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Winter Wanderings 2026
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Winter Wanderings 2026

A 37-day adventure by GLWSKW Read more
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  • Trip start
    June 16, 2026
    GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler

    Getting ready

    June 16 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    Originally our 2026 winter holiday break was to be spent touring the South Island taking in a different vista to what we normally see when traveling down there. Usually the mountains are dry, barren and brown. This time we were expecting to see them covered with snow and offering a different beauty. So, we had high expectations of enjoying something different from the norm. That was until Mr Trump came along and started a war with Iran! He managed to single handedly stuff up our dream by causing fuel costs to go through the stratosphere and cause an uncertainty of supply. Well done Trump...not! Due to this we cancelled our ferry bookings and decided to stay in the North Island where we felt a little more confident.
    So today, it was a day to pack the van, put the bikes on the carrier, put the cars into hibernation mode and other sundry activities. This was all done in between some heavy downpours of rain! Well, it is winter after all. Maybe that is a subtle taste of what we are going to face over the next five weeks 🤔. Whatever, tomorrow we hit the road and see where it takes us. I have asked the tour guide where we are going, but her response was..."I'm not telling you because you will only forget anyway ". Hmm, nice to have such confidence being shown. So tomorrow I will post an update from ????    Read more

  • GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler

    A quiet day

    June 17 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    It was a very cold 🥶 start to the day as we left home at 8.30am and went to Bethlehem College. Sharon was doing teacher aiding in Kelly's class for a time during the morning.
    Once that was done we were ready for a late morning tea and so headed off to get coffee ☕️ for us and the Frews. We do this each week but usually on a Monday afternoon but things changed when I was called in to work on the Monday. We love these visits as there are always plenty of laughter and stories of days gone by.
    The mystery of our next destination was then revealed as being Waihi Beach at a good freedom camping site. By now it was lunchtime and still cold outside.
    The travel guide did what was appropriate after such a stressful morning teaching kids about the letter 'P'. (Picture attached).
    The driver enjoyed an uninterrupted spell reading his latest Michael Connelly novel.
    Tomorrow's destination has been revealed to me but I can't remember 😕.    Read more

  • GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler

    A Journey Revisited

    June 18 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    It was a gentle start to the day with no hurrying but we still managed to be the first ones to depart from this nice relatively quiet spot at Waihi Beach. This is so often the way on our travels but at least we can move at our pace, whatever that may be.
    It was a relatively mild day but still cool for cycling. As the attached photo shows, I was well prepared for the conditions.
    We went to the Waihi rail station and from there set off cycling to Waikino as far as the coffee shop on the old rail line. We had not been there before but have passed it countless numbers of times. Everyone we know who has been there have spoken highly of it. I can't say that we were disappointed but the coffee could have been a little hotter. Next visit we must remember to ask for 'extra hot please'.
    The tour guide was just getting started and hadn't travelled far enough, so decided to cycle on further to the tunnel. The driver, being someone of infinite wisdom, decided to wait back in the cafe with the warm open fire, and wait for the tour guides return. Once that occurred, we cycled back to the van.
    The next destination for the day was to have been Paeroa but after considering the options, we decided to return to our spot at Waihi Beach. We were blessed to get the same park as last night even though there were many more vans there.
    The tour guide decided to go for a beach walk after we got back and had a light lunch...Just a manderin for me.
    Tomorrow is another day, and at this stage we think that the spurned Paeroa may be it, or Te Aroha 🤔. Who knows 🤷‍♂️.
    The pics were taken along the route to Waikino.    Read more

  • GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler

    Expect the Unexpected

    June 19 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    Well it was definitely a cool start but we were rewarded with a beautiful clear blue sky without a cloud to be seen. This looked good for the cycling 🚲 that was planned. We were going to cycle the Karangahake Gorge towards Waikino together and then Sharon was going to cycle to Te Aroha and meet me at the NZMCA site as I would drive there.
    However, once we had passed through Waihi the fog descended and the blue sky and sun vanished. Once we got to Paeroa the fog was still about and the temperature had only risen to 8deg. The plan was to then go to this lovely cafe which was behind the main street in a historic building relating to the mining days (photos attached). All the furniture inside was obviously sourced from second hand junk shops so it was fitting for the history of the place. The food was good and the coffee ☕️ was strong enough to keep you awake for a week! For a small town, the prices were what you may expect for a large inner cities cafe 😳.
    After coffee, nothing had changed weather wise so plans altered a bit. We did not cycle the Gorge but Sharon did cycle to Te Aroha. I of course drove there and discovered where the blue sky and sunshine 🌞 had gone. It was amazing and warm even though it was only 11deg.
    We walked into town for some exercise in the afternoon and then finished up at an icecream 🍦 shop that we had visited on an earlier trip. We were not disappointed.
    We found in town that you don't need to lock your car when you leave a couple of guard dogs inside. Sorry the pic isn't the best.
    Where to tomorrow 🤔. I will wait and see what the tour guide comes up with.    Read more

  • GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler
    1

    Where is the mountain?

    June 20 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    Well, what a difference 12hours can make. The weather forecast last night predicted cloud ☁️ instead of beautiful sunshine 🌞. What they didn't tell us was that the cloud would be at ground level! I have included a pic taken of Mt Te Aroha from the same location and angle as yesterday's one. Can you see it 👀?
    The tour guide decided that it would be a great idea to have bacon and eggs for breakfast. Guess who got to stand outside in the freezing 🥶 temperatures and who had the comfortable task of frying the eggs in the comfort of the warm and toasty van.
    We moved on the Paeroa after this and the tour guide wanted to cycle 🚲 to Thames in the fog. Good luck I would say. It was still only 6degs when I left her to begin her adventure. Good thing sightseeing was not high on her agenda because everywhere was white with the fog 🤣. I met up with her about 30mins into the journey to make sure all was okay. She told me it was great and that she was enjoying herself. So was I, by keeping warm and dry 😊.
    Eventually she made it to our freedom camping site which is a gravel carpark at a sports ground around lunchtime. She had made very good time, and just to make the destination even more appealing, I ordered some sunshine 🌞. Thames was not so badly afflicted with the fog as the earlier places.
    After lunch it was a walk into town for some exercise and to make a purchase at Noel Lemmings. TVNZ have changed their broadcast set up which has stuffed up the TV in the van. I needed to purchase a doofer to make my dumb TV into a smart TV. However, I am too dumb to get the setup right! I should ask the travel guide I guess because she has an answer for most things 🤔.
    It's been another great day and we really have been blessed with the weather. Tomorrow is forecasted rain so plan on doing the laundry. In case you are wondering, we won't hang it out to dry 🤣.    Read more

  • GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler

    A Quiet Day

    June 21 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    We had planned for a 'down' day because rain had been forecast. Actually it was to be fine in the morning and wet in the afternoon which is exactly what happened 🙃. With the temperature being around 18deg it was a warming change.
    We had nothing adventurous planned and the tour guide had not planned any cycling journeys. I suppose you might call it a domestic day as the laundromat was the main destination. There is a good large Liquid Laundromat here in Thames so we were set to wash our dirty laundry in the main street 😀.
    There was one other important activity to do in Thames which was very high on our list of activities. We do this each time we visit Thames. Yes I know, you are probably wondering why we don't change it around a bit. However, if you have ever been to the Thames Wharf fish and chips shop, you will know why. There is none better than this chippy! The fish is straight from the sea, and the kumera chips are out of this world! Well worth a visit if you come visiting.
    We walked the main street and were amazed at the number of antique/junk shops there are here. You could fossick around in them for hours...if they were open. There is also a plethora of cafes. They must be a hungry lot who live in Thames 🤔.
    After lunch the tour guide had a nap to work off the fish and chips while the driver read his latest book.    Read more

  • GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler

    Achieved at last

    June 22 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    A very fresh start to the day and the windows in the van were as wet as we had ever had them. I guess we should stop breathing at night 😱. The morning shower was quick and getting dressed was even quicker!
    We went into town to get diesel ⛽️ and find a dump site. It was a handy one to use but has been rather abused during its life time.
    After this we went back to the sports ground and off loaded the Tour guide's bike. The only section of the Hauraki Rail Trail which we had not done was the one from Thames to Waitakaruru and that was the goal for Sharon at least. She set off by bike and I did the descent thing and took the van to Waitakaruru. If I didn't do that, she would have had to cycle all the way back (37kms each way). However, I was not let off completely because I then cycled back towards Thames to meet her. We met up at Pipiroa.
    It was a perfect day for cycling as there was no wind and the sun was shining. It was a beautiful blue sky day although there were some whispy clouds about.
    Just before getting to the van, and where the trail came out to the road, the Tour guide noticed a bakery. A very large, well stocked bakery, so we felt obliged to support the local economy 😀. It could only survive by passing traffic and I suspect hungry truckies because of the huge variety of food and the quantity.
    We then headed to Kaiaua where we got parking at a freedom site. We are right on the waters edge (Firth of Thames) listening to the water lapping on the shore. It is truly a 'magical' site with the sun 🌞 shining and reflecting off the water. The plan is to remain here for two nights before heading further north.    Read more

  • GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler

    Powerless

    June 23 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    It was a damp and cloudy morning which we were expecting so no surprises there. The Tour guide was up before sunrise because she had this insane idea of watching 👀 it come above the horizon. Because it was cool in the van she thought to turn on the heater. However, things weren't right as its indicator lamp started flashing. I had seen this occur on one previous occasion but couldn't remember why. Next thing that happened was that the light she had going turned off. Then I remembered...our house battery was flat! No power 😕. We had charged both bike batteries up yesterday afternoon and that whacked our house battery so that when we went to bed it was showing 40% charged. No problem I thought 🤔 as they can go down to 20% safely. Somehow, we lost the remaining 40% overnight.
    We were blessed to have some water in the kettle and a small drinking bottle with some in so a wash and a cup of tea and coffee ☕️ was still possible...just.
    The plan had been to stay another night where we were but with no sun and drizzle, solar charging was a pipe dream.
    Camping grounds charge a small ransom to stay but the Tour guide found a farm POP site only about 20kms away from where we were, heading towards Auckland in Mangatawhiri. It is a beautiful 😍 site and provides all amenities including power for only $15 per night. That is great value and it is very quiet 🤫 with only the sounds of various birds 🐦. We are now at 50% charged so heading in the right direction. The lesson learned was that charging the bike batteries when not getting full solar charging is not a good idea! 😳
    The Tour guide didn't get to see the sunrise because of the heavy cloud base and drizzle 🫪😭    Read more

  • GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler

    Safe and Sound

    June 24 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    With it raining on and off all night I was somewhat concerned 😟 about getting stuck on the wet grass when it came time to leave. We could happily 😊 have stayed on for another day but with very heavy rain 🌧 forecasted, the next concern was sinking into the ground. So, as soon as we were showered I carefully moved the van without spinning the wheels. It was not a time to be heavy footed! We then parked on the POP's driveway, thanked the Lord and had breakfast. By this time the heavens had really opened up and so we set off praying 🙏 continuously for a safe journey.
    The Auckland motorway was very heavy with traffic weaving in and out oblivious to the wet and dangerous 😳 conditions. Our destination was Orewa and it couldn't come quick enough!
    We stopped on the northern motorway BP station for a coffee ☕️ and refreshments. I had a Thai red curry vegetarian pie and it was delicious 😋. The Tour guide had a scroll of some sort but I definitely preferred my choice!!
    We are camped up safe, secure, and warm at Linda & Roger's new home in Orewa. Power provided, and all amenities at our disposal. Thanks very much to you both.
    Had some fun trying to reverse into their driveway as the road while narrow was further constricted by workers cars parked in the street as we are only a couple of minutes from the shopping centre. Then to further complicate the situation, the bike carrier scraped on the road when trying to get over the footpath/vehicle access. So the bikes had to be taken off while parking on the street to lighten the load. Finally we got to where we needed to be as the photo shows.
    Linda & Roger have a lovely new home and I can see why they can't wait to move into it. ❤️ Apart from catching up with them both, nothing really exciting happened today except for the most part keeping dry.    Read more

  • GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler

    Activity ticked off

    June 25 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    The forecast for today had not been too bright but the reality was something quite different 😅.
    The Tour guide had a cycle around the estuary in Orewa on her bucket list for sometime, so today was the day to tick it off. The pathway was wide in most places and a shared one with pedestrians. Sadly, pedestrians often don't seem to remember this as they waddle along all over the path with earpieces in listening to whatever and not able to hear a cycle bell ringing. However, we made the circuit without running anyone over. One thing we did discover on the ride was that everyone in this part of the country seems to have at least 1 dog 🐕 sometimes under control on a leash and other times wandering where it likes. We enjoyed the ride and pleased to have done it.
    We went looking for a cafe which apparently has amazing blue berry muffins. Although both the Tour guide and I had listened to the instructions on where to find it, something was missed in the translation and we never located it, but we have added that to the bucket list for another occasion 😉.
    As the rain was holding off we did the laundry at a laundromat which was in close proximity to where we are staying. That I guess you could say was another thing ticked off.
    We very much like Orewa and if circumstances were different, would find it a nice place to live. Maybe in another lifetime 😂.    Read more

  • GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler

    A Winters Day

    June 26 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

    It was peaceful overnight listening to the rain on the van roof. By morning it was just drizzling but very cold 🥶 with the gusty winds.
    Linda and Roger picked us up at about 9am and we went out for brunch at a place they had chosen called The Tent Cafe. It was built in the shape of a square tent but fortunately not made of canvas! Us guys chose something different while the girls stuck to what they knew...no sense of adventure 😅. I had French toast with seasonal fruit 😋 and it was delicious. I would have shared a photo with you but the dish was so good I forgot.
    The usual bustling town centre was somewhat empty 😳 this morning which I am sure was a result of the inclement conditions.
    The day proved to be a good opportunity to sit and read 📚 and the Tour guide doing her knitting. Will be disappointed 😞 to leave this amazing place.
    Thank you Linda and Roger for providing a special POP site for us ❤️.    Read more

  • GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler

    Moving POPs

    June 27 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    It was a mild day when we got out of bed this morning which was surprising since there was a clear blue sky. We filled with water, coiled up the power cord and headed north.
    We passed some roadworks which were really repairs after storms from earlier in the year. It didn't however take too long to get to Warkworth which was our destination. While the Tour guide has been up here a couple of times recently it has been some time since I have caught up with our 'northern family'.
    So we have moved from one POP to another 😍.
    The photos are our grandies here and one includes a photo bomber 😳😅.    Read more

  • GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler

    Southbound

    June 28 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    We left Megan's at around 11am this morning after the little one was in bed. We have enjoyed our time with them, especially me as it has been a couple of months since I've seen them although for the Tour guide, only a couple of weeks.
    We stopped off at our previous POP site ❤️ to collect our bikes and carrier and headed further south. The Tour guide took a photo of the Auckland skyline as we traveled over the harbour bridge.
    The first stop was the BP on the southern motorway for a lunchtime snack before calling into the Gull service station for Diesel ⛽️ which was the cheapest by far. It is a large site and very accessible! A few kilometres down the road was Te Kauwhata where there is a freedom camping site at the sports ground. Plenty of room with toilets 🚻 and a dump site provided. Although a freedom site, a donation of $5 was appreciated. We happily obliged. So one night here then on to...?    Read more

  • GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler

    Solo effort

    June 29 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    Waking up in Te Kauwhata it seemed quite mild until you stepped outside! It must have been a southerly wind straight off snow because we were both shocked 😲. Lucky for the Tour guide because it was me the driver who had to get out and turn off the gas and do the dumping.
    We always had the thought that Te Kauwhata was just a small non descript rural town. That image was shattered 😲 as we did a little drive around before leaving. There is huge housing development going on here. It looks as though a whole farm has been sold to a developer and literally 100's of small sections are marked out. The streets are very narrow with oneside marked with yellow lines.
    The completed houses we saw only had single garages, so if a family had two cars, they are going to seriously clog up the streets. Oh well, I am sure the town planners know 😏 what they are doing.
    Our destination was the Ngaruawahia Golf Course. The Tour guide wanted to cycle to the St Andrews Golf Course which was something we have done numerous times. I could not see the point in doing it again so let her go solo. However, something I was happy to do repeatedly was to have lunch at St Andrews so I drove there where we met for lunch. She then cycled back while I had the comfort of the van and set things up for her return.
    The pics attached are what the Tour guide took along the way. Comment she made was that there was a lot of wind damage to trees along the way which we saw here too.    Read more

  • GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler

    Absolutely Beautiful

    June 30 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    A fresh start this morning with a light frost on the ground. Thank goodness for good heating as that was turned on about 5am and stayed on till after breakfast which was bacon 🥓 and eggs 🥚. The Tour guide had compassion on me and cooked the food inside so that I didn't freeze outside.
    Eventually we left for Tamahere where we parked up and off loaded the bikes. We retraced our ride that we had done with Linda and Roger a couple of years ago by cycling to the Hamilton Gardens and then returned.
    The track construction is amazing in places with bridges and board walks. The Te Awa cycle trail is a real credit and asset for Hamilton!
    It was lunchtime when we got back to went to a Korean shop and got a nice spicy meal. Even though we got a small regular size, we couldn't eat it all so got a doggy bag. Probably should just have shared one meal.
    Leaving there we headed to Lake Ngaroto. The Travel guide has really surpassed herself on this site. We are right by the lake in brilliant sunshine and the vista is amazing. We are parked in a position where no one can block our view. 😊 The idea was to spend two nights here and walk around the lake tomorrow (7 kms). Now the Tour guide is changing her mind so who knows where will be tomorrow.
    A great day has been had by us both.
    Day 15    Read more

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    Stretching our legs

    July 1 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    It was our coldest morning yet at -1deg. As 'nature called' me around 6am it was my job to turn on the heating which I was happy 😊 to do. Getting out of bed still required strong fortitude, but we delayed that till much later than normal at around 8am. Yes I know, we are lazy 😴 😂.
    To warm up our insides there were no bacon and eggs this morning, but the Tour guide spoiled us with freshly baked cheese scones which were very nice. This Tour guide is multi talented and as the driver I am pleased to have her on my team 😀.
    The main focus for the day, apart from relaxing in the sun and ultimately the warmth, was to do the 6km walk around the lake. This was never going to be an issue for the Tour guide, but for me sadly 😥 it was going to be a challenge. Health issues have certainly curtailed some of my activities. However I made it right round and enjoyed the completed challenge. It is a nice easy flat walk with about 60% of it on a boardwalk
    The only disappointment for the day is seeing 👀 how people thumb their noses at rules. Cyclists 🚴‍♀️ 🚴‍♂️ can take the same track and are instructed to go clockwise around. We encountered two at different times and both were going anticlockwise! Another rule was dogs 🐕 must be on a lead at all times. We came across two dog walkers and neither had their dogs tethered. It seems that the way of the world is to do what you want and totally disregard and rules.
    Back at the van we enjoyed blobbing in the sunshine 🌞 and warmth for the remainder of the afternoon and looking forward to the sunset expecting it will be stunning like last night's. The photo attached does not do it justice!
    I am very sure we will return to this amazing spot in the future ❤️.    Read more

  • GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler

    Gumboot capital

    July 2 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 5 °C

    We were in for another beautiful day at the lake today but sadly 😥 we have used our allocation of two nights so moving on was our only option. It was another cool morning and showering helped to warm the body.
    We took a strange route to the gumboot capital of NZ because the Tour guide wanted to stay off highway 1. So we went to Pirongia first and then travelled on SH 39 to Otorohanga then SH 3 to Eight Mile Junction then SH 4 to Ohakune then SH 1 to Taihape where we are at a FC site.
    Along that dog legged route we stopped at Taumarunui for a late morning tea/early lunch. What a sad town it is but there was one nice cafe. It was -1deg at 10.45am so you could say it was a little chilly. In fact all the way to Waiuru we were amazed at the very heavy frost and very low temps. The frost was so thick on the ground you would have thought it was snow. I suspect that it would remain all day.
    I was breath tested leaving Taumarunui and again entering Taihape and managed to pass both times. The strongest drink I had was a coffee ☕️ and told the cops that 😀. Apparently they are doing a blitz around the area for the next week so we may see them again.
    Oh, I forgot to mention that we stopped in Ohakune and purchased a treat for afternoon tea 😋.
    A big laundry was done in Taihape where we met one lady who said it was -4deg this morning and her chicken water troughs were frozen solid so the chickens were skating on ice. Don't you feel sorry for them. It makes one think of buying a frozen chicken 🐔 😂.    Read more

  • GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler
    1

    The Fields are White unto Harvest (John 4:35)

    July 3 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    Woke at 2.30am this morning and knew we were in for a cold 🥶 start for the day. To help thaw the shock, I put the heater on in the van, and 7 hours later the internal temperature was 14deg. Certainly better than the outside temp of -2deg! The things I do to keep the Tour guide happy ❤️. The fields outside were 'white unto harvest'. Sorry to those who may be reading this and don't get the pun 😳.
    Dumping was the first order of the day till we got to the Taihape site and found the vehicle lean would have been wrong and there was a tourist van parked there while the driver was daydreaming. So, we headed south.
    We stopped in Hunterville to go to the Argyle Hotel. It had featured on Country Calendar some time back. The pub had been forsale for a couple of years and was becoming derelict, and as a major landmark in the town, a group of farmers banded together and purchased it. They did it up and reopened it as a pub and restaurant, each taking responsibility on a roster basis to run it. It has been quite a success, and part of the building along the main street frontage has several small niche businesses operating. We enjoyed a nice brunch there of pancakes, bacon, bananas, and maple syrup 😋. Very yummy!
    Next stop was in Sanson, and we had to stop at Viv's Kitchen! There is absolutely no way you can just drive on past it (unless of course it was closed). Purchases have been evidenced by the photo attached.
    Finally we got to our FC site in Foxton after using their dump facilities. The site is not signposted, and we were a little hesitant, and the guy who owned the shed in front of us came over and told us the council was slow 🐌 in putting up the signs. While we are only supposed to stay 1 night, he said we were good for 2 or 3 as noone ever checks. That pleased us because we are planning on two nights.
    The Tour guide had energy to burn in the afternoon and so cycled to Foxton Beach while I looked after the van because someone had to...right??
    After her return it was a walk along the riverbank and through town. We learned then that there is supposed to be a market tomorrow morning and a community fun event celebrating Matariki in the evening. So we should be fully engaged tomorrow.
    Its been another great day today with much warmer temperatures expected for tomorrow.    Read more

  • GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler

    Off to the market

    July 4 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    Having learned yesterday that there was a Saturday farmers market we were keen to check it out. So dressed for the chilly conditions we trekked off to the main street looking for it. Literally, if we blinked, we would have passed it! The market consisted of one vehicle which had brought along about 8 small baskets of various types of suspect vegetables and 1 tray of seedlings. That was it! We can honestly say that we have never seen such a pathetic market in all our years of travelling about NZ. We couldn't stop laughing so it had the very positive effect of brightening our day 😅. At least we can say that it was a market we will never forget.
    We came back to the van for coffee and banana 🍌 loaf which was very welcome. We had considered cycling to the beach but the breeze was bitter so decided to have a day indoors 😀. It is a great spot we have here and noone joined us last night and it is looking to be the same tonight.
    They have the hoon element here in Foxton like other areas. I was entertained in the afternoon by a young teen with a very underpowered scooter trying to do wheelies on the grass. The poor scooter was so gutless that it kept stalling 🤣.
    At teatime we walked back to the main street to see the Matariki celebrations. There were some school kids doing their kapa haka presentations, lots of food stalls, and the windmill was lit up. I guess it was a good community event as there were quite a number attending. The food stalls were not cheap so we walked down the road to the fish and chip shop, as did a few others.
    Its been an interesting day all up and tomorrow we are bound for Wellington. Hopefully we will get a chance to catch up with our granddaughter Jemma.    Read more

