...and so it ends...

Quite a trip..

Can't disappear without a few thoughts, so here they are:

The four nights, five days we spent in Singapore were extremely intense... we just had to see as much as we possibly could, so fascinating was this place. From cutting edge architecture to colonial buildings, there were surprises each day. From the immense wealth of the business district to Little India and Chinatown, the contrasts were stark but it all seemed to work together somehow.

It was interesting how the administration promoted civil cooperation, consideration and tolerance; it's quite unlike anywhere else. Although some might find the posters and tannoy exhortations in the Metro to be good citizens bordering on the Kafkaesque - it seems to work: a fascinating place, indeed.





Our decision to spend five or so days in Christchurch, New Zealand, prior to the start of the tour was a good one as it gave us chance to absorb some of the culture and atmosphere. We really appreciated this earthquake-devastated place in the process of being transformed into a modern, thriving city. The people we met were open and friendly here, too.

Joining the group to explore in our hired motorhome, we covered around 5,200km - considerably more than the minimum possible on the itinerary - it's just that there was so much to see. The South Island held so many wonderful experiences - a revelation, indeed. Moving on to the North Island revealed a slightly different New Zealand, particularly the rift geology but also in the fascinating culture of the Mauri influenced North. The details are in the previous pages, so I won't repeat them here.
It's easy to see why so many people fall for the obvious charms of this country, in some ways so like the UK, in others so very different. The culture throughout the country is a contrast to our European experience and, for us, there were aspects with which we were a little uncomfortable. Many will find the absence of 'political correctness' refreshing - and in some ways it is - but isn't that an inevitable part of the journey to consideration, tolerance and respect?

(Edit 16/06/17: the concerns raised in this BBC article are broadly consistent with our reservations as expressed above)

It was, as always, so difficult to hand back the motorhome and say goodbye to new friends and companions - so many shared moments of awe and laughter but with the freedom to travel as we like. This is why we will continue to do this as long as we are able.

So finally, to Bangkok: crazy, wonderful Bangkok, as we say in the earlier description. A city of contrasts so great, it's difficult to comprehend. We used the developing mass transit systems of Metro, Skytrain and Boat to move around as we took in the rich historical sights and observed the manic buzz of the working city. After six days we were worn out: hot and tired - but we'd really only scratched the surface of this complex place. A visit we'll always remember.







And so it ends. New experiences, new thoughts, new friends - a little richer again.

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Bangkok

From driving over 5,000 km around NZ, a country on the other side of the world but similar to the UK in so many ways, to Bangkok. Crazy, wonderful, beguiling Bangkok; surprisingly, nothing at all like the UK.

.........

We arrive at the hotel from the airport at around 2.30am local time on Saturday night/Sunday morning. People and taxis jam the streets around the hotel and it takes a long, long time to travel the last km but it's wonderfully entertaining, us in the back and Sue's oversized collapsible case jammed into the front seat of the creaking old Toyota.

We wake up (kind of) the next morning and, after breakfast, we're off to visit the Chatuchak Weekend  Markets. This means grappling with the BTS (Skytrain) to travel to the North of the City. We queue for change, work out how much the ticket is, queue for the ticket machine, put the required (vast) amount of coins into the ticket machine twice (once for each ticket), queue for the barrier and we're through and off. No holding us now. Modern and air-conditioned, once aboard.

Wiring reminds us of Ho Chi Minh City (as do the street scenes)

So many of these abound... no fireworks to be seen, either..

The Chatuchak Markets are amazingly extensive, crowded, buzzing, goods of all description including pets and live fish: a wonderful education. We eat in the food hall - just to experience it really. We sort out which dishes we want, queue to purchase ticket of the correct value, queue at food stall and pay with ticket: simples!

Historic sights tomorrow, which means metro and taxi boats. But, good grief, it's hot!
................

So!
We Skytrain across the city and take water bus to the Grand Palace, which is truly, truly amazing.....

u

....we also nip round to Wat Po to see the longest reclining Buddha and the rest of this rather special palace, including its many stupas.

That's enough for one day, though, we're melting.

The traffic's building up as we battle with the rush hour on the Skytrain.

..............

We're off on the hop on hop off tourist boat the next day...

which lets us take in some more 'must see' sights....

Wat Arun (begun in 1809 in the reign of King Rama 3

We also see the flower market and Chinatown before making it back to the hotel.

