New Zealand 1998

Wednesday, 25 March

Waipunga Falls

I wandered about the town for an hour after breakfast, sort of looking for tobacco, but no luck in the couple of shops I tried. Then I filled up with petrol and headed out about half past nine, there was nothing remarkable on the road, I stopped briefly at Waipunga Falls Lookout and was in Napier, the Art-Deco capital of the Southern Hemisphere, at twenty past eleven. It was time for a haircut, so after a quick snack, I wandered around and noted the position of one possible shop but went into another as it also served as the town tobacconist. The barber was in Scotland in October after the World Youth Cup in Egypt (his son was in the NZ squad). The haircut only cost $12 and looked pretty good — should anyone think otherwise I shall claim it is an Art-Deco cut. Oh, and he stocked Erinmore.

The youth hostel was full so I booked in to Waterfront Lodge Backpackers. Peter has been to Scotland and his partner (I think) Linda was wearing an Oban t-shirt. It was necessary to move the car (parking restrictions) so I drove up Bluff Hill overlooking the port before leaving the car in a safe place. The Provincial Hotel proved a comfortable venue for a few beers before I dined in an Art-Deco restaurant (it said) on char grilled lamb (what we would call double loin chops) with excellent vegetables and followed with cherry sorbet and fresh fruit salad. There was time for a stroll along the beach smoking my pipe before bed.

Thursday, 26 March

Another morning walk around the town, this time sort of looking for film but the Agfa shop had no slide film. I’m now on my last roll but there’s still a few towns to go through. I hit the road just before nine, about fifteen minutes later another car caught up behind me and stayed there without attempting to pass, even though I was travelling well below the speed limit, for about 50 kilometres until I stopped to photograph the Mohaka River viaduct (railway bridge).

At Wairoa (which was called Clyde until 1906), I stopped for tea, a pie and a chicken and apricot salad roll in Johanna’s in the newish Clyde Court development, most of which is a supermarket. I walked along the main street fronting the river before crossing to North Clyde. I must have blinked as I missed it. I decided not to detour into the Mahia Peninsula (though I stopped briefly at Wharerata Summit to photograph it) and arrived in Gisborne about half past one.

The hostel office was closed (not unreasonable at that hour) so I drove up Kaiti Hill to admire the view, then back down to park by the courthouse and go for a stroll down the river bank then along past the rail yards (much smaller nowadays) where the former station building is hosting a craft fair this weekend. The Tourist Information Office didn’t have the maps I wanted but directed me to a picture framer in Bright Street. The owner is a tramper and decided to stock maps as no-one else in the town does. I continued with an amble up and down the main street and then the back streets and found a shop in Treble Court selling Agfa slide film so that’s that sorted.

Back at the hostel at five, still no manager but other customers arrived. They said that the manager should appear by half past, he was out surfing. When he did appear (well after half past), he did not give the impression of being on top of the job. Once he got the money and paperwork sorted, I found a bed, got myself organised and went out to contemplate tea and ended up with fish and chips, very good fish but probably the wrong potatoes. A couple of beers here and there then back to the hostel and bed.

Friday, 27 March Waimangu Gorge

I’m not one to hang about a disorganised hostel so I was up at quarter past six, managed to eat some breakfast despite the attentions of a cat and on my way to the nearest filling station at quarter past seven. I left town by the inland road back towards Wairoa, a pleasant drive in sunny weather, but turned off at Frasertown for Waikaremoana. There were patches of drizzle off and on to Tuai. As I passed the lake, it was dry but grey and I was not moved to stop to admire the view or take photographs.

I did stop for half an hour for elevenses at Ruatahuna at the filling station come store come tea room come community centre before continuing, the road was twisty and unsealed as far as Murupara (about 50 kilometres) where it was a pleasant change to find a nice wide straight sealed surface. I missed the turning for Waimangu due to a lack of readable road signs but got it sorted out and reached the Gorge car park at half past one, 19 years and one month since my last visit.

Since I intended a short walk, I changed into a sweaty-backed Waverley t-shirt and the girl at the cash desk recognised it! She also was aware of Waverley Station in Edinburgh. I’d a pleasant walk down the gorge, stopping here and there to think — no, I don’t remember this — not even the names of most of the features. However, I took some photos which I will compare with the old ones. Down by Lake Rotomahana, I walked out to the old jetty and back (all of 300 yards). I scorned the bus back up and walked, to find the cafe closed and the car park almost deserted, only the souvenir shop was still open at quarter past four.

