Réinitialiser la recherche
Neil’s on Wheels
  • Neil's on Wheels
Actuel
  • Neil's on Wheels

Neil’s on Wheels

The Slightly Chaotic South Island Tour En savoir plus
S’abonnerAperçuAperçuCalendrierCalendrierPhotosPhotosPartagerPartagerListe de choses à faire
AperçuCalendrierPhotos
  • Actuellement à
    🇳🇿 Pounawea, New Zealand
    Neil's on WheelsNeil’s on WheelsVoyageur

    Riverton to Invercargill

    14–19 avr., Nouvelle-Zélande ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    As much as we loved our time with Gary and Sharon, it was time to venture a little further into the lower South. Riverton certainly gave us a send-off—our last night and morning delivered the full package: heavy rain, hail, thunder, lightning, and wind. We were ready to move on… though slightly wary of what the next few days might bring.
    Invercargill was next, and we’d been given very clear instructions—Fat Bastard pies were non-negotiable, along with a visit to the transport museum.
    We parked up at the NZMCA site, which turned out to be a real gem. Despite being in an industrial area, it sits right alongside the estuary, with a beautiful walking and cycling track—and even a prime viewing spot for the aurora australis. And incredibly, we were lucky enough to see it!
    We’d planned to stay three nights but ended up staying four, partly thanks to Neil’s dressing change appointments. The dogs were in their element, enjoying long walks and even a 15km bike ride, though the weather did its best to limit our adventures.
    The pies absolutely lived up to the hype, and Neil thoroughly enjoyed the transport museum… while I opted for a trip to the dog park instead.
    On our final day, a quick stop at Mitre 10 turned into something a bit special—we met a lovely couple who invited us to stay at their place in Wallacetown. We took them up on it and ended our time there with a really nice evening and a relaxed morning.    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Neil's on WheelsNeil’s on WheelsVoyageur

    Tuatapere

    13 avril, Nouvelle-Zélande ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    After a slow, easy start to the day, we headed back to Gemstone Beach to gather a few treasures for our friend Jude back in Tauranga. From there, we made our way into Tuatapere and settled in at Tui Base Camp—such a lovely, flat grassy spot tucked between hedges that made it feel private and peaceful.
    We couldn’t resist stopping at the café for coffee and a bite to eat (hands down, the best caramel slice ever), and picked up some of the famous Tuatapere sausages for later.
    With the weather on our side, we took the dogs out for a wander and stumbled across a beautiful bush walkway leading into the Tuatapere Domain. The sound of tūī singing overhead and fantails dancing around us made it feel pretty magical. Along the way, we found blackberry bushes—thorns and all—and gathered a generous haul, surprised to see wild mint growing alongside them.
    We finished up by the river, where the dogs had the time of their lives splashing and swimming.
    Back at camp, I turned our foraged berries into a small pot of blackberry and apple jam while Neil actually sat still long enough to read a book—rare enough to be worth mentioning!
    Another fantastic Southland day!    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Neil's on WheelsNeil’s on WheelsVoyageur

    Riverton/Monkey Island, Orepuki

    8–13 avr., Nouvelle-Zélande ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    We absolutely loved our time at Garston Hops, but we were ready to explore more of Southland. We spent two nights in Riverton, parked on the huge back lawn of our new friends Gary and Sharon (we met them at Garston Hops—fun fact, Gary was the Mayor of Southland from 2013–2022). Their property overlooked the estuary, with stunning views and beautiful sunsets and sunrises.
    On our first night, Gary cooked us a delicious pork roast—such a treat not having to cook for a change!
    We then headed about 20 minutes up the coast to Monkey Island. The freedom campsite was perfect, with sea views and decent long-drop toilets. The dogs loved the beach, and we enjoyed how much the scenery changed with the weather. We stayed there for two nights before moving just a couple of minutes up the road to Orepuki and the famous Gemstone Beach.
    After collecting around 3.5 kg of gorgeous stones, we parked up at the local tavern. Between rain showers, we took the dogs for a walk, then settled in for a lazy afternoon in the motorhome. We finished the day with a lovely dinner (whitebait sandwich for Neil and pizza for me)—and even scored our first drinks for free!    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Neil's on WheelsNeil’s on WheelsVoyageur