Look, there's so much to see here, let's just have a couple more pics because we take a tour to Ayutthaya from the hotel the following day.
Ayutthaya is an important historic town with many significant relics and restored temples. A great trip with a good guide but it was so so hot with a thunderstorm for added fun. Talking about added fun, the minibus driver would rival Alonso for getting through traffic. Very clever, but truly terrifying.

Buddha in tree

Temporary Buddha home during restoration.

The King's Summer Palace

Ok, last one. We sort out the MRT (Metro) to revisit Chinatown to see the Gold Buddah (where there is also an extraordinarily good museum).

Check out tomorrow..... then the long drag home via Dubai. This means an end, not only of this post, but of the Blog (well almost). Did I hear you say 'thank goodness'?

Goodbye, crazy, wonderful Bangkok.. and thank you for your respectful Thai hospitality.

Auckland Ending

Up early, do washing, clean out the van, empty tanks, complete packing...

....then top up with fuel and battle through the inevitable umpteen kilometres of Auckland traffic jams to the Maui motorhome depot and drop off the van, completing the formalities. Exhausted, we board the coach to the rather nice Rydges Hotel, close to the tallest structure in the southern hemisphere, Skytower.

1000 feet in old money..

Once up there, it looks like this

It's nearly over - but before it is, we posh up and enjoy a really good farewell meal in the revolving restaurant up there in Skytower. Thanks from the tour leaders and thanks from us, this time from me on the behalf of us all. Then we all hug, kiss, shake hands and it's over...

..apart from at breakfast... and later in the evening - fewer people each time, though; you can have too much hugging and kissing.

We're last away, taking a couple of days to explore Auckland using the hop on hop off bus.

The very special Auckland Cathedral

Michael Joseph Savage Memorial

Cool Auckland marina and docks. Great bars and restaurants here, where we have our last meal.

Serious money, serious equipment

Cityscape  from the Devonport ferry

They park cruise ships at the end of the road in Auckland

On Saturday 1st we set off for Bangkok. That's April fool's day - but only in the UK, thank goodness.

So that's the end of this part of the blog, sadly. Apart from the joy of discovering New Zealand from the freedom of a motorhome, we've travelled with some great people.

Next post from Bangkok, all being well, then.

Russell to Orewa

Ok, back on track with the group now. For the avoidance of doubt, Russell is a magic little town, even though we spend very little time here. Sorry to leave, but leave we must.

Before we begin the trek south we spend a couple of hours at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, where the treaty between the Moari Chiefs and the British Crown for the coexistence of the Maori and British settlers was signed (slight simplification there) to lay the foundation for a united New Zealand (still work in progress). Uplifting experience and a fitting end to our tour.

Moari canoe.. in fact, the longest canoe ever, anywhere.

[canoe note: formed from three giant trees, the sides below water line being dimpled, as is a golf ball, to reduce friction between water and hull. Inspiration from fish scales. Early hydrodynamics by observation and experiment. ]

The sharp end..

Flags symbolic of agreement

Profound and so true, from original Moari

Back to (our) reality..

We're all heading for our very last stop on Orewa (again), where we'll brush out, flush out and generally cheer up our faithful motorhomes before we hand them back to Maui.

Image: Scary logging lorries bombing along on route. Stopping one of these from 90km/h is some task. Slightly worrying with one on the tail, have to say.

Arriving in Orewa, a surprise for Sue! Our dear daughters have arranged a delivery of flowers for mothers' day. Wonderful!

Anyway, after this, our final meeting lasts some time as we have to use up all our snacks, wine and beer - then, duty done and slightly sozzled, we slink off to bed amongst the chaos of almost-packed luggage.

We negotiate the latest possible departure slot so Sue can sort a bit of washing in the morning as we prepare for a few days in Auckland then six days in Bangkok. Everyone else seems to be heading straight home.

Sad day tomorrow. Goodbye motorhomewhowehaven'tbotheredtoname.

Our seats for 5200km...

Free to Roam

branching out

We're on our own for a couple of days (and nights).
While the main itinerary is all about sailing around the Bay of Islands, we're off to reach the most northerly point at Cape Reinga. Exciting Stuff

We head off to Whangarei, which, if you're looking at a map, might not seem all that sensible; it's just that we wanted to see it - and we were not disappointed. A lovely small city around a harbour with some expensive boats floating about in it.

The clock museum at Whangarei.. no time to visit

We eat here at Whangarei, before heading east, through the Waipoua Forest to the opposite coast - where I'm writing this in a beachside campsite at Opononi.

