January 10-11th - Napier

Will I ever find the warmth of the sunshine on my body?  If you head over the mountain pass and venture into the region of Hawke’s Bay, the answer is yes.  I am so happy that I can finally unveil some of those summer dresses.  I cherish the warmth of the sun upon my face and welcome the brief bead of sweat.  I definitely prefer the warmth to the cold. 

The coastal beaches of Napier are riddled with pebbles and rocks.  It does not hold a candle to the sandy beaches of Southern California. But it does warrant attention for its rebirth after an earthquake (measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale) rattled the town.  The city was rebuilt within a span of two years mixing new with old whilst preserving its 1930’s architecturally landscape.  Today, you wander the streets of Napier and are captivated by the Art Deco buildings.  It is world famous for its Art Deco buildings and celebrates annually its heritage with the Art Deco Weekend.

The weather in and around Hawke’s Bay is conducive to farming and agriculture.  The one close to my heart is wine-making.  In the US, we have limited access to the best New Zealand wines.  I ventured out to visit some of the better wineries recommended to me by Rebbecca Rameka, Rebecca and I chit chat for a bit and she is gracious enough to direct me to the best wineries in the area.  I also discover her family lives in Newport Beach.  You may be wondering who is Rebbecca and why would I trust her opinion. Rebecca is the owner of the highly rated restaurant Pacifica.  Although the interior of the restaurant does not project a 5- star vibe, it is every bit of 5-star.  The food was superb, imaginative, artistic and combined flavors that I have never experienced on my palette.  It was gastronomic.  Is that the right word?  Yes, I ended the day with dinner at Pacifica but only after an afternoon of wine tasting.

If you are lucky you may get invited to the Bungalow for some NZ wine.  I sent a mixed case home.

A sample of the Art Deco buildings in Napier

Craggy Range Winery

A taste of wine at Clearview with Tim Turvey, Owner

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Pictures for Rotorua

Hi guys.  If you wish to see the photos for the trip to Rotorua, they are now posted in that blog.

January 9th - A visit to Rotorua & Wai-O-Tapu

It is still drizzling but I move forward with my plan to head an hour north to investigate Rotorua.   As I make my way to Rotorua a warning light goes off in my car.  For the life of me, I can’t figure out the problem.  Lights on. Seatbelt fastened. Oil gage fine.  Why is this car beeping?  Ugh…low fuel.   What a bonehead. Of course I am out of fuel.  I drove 8 hours yesterday to get me to Taupo. Where is my co-pilot?

My biggest concern now is whether I can find a gas station.  I am already 15-20 minutes outside of Taupo and I know the opportunities for a gas stop will be limited en route to Rotorua.  I brace myself for the worst and start praying to God. “Please look after me and let me find a gas station”.  We all have been there, right?  I have no idea how far my little Toyota can go after the fuel warning.  I see a tourist spot and pull over.  Perhaps they will know how far the next fuel station might be as I know I can’t possible make it to Rotorua.  The gal was so great.  She said, “Not to worry a gas station is maybe 10 minutes away.  If you don’t make it, here’s my card and we will rescue you.”  Boy, that was remarkable and I was so ever thankful. I jump back in the car and keep praying the fuel station will appear soon.  It’s my lucky day.  There it is in all its glory, the gas station.  Yippee, Hurray, Thank you thank you thank you.  From this day forward I will monitor the fuel like a hawk.

I happily arrive in Rotorua with the full tank of gas.  But there is still a bit of a drizzle.  As I pass down the main street I am glad I decided to stay in Taupo for both nights.  The main street is loaded with hotels/motels all promising to rejuvenate your body thru therapeutic massages, dips in mineral baths and special mud from mother earth.   It is the Las Vegas of spa treatments.  The town to me has little character and is laden with that “rotten egg” sulphur smell.  Perhaps I am missing something but I choose to take a condola ride up the hill to view Lake Taupo and the town of Taupo.  In addition, I test my skill at the luge track.

