Thursday 23 July 2015

Not quite travels with Charley...

I've always wanted to emulate John Steinbeck's epic journey round America which he made in a camper van with his poodle, Charley. At least, I've wanted to travel in a camper van with a dog, not necessarily round America.

Oh well, travelling round New Zealand with a husband will 'have' to do instead.

So, saying a sad farewell to Cat and Andy, we hung around Ahipara for a bit, enjoying the surf and the sense of space. Church was a pleasantly multi-cultural experience, meeting New Zealanders of very varied backgrounds. Andy's family have been here for seven generations...

And, of course, there was wedding planning. We looked at the Anglican church: a rebuild on the original, historical site - light and airy. Tried to find a place to stay at Christmas. Tried to book airline tickets...

Then off to Houhora, where the wedding reception will be. The campsite next door is on the water, with a view across to the bach. It was low tide...Andy had all kinds of stories of different crossings over the years: walking across most of it, then swimming; going by boat, often late at night after a summer job had finished...island life, almost.


This was the first time we had camped with an electrical hook-up: what a revelation. Easy morning coffee, a hot shower, underfloor heating...definitely glamping.   I was glad Pickle wasn't with us: she would have been far too warm.



The van is monster big - but has everything - except for a dog - you need: a comfortable bed and armchairs, well-equipped kitchen and onboard ensuite.

I might never camp in a tent again...

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