The 25 kilometres to Rotorua was the busiest bit of road I’ve been on since leaving Wellington and I was the slowest vehicle around. I went straight to the map shop in the Tourist Information Building (the picture framer in Gisborne told me where it was), bought some useful maps and was told the post shop would be closed as it was after five o’clock. (It didn’t close till five thirty but I didn’t find that out till much later.)

At the hostel, I booked in for one night and went out for some necessary supplies. The local supermarket was busy so I got my messages in a filling station. The I went looking for a pub. There were not a lot around, most establishments were café bars with the emphasis on the café. However, I did manage to find a standard Cobb & Co. and a slightly less standard Kiwi Spirit.

I was drinking tea back at the hostel sitting near a couple of Japanese girls drinking wine when a couple of German girls came in to do a jigsaw but armed with a cassette player on which they played (German) pop songs while singing along. The Japanese girls apologised and moved to the other side of the room. I went to bed.

Saturday, 28 March Karangahake

I wandered around the town for a while until the post office opened at eight thirty, bought a No.3 size box and dumped it in the car boot. Then a stroll down by the lakeside for a few lung-fulls of invigorating fumes. More petrol had to be purchased before I left town about half past ten heading for the Bay of Plenty. I stopped briefly for a look at Tutea’s and Okere Falls.

The weather was overcast, a bit hazy but no real threat of rain. At Mt. Maunganui, there was hazy sunshine and it had got much warmer so, when I had difficulty finding a parking space, I decided against climbing the hill and against paying the toll an the new (10 year old) road bridge so drove the long way round to Tauranga and on to Waihi. I failed to spot any signs for the railway museum at the old station so continued towards the Karangahake Gorge and spotted a train in the restored station at Waikino and stopped for tea (not cheap) and souvenirs.

I decided to forego the pleasure of a trip to Waihi behind a Drewry shunter and drove on to the car park at the west end of the Karangahake Gorge where I put on my boots. The old railway tunnel (about 1.5km long) has lights in it which is just as well as the surface has deteriorated since last I was here (damn mountain bikers) but it’s still a thrill coming out the other end onto the bridge and looking to the right. The walkway now extends all the way to Waikino, an extra couple of kilometres beyond Owhero where it ended ten years ago, but the last train had gone and the station was closing when I got there. So I walked back, using the riverside track instead of the tunnel this time.

It was about quarter past five when I reached Paeroa, did a little shopping for necessities (milk and beer), randomly selected a road out of town and found myself at the Racecourse Motel. $50 was more than I am used to paying but I blinked before the proprietrix and it certainly was comfortable. I emptied the boot and sorted through the last ten days’ accumulated junk. It looked like I’d definitely bought too big a postpak this time until I started putting maps into it and suddenly there was not a lot of room. I filled it up with spare clothing and it looks like I’ve got my luggage under control again.

It took 17 minutes to walk back into town smoking my pipe. The first pub was too noisy, the second was very quiet and closed when I became the only customer, the third was also noisy so I returned to the motel and a bottle of Waikato.

Sunday, 29 March Glenbrook

There was no need for an early start today so I had a long lie till seven, well, quarter to. There was little of interest on TV so I wrote up this diary and hit the road just after nine. Rain came on as I approached the Bombay Hills, so much rain that I barely noticed the new flyover carrying traffic from SH2 to SH1 northbound. And the road up the Hills seemed wider than it used to be – now two lanes in each direction with a central reservation where it used to be two lanes uphill and one down. (If I’m wrong about that, blame the rain.)

I turned off at the top for Pukekohe, straight through there and out the other side on to the Waiuku road. All clearly signposted as was the turning for Glenbrook. It was still raining when I got there at twenty past ten but a slight lull gave me the chance to make a dash for the (covered) platform. No.4 (the Mallet) is running today hauling one open wagon, one with side benches and a conventional coach. By the time the train left, the rain was off but I still decided to go in the conventional coach; the folk on the open wagon were black by the time we got to Fernleigh where I forgot to look for the new extension into Waiuku.

