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| We arrived in Auckland and Colin, partner of Fergus’s cousin Geri collected us from the Airport. We spent the first week in their lovely home overlooking the north end of Auckland Harbour. We tried to start sorting out the arrival of our motorhome and the shipment of our household goods. Well it all took much longer than we expected and we are still waiting for our motorhome. We went to the docks, to meet with an Customs Agent. We were advised that it was better to give the job of importing of our motor home to a person who does it every day of the week. We were impressed with the young man that was going to look after us and we went about sorting out banking and lunch. By the evening of the same day the agent called us to say that our motorhome was not on the said ship and would not arrive until Friday 4th November. We were so disappointed and wondered what we should do. Fergus suggested that we hire a car and start exploring the East Coast just up from Whangarei and staying in cabins on holiday parks on the way. | |
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When Geri and
Colin were told of our fate, they offered to see if they could find a
time share for us and that would have been fine too but they were non
available. So we went back to plan A, hired a car and took off with
bedding and towels kindly lent to us by Geri. On our way we registered
with a new doctor and also managed to get an appointment with the doctor
to check Fergus out and make sure he had enough medication for his
prostate problem. Everything went well and around lunchtime we took off,
leaving Auckland behind for a bit.
<------ Piha |
| We had lunch in a lovely small and very friendly town. In the afternoon Fergus found a special beach, which took him back to his childhood and beach holidays. We parked the car and took off along the beach feeling incredibly free and very lucky to be in such a special place. The sun shone, the sea was blue, the waves caressed our feet as we walked along and all was lovely. Towards the evening we found a little cabin in a holiday park in Waipu (and why not poo?) just South of Whangarei, where we had a simple dinner and spent a comfortable night. However it was not quite where we wanted to stay for a bit and so in the morning we took off again looking for a perfect beach to stay on. |  |
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This was much more difficult than we first thought. The holiday parks were all inland and away from the beach. It was getting towards lunchtime and the prospect of finding what we were looking for dwindled by the minute. I wondered if we should not turn back and do something else. Fergus was determined not to give up and we had just passed a place where we could at least have lunch; Fish and chips. Fergus drove bravely on but hunger forced us back to the fish and chips place. I remember that those places are usually very much better than the ones in England. We entered the local shop, and I asked the lady working there, if by any chance she knew of a batch (NZ for holiday house) for hire hear a bouts. She said that we should wait a moment and she rushed out of the shop after an elderly lady. They both came back into the shop and we were introduced. Pat is the name said the lady and she offered for us to come and have a look at her batch, it was just 5 km away from where we were. So we jumped back in the car and followed her a long a dirt road (in NZ this called a metal road). The road took us up hill and then as we turned the corner we saw the most lovely cove. However Pat drove on and we followed. Again inland, uphill and then we came to the most perfect cove. Pat signalled to turn down to the beach and along it we went holding our breath and not believing what we were seeing. She invited us in to her batch and over coffee the details were worked out. This took about 2 hours and Pat aged 78 (she told us proudly) had shared her life story with us. It was finally decided that she would return to Auckland a day earlier and we could have the batch for $55.00 (£22) a day for as long as we wanted it. Hurrah what luck. It is very isolated here and there is no Internet contact or mobile phone contact at all, but it is heavenly and we feel very lucky indeed. All that remained for us to do was to go back for one more night to Whangarei do the shopping for a few days and then report back here Saturday 1pm sharp. |
| Well we have
been here ever since and as it was a weekend, there were other beach
dwellers here, but they had to go back to work, school and college so now
the whole bay or cove belongs to us. The seaside walls of the batch are
practically all glass and we look out through beautiful trees and
flowering flax to a beautiful small private beach. Yesterday was Sunday and the weather was not so good. We took it easy in the morning and then decided to explore the coast on our right. We clambered across rocks, enjoyed watching the bird life on the rocks and came round to the next bay. It was drizzling and that was ok as we know it will not last for days on end. Fergus wanted to go around to the next bay which promised to be very beautiful. The tide had started to come in and we were forced to clime up the rocks and hang on for dear life. Fergus coaxed me up and then down the other side and I was very brave. As we arrived on the new beach we were greeted by two other walkers who saw what we were doing and were a little worried about us. Fergus greeted them with the words "greetings earthlings" which immediately started a conversation as to what we were doing and why etc. The two strangers were very friendly and gave us 3 options on how to continue from here. The first two were to climb over hills and the third was to come to their beach home and have a cup of tea. We accepted gratefully and strolled along the beach with them talking non stop. We eventually climbed up a steep hillside and arrived at what can only be described as a palace. It was unbelievable. We entered their house through the garage which was about the size of my old studio, then their was a de-robeing room with wash facilities and a collection of various shells on a sink drying out. We entered the main building which looked partly like an art gallery and partly like an enormous glass house. The frontage must be 20 meters long, glass walls, overlooking the glorious coast and wild life. We stood with our mouths open and Robin and Jeanie introduced themselves and welcomed us their humble abode!!!!. Robin kept saying that the architect had much bigger ideas than he and Janie but in the end they got tired of arguing with him and decided to go all the hog. |
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We had coffee and cookies and we talked like long lost friends. They were so interested in us and what we were trying to do. Then it turned out that Robin was in the same professional life as Fergus and they were off talking electronics. Janie holds the business side of their company together and looks after everything from accounts, to ordering, paying the wages and making the tea in this small company they jointly own. Both are looking for a way out and have got involved with someone that will possibly take the company over so that Robin and Janie can retire and spend much more time in their beautiful new home. (Built 2003 and nominated for the most beautiful building in New Zealand. It got into the finales but as they both said gladly did not win as this would spoil their piece and quiet of their special hide away). |
| At 6pm I suggested that we
make a move and both our hosts were keen to find a way of staying in touch
with us. We exchanged contact details and I asked them if they would like
to come and have dinner with us next weekend. Unfortunately they would not
be back for another 14 days but did also not have to go back to Auckland
until Monday. So I took the bull by the horns and invited them for dinner
here and now in our batch. They joyfully accepted and we took off in their
car back to our place. Both Robin and Janie enjoyed our place clearly even
though it is no where near as posh as theirs but they settled in for a
comfy evening and Fergus started to cook. We had a brilliant evening and I
think I can safely say we have made our first friends and are delighted to
have met these two lovely people. Our new friends would very much like to
see our motorhome, when we get it, so it was arranged that we will visit
them in Auckland when we are in possession of our new motorhome. Today, Monday, the sun woke us up at 8:30am and we had a lovely breakfast on the balcony. Then after we tidied up we went for a walk over the longest foot bridge in New Zealand. Again a beautiful walk through an estuary and eventually along the sea. Then after lunch in our local store we returned home to chill and catch up on a bit of writing. |
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