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5:00pm, Thu 29 Apr 2004 : New Zealand #2
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Hi all,
After weeks on the road, my brain is starting to think in sentences like the
Lonely Planet guide. Those of you that have used it may recognise it in my
email...
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Number 2.
NZ Cars: No two cars on NZ roads are the same. This is because most of the
vehicles here turn up as second hand unwanted cars from Japanese roads...
And given the range of vehicle sold in japan, every one bought here is distinctly
different - like cabbage patch children, it would seem. The import car business
which is so small in Australia is huge here.
The result is cars that are running on illegal undersize spare tyres, japanese
decals and worst of all japanese printing on the fuse box. No, actually the
worst part is the japanese radios only tune 1/2 the FM radio band!! :-(
So my (japanese import ) subaru shortly got the hi fi upgrade with a dodgy cd /
radio. I have since been accused of "champagne backpacking" by several,
including the hostel owner who watched me tear my dash apart, curse the
japanese fuse box and install my new cd player.... :-)
NZ highways.
The most unique feature of these is that 100 signs are placed just before 40
km/h turns, stop signs, roadworks, and 1 lane bridges. It certainly keeps you
awake - and somewhat startling for people used to setting the cruise control on
110 and not doing much else for 3 hours!!
The rush south.
Everyone, absolutely everyone says that the south island is the best, thus
travellers are either in a rush to get there, or have spent most of their time
down there and are now coming back. Meanwhile, there are some beautiful
places in the north island including the Coromandel penisula and the East cape,
which I have just visited.
Coromandel.
This much loved place just 1 hour east of Auckland features picturesque water
front driving, pretty towns and a dirt road to the very top and fletchers bay,
backpackers - frequented by no one. The beaches are typically black sand
though, not to flavour for Aussie's bought up on golden sun bleached silica
sand.
Coromandel is chock full of interesting things though, excentrics builiding
railways up the side of mountains, lovely harbours perfect for 30 foot multihulls,
friendly locals 1 or 2 saved Kauri trees, unmarked goldmine shafts, and other
such treasures!!
Be sure to pick good weather though, a rain dumping cold front, backed by a
sub tropical low (cyclone) can make the place look grey and spoil the view from
the top of a excentrics mountainside railway...
Rotarua
Roto vegas to locals. This place has motels, tourists, mud and every other
adventure sport activity known to man in the one place. Struggle to escape
after 2 days.
East Cape.
This place is beautiful. Off the tourist track, you start at fuck-a-tarn-ee (I can't
remember the correct spelling, so I used the phonetic). Do the White island
volcanic island tour. Travelling out on a 40 foot kelva-cat (yep, aussie made)
with kiwi host, but former Brissy resident Grant with 12 other punters, stopping
for oh -ahh dolphins (haven't you seen them before?) who play around the
boat. They were much more entertaining then the snobby variety that we seem
to have back home.
The island is basically a boiling crater of sulphur vents and a nasty lake of 60
degrees and p h of 1.2. Unfortunately, no swimming.
Stay at Loydes Lodge for a Mouri welcome that goes for a good 1/2 hour with
host Hare, perhaps having been a busker kidnapped at birth and set down the
course of hostel ownership. Beware if you take on the role of visiting chief of
the people present (backpackers) as after making a bit of "thank you for your
welcome" speech you are obliged to sing a 'thank you for the welcome" song....
( how come I can't even remember all the words to waltzing matilda - can
someone send them to me !! )
Beware that the depature from Loydes Lodges has a lengthy ceremony as
well, but the place and the people are so very nice.
Travel 1/2 way around the East Cape to arrive at Mel's place... probably being
the only one in the hut which is mainly for people going on fishing charters. Mel
and Jo are the current guardians of the land they live on - a strip of ocean front
behind a small rock headland with white(-ish) sand on either side. At the very
front door is a small rock headland with rock pool behind enhanced by some
carefully arranged bolders that create a cascade when the waves break on it.
Watch for hours with a beer or two
Go out to the East cape lighthouse, which is the first place to great the sun in
the world and find a busted, grass overgrown car to sit on and stare out to sea
with some red wine.
If the weather is perfect, it will alll seem so much better. Watch out that you
may end up back at Mel's place for another night, including free fish from the
days' fishing charter.... 23 miles out and 100 feet down. There are a couple
more people this night to talk with. So many older people (guys, older couples)
travelling here.
Race south, passing through Gisborne and ending up in a very ramshackle farm
house on the hill side, and worry about the depletion of clean underwear
stocks and the manual washing machine at this hostel.
Further south and arrive in the art deco city of Napier... Walking tour departs at
2pm - better go!!