Today was the day of the Waiuku Fair and there was a lass on the platform trying to sell cruises on the sailing barge Jane Gifford but I decided it was not the weather for a sail. The train stopped at Pukeoware on the way back where I inspected the various bits of Ja1250 (Diana) as she undergoes her 10 year overhaul. We were back at Glenbrook at ten to twelve so I bought tea and a ham salad roll for lunch. The current t-shirts lack a locomotive so I didn’t buy one.

I was back on the road about half past twelve, heading for Auckland. I came off the motorway at Nelson Street and drove along Quay Street, all the quays seem to have been reclaimed by the port — there were no unmanned gates for passers-by to wander through. I checked out the Parnell YH, office closed 12 - 5pm, the place seemed a bit school-ish.

I left Auckland by the North West motorway then through Helensville and was heading up the Kaipara Harbour road, all sealed now, when I saw a sign for Warkworth and thought — Kev. So I did a quick U-turn and went through Kaipara Flats to Warkworth. I phoned but there was no reply. A short wander, try again, still no reply.

On I went up the road through Wellsford and turned left at Brynderwyn. There was nasty weather ahead and I passed through a couple of sharp showers before I stopped at Ruawai for milk and tobacco. At Dargaville at half past five, the first motel wanted $60 so I found the Greenhouse Hostel and booked for one night at $15. A very nice dorm but the kitchen was a little cramped and only one lounge with a TV in it. Out for a walk, a couple of beers in the North Wairoa Hotel (I think the barmaid thought I was waiting for a table) and then a Chinese meal to round off the evening.

Monday, 30 March

With my usual fairly early rise, I was on the road at ten to nine, heading north for the “big trees”. I took the turn for Trounson but the road doesn’t pass through the kauri park, just round the edge and I decided not to stop. I spotted a couple of walkers (Germans) on the road and gave them a lift to the visitor centre where I bought a couple of useful maps before picking up another pair of walkers (Dutch) and conveyed them to the new car park (closer to the road) near Te Matua Ngahere. Following a rash of thefts from cars at that point, there is now a “security guard”, a young lassie whose mere presence is expected to deter opportunist thieves.

Having paid my “voluntary” donation of $2, a contribution towards the lassie’s wages, I walked a short distance on the road to the old car park then took the path, now mostly boardwalk, to Te Matua Ngahere, still the most impressive tree I have ever seen in the wood (so to speak). Then it was back to the old car park and off on the longer walk through Cathedral Grove to the Yakas Tree. Again, there was lots of new boardwalk which finished three minutes past the Yakas Tree where the rest of the track to the visitor centre looked pretty slippy, mostly mud between tree roots.

After a quick look at the Four Sisters, I was back at the car park ninety minutes after I’d left and drove the couple of minutes to Tane Mahuta, the biggest known kauri but worth only fifteen minutes of my time, then on for a brief photo stop at the Hokianga Harbour heads.

I saw no tearoom at Opononi so didn’t stop but continued via Kaikohe (stop for petrol) to Kerikeri. I had intended to go to Opua (where there might be trains) but remembered that the Stone Store had just reopened for a month after fabric restoration and would soon close again for restocking, so I headed there first. The Stone Store looked quite nice (but I suspect it looked quite nice ten years ago) but the motels looked expensive. After cashing my last travellers cheque and drinking some milk, I decided that Kawakawa might be the cheapest place to stay in the area and headed there. I wonder if $55 is really the cheapest in Northland, as I was told by the proprietor of the Centre Point Motel.

I put my last bottle of beer into the fridge and headed into town. The Bay of Islands Scenic Rail now seems to be Bay of Islands Vintage Rail and has moved its headquarters from Opua to Kawakawa. I found some folk in the station and was informed that they are currently using a Price diesel, Gabriel is being converted to oil burning and won’t be ready for a couple of weeks so I headed for the pub. On the way back to the motel, I phone Kevin to check that it would be convenient to call (and stay overnight) tomorrow. The beer in the fridge was reasonably cool so I drank it while fitting what I could into my backpack and day pack and putting the rest into a postpak.

Tuesday, 31 March

In the morning, I had to hang about a bit until the post shop opened at eight thirty at which point I put in the postpak — 5.63Kg, $117 by airmail (I’ll be home next week and don’t want to wait two months for the box to reach me) — and then the lassie said she couldn’t take a credit card as they were a franchise. I persuaded her to try it in her machine and it worked so all was well.

