27 - 30 March

On our way from Totaranui to Takaka we stopped for a walk to Wainui Falls. It was a pretty walk through lush native bush but the highlight for Jack and Lucy was the suspension bridge over the rocky river below...






…and walking through the puddles!



We made it back to Takaka in time for a chocolate gelato ice-cream. We had prepped Jack that it may just be fruity ice-creams as we were heading to real fruit ice-cream shop but “they have chocolate” I heard Jack ecstatically scream from across the road while I was sitting in D waiting for Lucy to wake!



Then we parked up at Pupu springs – the clearest spring water in the world – for the night. A nice walk around the springs before dinner helped finish off the kids for the day!!

From Pupu, we headed further north. Collingwood was our first stop, for a play at the playground (Trevor lives at Collingwood!) and fluffies to warm us all up. Today the wind came out in full force and it was pretty cold. I think the thermals may come out soon.



After Collingwood we drove to Puponga – as close to Farewell Spit as cars are allowed. Then down yet another unsealed road to the start of a very very windy walk to Wharariki beach. Thankfully the beach was beautiful and there were lots of seals and their pups frolicking in the waves and on the rocks.








After a night stop at another beachside spot, we headed to Patarau River. It was a very scenic drive through Whanganui Inlet and across numerous causeways, despite it being another unsealed road – yes D really needs a good clean! This afternoon the kids had great fun running about on the beach and trying not to slip on the rocks! Both in bed fast asleep by 7pm…Jack currently snoring, sounding a bit like the mother seal, he’s going to make a fine catch one day!

16 - 26 March

From French Pass we headed on to Nelson and stayed there for 6 days. We visited the WOW and classic car museum - Jack loved hearing what the various clothes were made of and both kids enjoyed sitting in the fancy car (yes Claire doing update so no idea what kind of car it was - other than red!).

Mike spent a day at the local motordrome as our water heater died on us. After nine frustrating hours and trying all sorts of bits and bobs, including a new board couriered overnight from Wgtn, he finally ended up getting to the bottom of the issue.

That day the kids and I spent the morning at the local zoo - Auckland zoo it is not! Regardless the kids loved it and they both regularly recount stories about Poppy the deer with the soft tongue who loved eating snap crackle pop from their hands, the sick otter who got sick from standing in bird poo (from the zoo keeper that one not me!), and Ricki the sick monkey who was kept in a cage with a chicken.

Then we spent the afternoon at the beach, and needless to say the kids were drenched by the time we got back to the campsite. Thankfully it was such a sunny and warm day that they had showers and sun-dried (seeing as D was still with Mike at the repair shop!)

We stayed at a camping ground in Tahunanui, just out of the city, and near the beach. We really lucked in there as Jack met his soul mate - a 5 yr old boy called Liam who is as train mad - possibly even more if that is possible - as Jack. They spent the weekend attached at the train tracks. If you are reading this Liam - Jack says hi and hopes to bump into you again on our way back south! We also managed to fit in a visit to a model train exhibition and a ride on the local mini steam trains. Yes, Jack was in heaven that weekend.

After collecting our new camera (another overnight courier) we finally left Nelson on the 22nd (Monday) and headed up to Golden Bay. We stopped at Kaiteriteri for lunch. A beautiful beach and an even more appealing playground for the kids saw us hang out there for the afternoon.





We then headed to Takaka for the night via the Takaka Hill Rd - which would be a spectacular drive in a 2 seater... The POP we stayed at had resident sheep, dogs and cows which entertained Jack & Lucy the following morning.

Hawkes lookout on the Takaka Hill Rd 



We stocked up that morning before heading over the hill to Totaranui. The DOC campground there caters for 1000 people over summer, though we had both camping ground and beaches pretty much to ourselves. We made some good use of the boat during the fine weather and started exploring the vans boundaries during our only bad weather day to date.

Our little camp site at Totaranui...



...which came with its very own fireplace with wood hand delivered daily. If only we had bought marshmallows!



Totaranui Beach



Washing Day...plus some relaxing, bird feeding and weka chasing





Our first wet day - trains, lego (during which "big D' was created (yes there was a littlier version!)) and hide and seek?!





Wandering around the estuary at Totaranui





Who needs whopper waves?


Goat Bay was next door - just a short boat ride away.







Our last day at Totaranui was spent checking out some of the other bays including

Wainui Bay...






Trotter Island and...




Trotter Cove...

9 - 15 March (updated with soggy photos!)

We finally booked our ferry and on a gorgeous sunny Tuesday morning we joined the queue of campervans and slowly made our way to Picton. Jack was thrilled to see little Thomas, Spencer, Emily, and a couple others ("just like what Ryan has") in a game machine but was a little disappointed that he wasn't allowed onto the Train Deck!

Filling up with water at Uncle Steve's before we head south...



Joining the campervan queue...

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On the ferry...





Our first stop in the South was Momorangi about 15 ks/1 hours drive along Queen Charlotte drive. Yes it was the first of many windy drives that led us to a grogeous spot to park up. We stayed at the DOC campsite right on the beachfront and spent the morning playing on the beach (except for Mike who hitched back to Picton to buy the all-important-but-forgotten petrol for the boat).

Our campsite - we're the van at the end





Watching the sun set...



and the sun rise...



We then drove further up Queen Charlotte to Portage and spent a couple of days at Cowshed Bay - again beside the sea. We gave the boat its first South Seas outing across Kenepuru sound. It all worked well and kept us afloat despite the wind picking up on the return journey. Jack LOVED the big waves crashing into us, Lucy wasn't quite so sure - although, of course, talking about it later back in D, told us her favourite part of the day was the "chip chop" waves!

We did a mini-tramp on the Queen Charlotte walking track and received many strange looks and "it's a long way to the next stop" comments. Of course they didn't know that D was parked 15 minutes away!



After lunch and train spotting in Havelock, we drove to Pelorus Bridge for another couple of days. Again, we stayed in a DOC site and this one was a real winner. Lots of lovely grass to kick the ball on and, more importantly, unlimited hot showers - divine! Here we did a walk to a couple of waterfalls and Jack and Lucy amazed us. Jack walked the entire 4 k, 2 hour walk and it wasn't always easy either as we edged our way along cliff faces and through rough forest paths and Lucy walked close to half the distance also.

Yesterday we drove to Okiwi Bay for lunch and a play on the beach. Jack had great fun damming the creek and Lucy loved running into the puddles around the rocks (despite cutting her feet up on oyster shells - brave little thing). Then, while the kids slept, we enjoyed a beautiful peaceful drive up to French Pass. Today was fishing near D'Urville Island for us all in the morning and rock pool fun (and some train play of course) in the afternoon while Dad went out fishing again and caught us cod for dinner.

Of course by now you are wondering where all the photos are. Well, due to a slippery jetty, a beautiful photo opportunity requiring a yoga pose to capture it, a slip and a splash, we have a rather water-logged camera and no photos! We are hoping to rectify that when we get to nelson in a few days.

Our only other real misadventure was when our bbq somehow set alight the gas hose connected to it (which was connected to a gas bottle in the side of D). Thankfully our fire extinguisher worked well and we only have a slight tinge of yellow on D to remind us of it. In all honesty, very scary.

Back to happy thoughts, we'll be heading back down the peninsula (if that is what it is called) tomorrow and hope to land in Nelson within the next day or two.