Looking across the estuary from above Omapere

Hope to reach the most northerly point tomorrow but not sure were we'll end up....

...contd

We start early, driving north, aiming to reach Cape Reinga early afternoon. We're lucky: the weather holds and we make good progress, using a small ferry before joining the SH1, which takes us, after a couple of interesting stops, to the Cape.

Ferry crossing heading north

 The sat nav tells the story of the drive through the Raetea Forest.. It's also very steep..

We're here!

Cape Reinga is a very significant place for the Maori people, and we are respectful of their spiritual beliefs. The Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea meet here with violent turbulence visible from the lighthouse, the Maori denoting this as the meeting of the male and female oceans.

After a couple of hours walking to the beach from the cape summit and back we decide to camp overnight at the basic site provided by the Ministry of Conservation - right on the beach. It's pure magic but a slight problem: no signal and it's Mothers Day. We resolve to trundle up the washboard track to the Cape summit to make contact in the morning.

...............

Morning comes, we trundle up the 3km to the top and make contact with the world, Sue's phone downloading loads of messages... It's still Mothers Day in the UK.

We spend an hour or so helping out a German couple who have lost their car keys - car 3km at bottom - phone signal at top but only on my Vodafone sim. After trundling up and down the dreaded 3km track again it's all sorted and it's panic over, hugs all round... then we're off.

We head to Russell to join up with the rest of the crew but stop at Mangonui for some world famous fish, mussels and chips. Russell turns out to be a really nice little town, reached by another ferry. After hellos and  chats we finish the day with a meal to celebrate a member's 70th. All good companiable fun.

Pictures of picturesque Russell, on the way to group meal.

Last stop tomorrow.

Rotorua to Orewa (via Middle Earth)

Up early. Have to call in at Hobbiton on the way, you see.

A surreal visit to the Hobbit Film set that we had booked a couple of weeks ago. Goodness. Wow. Why do we feel a bit emotional? It's only a film set for goodness sake.
A drink at the Green Dragon calms us down a little (No Gandalf or Frodo though). Travelling companions who visit later (our medical mates) feel the same; it's not just us who are wierd then.

The rest of the journey is, well, just a journey for the first time. The jams through Auckland make us nostalgic for the M25. Dire Straits help us through...

The campsite at Orewa is really great; beach and on the front line. Who could want for more?

The rest are off to Russell for three days including a day on the boat around the Bay of Islands... which is certainly not Sue's cup of tea, especially in dodgy weather - which is why we're off on our own for a couple of nights....

See next post

Taupo to Rotorua

Another day, another surprise...

getting there

Although a short trip if travelling direct, we hear that the Orakei Korako Hidden Valley thermal walks are worth visiting, so off we go in the morning. Located on the banks of Lake Ohakuri, the valley is approached by a short foot ferry and is, in Lonely Planet's words "arguably the best thermal area left in New Zealand". We couldn't disagree.

We spend too much time here really, because when we near Rotura, we haven't enough time left to do the sights justice. That'll be tomorrow's challenge then.

Tonight, though, we meet up with friends who have finished the earlier tour and are lingering in NZ. A great Thai meal in Rotura.. and a great time had by all.

day two

Two nights at the site, so time to visit the Mauri thermal village of Whakarewarewa - unique because the locals live here as they have for centuries, using the numerous thermal springs to cook and bathe amongst other things. NOT to be missed and very informative indeed.
Another plus of visiting the village is that the view of the highest geyser in NZ, Te Puia, is arguably as good as the one from the neighbouring thermal park and it's less dosh, too.

Village traditional meeting house

Tourists (that'll be us then) watching traditional  cooking from thermal steam

Te Puia, not performing..

We head off to spend a couple of hours relaxing on the beach in the Bay of Plenty. Worth the one and a half hours drive to see this pleasant retirement area.. and the beach is wonderful.



The evening is a highlight, spent at the Tamaki Mouri Village with the rest of the group. Learning, entertainment, fun, meal - great evening. We even had our own Chief to lead us.(Thanks Pete).

Here's the popular Maori love song Pokearekare Ana


Not sure about the coach driver, who rattled on in a range of languages and sang songs, largely to himself, on the way back. He went around a traffic island eight times, honking the horn while singing 'the wheels on the bus go round and round'. Madness, loved by some... He certainly made the most of his captive audience. Would have been locked up in the UK, I think.

Orewa tomorrow.