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    Wet Wellington

    July 5 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    It had rained 🌧 lightly over night in Foxton so everything was a little damp outside. The forecast for the next week is not looking bright so I figured it a good idea to get our dumping and water up to date. We did this before leaving and then headed to Levin.
    Obviously we had to pass through here heading south but our number one purpose was to get our LPG bottle filled. Mobil in Levin advertise they did bottle fills. After taking the bottle out and setting it up ready for a fill, I was then told they don't do it on the weekend...Grrr 😳. That was annoying to say the least. We headed then further south to Otaki and tried our luck there. Mobil there did offer the advertised service.
    Shortly after leaving Otaki the rain started and stayed with us through to our destination of Mana. This is a lovely spot that we have been to many times in the past.
    With nothing to do in the afternoon we relaxed and watched part of a TV series until some good friends of ours, Tony and Shelley arrived. They knew we were here, and are in the process of travelling north so we spent a great time together chatting and enjoying a coffee ☕️ together. It's great to meet up with friends on the road.
    No pics today so I thought to just include a sneaky one of our youngest granddaughter, Avalon.    Read more

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    What do you do?

    July 6 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 10 °C

    We had an interesting evening last night when I discovered that I had run out of data!!! Disaster!!! It turns out that the Tour guide was taping in to my allotment while she had bucket loads. It took three separate calls to 2degrees to sort out a fix, plus a reset of my phone. In the end they gave me some of her data trove as I have nearly a month before my next allocation.
    The weather here is atrocious! The van was buffeted about a bit in the night, and by morning nothing had really changed. It was very wet and cold 🥶. Our good friends, Tony and Shelley were parked up beside us and the question to be answered was, "what do you do on a day like this?"
    Being 'old farts' (except Shelley), we have Winston's super gold card, thank you Winston! So, train travel is free 👍😍😀 so we went to the Mana station and bordered the train to Waikanae which is the end of the line heading north. Once there, we never got off and the same train 🚆 then headed south to Wellington which is the end of the line in that direction. This time we got off the train and dined in the station cafe for lunch 😋 and the satay pie and chips were delicious 😋. After we were fully satisfied, we embarked the train once again and headed to Mana where we are camped at a FC site. Sadly we said goodbye 👋 to Tony and Shelley who went in search of power (the electrical variety), while the Tour guide and I weathered it out in the very blustery and wet conditions in the van. We have sufficient battery power to keep the heater going. If it stops, it could be an early night under the bed covers. 😏
    It's been a different sort of day, and definitely memorable 😍.    Read more

  • GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler

    More trains

    July 7 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    This morning we woke to slightly better weather conditions. At least it wasn't raining at the time, but we knew it was a brief reprieve. We parked at the train station and caught the 9.30am to Wellington. The real pleasure of the day was to see our granddaughter Jembo and her boyfriend Marc. We were meeting for brunch at the station cafe although we had already had breakfast in the van earlier. We had a lovely time catching up with them both, but were particularly interested in Jembo's recent trip to Vietnam 🇻🇳. It is amazing what students can get up to these days. In my day, a trip into town would be all we could afford! Anyway, it was great to hear something of her highs and lows. Sadly she had afternoon classes and Marc had work, so our much anticipated get together had to draw to a close all too quickly 😢.
    The Tour guide had on her bucket list another train journey. This time it was a trip on the Upper Hutt line. It took about 45mins each way. We wouldn't rush to do it again because the view from the carriage for most of the way was staring into people's back yards. The vast majority of these were in impoverished areas and so everything was showing signs of neglect.
    Once back in Wellington it was another train back to our van in Mana. Although we were not bothered, rain was on and off all day.
    We left for Levin because we absolutely had to call in to RJ's licorice factory as we had orders to fill! Following that stop we headed back to the FC site in Foxton. Driving north we were always headed towards what looked like sunshine 🌞, but it turned out to be a mirage 😏. Its been a great day and it is now time to get depressed watching 👀 the news 😀.    Read more

  • GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler

    Foggy Foxton

    July 8 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    It was a very cool and foggy start to the day, and it was sometime before it cleared away revealing an uncertain forecast. As it turned out we have had all seasons descend upon us.
    The original idea was to cycle to the beach but that was shelved because of the rain 🌧. That decision was made after our visit to the laundromat which for such a small town was extremely busy! I think because of the weather here, folk were doing their washing at home and bringing all to the dryers in the laundromat. We expected to be held up, but just when we needed a dryer, there was one available 😀.
    Once finished, the sun was shining which was a welcome change. We scrapped the cycling idea and decided to do our dumping instead which meant we would not be bothered by what happened over the next few days.
    It was lunchtime by the time this was all done, so we drove to the beach and stopped at Mr Grumpy's fish and chip shop to get some kumera chips. They are as good as the ones we try and get at Plimmerton, but sadly missed out this time down that way.
    We decided to stay on in Foxton another night in our FC spot as we couldn't see any gain in heading to our next proposed destination which is still under consideration.
    We had enough battery charging to get us to 100% today so the heater will definitely be going this evening 🙃.    Read more

  • GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler

    Changing Plans

    July 9 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    We enjoyed a good night's sleep 😴 in our Foxton spot. Through the night we could hear the wind blowing 🌬 but somehow we were protected from it being in a slight dip.
    The plan was to move on today to Palmerston North so we packed up and got ready to move on but first a walk to the public bathroom was in order. When I got back, the Tour guide was busy talking to the owner of the shed in front of us. What an interesting and inspiring character he is. The shed was part of the original train and Wharf complex in the days when flax was shipped 🚢 out of Foxton. This guy is slowly 🐌 restoring the shed (which is huge) into his home and a museum. When he purchased it, all the windows were smashed and the externals were very derelict but the transformation is slowly beginning.
    He is a reformed alcoholic with 20years now of sobriety. Three months a year he goes overseas to do volunteer work. He goes to a place because he feels 'led' to be there without knowing why. The 'why' quickly is revealed to him and he loves doing whatever is needed. The salvation army are credited with putting him on the sober pathway and his brethren grandparents who brought him up for his first 15years gave him an early taste of Christian ethics.
    His life is full of adventures and interesting happenings and it is evident that although not a professing Christian as such, God certainly has His hand on his life!
    I encouraged him to write a book as it would be a very interesting read. However, he said that would be impossible as he was illiterate 😟.
    If anyone is reading this, drop in and see him. He loves to talk and share his dreams!
    By the time we were ready then to move on, the weather in Palmerston North was supposed to be wet and cold 🥶 which was not conducive to cycling. The days going forward are not much better so we decided to unpack and settle in for another cold day in Foxton. Who knows what we will do tomorrow as even the Tour guide is uncertain.
    No photos today 🙃 as apart from the bathroom visit, and a well guided tour through the big shed, we stayed huddled in the van. Even the sunshine when we got it, wasn't warm.    Read more

  • GLWSKWWinter Wanderings 2026Traveler

    Frosty the Snowman

    July 10 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    No, we did not have snow this morning, but man was it frosty!!! The windscreen on the van also had a light covering of frost on it. I can assure my readers that we never tarried getting dressed after our showers.
    In one sense, we were sorry to be leaving Foxton. The FC spot we had was great and generally quiet. It was shattered last night for a time when a car arrived around 10pm and the occupants must sadly 😥 have suffered from a hearing impairment because their radio was booming!
    We set off for Palmerston North as the Tour guide wanted to redo a river ride there (some pics attached). We parked the van and got out to unload the bikes. I, being of sound mind, knew immediately that to ride in such freezing conditions was madness 😠 with the gusty winds adding another unpleasant factor. The Tour guide however was determined as she is made of very tough stuff. Being the gentleman that I am, I released her to follow her unbridled passion.
    Her return was welcomed, because by that time, it was lunchtime. Nice toasted sandwiches were produced. The Tour guide is an absolute wizz in the kitchen!! 😋.
    After this we set off for Turangi which was quite a drive. We were going to do a cycle ride in the morning here but now even the Tour guide has determined that it will be way too cold here in the morning to do it, so the idea stays in the bucket list for a warmer temperatures.
    Our itinerary is ever changing which is what being on holiday is all about. So the plan now, is to go home tomorrow, off load the bikes, and get a power adaptor. If very fortunate, we may also purchase a replacement toilet cassette as sadly 😥 our current one is leaking, 😳 and after we had paid a few hundred dollars to get it repaired some months back. This is the first time we have used it since the 'repair' 😠.
    After all that we are planning on heading north again 😀.    Read more