Day 7 Whirlwind from Whangarei to Auckland

Day 7 Whirlwind from Whangarei to Auckland

Today was the day that I would travel to Auckland by bus and a pitstop on my way to the Coromandal peninsula tomorrow. Well Coromandel Town that is where I will find some rich history in New Zealand. I am excited to be there in the morning after lunch as I can then sort out what I want to see.

Today was wet and windy again with heavy showers before I left for Auckland. Claude had put washing out and each time it was nearly dry then it would pour again. I was happy to be off again, but sad I was leaving my grandparents to embark on this new part to my tour of New Zealand. We did get a visitor in the form of an old family friend as Betty called in and we all chatted though it was good to catch up. We did have a roast lunch with the leftovers from the day before and we all did remark about time getting away from us.  I Know I was getting a little anxious as the time was nearing us to be leaving and I did catch myself doing a little bit of a pace and triple checking to see if I had left anything. I didn’t have long to wait for the bus either as it soon rocked up. I was happy to be on my way and it did rain part of the way down the coast to Auckland, it wasn’t too hot either as it was just nice. I did get a giggle as some people took down the sign for passengers not to go further than the sign as I think people wanted seats to themselves. The driver sent them up the front to other seats.

I did get another view of the super yacht once I came into Auckland and I was in the right seat, which made me happy. As I didn’t want to walk up hills again like the last few times I had to from Queen street as the hostel is up a steep street that kills you going up. I went the long way around via Pitt street and K’ Road. That was fun and loads easier for me with big bags on my back. I can go the other way to the bus as I am mostly going down hill though I could see what the other way is like. Once I checked in I went for a wander before dark. I did find the the old fire station built in 1902, which was later the St John ambo service building though now I think it was converted to something else. I found a computer repair shop that had heaps of Hello Kitty things and I had to take pictures. K’ road must be the entertainment district for adult entertainment as there seems to be a bit of that stuff there. I had a quick wander through the cemetery before having to get something to eat before heading back to the hostel.

I seem to be having internet issues at the hostel, but I don’t think it is my computer as I havnt had problems anywhere else and I did have come connectivity issues when I first came here. The computer connected with the wifi in Whangarei with no problems, so could be an Auckland issue, but I don’t like having problems like that. Its life though and you cant have everything at once.

Day 6, whirlwind through Whangarei

Day 6, whirlwind through Whangarei 

Today not much happened other than I wanted to go for a wander and sort out other stuff like my washing as I had ran out of clothes. I wasn’t sure of the weather and I wanted to head out quickly before lunch. The walk I did end up going was to the Tikipunga football club as I never been that way before and I had been warned of roving youth. I just seen locals floating around mowing their lawns and that was it. I did look at what was supposed to be a reserve and it was just a scrubby open space. Never mind and I doubt anyone would disturb me since I had my polkadot brolly.

Once home I was surprised by uncle Don who was at Granny and Claudes for Sunday lunch. We were all listening to the All Blacks play Argentina. All Blacks won of course and next week they seem to be heading to South Africa. It was really nice to have a roast lunch before heading out after an hour to take Don back to the home. It was sad in the nursing home and I can see why they locked the door for the dementia patients as one of the men tried to escape, but couldn’t. He came and spoke to us in Dons room and I told him I don’t have the code and he wandered off only to come back several more times. I am guessing this is to be expected.

The washing did get sorted and was nearly dry when I took it indoors to dry properly before the fire as it had started to rain outside, surprise, surprise. I didn’t do much else other than help put some pictures onto computers and to read a book. Today was really sedate and I think needed to relax. I did find that this year is the 150^th for the trains in New Zealand and I will arrive in Tauranga as they will have a display on that day. I am happy to catch up though with it and never knew about it until it came across the news. Every other place I miss it.

Tomorrow I am heading to Auckland as I am on the true part of my trip. Then from there I am going to the Coromandals.

Day 5 Whirlwind walkathon in Whangarei

Day 5 Whirlwind walkathon in Whangarei

The day started off pretty early for me as I decided to wake up at 7.30 in the morning. The weather out the window looked like it was going to rain and I wasn’t sure what sort of day it would be like when I had my feet on the ground, but I thought having plenty of water with me hoping I wouldn’t be too cold, but I had my brolly and rain coat with me in my bag and no map as I didn’t think it would be needed at all.

