Kerikeri and Heading South

With the last few days being very social, the blog has not been getting the attention it deserves

From left: Auntie Liz, Uncle Des, Rod, Cousin Grant

We arrived back in Kerikeri last Thursday evening and were able to park up at Rod’s aunty and uncles place just out of Kerikeri’s main centre. They were brilliant hosts and Rod had a great time catching up. I don’t think he had seen them for about 12 years. We were joined for dinner by Rod’s cousin Grant who he hadn’t seen for about forty odd years.  We made a point of having another quick catch up on Sunday before we started south and making a promise to each other to keep in touch. I will make sure Rod does.

Steve and Claire joined us in their motorhome on Friday for the weekend with the main purpose being to attend the Orchard to Ocean Wine and Food Festival in Kerikeri.  The weather was perfect and the festival  better. It was a great event – heaps of room to sit around (chairs provided), mostly local wines/beer and food and queuing was not an issue. There were no queues. Sometimes these smaller town events have it all over the bigger city events. They seem to be more family orientated rather than a ‘drinking session’.

If there was a downer on the weekend it would have to be the drama we had with our initial accommodation on the Friday. The four of us had booked into the site called “Gibbo’s Place” – don’t ever forget that name. When the booking was made it was for four adults, two children and Claire and Steve’s two dogs. However, between the time we made the booking and the time we showed up (about two weeks), the site had changed ownership and now did not allow dogs. Instead of the new owner explaining to us in a civilised manner of the new conditions, which we would have accepted gracefully, he dropped the ball and behaved like a demented lunatic. If he has ever completed a Tourism and Host Responsibility Course, my bet is that he failed miserably.  We were lucky enough to find another site where the hostess was wonderful. Many thanks for your help Veronica and the true Kerikeri hospitality.

We left Kerikeri yesterday morning and headed to Wananaki for the night. It was the first time this trip that we were charged to stay at a Department of Conservation (DOC) site, even having a current DOC pass.  No complaints – the total cost was eighteen dollars and they gave us a 20 percent discount because of our NZ Motorhome Association membership.

We have had a relaxing day today leaving Wananaki at about 11am this morning and cruising down the east coast through Sandy Bay, Woolley’s Bay, Matapouri. Tutukaka, Ngunguru and are now settled in at Parua Bay for the night. A nice Pinot Gris or two with our dinner tonight will complete the day.

We will probably stay around the Whangarei area tomorrow and Wednesday as we plan to have a bit of a look around. We need to purchase two more camping chairs as the $9.95 models from the Warehouse have not lasted the distance.

Keep well everyone.