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Tuesday 19 April, Final Leg Back to Auckland
We are leaving Waoku Lodge today but our departure is delayed slightly as the phones are out and our breakfast booking had not been received. No problem, our eggs, bacon & hash browns arrive in due course. We drive back towards Raglan only to stop at Manu Bay while the road is resurfaced. Off again, Gromit takes us on a northern short cut to Huntly, missing out on the busy city of Hamilton. All good, until we get just past Glen Afton when we discover that the road is closed. A worker tells us that all the culverts are being replaced, so they have just closed the entire road. Hey, Guys, a big sign on the road before we turned off and wasted 20 minutes would have been good!
The trip up to Auckland was expected to only take around 2 hours so we were not too worried and make up the time by grabbing coffees to go, rather than stopping, at the "Hopin Stopin Café" in Tauringa. We are now on State Highway 1 and long sections of it is dual carriageway up to Auckland, but so much work is being done to upgrade the road that Kathy and Colin are determined to take photos of the "temporary" speed restriction signs. If we have seen one, we have seen a thousand on our drive around the two islands.
We arrive at our destination by lunchtime, and after dropping off Tony & Kathy at AONC, Colin & Suz continue driving up the east coast. T&K had always planned to make it a final 3 night stay in a comfortable chalet at Auckland Outdoor Naturist Club, as we had been around Northland on our last NZ visit. C&S, it being their first time, wanted to see Waitangi and the Bay of Islands, so a room had already been booked for them further north at the Copthorne Hotel and Resort. To maximise their time at the Bay of Islands they continue driving through the afternoon and extend their stay to 2 nights.
AONC has extensive grounds with sports facilities, bush walk track, swimming pool, spas, sauna, shop and cash bar (only open on weekends though). The thermometer suggests that the pool is only 21°C so we are not sure if we are going swimming! The weather is great with sunshine and +20°C predicted for our stay. The club is only 500m from Ranui rail station and about 50 minutes on a normal train to Auckland, so we can easily head into the central city if we wish.
Wednesday 20 April
In Waitangi Colin & Suz set off on a half-day Bay of Islands cruise in search of dolphins and other marine life. They journey right to the end of the Cape Brett Peninsula, to the famous Hole in the Rock on Motukokako Island. Back on land in time for lunch they spend the afternoon at what many regard as New Zealand's most important historic site, the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.
Meanwhile Kathy and Tony chill out, literally, by taking a swim in the pool. Only one lap up and down though, and then straight into the hot spa! We decide to take the train in to central Auckland for a final evening out. Returning to the Harbourside Ocean Bar & Grill we enjoy a very good meal with excellent service. Kathy missed out on the crayfish due to the price but enjoyed a main-course sized dish of scampi (otherwise known as Langoustine). Tony is on a promise to prepare a crayfish dish when we return home.
Thursday 21 April
Colin & Suz decide to return to Auckland by a longer route down the west coast of Northland. This takes them through some beautiful Kauri big timber country and past the Kauri Museum. This tells the story of the pioneering settlers though the lens of the Kauri Industry. The museum specializes in the legacy of the Kauri Forests, which produce a very strong, durable timber and the highly prized Kauri Gum.
Tony & Kathy take time to do a final pack and check that we are still within our weight limits for the flight back home. We also take a stroll along the bush track at AONC, and discover many Silver Ferns in amongst the undeveloped forest along one side of AONC. We had been looking everywhere for examples, and here on our last day, we find loads of them where we are staying.
Our team is reunited when Colin & Suz return to AONC and check in to their chalet. Tony & Kathy, having explored the area know where the takeaway shops are. They return with a Chinese feast. As we are heading out in the morning it didn't make sense to try to cook tonight. After our meal it is Colin & Suz's turn to try to pack everything back into the suitcases so that they don’t exceed the weight allowance. We set a time for departure in the morning to ensure we are at the airport in plenty of time for our early-afternoon flight.
And that’s it! Six weeks on the road and we have had some great experiences, eaten excellent food, seen beautiful and wild country up close, taken trains, cruises, bus rides and chopper rides all over both Islands of New Zealand. One or two minor SNAFU’s and our four travelers, each with their individual preferences, enjoyed some aspects more than others, but overall, what a great time we had.
