We have begun a new adventure. I’ve done the unthinkable! Camping. We picked up our campervan 5 days ago and started camping our way around NZ. Camper rental is usually quite expensive. But with Mark’s NZ driver’s license, we could partake in a locals only special deal. We are going to find a lot, that the deals to get the economy going again, are going to be for locals only. That driver’s license is turning out to be lucrative. There are some unexpected advantages to this camper life: I don’t have to pack my day’s things every day before we leave, since we have everything with us at all times. Like turtles carrying our house around. But the quarters in this shell are tight. And all the money we may be saving on lodging we are spending on camping stuff. We went to Warehouse 5 times in the first 2 days. Warehouse is a little like Target here. We now own buckets and rope, bungee cords and windshield shade and lantern and pegs (clothes pins). It could sleep 3, but there is no place to store our huge suitcases except that 3rd bed. Would someone tell me the secret to making an RV bed! It takes me 15 minutes and it still looks like crap. Another advantage, mirrors are scarce: I’m not happy with my recent haircut. This way, I don’t see it too much.
Our first destination was the Coromandel. A peninsula below Auckland that is arguably the prettiest place in North Island. First night we free-camped (I really jumped into this headfirst). Free camping is: camping at a legal site, for free. Usually just a parking space. We have an app that tells us where these sites are located, with reviews by other campers. NZ has the best public toilets, all over the place, so finding a free site near a 24 hour public toilet is a score. We scored. And add luxury to that, when we woke up someone was setting up a food truck/coffee stand in the parking lot. Camping does not suck when someone is making me a hot cup of excellent coffee first thing in the morning (just like home).
Next stop was Hot Water Beach. We visited here before and it is the first place we wanted to return. We have a camping space in a holiday park: pretty nice accomodations for campers: pool (in Summer), TV room (where I am parked with my laptop), showers, kitchen, laundry. The hot water beach is a chilly 7 minute walk through the bush. Remember it is Winter here. No problem because Hot Water Beach has hot water. Remember kiwis are literal in their place names. There is a spring under the sand. A really hot one. At low tide, people dig holes the size of personal hot tubs, and they fill from beneath with hot water. You have to dig pot holes to test the temp, because some would make you mussels in a pot. Another way to go is to create canals to move different temps to regulate your pool. Low tide has been in late afternoons: really nice way to watch the sunset. It really would be if the beach was west facing.
Speaking of mussels in a pot, I am really mad that it took me so long to figure this out. New Zealand Mussels are pretty famous. At first I was put off because they are giant and the first time I ordered them they we rubbery, so I stayed away after that. But I got some and cooked them myself (camping) and they were fabulous. I thought it was surreal eating more gourmet while camping than we usually do. And the most surprising thing: a kilo of mussels was $5. (NZ). Roughly that is about $2/lb US. Crazy. The leek we had to accompany was twice that much. Next we will try grilling them.
Today we are off to a new locale. Looks nice in the brochure. We have this camper for almost 6 weeks. Mark is driving it pretty well. It is tall and 7.2m long, but not the widest RV on the road. Still with the size and the driving on the left, and curvy mountain roads, it is challenging. In 100K, he has only hit one curb (on a one-lane bridge).