New Zealand...4 wheels good, 2 wheels better?

The black art of moving from A to B on foreign soil
OnHellas
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Re: New Zealand...4 wheels good, 2 wheels better?

Post by OnHellas »

Pressure checked with gauge, pressure the same as when I checked after pumping it up.

Two (very) happy people, two happy bikes.
DavidS
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Re: New Zealand...4 wheels good, 2 wheels better?

Post by DavidS »

After four weeks of viewing, camper psychology is fascinating.
Watching people drive round for ages for the ‘right spot’ is entertaining. And then 30% of them move at least once.

How much longer have you got there?
2023 Husqvarna Norden 901
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OnHellas
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Re: New Zealand...4 wheels good, 2 wheels better?

Post by OnHellas »

Choosing ‘the spot’ is probably the most difficult bit of camping between the two of us. Putting the tent up and getting sorted is now a tried and tested routine.

We are booked on the ferry on Monday, the 18th, back to the North Island.
We have flights out of Auckland on the 30th of April although the bikes need to be back at the freight company around the 23rd for them to be purged of fuel and crated again for the next leg of our journey. They’ll be going airfreight this trip to save time.

So time to find a few more Pannier Stickers yet.
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Re: New Zealand...4 wheels good, 2 wheels better?

Post by fatowl »

OnHellas wrote: Thu Mar 14, 2019 9:03 am Choosing ‘the spot’ is probably the most difficult bit of camping between the two of us. Putting the tent up and getting sorted is now a tried and tested routine.

We are booked on the ferry on Monday, the 18th, back to the North Island.
We have flights out of Auckland on the 30th of April although the bikes need to be back at the freight company around the 23rd for them to be purged of fuel and crated again for the next leg of our journey. They’ll be going airfreight this trip to save time.

So time to find a few more Pannier Stickers yet.
Am enjoying reading this report very much. Thank you for taking he time and effort to write it. Where are you going next?
DavidS
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Re: New Zealand...4 wheels good, 2 wheels better?

Post by DavidS »

Where to next?
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OnHellas
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Re: New Zealand...4 wheels good, 2 wheels better?

Post by OnHellas »

Well the campsite in Havelock was certainly different. We were the furthest pitch from the office and the only campers in that section on our second night, which was nice. But it really did feel as though we were on the field that was being set up for the annual Geen Lip Muscle festive.
I struggle to eat muscles these days after a dodgy batch a few years back, it was a both ends job, enough said.

The weather forecast was wrong and it rained a lot. We ended up having to put the tent away wet which wasn’t a problem as after a ride of less than 40 miles we ended up at yet another campsite, this time in Picton, and the fly sheet dried out in no time in the midday sun.
Picton seems a nice quiet town and we are here until our Monday afternoon ferry.

In answer to the ‘where to next questions’ my answer of America was obviously a bit far off. You meant in NZ.
I could say wait and see, keep reading but I won’t.
Bike service in Lower Hutt.
Visit Darryl again in Palmerston North.
New Plymouth.
Hastings.
Bridge to somewhere.
And more.....but we do make it up as we go along depending on the weather, accommodation availability, whether we want to camp etc.
One of the biggest things that I have learnt over the last few years of ups and downs, gains and losses, is that time is the biggest gift there is.
I’ve said before that I know that I am one lucky bloke. I am, and the benefit of being able to have so many choices of how to spend my time is the biggest bit of luck, and privilege, that I’ve got.

Two happy people, two happy bikes.
OnHellas
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Re: New Zealand...4 wheels good, 2 wheels better?

Post by OnHellas »

We stopped behind this car at some road works. The traffic lights stayed red just long enough to get the phone out of my pocket to get a photo.
It made us laugh....
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Re: New Zealand...4 wheels good, 2 wheels better?

Post by DavidS »

I’m sure you’ve worked for that freedom so enjoy it.
Any next is of interest, NZ or beyond.

We went to Hastings as I was born and bred in the UK one but it wasn’t that great. Quite a large town with no real attractions we could see.
We used the central Top 10 campsite, which pretty busy over the weekend and full of the sort of groups you don’t want.
We did go on a ‘private’ wine and dine tour with a tour round the area with wine tasting and dinner spread over three wineries. Not cheap but the wine was good and the food some of the best I’ve ever eaten. Hubby of the other couple was a bit of a wine snob but when he realised we weren’t complete phillistines he backed off. His wife was a bit embarrassed by him.
The Art Deco town up the road, Napier, was nice but, with my ex-architectural hat on, not as many buildings as we hoped.

Have to say, although North Island had it’s good points, our return plan for the winter after next is just South Island.

Shame about the mussels, they are lovely.
My wife almost had a similar experience at Rotorua as it’s a different venting substance to Yellowstone.

Keep up the the reporting, it’s keeping our memories going.
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OnHellas
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Re: New Zealand...4 wheels good, 2 wheels better?

Post by OnHellas »

Today is Monday and time to say goodbye to Picton, the South Island and the busy Top10 campsite with the noisy sliding campervan doors......until we camp somewhere else no doubt.
The couple of days in Picton have been nice though, we’ve looked at maps, walked along the coast and had a couple of tasty lunches too.
Boarding for the ferry starts in half an hour or so and this time I didn’t get the times of day mixed up so we’re here on the correct day at the right time.
We are both looking forward to the room that is waiting for us in Lower Hutt. 7 out of the last 9 nights have been in the tent.
The bikes are booked in for service tomorrow and both will be getting a new rear tyre. It’s slightly early for the tyres as i reckon they’d go another 500-1000 miles but we may as well get everything sorted. The bits for my fuel tank have also arrived so I’m hoping that with those fitted I can go back to filling the tank to the brim again.

Two happy people, two happy bikes.
OnHellas
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Re: New Zealand...4 wheels good, 2 wheels better?

Post by OnHellas »

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