I left town heading north, turned right for Paihia then left for Haruru Falls (small but beautifully formed) then over Mt. Bledisloe (lookout), down through Waitangi into Paihia for a brief toilet stop before taking a break in Opua to look at the ferry and watch the train arriving from Kawakawa. From there, it was down SH1 to Hikurangi where I turned left for the Tutukaka Coast. The road here was being seriously rebuilt prior to sealing but I’d cleared the road works before reaching the coast and arrived at Tutukaka at twenty past twelve.

I lunched on quiche salad and tea at the cafe at the marina before continuing to rejoin SH1 at Whangarei about two o’clock then across the Waipu Plain (Waipu has acquired a bypass since last I was here) and up the hill. The road here was being rebuilt big time but I managed to spot the turning for the Top of the Hill tearoom, now called the Skyline and much expanded since my last visit. On the way down the hill, minor roadworks necessitated a temporary road closure and I’d to wait ten minutes for the lights to change. At Te Hana, I tried to find a back road to Leigh but the road I picked was marked “no exit” so it was back on the main road south to Warkworth from where the road is straightforward.

I reached Leigh about quarter to five and was welcomed into the bosom of the family. Kev and Judy live in the last house at the end of Cemetery Road with the cemetery on one side. The house is of an interesting (or peculiar) design, a cylindrical core with the other rooms around it, all very nicely fitted out. I was fed an excellent tea of interesting dishes, various greens and seeds with potatoes followed by kumera cake (with coconut cream). Pleasant conversation until bedtime. The mosquitoes were no real problem.

Wednesday, 1 April Back to Auckland

Kev ’n Judy’s residence

Kevin and I took a short walk to Norway Bay (named as so many bays here for a vessel driven ashore) before breakfast. Judy went off to work in the craft co-operative shop in Warkworth and Kevin took me for a guided tour of the harbour. All very pleasant but it was time to move on.

No sooner had I set off, about half past ten, than the fuel warning light came on, at first it was on and off depending on whether I was going up hill or down but then it stopped going off. I began to wonder if I would make it to Warkworth so I was relieved to find a filling station at Matakana. I probably paid a couple of cents more for the petrol but that’s better than running out. From Warkworth, it was south on SH1 then right onto PH18 to cross north of the Upper Harbour to Waitakere. I didn’t recognise much of the road so there was a bit of meandering before I found Scenic Drive at Swanson. I did recognise the turning for Pukemateko Summit and nipped up there for the extensive views, which were somewhat diminished by the haze but I took a photo anyway. The overbridge on the road loop has been closed (presumably unsafe) so a short bit of new road has been carved through the bush

A new building has been erected at the Arataki Visitor Centre, the old building is now an education centre. I bought the current map of the Ranges, a bit larger then the old one but not as large as the price, $8 as against $1 ten years ago and only 50¢ two years before that. (I bought a couple of spare copies at 50¢ when I heard the price was going up.) There was time for an hour’s walk around the nature trail just for old times sake before driving into town.

It was a strange experience driving down that route from Titirangi, once the standard winter Sunday outing. I went right through to Remuera. The block of flats still stands and the fish and chip shop looked unchanged. There was even an Asian girl behind the counter but I couldn’t say whether she was the same one.

After driving round more of my old stamping grounds, I sought out the (relatively) new Auckland City YH near the top of Queen Street, and then spent some time trying to find a parking place within walking distance. Finally, I found a meter in Airedale Street near the top of Wakefield Street, returned to the hostel and booked in for four nights – three at $19 in a dorm and $22 for Saturday night in a twin share, all the dorms being full. It was necessary to keep the car moving till the parking restrictions expired so I drove up to the top of Mt. Eden and sat for a while, unfortunately it was still too hazy to be worth a photograph.

At half past five, I was back at the hostel and found a good space across the road. I unloaded the car and managed to carry everything in in one trip, I must be reasonable well organised at the moment. A short walk along the K Road brought me to a dairy where I bought the usual necessities of life, milk, cheese and crackers. Then I took a wander down into the town, just wandered around a bit, visited the deserted railway station which appears to have been sold leaving a new prefab on a platform as the ticket office, the goods yard is being redeveloped as an industrial park. A beer in the Shakespeare failed to cheer me up as it appeared to be closing at nine o’clock so I went back to the hostel and bed.