    Garston Hops. Harvest volunteering

    17 mars, Nouvelle-Zélande ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Well… the last 3 weeks have been something else 😅
    We’d had this volunteering trip planned for about 18 months, but honestly—nothing prepares you for the reality once you’re in it!
    I ended up being one half of a two-person cooking team, taking turns doing evening meals for 35 people (yes… 35 😳), plus I somehow became the sole organiser of FOUR smokos a day—two for each shift. Let’s just say there was always something to prep, cook, or clean!
    Neil was meant to be in charge of keeping all the vehicles and machinery topped up with diesel… but of course it didn’t stop there. He also installed 6 lights in the eating area, 4 floodlights, split the lighting circuit in the office, added 4 power points, put in 4 security cameras, and almost got a fan into the shed—though that nearly cost him a thumb 😬
    We’ve learned so much—not just about hops, but farming in general. You really come away with a whole new appreciation for the work that goes into the food and produce we all take for granted.
    And the people… honestly, some of the most amazing humans. We’ve made some really special connections.
    We even managed to briefly get away and enjoy some time with family in Wānaka, and went to the Warbirds Over Wānaka airshow—which was pretty special ✈️
    Southland is absolutely stunning—the scenery is just breathtaking. We’ve made some beautiful memories (mostly 😂), and it’s definitely been an experience of a lifetime.
    Also… who would have thought two ex-Sallies would end up working in the beer industry?! 🍻    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Neil's on WheelsNeil’s on WheelsVoyageur

    Week 2

    15 mars, Nouvelle-Zélande ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    Week 2 of our big 11-week motorhome adventure… and things got a little dramatic.
    Just 10 minutes out of Ashburton on SH1 — BANG!
    A huge explosion followed by the most horrifying metallic screeching noise. The motorhome started swerving all over the road. I yelped and watched as my amazing husband wrestled with the steering wheel, doing everything he could to bring the out-of-control vehicle to a stop.
    Eventually he managed to pull us over on the side of busy SH1.
    I looked at him and said one word: “Tyre?”
    The smell of burning rubber was overwhelming.
    After sitting there in stunned silence for a few seconds, we both climbed out to inspect the damage… and it wasn’t pretty.
    The tyre was completely ripped to shreds.
    The plastic moulding over the wheel had been torn off entirely.
    Looking back down the road — even in the fading twilight — we could see a trail of debris marking exactly where we’d come from.
    I carefully retraced our steps and gathered up whatever pieces I could find. To my surprise, one of the items in the debris field was one of our click-clack containers from inside the motorhome! Turns out the blowout had also ripped a hole through the bottom of one of the cupboards.
    With nothing else we could really do… I cooked dinner (blue cod from sister Carol!)
    It felt incredibly strange doing something so ordinary while sitting in a damaged motorhome on the side of the highway, not quite sure how we were going to get out of the pickle we’d found ourselves in.
    Neil called the AA and they came out, but unfortunately they couldn’t help us on the spot. So we ended up spending the night right there on the roadside, waiting for Bridgestone to come in the morning.
    Despite the odd angle of the motorhome and the constant rumble of big trucks flying past, we actually slept surprisingly well.
    This morning the tyre situation was sorted, and we’re now back on the road again — heading to Queenstown for a brand-new tyre before continuing on to Garston, where we’ll be volunteering on a hops farm for the next two weeks.
    https://www.garstonhops.co.nz/

    Adventure, right? 🚐    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Neil's on WheelsNeil’s on WheelsVoyageur

    Wellington

    9–14 mars, Nouvelle-Zélande ⋅ 🌬 14 °C

    Wellington Stopover
    We spent six days in Wellington, mostly in Lyall Bay and Kilbirnie. Neil was installing a system for Silone Collins, the officer at the Kilbirnie Salvation Army.
    While he worked, the dogs and I spent plenty of time at the beach. As they played and made new doggy friends, I discovered a new obsession — collecting sea glass. It’s like treasure hunting on the beach!
    We also caught up with my daughter Ella, wandered around the Wellington CBD, and soaked up the unique vibe and atmosphere that makes Wellington such a cool city.
    On our last night we stayed with our good friends Bronny and Mark and celebrated their engagement. The dogs had a great time getting to know their goldendoodle, Maui.
    Our Bluebridge ferry left at 3am, so I had a nap on the floor while Neil did some work on his computer. As we left Picton, we were treated to a beautiful southern sunrise.

    Next stop on Neil’s on Wheels… where the scenery is stunning and the next minor disaster is probably just around the corner!    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Neil's on WheelsNeil’s on WheelsVoyageur

    Kai Iwi Beach

    6–9 mars, Nouvelle-Zélande ⋅ 🌬 20 °C

    Kai Iwi Beach Holiday Park (Whanganui)
    Our gorgeous friend Karen is about to turn 60, and unfortunately we won’t be around for the big day. Since it’s Taranaki Anniversary weekend and we were already travelling down to Wellington, it was a no-brainer to meet up with Karen and Mark here.
    Our friend Barney is here as well (sadly his beloved Jude is working so she couldn’t make it). We’re all parked in different parts of the campsite, so there’s been quite a bit of moving to and fro between motorhomes, but it’s totally worth it.
    We’ve got both dogs with us and they’ve been pretty good so far. The motorhome is now fully set up for the next 11 weeks and we’re really happy with how everything is working.
    Kai Iwi is a gorgeous holiday park with lots of permanent residents as well as campers. The beach is classic west coast North Island — black sand, piles of driftwood, and plenty of sea glass for the keen beachcomber.    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
    Début du voyage
    6 mars 2026