Travel Page 13

13
Whangarei Area
28-Nov-05 to 3-Dec-05

We had a lovely drive up to Whangarei. By the time we arrived at Tim’s, the sky was dark-gray and it started to hail. Tim and Helen had a young family to visit and the little boy had never seen hail before. Mum and dad rushed out and in turn collected the hailstones brought them into the house and explained to the little boy what they were and where they came from.

While the weather was at it’s most dramatic we had coffee and cake. But just as fast as the storm had arrived it moved off again and we could go and have a look at the house that Tim wanted us to see. It was clear that neither of us liked the house. One of those houses that is all wrong for us. It was so clear to us that neither of us had the need to signal to the other.

However we did like the people that worked on it and one chap in particular stands out as one of the world’s heroes. Two years ago he had lost his right leg and very nearly lost his life in a motorcycle accident. I never got his name but he was very sweet and open with me. It had started to drizzle again and there he was holding an umbrella over me while managing to walk about on the slippery building site with a false leg. He was very enthusiastic about life and said he just wanted to get on with it. He was written off from work again, as he had fallen through a glass door and cut his hand and tendons in his left arm so badly that he has almost lost all feeling in his fingers. However he is determined to do something so his official job here is just to supervise, but of course he does much more than that. What a star! He also said that he was grateful to be alive and while he was he was going to get on with as much as possible. He needed to do something or he would go mad. Boy can I understand that one.

"Bush Bath"
Cast iron bath with a wood fire underneath


		We did meet up again with Tim and he told us that the owner of the original piece of land would be prepared to sell to us for $NZ200,000 (approx £80,000). Well if that is the case, then we would definitely pursue it. Tim sad he would get the owner to contact us direct and we left full of hopes that perhaps something will happen after all. Fergus is still very keen and hopes that we will get the plot of land with the two springs eventually. <---- The pond at Tim's


We left Tim and drove to our friends Robin and Janie who had invited us to dinner again in their amazing house just round the corner from Moureese’s Bay. There is a simple campsite near them on the beach and we parked there for the night and then walked up to their house. Ann, the daughter of Robin and Janie and their grandson Francis were also there. When we arrived, Janie was grilling meat outside while Robin, Ann and Frances came stumbling up the steep hillside from the beach. We had a very nice evening and it is amazing that one can get on so easily with new friends and it already feels like we have known them for ages. We borrowed a torch and found our way home, for our second night in the motorhome. This time it was very different. It was very still and not a cloud in the sky. When I lay in my bed I could see out of four windows and admire the starry night. The air is so clear and there is no light pollution, making the night sky an ore inspiring experience. We slept fantastically well and woke to a stunning morning.		Sea Urchin shell on the beach


Moureese’s Bay		We met the occupants of two other motorhomes parked near us and one of them is also on the road permanently. They were both very nice sets of people and we will probably meet them again somewhere else. Robin and Janie came down in the morning to meet us and visit our motor home and it was lovely to share it with them. Then we decided to drive back to Moureese’s Bay and see if Pat, our holiday landlady, might be there. She did say that she would come up for the weekend. For the first time we drove down the steep track to Moureese's Bay in our motorhome and from the cab one has an even better view. Just as we came around the last bend we both spotted Pat and her dog Harriet. We met on the beach and then we showed Pat our new home and had coffee and biscuits. It was lovely to have the time to sit and chat and not have to worry about being anywhere in particular. Pat too is interested in our travels and would like to receive my story. So to be safe I just sent her the first one and if she comes back and would like more, I will send her the rest.


In the afternoon we drove back to Whangarei and did some shopping. We also bought a laptop computer for me as both Fergus and I work with the one laptop and now I can write when I feel like it which at the moment is most of the time. We then drove out to Whangarei Heads and settled into a very nice holiday park called "Tropicana Holiday Park". Whangarei Heads is an very large natural harbour with an estuary. We are at the very waterfront and on the outside edge, which means that if the tide is in, we are surrounded on two sides of our motor home. All along the front edge of the park are planted Pohutukawa trees, also known as the New Zealand Christmas tree. It has bushy flower heads and is unlike any other flowering tree I have ever known. Its flowers are bright red and the trees flower over Christmas hence the name New Zealand Christmas tree. The trees are visited constantly by the bees and give housing to the Tui bird. My bird book says that the Tui is a native forest bird and also likes to live in the trees near the shore and well forested off-shore islands. It feeds on the nectar of the flowering flax, as in Moureese’s Bay and now that the Pohutukawa has started to come into flower it also lives in the trees and feeds on the nectar of the flowers.		Esther & Pohutukawa tree