Once I was dropped off I started at the Hatea River Walk where it was around an hour from the other end into the city centre. That wasn’t my plan to hit an easy walk as I wanted to head towards the top of Parihaka, where there is a war memorial at the lookout. I don’t know what it is like as I have never been there before. I could have been driven up, but that would have been too easy. There were several tracks that do up the hill too. I did go up the Hokianga track, where it joined up with the Dobbie track near the summit. What I was interested in was the pa site that was located there. I did wander the track signposted for the pa site, but unsure what I was actually meant to look at. I did get stuck in several spider webs. On my way up I had seen Elvis going down while I was huffing and puffing though I didn’t get a picture. That is just my word to go on. Once I had wandered the pa site I went back down the path towards Muir Park bridge as I was wondering what that was all about. I should have read the map before going as that would have told me about the paths. Down I went being over taken by several ladies on their way down the hill. It did seem different to see a few women and only several men in the whole area. I was happy that they all said hi to me as it seemed to be something about New Zealand.

Once I was at the bottom I headed towards the bridge taking pictures as I went. I didn’t see any sign posts telling me if I had to go up the hill or keep walking as I did think that I had to go further on for Parihaka. Once I had gotten to the Muir bridge, I did see another track going up called the Drummand track. At the time I was needing the call of nature and had to find a tree and as there were plenty of trees I had no problems answering that call. I was wondering where the signs for The Basin, which is a part of down town Whangarei. I decided to go up the hill and some random lady who had passed me once before made the comment about running up the track, while I was going turtle speed. While going turtle speed a father and son did pass me while I was exploring what I had thought was another track, but it wasn’t.  Near the top I did find something interesting. I found the Dobbie track had joined up with mine, so I could have wandered up an easier track instead of going back down and then going up on another difficult track. I found the war memorial and took pictures from the lookout. I decided to walk down to the car park that did go most of the way up to see if there was a map.

After wandering a little bit I found the only map around was actually a BMX map and that was not of any use to me at all and I had to jump a fence to even get to this location. The only other explanation I could explain was to go down a track called the Ross track that said slippery when wet. I was umming and Ahhing over going down that was and decided why not try it. Dont know where I will end up, but we will see what happens. After around an hour of slogging down the hill, I was happy to find the entrance, but I had the impression that I would join up with the other tracks at the bottom. Any whoo I followed the street I was on and popped out directly across the river from the town basin, which includes Rayburn House and Chapmans clocks. I went for a little wander and ended up at some BMX park, so turned around as I was looking for food. Into town I walked and found... you guessed it a pie shop called Jaspers and had a pie called Stockmans. I would have had one called Billy T, but that included cheese and I didn’t want cheese. I did go for a quick wander, but had no idea what I wanted to do, so sent a text to be picked up at Rayburn house. On the way back I went into a bookshop and found a book I will grab later as I have two in the series of Twisting Throttle by a guy called Mike Hyde and this one is motorcycling through New Zealand. I want it and will get it before leaving the country. Gangs of New Zealand might be interesting too and I did check the book stocks in Rayburn house as they had a book I couldn’t get anywhere else last year I was there.

Once Claude picked me up, he took me down towards the Port of Whangarei, but there wasn’t much there to see as there were boats, but nothing happening as it could have been the weekend. Before we went to the port we did see the new bridge going up an stayed to watch a yacht go under the bridge. The car then pointed towards Auckland where we then took a loop road that would take us to the town of Maungatapere. The turn off was missed, but we were able to turn around and take the right road. Claudes idea was to visit Poroti, where we could have a drink. I shouted the drinks, but at $6.50 they were not cheap. The tide was out in one brand and I did see a sign that was talking about gang stuff including sunnies being warn in the pub. I was served, but no one said anything about my sunnies at all. Claude and I did watch the Rugby game of Southland vs Otago. Southland won, but I don’t understand the all in brawl that is Rugby and it looks like something chaotic. I did mention to Claude there was one place for me to visit and that was Dagaville museum, but that might have to be left for another trip as there are other plans afoot, but that doesn’t worry me either as there are other walking tracks I want to try.

Day 4 Whirlwind tour in Whangarei

Day 4 Whirlwind tour in Whangarei

Today I thought would be a little bit cooler and I was planning to give Claude the day off from driving me around the country side. I did sleep in though considering the time difference with home I have gotten up early and that includes when daylight savings does appear sometime this weekend with a big boot. I did end up with my jumper around my waist the entire time and I was wearing trousers too.

The walk I went on was truly random as I was wanting to look at Whangarei falls and then head along a path. I was wearing my hat and had my ipod, which I listened to the entire time I was walking. The falls I thought would be going really well after all the rain we have had and I was getting wet with the mist from it as I never really do have that happen on my last few trips to New Zealand and to this area. A path I knew about was something I wanted to walk and I always wondered where it ends. I ended up at another waterfall that was an old quarry and now the A.H. Reed memorial park. I found that there was a homestead across the park well was one that was there owned by A.H. Reed. I think he was prominent person in the town during the early years of Whangarei. I should check to see if he pops up again sometime. My boots did get a little dirty with the mud and there were not many people hiking around the area. Might not be as popular as going to The Hokianga to visit Tane Mahuta. It took me several hours before I went back to granny’s place and I had a quick pie for lunch with a drink at the Dairy.