We are leaving Waoku Lodge today but our departure is delayed slightly as the phones are out and our breakfast booking had not been received. No problem, our eggs, bacon & hash browns arrive in due course. We drive back towards Raglan only to stop at Manu Bay while the road is resurfaced. Off again, Gromit takes us on a northern short cut to Huntly, missing out on the busy city of Hamilton. All good, until we get just past Glen Afton when we discover that the road is closed. A worker tells us that all the culverts are being replaced, so they have just closed the entire road. Hey, Guys, a big sign on the road before we turned off and wasted 20 minutes would have been good!
The trip up to Auckland was expected to only take around 2 hours so we were not too worried and make up the time by grabbing coffees to go, rather than stopping, at the "Hopin Stopin Café" in Tauringa. We are now on State Highway 1 and long sections of it is dual carriageway up to Auckland, but so much work is being done to upgrade the road that Kathy and Colin are determined to take photos of the "temporary" speed restriction signs. If we have seen one, we have seen a thousand on our drive around the two islands.
We arrive at our destination by lunchtime, and after dropping off Tony & Kathy at AONC, Colin & Suz continue driving up the east coast. T&K had always planned to make it a final 3 night stay in a comfortable chalet at Auckland Outdoor Naturist Club, as we had been around Northland on our last NZ visit. C&S, it being their first time, wanted to see Waitangi and the Bay of Islands, so a room had already been booked for them further north at the Copthorne Hotel and Resort. To maximise their time at the Bay of Islands they continue driving through the afternoon and extend their stay to 2 nights.
AONC has extensive grounds with sports facilities, bush walk track, swimming pool, spas, sauna, shop and cash bar (only open on weekends though). The thermometer suggests that the pool is only 21°C so we are not sure if we are going swimming! The weather is great with sunshine and +20°C predicted for our stay. The club is only 500m from Ranui rail station and about 50 minutes on a normal train to Auckland, so we can easily head into the central city if we wish.
Wednesday 20 April
In Waitangi Colin & Suz set off on a half-day Bay of Islands cruise in search of dolphins and other marine life. They journey right to the end of the Cape Brett Peninsula, to the famous Hole in the Rock on Motukokako Island. Back on land in time for lunch they spend the afternoon at what many regard as New Zealand's most important historic site, the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.
Meanwhile Kathy and Tony chill out, literally, by taking a swim in the pool. Only one lap up and down though, and then straight into the hot spa! We decide to take the train in to central Auckland for a final evening out. Returning to the Harbourside Ocean Bar & Grill we enjoy a very good meal with excellent service. Kathy missed out on the crayfish due to the price but enjoyed a main-course sized dish of scampi (otherwise known as Langoustine). Tony is on a promise to prepare a crayfish dish when we return home.
Thursday 21 April
Colin & Suz decide to return to Auckland by a longer route down the west coast of Northland. This takes them through some beautiful Kauri big timber country and past the Kauri Museum. This tells the story of the pioneering settlers though the lens of the Kauri Industry. The museum specializes in the legacy of the Kauri Forests, which produce a very strong, durable timber and the highly prized Kauri Gum.
Tony & Kathy take time to do a final pack and check that we are still within our weight limits for the flight back home. We also take a stroll along the bush track at AONC, and discover many Silver Ferns in amongst the undeveloped forest along one side of AONC. We had been looking everywhere for examples, and here on our last day, we find loads of them where we are staying.
Our team is reunited when Colin & Suz return to AONC and check in to their chalet. Tony & Kathy, having explored the area know where the takeaway shops are. They return with a Chinese feast. As we are heading out in the morning it didn't make sense to try to cook tonight. After our meal it is Colin & Suz's turn to try to pack everything back into the suitcases so that they don’t exceed the weight allowance. We set a time for departure in the morning to ensure we are at the airport in plenty of time for our early-afternoon flight.
And that’s it! Six weeks on the road and we have had some great experiences, eaten excellent food, seen beautiful and wild country up close, taken trains, cruises, bus rides and chopper rides all over both Islands of New Zealand. One or two minor SNAFU’s and our four travelers, each with their individual preferences, enjoyed some aspects more than others, but overall, what a great time we had.
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