Mangrove Tree		Tuesday’s excitement was a visit from the electricity police. A very big man, the kind who would need three airplane seats to sit on. He had a huge face with a Hitler moustache. He demanded to see our ‘’Electrical Warrant of Fitness" and we did not understand. I explained that our motorhome had passed all the EEC tests and on top of that had been at the AA Road Compliance Centre for almost 4 weeks and that must surly cover everything. He disagreed with me and he was so unpleasant that I had to walk away. I almost lost my temper and that usually takes quite a bit. By the time I came back Fergus explained that Turbo Sail had to go for more tests and then we would get a red sticker to go on the windscreen telling everyone that Turbo Sail is electrically fit and healthy.


That evening we met some more very nice people. They arrived in a mega big truck-like motorhome, making ours look like a hobby or a toy car. Anyway we had just come back from our evening stroll and decided to sit on our swing and have a gin and tonic. I greeted our new neighbours and they immediately invited us over. Judy and Murray Field, yes just like the football field. They were enjoying a Rum and Coke and together we sat and talked while the tide came into the harbour and the sun slowly sank down behind the purple mountains on the opposite shore. Judy and Murray are also travelling. In fact they have been doing it for almost two years and are getting to the stage where they cannot imagine moving back into a house again and staying put. I am starting to see things that way too after all you can move the scenery at will and move around with the sun. Fantastic!! Wednesday and Thursday was household days. Sorting out cupboards and putting up spice racks in the kitchen cupboards. Fergus also started to organise my laptop and move my stuff off his and onto mine. All is fine apart from the spell checker which is not yet working on Outlook Express, it only works in Word. We also booked Turbo Snail in for his electrical fitness test, for Friday morning.		Amongst the Mangroves


		Friday was an interesting day and we had to get up at 6am. To my amazement we are still able to do that. Sadly Turbo Snail failed his electrical test. Not that he was unsafe or anything, just sufficiently different in the fuse department and it had to be changed. Leo, the testing engineer, was very nice and let us keep our English sockets but the 40 Amp RCD had to be changed for a 16 Amp RCD at the great expense of $220.00. The test cost $65.00 and a bit more when we go back for the re-test. Leo also would not tell us where we should go to have the change implemented. We took off into town asking here and there until we found the correct place. Gavin from Whangarei Electric’s doubted if he could do the job today because all his engineers were already booked for the day. Luckily the fuse box or unit came out of the box in which it is normally housed. This meant two things: 1 Gavin could do the job for us and 2 we could have Turbo Snail and continue with our day.


While we were waiting for Gavin at Whangarei Electric’s to do his trick, we went to visit the RV (Recreational Vehicle) Centre and bought the Bio Magic for the toilet, plus a flexey hose for the "Grey Water", (waist water from the sink and shower). Then we did a bit of shopping and had lunch in our motorhome. After lunch we visited a second hand bookshop and bought books on Fish, Birds, Plants and Trees of New Zealand. I look forward to finding birds and plants and trees and then looking them up in our pretty books and learning more about this lovely country.

We also had time to visit the Fern Park, situated in a suburban street in Whangarei and that was simply fabulous. We had a very nice day and Turbo Sail was put back together again ready for us to return to our nice spot at the Tropicana Holiday Park. Another job is done and we have to take Turbo Snail back on Monday morning, 8 am sharp, for his 2nd test. Lets hope he gets through it this time.

Sadly by the time we came home Murray and Judy had moved on but we have their email address and a phone number. We will probably keep in touch and meet them again somewhere.

Saturday was nice too, we woke to blue sky and after breakfast and all the little jobs we have to do, we went food shopping. As we parked the motorhome I got talking to an elderly man who was absolutely taken with our motorhome. I invited him in to have a look and we sat down and chatted as one does. Then totally out of the blue he invited us to go sailing with him tomorrow on his 40-foot yacht and see the Whangarei harbour from the water. Keith kept asking his wife when she would be free, but at 79 they are both still very busy and involved in the community. His wife will definitely not be free until after Christmas. "Ok!" he said "we go alone, bring your friends along!" Fergus and I looked at each other and we now have friends but we do not have any we can just bring along. "No matter" said Keith "we will go alone. Meet you 9 am at the marina, bring a warm jacket each, sun screen, a sun hat and a packed lunch!" So the entertainment for Sunday is sorted, we will be off sailing in a big 40-foot yacht. What luck and I look forward to that…..

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