The weather has started to clear so I make a stop at Wai-O-Tapu.  Wai-O-Tapu is part of the Maroa Caldera formed over 160,000 years ago.  The thermal activity is similar to visiting the geyser/thermal area at Yellowstone National Park. It has a geyser called Lady Knox which does her thing at 10:15am.  I missed it, unfortunately.

Rotorua
Rotorua is in the volcanic region of the Central Plateau.  The city is known for its geothermal activity, geysers and hot mud pools. The Taupo volcanic zone (which includes Rotorua) is generally recognized as one of the most active volcanic areas in the world…about 250k in length and 30-80km in width. The Rotorua Caldera (which is now occupied by Lake Rotorua; 14 miles in diameter) is one of several volcanoes in the volcanic zone.  Its last major eruption was about 240,000 years ago.

Sky Swing Rotorua - 50 meters above ground level & upto 120mph when you swing down

Devil's Bath @ Wai-O-Tapu

Pictures will follow as the internet is taking forevet to load up the pictures.  I will retry tomorrow morning.

cheers

clcik here for photos

January 8th The drive to Lake Taupo & Huka Falls

Yesterday’s events are brushed off.  I have stopped being a baby. It is a new day, but again a rainy day.  Will this rain ever let up?  My plan is to head to the Waipoua Forest on route to Auckland.  The Waipoua Forest is about 6,200 acres and densely populated with mature kauri trees, the largest stand of kauri left  in the country.  The largest kauri is here (about 2,000 years old) and nicknamed Tane Mahuta (Lord of the Forest).  Unfortunately, the rain has flooded the entrance and my date with Tane Mahuta is left for another day.

The rain just keeps coming and is getting worse as I approach Auckland.  The skyline in Auckland has disappeared.  It is grey, dreary and uninviting. To that end, I decide to forego another night in Auckland and continue heading south to Taupo. Just maybe I will find some blue skies.

I travel all the way to Taupo which ended up being an 8 hour drive.  Rain comes and rain goes. Although it was a long drive, I am entertained by the landscape and my radio.  By now, I am real comfortable driving on the left hand side of the road.  In fact, it seems so naturally to me.  They have a lot of round-about’s too.  It seems intuitive that you would enter and exit in a clockwise motion versus our approach which is counter clockwise.

I call it a day and have a nice dinner at my hotel.  Tomorrow I will take a drive to Rotorua, known for their mineral baths.

Taupo

Taupo is located in the center of North Island and sits on the shore of Lake Taupo.  Lake Taupo is NZ’s largest lake encompassing 240 square miles. The lake discharges to the Waikoto River which flows into the Huka Falls.  Huka Falls is quite spectacular and worth a visit.  And, if you have the money, stay at Huka Lodge.  I ventured over there and was able to enjoy an $85 NZD lunch with a million dollar view.  My travel book quotes that Lake Taupo is “the most famous trout-fishing lake in the world, yielding in excess of 500 tons of rainbow trout annually.  Wow!

Huka Lodge

Huka Falls

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January 7th – A Beautiful Drive, a Disappointment & a DUI Checkpoint

The heading has got your attention, hasn’t it?  It is human nature for us to go straight to the “negative stuff”. It peaks our interest sometime more so then when things go great.  We want to know that others have disappointments like ourselves and their lives aren’t perfect.  Kind of weird, isn’t it?

Top it off with a DUI checkpoint well now you’re really interested, right?  The story is a bit long, so I apologize upfront. Imagine yourself in my shoes as the day comes to the end.  I don’t expect you to have pity on me as I am vacationing and you are still grinding it out every day at the office.  But the story, confirms we are all vulnerable and human no matter what our circumstances.

I wake up from my comfy bed and open the drapes.  To my dismay the rain has arrived and yes it has “rained on my parade”. It is really becoming annoying.  Not only for me, but the locals are complaining too.  It has to wreak havoc for those businesses providing outdoor activities.  Fishing, sailing, cruising, flying, golfing, etc. are not happening today.  I’m told by multiple Kiwis’ this is one of the wettest summers they have had on the North Island in years. 

