The Seasonal Excursions Part Three: Springtime 26/9/09

Northland
A trip up north. An escape from the windy walloping of a winter in Wellington. Probably not a scorcher, but surely some bikini time?
No.

The spring equinox, considered only briefly in the time of holiday preparations, unleashed natures best on the unsuspecting school holiday adventurers. Snow closures on the Taupo-Napier highway, Tsunami up north (and of course, in Samoa), and an earthquake outside Wellington. Side-stepped through good fortune rather than wisdom.

The rains however were unavoidable. Intermittently charging the rivers and streams, and rendering the local waterfalls the place to be (for rampant rapids), and adding to the sense of adventure on a number of walks (Wenderholm, Whangarei Falls, Mount Manaia, Hururu Falls & Waitangi Mangroves, St Paul (old volcano), Matai Bay, Cusack cattle move, Waipoua Forest, Trounson Kauri Park, Kaueranga Gorge( model dam, Edwards lookout, Billy Goats landing), Waiomu Kauri Grove, Square Kauri, Cathedral Cove, Lonely Bay, Cooks Beach and Hot Water Beach).

And when the campervan was rocking, this was generally due to gales, or my having lost something again. The wind roll and rat-a-tat of the rain drops at Cathedral Cove and somewhere by a field near Puhoi losing the most sleep.

Skirting Crime
After a day spent last minute tumble drying and packing, and exploiting hire company mix-ups for the free lend of some camping comfort extras, the need for a square (gas cooked) meal and relaxed park for the van was chief. The drive from Auckland to Bethell’s was greeted at nightfall with a beachside car park and a short walk out onto the black sand beach. On return the smashed window of a neighbouring car was debated with a family concerned, but familiar with local car crime.

We decided on a short search for alternative camp spots, but to no avail returned to find only three cars parked, in an otherwise puddle filled area. Each car by now had been done, with front window glass freshly absent. We followed gut instinct and decided to make ourselves absent, for a more rural location, distancing ourselves from dear old NZ car crime.