Looks like we made it!

Today we arrived in Invercargill, well to Edel and Peter’s place where we have parked up for now. We have had a thoroughly enjoyable trip down with the South Island section beginning with a few days at Westport with Bruce, Megan and Porsha. 

We came down the West coast road and became fascinated with the bridges. All for a good reason, many of them were narrow (one way) and some were only marginally taller than our roof!  The west coast journey challenged us with tight corners; one 15km corner was almost too tight to get around. Warren feeling that the right front tyre was very close to the gutter on the wrong side of the road. Thanks goodness there is much less traffic down here and nothing coming the other way!  The west coast roads were narrower, windier and slower. Our gear shifting was at times challenging for both of us with many changes through windy and hilly roads. Sometimes the road was sealed only as wide as the width of our motorhome and with no shoulder to save any steering mistakes it made for intense concentration.  The scenery has been spectacular as always and enjoyed mostly by the passenger.

We stopped a night beside Lake Moeraki before going over the Hasst Pass to Arrowtown. We stayed there for 3 nights in a holiday park which proved very convenient for us to be able to spend time with Pauline, Gabby, Hannah and Robyn (Pauline’s mother in law) as well as with Rob, Tetli, Nic and Oscar.  We have seen managed to see all our family on our way down apart from Whitey, Warren’s son in law, who is away skiing in India for a month.

The two weeks has been very social, relaxed, we have had lovely weather but is fast drawing to an end. It is raining here today, although still warm.  Tomorrow we plan to explore our new surroundings before work starts on Tuesday…

Porsha in the drivers seat

South Island

It’s now a week since I finished work at Whangarei Hospital. A mixture of emotions as there will be people I miss but it was hard not to smile a lot. The thought of change and a new environment both work wise and living seems really attractive.

We left Ruakaka Motorcamp on Saturday morning waking a few campers on the way out no doubt. Mack is going really well.  We’ve stopped off with family on the way through the North Island as noted previously.  All the stops have been really nice with a number of people intending to come south at some time in the next year.  Let’s hope they make it as a year can go really fast and unless plans are put in place then nothing happens.  One night we spent parked in a rest area at the summit of the dessert road and woke to a pink Mt Ruapehu. The mountain looked absolutely beautiful with the morning sun colouring it as though it were painted.

We moved our ferry crossing forward a few days to catch Bruce on his day off next Tuesday and as always with us we are keen to keep going. Driving for just a couple of hours doesn’t seem to be enough in a day.  Maybe remnants of America?  The crossing was very pleasant, calm waters and a warm day made it very nice.

On the road again...

Today finds us in Palmerston North on a beautiful day. We spent 3 days with Mum in Tauranga also catching up with Sue and Peter and Anne and Graham and then 2 days with Lynda and Dave in Cambridge. We have stopped in with Warren's cousin Jim and Anne today and plan to leap aboard the Cook Strait ferry tomorrow bound for the South Island.
So far the weather is great, the Mack is going well and we seem to be getting a lot of attention from fellow travellers, particularly truckies.
Laptop battery low so will be back in touch in a day or so.

Mt Manaia

We are still at Ruakaka Motor camp and this is Mt Manaia across the estuary.

Warren overworked on a hot day.

DREEEM catcher's first video

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all. This year looks to be an interesting one for us and I hope to be able to keep you all updated on our travels. Today we visited the Waipu Highland games on a beautiful summers day in Waipu. We were entertained by a mass pipe band and various sporting contests. How do they manage to throw those tremendously heavy weights up in the air?

This afternoon we enjoyed the fabulous view we have from our current site at Ruakaka Camp ground where we look out over the estuary, the beach and the Whangarei Heads - really a perfect picture from our "lounge".
Stay well.