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Other Stories
 01 Jul 2010 Open Letter to Adobe
11 Jun 2010 CS Marinya becomes super model for a day
10 Apr 2010 Return home from Fraser
21 Mar 2010 Mobile internet to the rescue
15 Jan 2010 Pray for Northerlies - Maryborough delivery
24 Dec 2009 What a Year, what a Whitsunday!
01 Dec 2009 Julia Gates wants her own best job in the world
22 Oct 2009 Tips for first time couch surfers
08 Aug 2009 John, Marie, Tracey and Mark went for a sail
20 Jun 2009 Yamaha 9.9 hp high thrust 4 stroke engine electrical problems.
19 Jun 2009 ChannelWhitsunday.com coverage of Seawind regatta
03 May 2009 The best couch in the world
28 Apr 2009 Superb: Dean, Clare, Hannah
20 Apr 2009 Priya
12 Apr 2009 Catrin and Marcella
09 Apr 2009 Vanessa and Romana
05 Apr 2009 Perfect sailing conditions
31 Mar 2009 Sail with Tyson
28 Mar 2009 Hayman Island with Rotary and Airlie Beach History
21 Mar 2009 Hamilton Island Wedding Cruise + 3
19 Mar 2009 Travelling Home
11 Mar 2009 LA, town of movies and bears
07 Mar 2009 Back to school in Edmonton
04 Mar 2009 Vancouver
01 Mar 2009 Ottawa, national capital of Canada
28 Feb 2009 Toronto, Ontario, Canada
25 Feb 2009 Being a good guest with Couch Surfing.
22 Feb 2009 St Thomas. Time with friends
20 Feb 2009 Viarail, Canada - Travelling from Montreal to St Thomas to stay with friends.
13 Feb 2009 Montreal - top right corner of France
11 Feb 2009 Day in London
10 Feb 2009 Sarah Simpson, Best job applicant
09 Feb 2009 Gourge, France to UK
08 Feb 2009 Gourge - French countryside
02 Feb 2009 Best job in the world video making
31 Jan 2009 Paris in winter
31 Jan 2009 Hot Koalas
29 Jan 2009 Isle of Wight and Falmouth
22 Jan 2009 Turin in snow.
17 Jan 2009 Best job in the world for Ema Q
16 Jan 2009 Rome - Old city
15 Jan 2009 Vatican and first day in Rome
13 Jan 2009 Just keep flying...
| 08 Jan 2009 Racha
07 Jan 2009 Phi Phi Don
06 Jan 2009 Phuket Arrival
06 Jan 2009 Phi Phi Lei
05 Jan 2009 Locked and loaded
31 Dec 2008 Woodford 2008
24 Dec 2008 Hamilton Island staff escape
10 Dec 2008 Randy and Shazza
18 Nov 2008 Grand Adventure
27 Oct 2008 Tigra takes a crash
12 Oct 2008 Mandurah Boat Show 2008
29 Sep 2008 5 from France
13 Sep 2008 Sailing South with Tracey
02 Jul 2008 Don't tell them its winter!
01 Jul 2008 Another
18 Jun 2008 Zineb and Ester
12 Jun 2008 Anna
05 Jun 2008 Lenni and Denis
22 May 2008 Dent to Dunk
13 May 2008 Is it winter yet?
08 May 2008 Whitsunday Private Yacht Charters
25 Apr 2008 And that's a wrap
19 Apr 2008 6 up for adventure
10 Apr 2008 Gloucester Island Assault
09 Apr 2008 Restocked and roll'n
06 Apr 2008 Sail to Nara Inlet Waterfall
31 Mar 2008 Antifoul is best on the hull, not in the tin!
29 Mar 2008 Cinetech from Hong Kong
24 Mar 2008 Dinner with friends... But what's for dinner
21 Mar 2008 Now that is a big screen!
17 Mar 2008 New office at the marina!
23 Feb 2008 Woody Head Camp Ground, Bunjalung National Park, Iluka
21 Feb 2008 Kiama, New South Wales South Coast
20 Feb 2008 Diamond Head Camping Ground
19 Feb 2008 Yagon Campground, Myall Lakes National Park
18 Feb 2008 Gillards Beach, Mimosa Rocks National Park
14 Feb 2008 Congo Point, Moruya NSW Southern Coast
12 Feb 2008 Greenpatch Campground Booderee National Park
11 Feb 2008 Camping Gear for sale, Car included.
01 Feb 2008 40th Birthday Tour
29 Jan 2008 Top Gear Australia Audition
05 May 2004 New Zealand #5
04 May 2004 New Zealand #4
30 Apr 2004 New Zealand #3
29 Apr 2004 New Zealand #2
28 Apr 2004 New Zealand #1
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Quote
from Ghandi
I
do not want my house to be walled in on
all sides and my windows to be stuffed.
I want the culture of all lands to be blown
about my house as freely as possible.
Pretty much my life... and I love it.
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Says
it all : "Sailing" by Christopher Cross
It's not far down to paradise
At least it's not for me
And if the wind is right you can sail away
And find tranquility
The canvas can do miracles
Just you wait and see
Believe me
It's not far to never never land
No reason to pretend
And if the wind is right you can find the joy
Of innocence again
The canvas can do miracles
Just you wait and see
Believe me
Sailing
Takes me away
To where I've always heard it could be
Just a dream and the wind to carry me
And soon I will be free
Fantasy
It gets the best of me
When I'm sailing
All caught up in the reverie
Every word is a symphony
Won't you believe me
It's not far back to sanity
At least it's not for me
And when the wind is right you can sail away
And find serenity
The canvas can do miracles
Just you wait and see
Believe me |
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Whitsunday
Guide
Visit
the Cumberland Charter Yachts Site for
the most comprehensive online area and
anchorage guide. Second only to "100 Magic Miles".
www.ccy.com.au/area
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Sony
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My camera of choice, with some great customisation for even
more flexibility.
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John
Nayler
PO Box 1039
Airlie Beach Q 4802
P: 0407 15 13 11
www.nayler.com |
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