The big decision this morning is “how do I spend the day’?  Option 1:  Sit in my room and watch the rain come down knowing that it will not clear until tomorrow.  Then meander to the pub and drink with the rest of the tourists. Option 2: Pack up my belongings and head to Doubtless Bay. I could stop for lunch at Mongonui Fish Shop (best place for fish & chips according to the locals) and afterwards make my way over to Opononi (located on the west coast).  I am not good at just sitting around and have “ants in my pants”, so I opt for the drive to Opononi.  Before doing so, however, I need to make sure there are accommodations in Opononi. 

With the help of my hotel, we find me a room at the best hotel in Opononi, The Copthorne, which is a chain in NZ. They originally were 100% booked but had a cancellation.  I count my lucky stars that my timing was perfect and we booked the room.  For whatever reason, this small town is fully booked.  Go figure.  The drive will be about 1 ¾  hours to Mongorani and then about another 1 ½ hours to Opononi.  Total time with a lunch stop is estimated at a little over 4 but could be longer with the rain.

Although it is raining, it’s not a downpour. I am able to maneuver the country roads (two lanes) without a problem.  The countryside is charming and dotted with sheep, cattle and native bush.  What is challenging are the roads. They have minimal signage and there are a lot of one lane bridges. I must have been over 20 plus on this little jaunt. And seriously, if you miss a sign you may not see another until the next town.

On a few occasions I pulled off the road to confirm I was heading the right way.  A co-pilot would have been incredibly helpful during the drive.  At one point I was the only vehicle on these open country roads. Absolutely no one is in sight. It was a bit uncomfortable and I begin to start playing those dreadful mind games.  What if I get a flat tire? I have no clue how to change a tire. Is someone following me? What if this road is not the right road…how much have I gone out of my way?  But this is NZ and the Kiwi’s are one big family.  They look out for each other and help each other out.  There is nothing to fear.  What a great concept. 

I stick with my real estate instinct and continue on.  I hit my destination, Doubtless Bay, for the famous fish & chips and am quite pleased with myself.  It was worth the trip.  It maybe raining, but that has not deterred anyone from dining at Mongonui Fish Shop.  It is packed folks. Get in line and wait your turn.  Seating is family style.  So I peruse the joint to see what is available and who I might possibly conjure up a conversation.  I meet Lynn and her husband James who drove over from the Opononi area to get out of the house.  We discuss each of our countries politics, economic woes and real estate prices. New Zealanders follow the US politics closely and believe that the decisions we make has a direct impact on their country. The election comes up in the conversation. It is of great interest and has been a staple in all my kiwi conversations.  This further substantiates their concern about where our country is headed and if we can recover from our economic crisis.  As I am about to depart, they encourage me to take Hwy 1 through the Ratea Forest.  They warn that the roads will be a bit curvy towards the top but the scenery spectacular.  Thereafter, I will catch the car ferry and be moments from Opononi.  Off I go.

The journey to Opononi was spectacular even in the rain. I enjoyed every minute of it.  The forest is subtropical and lush with vegetation. There was a lot to look at, but not very many places to pull over and take pictures.  I did my best.

The drive took longer than expected (6 hours) and I finally arrive at The Copthorne.  Yippee.  It looks great.  I can’t wait to take a shower and grab a cocktail and dinner.   Well it looked great until they informed me that they did not have a room for me.  They basically made a mistake and they are 100% booked. They inform me that the town is booked solid because there is a concert in town.  Some well known jazz guy on a worldwide tour.  Don’t ask me who it is, I don’t care to remember. I am devastated, tired and annoyed but keeping my calm.  They profusely apologize and offer me a complimentary bottle of wine with dinner should I choose to dine with them and complimentary breakfast.  They continue by informing me that they called all over town and found a room for me. It is a rental property and the gal is waiting to show it to me.  I went, I saw and I said “we have a problem”. I am really upset now and I think I might cry.

