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TRAVEL BLOG ENTRY
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“80km of boring windy roads, with little or no views” |
We have had an interesting, but not so scenic couple of days. On Tuesday we decided to head to Cape Reigna, this is the top of New Zealand, where the Tasman and Pacific Oceans meet. So we hit the main town Kaitaia in the morning for supplies. I have to say Kaitaia is not the prettiest town on the planet, in fact to say it isnt great is a bit of an understatement. There is a general dirtiness about the area, the cars, and even the supermarket and its people. It's hard to explain, just a feeling I had.
We go for breakfast in what I think is the best looking cafe in the town, but I cant make myself eat the food. One of the things I have noticed about myself is that I'm very fussy about food in restaurants, and if I get a bad feeling I just cant eat anything. Steve loves his though, and Matthew tucks in to my order! We then go to the "Plunket" rooms, this is a children's health centre where they do baby weighing. I get Lloyd weighed and measured, and find out info on the local clinic for immunisations. He gets immunised with his 2nd set - cant say the doctors surgery were over friendly, it was a bit like we had come from outer space and they hadnt room at the inn. The nurse was very friendly though saying that, just a bit busy. We had his first set of immunisations done in Napier, and there they treated us like saints, had people queuing to take a look at Lloyd, and the health centre was brand new and immaculate. Strange how things can be different, think its probably just my perception rather than the staff in retrospect.
Anyhow this sets the tone for the rest of the day, as for one Lloyd now has the raving 'ump because he has had 2 jabs in his legs. And also I've put his measurements on the baby graphs and found that he is skinny, really short and has a small head! In fact his head measurement is less than 6 weeks previous, which is just remarkable. I start to think bringing a baby away on holiday was a really bad idea, and I am almost a murderer for attempting to do so. His weight came out at 11lb 2oz, which is just 1lb over what it was 6 weeks previously.
So we then trundle off up this one way road to Cape Reigna in this mood. Now the journey to Cape Reigna is usually done via Ninety Mile Beach (which I assume is 90 miles long) in a 4*4 or a coach tour. We cant do either because it isnt feasible with the kids, so drive the main road. Someone had told us this was a nice route, and well worth doing. Well they were wrong - big style. It was 80km of boring windy roads, with little or no views. The highlight of the journey was doing a milk stop (Lloyd) and watching some turkeys (which incidentally Steve has never seen before and didnt recognise!) cross the road safely and back over a fence into a field from which they obviously escape every day. We get to this place called Waitiki Landing which is 20km from Cape Reigna and stop. There is a campsite I had planned on us staying at which has just one camper van on it (bad sign), and upon Steve's inspection of the toilets we are not allowed to stay there (according to Steve it is just "too bad"). Also the road upto Cape Reigna is unsealed, plus there is a motorhome with a knackered wheel by the side of the road (not a good sign). We arent sure if the campervan is covered driving up there on the unsealed road (which consists of compacted grey rocks pretty much). So we turn around, drive another 50km or so back the way we came (very very dull), and stay at a place called Houhora Heads. Again not a great campsite, but better than the previous, and somewhere to put our weary heads down. Sorry no photos taken - you arent missing much.
Wednesday
I was awake half the night worrying about Lloyd, think I have got myself a bit worked up. He seems fine in himself, and I would say he is quite a bit bigger now, plus he is very strong and a lot more alert. I dont think there is anything wrong with him, but then again I might be so wrapped up in the holiday maybe I have missed something. He seems to feed fine, and seems quite content. Its worrying!
Steve goes out fishing with Matthew in the morning. When they come back Steve is going on ten to the dozen about spotting some ray fish in the water and it being 2 metres wide, with fish following, etc, etc. Apparantly he stopped fishing and watched this ray with Matthew for 40 mins or more. I said maybe the ray was waiting for him to feed it, but he didnt think of that, so the ray went hungry! No photos though, so not sure where Steve actually saw this one, or was making it up!!! Only kidding Steve, I'm sure it was very very exciting.
We then head back to Kaitaia, god this town is making me so depressed. I had forgotton some basics, so back to "Pak and Save" for more fun. On the plus side I find yesterdays "World" news on the back table (they leave them out for people to pack with), so nick it. The world news in New Zealand consists of 3 sides of a newspaper usually. Shocking, I wonder how much the english one has, Im sure it is much more.
I am determined at this point never to return to Kaitaia (or a Pak and Save supermarket) ever again so have enough food for a few days. We decide to go back to Mangonui for lunch then head onto Taupo Bay, which is just east of Doubtless Bay. On the way back I hear on the radio about an arsonist attack on 2 motorhomes where some people set fires underneath the vans in the middle of the night. Only a passer-by averted tragedy, as people were asleep in them. Now I think this happened in Taipa, which is en-route to Mangonui. So I'm now not only worried about Lloyd, but also worried someone in the area has a problem with motorhomes and is going to set fire to us! It turns out that it was actually in Te Papa (interestingly in the car park we stayed at during the day in Wellington), so quite a way from us, and they caught the guys.
So when we hit Taupo Bay I'm ready at this point to head back south to civilisation. Steve would like to stay at Doubtless Bay for the rest of his days, and wants to return to Whatuwhiwhi. Guess who wins?!
BTW: Taupo Bay was nice, though we had heavy rain, and it was dark before we knew it. Seemed like the whole place (couldnt really call it a town) was for sale though, which makes you question why. Even the campsite was up for auction.
previous travel blog entry
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