearly midnight!  ….quick catchup, slice of toast and tea then that much longed for bed!