NZ at last!

---

We were picked up by Joe (Jeroen) at Auckland airport, after a painless 13hr flight from LA. I'd arranged a 3 week campervan "try before you buy" rental over the internet before leaving, this included airport transfer and a free night at his B&B. The drive to his place was about three hours, Joe talked most of the way, covering a variety of topics - fishing, adventure sports, driving advice and of course - campervans. He introduced us to ours when we arrived at his house, a 1989 Ford econovan with 134000km on the clock. After countless (no exaggeration) hours of research on the subject I was now something of a motorhome conisseur - 3 way fridges, deep cycle batteries - they were all second nature to me and I knew that the old ford engine could easily do double that mileage (I saw several listed for more money with more miles!) Thankfully our van looked rather good, it's a pop-top with a burgandy interior, small, but roomy enough for the two of us - it comes with a fridge, gas stovetop, cupboards and even a wine rack - cute, but a waste of space if you ask me.
We didn't even stay that first night, after a couple of hours sleep we headed off in our new home, eager to experience our first night in the van. We drove into the city of Roturua, the north islands "tourist centre par excellence" according to the rough guide. It's the 10th largest city in NZ but would barely get town status in the UK. A hive of geothermal activity - steam rises from a huge number of spa pools and a smell of guff (that's sulphur) pervades throughout. We spent this first night at a site recommended by Lorraine (Joe's wife) it cost about $32 for the two of us. It rained pretty heavily and sleep was hard to come by.
There is no shortage of things to do in Rotorua - thermal parks, trout fishing, helicopter tours, mud baths, forest walks...in fact, you could probably blow 6months budget in a matter of weeks. We however, were keeping our heads screwed on, any food we bought had to pass a stringent examanation process, ensuring it was the cheapest option possible. We did treat ourselves to an Indian though - thanks to Pat and Sarah who gave Hannah some dollars before we left.
After two nights at that campsite we drove outside of Rotorua to the blue lake - blue as fook it was. We walked a circuit round this after cooking lunch, disturbed only by a bunch of schoolkids out on a day trip - oh, how I adore the little darlings! It took around 2hr30mins to finish with lots of detours onto deserted sandy beaches, it was a beautful day. After returning to the van we pulled up closer to the lake, intending to free camp for the first time - dinner was well on the go when a car full of Maoris and several kids turned up, a boombox was produced and we abandoned our not so quiet retreat, deciding to drive on and see what we could find. After stopping for a stunning sunset over the green lake we set up for the night at a Jetty beside lake Tarawera - our first night "in the wild."
That first night was a bit of an uncomfortable experience, cars kept pulling up, people were talking loudly - I woke up with a shot dozens of times that night - peeking through the curtains to ensure an axe weilding murderer wasn't testing the locks. I finally got to sleep around 4am and was promptly woken at 5 by Nick, who turned up in his van and started tying flys to loud trance music - as you do. Nick had just broken up with his girlfriend and driven through the night to the lake, he was stoned out of his tree and kept trying to get me the same - "welcome to the scenario" was the first thing he said - Hannah wasn't particularly impressed with him...
Since that first wild night we've spent time in the middle of nowhere at DOC sites (department of conservation) next to lakes, bought a BBQ, a fishing rod and licence and a few lures to get us started, were now onto out third rod after a comedy incident involving the first and me over compensating by buying a 14 foot beachcaster (yeah baby) but more on the fishing later. Funnily enough it just keeps getting better, we left the Rotorua area after about a week and headed east to Whakatane by the sea, a terrible campsite was the first port of call - Awakweri shite springs, riddled with flys, stank of sulphur and it pissed it down for 12hours, I left without breakfast the next morning. As I write this we are now on our 6th day at the far superior Thornton beach holiday park, 30mins further east. This place is stunning - sea views of white island, good fishing and a spotless site - all for about £12 a night (for two!) The days have just drifted by here - a mixture of fishing, cooking, sunbathing (the weather has been fantastic the whole time and were both looking brown - I'm as tanned as I've ever been.) Alas, today is our last, and were heading onwards.We've decided to go to the east cape, a wild and little visited part of NZ, full of secluded beaches and hopefully good fishing. Supplies will need to be stocked up as there is little opportunity to resupply over the next few days - should be an adventure!

Fishing

Our first purchase was an 8ft salmon spinning rod - we had hoped to use this for sea and fresh fishing, though this raised a few eyebrows any time we mentioned it. This lasted a good few days and entertained us several times - especially when we bought a sea lure, Hannah tied it on and performed a dramatic cast, expecting it to sail out onto the horizon - it went about 90degrees the right, coming undone at high speed, crashing into the water, probably giving any nearby fish a heart attack. Hannah turned round to me with an expectant look on her face and asked where it went - needless to say I was pissing myself. Hannah was greatly aggreived....(I broke the rod with a similar lure fitted a few days later!) The next purchase was a beast, literally, the beastmaster is a 14foot surfcasting rod, designed to send bait or lures 400m out into the sea. Even the lightest cast with this monster sends line screaming off the end at high speed. In hindsight, perhaps not an ideal choice for the novice fisherman - but it is very rock and roll. I tried to cast it from the wide estuary bank into the water and sent it 100 feet onto the middle of the road on the other side, nearly hitting a jeep full of guys returning home with their catch (and similar sized rods.) Needless to say I was mortified, and tried to act cool - "Hey, look at me, im just examining the end of my rod, no mischief afoot here" Unfortunately, the line attached to my newly bought lure on the other side of the road was a dead giveaway, the jeep stopped and the driver got out, cutting the lure and attempting to return it, swinging it round his head to build up speed - didnt quite make it, ah well...
Several hours and 300meteres of line later and I'd knackered the new reel. I sheepishly returned to the shop the following day - the reel was guranteed and fixed free of charge, the line cost me about $4. I also bought us a smaller 6'6" rod to use at piers. Hannah promptly caught a flounder with this the following day - who said size matters? It was a total flook though - flounders don't take lures and she had hooked it on it's fin as she trolled the lure past it. We had to enlist the help of a local fisherman to unhook it as it was wedged very deep. He was incredulous we were throwing it back as they are "very good to eat" and it was a "good size" but it just looked too human, with big eyes which followed you around and fat lips - we returned it to the water....
Later that day we met Phil, also using a surfcaster. He caught three fish in about 20mins. Hannah approached him and asked how to kill them so we didnt flap about like idiots if we were successful. Phil was a great guy, hugely helpful. He gave us the fish in question to eat, told us how to fillet and scaled it for us. He even let us use his bait and gave us trace to use - we didnt get catch anything but we did fillet and BBQ our first fish that night - a kawahai!

The catch so far....

3 metric tonnes of seaweed
One flounder
Two crabs
A seagull - my least favourie

---

Photos

P1020271
Overnight at a campervan site - I was a bit gutted we werent at a prettier location - amazing sunset

The blue lake
During the waljk round it

At the blue lake
The peace and quiet didnt last...

BBQ
In the wild at a DOC site

Lake tarawera
and beyond

Te puia
Cost 80bucks to get in and was pretty guff in more ways than one

Lake roititi
OK, so the spelling aint right but its too sunny outside today for that nonsense.

And again
What a handsome annd talented photographer..

P1020253
This was a good one - had 10secs to sprint from the end of one pier to the waiting hannah, made it with maybe a sec to spare!

Sunset
One of the first of many!

Swimming in the river
At one of the DOC sites

Hannah fisihing
On lake Tarawera - at the DOC site

P1020321
Lake tarawera again - thats our first rod