Tuesday 12th December - New Zealand here we come
After a fab night at the ballet it was an early call, 05.55, to get ready to go to the airport for our 10.15 flight to Auckland. We were slightly delayed in departing and arrived at 3.20pm local time. The airport arrivals hall seemed quite busy and we required some form of transport to take us to the hotel which we had pre -booked for our first night. We took the advice of a lady at the information desk and took an airport super shuttle bus, these are far less expensive than a taxi. They collect prospective customers, put luggage in a trailer and shuttle folk around hotels. We had the mini bus to ourselves save for a couple of German ladies.
Once at the hotel we showered and set out to walk to Auckland harbour area, this proved to be further than we had anticipated and so we turned around and decided to eat in the hotel's restaurant. There was a distinct lack of any atmosphere with only us and a couple of others dining & the waiter who was stripping off dinner settings and setting up for breakfast!!
Wednesday 13th
A good nights sleep was had and we breakfasted with a friendly couple from Leeds, the husband had been the Project Manager for the building of the M&S Food in Knaresborough! (More coincidences would follow.) A taxi took us back towards the airport to collect the camper van which would be our home for the next 10 nights. (Understand the geography when booking hotels and campers 😉 ) The taxi driver was very chatty and was originally from Fiji. He told us endless facts about chillies, and seemed to grow them in just about every nook and cranny of where he lived! He also had great knowledge of Burnley FC.
Once at the Camper Van hire place we registered and were given thorough details of how things worked and more importantly what to do if there was some kind of malfunction. All this took 2 hours and then we were on our way to the Supermarket to stock up before we were on the road.
We headed towards Hamilton and passed a Maori sacred site which was being developed, this was a very tranquil place although it was quite close to one of the main roads of North Island.
https://www.landscapearchitecture.nz/landscape-architecture-aotearoa/2017/12/20/state-highway-1-makes-way-for-a-sacred-maori-site
The day was lovely and sunny and we headed on to Raglan, passing mountains and freely growing bottle brush plants. The site was beside an estuary and was a lovely peaceful spot. Raglan is in the Waikato region and it as a notable water sports place, having the long surf area of Manu Bay and the black sandy beach of Ngarunui. That evening was made for relaxing after we had acquainted ourselves with the van and worked out storage space etc. it was time or a drink and wind down. All very new to us and what an adventure.
Once at the hotel we showered and set out to walk to Auckland harbour area, this proved to be further than we had anticipated and so we turned around and decided to eat in the hotel's restaurant. There was a distinct lack of any atmosphere with only us and a couple of others dining & the waiter who was stripping off dinner settings and setting up for breakfast!!
Wednesday 13th
A good nights sleep was had and we breakfasted with a friendly couple from Leeds, the husband had been the Project Manager for the building of the M&S Food in Knaresborough! (More coincidences would follow.) A taxi took us back towards the airport to collect the camper van which would be our home for the next 10 nights. (Understand the geography when booking hotels and campers 😉 ) The taxi driver was very chatty and was originally from Fiji. He told us endless facts about chillies, and seemed to grow them in just about every nook and cranny of where he lived! He also had great knowledge of Burnley FC.
Once at the Camper Van hire place we registered and were given thorough details of how things worked and more importantly what to do if there was some kind of malfunction. All this took 2 hours and then we were on our way to the Supermarket to stock up before we were on the road.
We headed towards Hamilton and passed a Maori sacred site which was being developed, this was a very tranquil place although it was quite close to one of the main roads of North Island.
https://www.landscapearchitecture.nz/landscape-architecture-aotearoa/2017/12/20/state-highway-1-makes-way-for-a-sacred-maori-site
The day was lovely and sunny and we headed on to Raglan, passing mountains and freely growing bottle brush plants. The site was beside an estuary and was a lovely peaceful spot. Raglan is in the Waikato region and it as a notable water sports place, having the long surf area of Manu Bay and the black sandy beach of Ngarunui. That evening was made for relaxing after we had acquainted ourselves with the van and worked out storage space etc. it was time or a drink and wind down. All very new to us and what an adventure.
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| Raglan Camp Site |
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| Harbour View Hotel, Raglan |
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| Tranquil Raglan |
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