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Published: April 21st 2009
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Big Trees, Big Rain, Big Caves and Big Mountain (Oooh Baby I Love Your Way…)
And so begins, our long journey south, on the west coast of North Island. We crossed over Hokianga Harbour on the car ferry at Rangiora on a very cold and blustery day and thought that we’d have to buy a whole new wardrobe apiece, However, the sun was still shining and we were cosy in our van. We passed through a forest which still have some kauri trees (HUGE trees which have virtually all been cut down a hundred years ago or so). When you drive past them, all you can see is a thick trunk - you have to crane your neck to look out the windscreen to even get a glimpse the canopy, metres above.
That day, rain came - at first it was a few heavy showers but as we got nearer the campsite, we drove into a wall of water - I’m not kidding, you could see it - it was like driving into a cold shower on full pelt. Very bizarre. We stayed the first night of Easter weekend at a campsite outside a small town called Dargaville and
the next day, carried on along state highway 12 until we reach S H 1 and into Auckland. Going in to Auckland was fine - coming out was a nightmare. What day was it? The morning of Good Friday so everyone was wanting to escape the city for a long weekend break. Not only was there huge tailbacks, but being honest - most of the population of New Zealand with a current driving license drive like absolute arseholes. Tail gating, undertaking, leaving no space from the car in front - all this with their speakers booming and loud exhausts blaring. On the motorway, Paul literally just said the words “If someone breaks suddenly, there’ll be a huge pile up” and seconds later, we pass a four car accident where people had just hit the car in front as they’d been too close.
We made it to Hamilton which was totally deserted - and parked up in a holiday camp right near the city centre. The next day, we went round the town centre. Hamilton is a nice size - not too big like Auckland, but lots of shops to have a good look round for. We stopped at a
café along the main drag, Victoria Street (town centres over here always have a main street called Victoria Street) called Scotts Epicurean which have delicious home made cakes (try pineapple and chocolate muffin or good old fashioned fudge brownie) and make nice quesadillas for brunch. After having a wander round, we head back and the next day, head further south and stay at a place near the legendary Waitomo Caves. These are in all the travel guides for NZ and you can do potholing, underground abseiling and flying foxes (why?? You’d have to have a marble loose). We took the scenic option and went to Ruakuri Cave. (Brief geology lesson - the area constitutes layers of limestone which has been eroded by streams and rivers to create an underground labyrinth of caves), which apparently at night it lit up with loads of little gloworms (bless ‘em). There are several tunnels and fissures with water coming out along with the large cave (which, when you’re inside, makes you wish you had a night vision camera as it’s very dark - obviously).
After another over night stop, we head down the “duh duh duuuuuuh” Forgotten World Highway, also known as SH
43.towards the coast. Along the journey, we go through the village of Whangamomona which has a population of about 30. So why am I mentioning this place? It’s because Whangamomona is actually a republic owing to the government altering the boundaries back in October 1989. You can even get your passport stamped at the hotel there! On the south east side of Whangamomona is a valley which was “opened up” for servicemen to live in after WW1. Owing to the remote location and difficulty of access, many farms were abandoned by the 1930’s. A concrete bridge was opened in 1936 but a flood in 1942 cut the bridge off and the remaining families were ordered out and the valley was closed. The Bridge to Nowhere is the only sign on the road atlas that there had been civilisation once. (OK, apologies - yes, I have just read that in the rough guide but I thought it was interesting)
After the 155 kms of SH 43, just before joining SH 3, we turn a corner and right in front of us on the horizon is a huge great mountain, right in the middle of nowhere, with snow capped peaks and
clouds a go go. This is Mount Egmont and is approx 2.5km high. It’s actually a dormant volcano and dominates the skyline for the next 2 days drive.
We do have a sojourn at New Plymouth, (mainly because we have to tax the van) and we have a look at the wind wand which apparently is a symbol of New Plymouth (It’s a 43ft plastic pole with a plastic ball on top that moves about in the wind and lights up at night - I wasn‘t blown away by it).
The road skirting the coast (we’re now on the sticky-outy bit, over half-way down on the west coast of North Island) is punctuated by small villages, all with boarded up, empty buildings built in the style of the turn of the last century, and with the function of the shop written on it (eg, Pihima General Store, 1908). It’s a sparsely populated area and there is little traffic on the road.
We continue south and head towards Wanganui. On the outskirts, we drive past Bason Botanical Reserve so decide to have a look. It’s a huge area with several greenhouses, a homestead garden and then parkland overlooking
Bit of NZ Scenery
Well we've been very good at taking pictures of lovely things so thought we'd give you a standard scenery shot. a lake. A guy called Stanley Bason originally ran it as a farm and then decided to convert it gardens before donating it to the district of Wanganui. Another really calm, tranquil place where you can spend all day sauntering about and having a picnic by the lake.
So after this, the plan is to head to Wellington and get the ferry over to South Island - by all accounts, we really might have to buy winter gear.
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