I noticed a motel that had a vacancy and asked the manager to check their availability. Luckily, I guess for me they had one room left with twin beds.   I need a clean place to sleep tonight, so I am good with twin beds.  I get to the motel and it is basically a home stay.  The owners live upstairs and they rent the three bedrooms downstairs. The place is immaculate and my room is acceptable.  You will see in the photos. The owners are really nice too.  What I didn’t know is that I was sharing a bathroom.  I can share a bath with my mom, sisters, and girlfriends and yes a boyfriend.  But a stranger would not be at the top of my list.  In all fairness to the motel, she communicated to the Copthorne it was a shared bath.  The Copthorne just failed to leave out that minor detail. I know I sound like a spoiled brat.  But you’ve been there.  Your expectations are set for one thing and you are delivered the opposite.

I settle into room, but not happy how the day has concluded. A free bottle of wine and a free breakfast is not acceptable.  I will not go into the professional conversation I had with the manager (and yes, it really was handled professionally) but we settled on the hotel picking up the majority of my nights stay.  We both shook hands and agreed it was a fair resolution.

I order a drink (martini) to be exact to settle me down.  Then follow up with some dinner.   I am exhausted from the drive and  dealing with my accommodation mishap.  Lastly,  I am not having any fun.  I just want to crash and get out of this town as fast as possible. I can’t wait for tomorrow morning.

The two hotels are minutes apart.  As I am making my way to my hotel I notice two cars pulled off on the side of the road and a man waving a red light.  I thought there had been an accident.  No, I am incorrect.  All cars are being asked to pull over.  I roll down my window and this is the communication starting with me:

What’s going on?

Checkpoint

Checkpoint for what?

Alcohol, (he waves this tool in front of my face ) What is your name and address?

Michele Babcock, 1361 Antigua Way…..

Have you had any alcohol

I had a glass of wine with dinner

Blow into this.

What if I don’t want to? (I was panicked guys.  In a foreign country and I don’t know their threshold.  What if I was over the limit, probably not, but what if?)

Then we will put you in the booze pen

I blow…but barely

You didn’t blow long enough.  You need to blow for 5 seconds.

Do I have too?  .  Officer, I just want to go to my motel.  It has been a bad day.  I was supposed to be at the Copthorne and they lost my reservation and now I am at the Dolphin Motel.  I have been driving all day, I am tired, upset  and want to go to bed.               

Yes,  you have to blow otherwise I am not doing my job

I blow again longer.  I am holding back the tears

See there, you passed.  You can go.

I got out of there as quick as possible.  I don’t know whether I passed or he just felt sorry for me.  Either way my emotions got the best of me.  How could a day that started out so great end up so crappy.  I burst into tears when I crawled into bed and wish I was back at 1316 Antigua Way.  There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home……..

Cattle first; Cars Second

Mongonui Fish Shop

The Dolphine Lodge

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January 6th - Tour to Cape Reinga & Te Paki Sand Dunes

What a glorious day. The sun is shining and the beach is calling me. I dawn on my running shoes and head down the beach towards the Waitangi Treaty grounds. The Treaty was signed on February 6 1840 and established a British Governor of NZ and recognized Maori ownership of their lands and other property. It is considered the founding document of NZ as a nation and is celebrated as a national holiday, Waitangi Day. If you are interested, you can google Treaty of Waitangi. NZ experiences some of the same conflicts we have in the US with displacement of Indian tribes and their respective land rights. It is an interesting read.

The afternoon will be full with a trip to Cape Reinga & Te Paki Sand Dunes. I have been to Cape Town, South Africa where the Indian Ocean meets the Atlantic Ocean. Now it is time to go to the furthest point of North Island, Cape Reinga where the Tasman Sea merges with the Pacific Ocean. 

You could opt to drive, but it is 3.5 hours one way. That makes for a very long day so I hop on a plane with 11 other passengers for the journey north. The flight is about 45 minutes. Our pilot outlines what we are viewing from the air. It is too much to convey in a blog, but hopefully I have captured images of the land and sea.