Since it was granny’s birthday and her 80^th, I was going out with them to a restaurant called Gengy's. How it worked was you chose the meat, then the vegies, then the sauces and the oils after. The last bit you can add ginger, olives, garlic, salt etc. Its all you can eat and my cholesterol will go kaboom! The last time I went up I drowned it in soy sauce and garlic oil. The chef who then cooks it looks at me and I laughed. He did have to wipe his arms down and tools too Brad will fart garlic gas....... Experimentation for the guy who cant smell or taste. I suppose I will pay for this tomorrow. Seems in those restaurants you do not drink soup out of the bowl as there is the need for a spoon although the bowl does happen to have two little handles for that use. Confused, but not worried I am. Who am I to argue with the lady who shows us our seats. I do like how she explained how to sort out our food. I think I will be going for another hike out to another place tomorrow, which should do me all the good in the world to get back into walking. Mum told me where to go when i spoke to skype, but I didn’t know I could walk from where I am currently located. Now that will get me to all sorts of places.

Something I did learn to do was to use an ereader though plugging in a kobo into an Apple Mac is to me a pain in the butt as I have no idea how to borrow books properly, but I do think the reader will help immensely with book space and my tendency to buy books, but I really doubt that idea. I still love the physical book. I worked out a long way to help my grandparents and that should work, but I am used to doing things on a PC.

Day 3 Whirlwind Tour of New Zealand.

Day 3 Whirlwind Tour of New Zealand.

Today the weather was cloudy, no rain and was sunny with lots and lots of wind. It was hot when you were in the car, but while in it you were a little shivery. Its all cool though as it wasn’t raining at all during the day. I was happy for that as I didn’t have to get wet today at all, but I did have a jumper. The car drive was pretty good and worth going on one day that is really nice. The plan was to head to Waipu, which I had gone through several times on the bus to Whangarei.

The trip to Waipu was really nice and I was happy it wasn’t raining and we had waiting for a nice day to leave. Before we went to the town, Claude took me out to the new bridge that had been built and does open several times a day to let boats through. The bridge does show on a car ad over here in New Zealand as it is pretty new. I took plenty of pictures and then we were off again. I was happy to get into the Waipu museum for a little cheaper as the lady thought I was a student. I didn’t complain as they thought I was a younger kid with my grandfather. I am a student, but didn’t have my uni card on me at all. I had though the people had come straight from Scotland. It wasn’t the full story as the Reverend Norman McLeod had taken people to Nova Scotia as times had become tough for survival in Scotland with rents going up and people being pushed off farms. They had heard about Australia from their strict Calvinist preacher Norman who was known as The Man as he did have power amongst his followers. When they went to Australia after building their ship they found Adelaide to be in drought and Melbourne in the grips of a gold rush. After a short stay in Melbourne they went to New Zealand after correspondence with Governor Grey. It was in Auckland where they were looking for land and found Waipu in Northland New Zealand in an area called Bream Bay named after Captain Cook had caught fish there. I did buy some books about the area and I will buy the book about trains in New Zealand before I do leave for home as it would be cheaper in Whitcoulls.

After some wandering around town and to see where they play the highland games during New Years on the footy field. I did learn the kids learn Scottish dances during their breaks at school. Seems no other schools do this. There was the memorial to the coming of the settlers and also the war memorial outside the church grounds, which housed the old school house and teachers house as well. We did head down the road towards the area called the Cove. The Waipu cemetery was where the reverend Norman McLeod is buried. Claude and I were both wondering where wondering where in the cemetery he was buried and the location turned out to be easier than we thought as his grave was signposted at the end of the rows. It was a nice wander, but it was windy and cold, so I wandered back to the car.

After the cemetery we drove down towards the Waipu Cove to have a look at the beach, which was nearby. I had been following some of the site numbers, which were part of the heritage trail for the Waipu area. The toilet block down at the beach did have some great murals painted of life from the past including of Reverend Norman. After a spell in the area, Claude took a drive to the refinery where Claude had worked in the past with the construction of the area. After visiting the refinery showroom which is a very basic museum, we did learn the refinery is the only one in New Zealand and takes crude oil and processed it into fuels and other products. There is also a pipeline that goes from Marsden point to Auckland and the flow can be controlled and sent to the right storage areas. The refinery does operate 24 hours a day 7 days a week. It was an interesting tour and I had seen the information about it the night before and was not too sure. I am glad I got to mark this place off the list and we did make it home before dark.