Have you ever landed in an open grassy field? I can hardly believe it. Where is the runway? OMG, we are landing on a grassy field strip in the middle of nowhere. Brace yourself. Whew a perfect landing.

We gather our belongings and continue our journey. A van waits to take us to the cape which is about an hours drive. Following is the Maori mythology pertaining to Cape Regeina. The Maori word Reinga means “Underworld”. The Maori believed that the cape is the point where the spirits of the dead enter the underworld and return to their homeland Hawaiki. Cape Reinga is tentatively on the list of UNESCO to become a World Heritage Site. Immerse yourself with more info via the Internet. How do you think I write this stuff. I can’t remember a lick of it during the tour.

The tour is capped off with a cup of tea and a visit to the sand dunes. New Zealanders love the outdoors and will attempt to try anything. So while in NZ do as they do. Grab a sled and surf down the dunes. Embrace the sand that is flying in your face and settling in between your toes. You are laughing as you navigate down and later find grits of sand in your mouth. And girls forget the hairdo, its history. I loved this and could have stayed longer. Unfortunately we are on a time table and the plane awaits. We may be adults, but we are all still kids at heart.

The day is ended at the restaurant 35 degrees (that’s the restaurants latitude for anyone interested). I meet a lovely couple that lives here and we converse about the island, politics (Obama) and the economy in both of our countries. They have had their economic woes too. Their housing prices are down and property is not moving. Sound familiar. I am bummed I didn’t take their photo. She was a gem.

 

Our plane on the grassy field



Thumbs up & ready to go

Cape Reinga & the merging of the seas

Ye Ha

January 5th - En Route to Bay of Islands and Sunshine!

I know you all have been waiting patiently for updates on my travels.  I have no idea where the time goes, but it sure does fly, doesn’t it?  I leave Auckland this morning in the rain, of course, and I am hoping to find some sunshine in the Bay of Islands.  The drive will be about 3.5 hours perhaps longer if the weather does not cooperate.  It is very scenic and I wish I could take photos along the way.  However, I must focus on the road. Speaking of wish, I was a tad bit nervous picking up my car.  Fortunately I get an automatic which allows me to focus solely on driving on the appropriate side of the road without having to negotiate shifting gears.

I am close to arriving at the Bay of Islands.  I hit rain most of the way but blue sky's are just ahead.

The Bay of Islands consists of approximately 144 islands. It is located in the Northland Region of the North Island.  This area is one of the most popular fishing, sailing and tourist destinations in the country.  It has been renowned internationally for its big-game fishing as you will see from the attached photos. 

The bay consists of several historic towns including Pahia, Russell, and KeriKeri.  For you history buffs Captain Cook was the first European to visit the area and give the region its name in 1769.  Another tidbit I read on the Internet was a 2006 study found the Bay of islands to have the second bluest sky in the world after Rio de Janeiro....really.

I chose Pahia as my resting place. It has a broader selection of accommodations available to meet all budget levels.  In addition, take your pick of restaurants and peruse the retail stores and souvenir shops vying for your dollar.  The thing that struck me most was the endless amount of tour operators offering a boat load of activities.  Whether it be swimming with the dolphins or trying your luck at catching a marlin.  There is something for everyone.

Katia checks me in, although my room is not quite ready. She gives me several recommendations on how to spend my time in Pahia and Russell.  She informs me the weather will be good today and tomorrow but after that, more rain.  Bottom line; get your outdoor activities in while the sun kisses the island.  That said, I change up into a swim suit (yes an itsy bitsy bikini….well maybe not so much) throw on some shorts and off a go.  The afternoon is spent enjoying Russell and Pahia.

A view of Pahia

Russell - a good romantic get away

Not a good day for Mr. Marlin

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Update on Trip

For all of you that have been logging on to discover no recent posts, I apologise.  I have been driving a bit in this annoying rain and by the time I get to my destination I am too tired to post.  That said, if you go to my last writing, I have now added the link for the photos on Auckland.  There are more posts to come on my ventures to Bay of Islands, the Cape, and others.  Be patient.  Cheers