Gone traveling,
Back shortly.A Travel Journal by Scott Hargroves & Heather Noonan

It’s strange seeing the New Year in, hours and hours before everyone else. It’s special as well as just odd. New Year here comprised of a Huge Family BBQ before heading into Napier City for the free concert and fireworks on the beach. Most folk in Napier head here so it is more than a little bit busy. The highlight was the band playing Europe’s Final Countdown, for anyone who hasn’t seen Arrested Development this won’t mean much but for everyone who has then you know you love it (Heather: and yes, we did the Gob dance.) All in all we had a great night and the fireworks on the beach topped it off perfectly.

On New Years Day we went on holiday (While on holiday (Like Russian Stacking Dolls)) to Lake Taupo with all the Hargroves Clan. We were roughing it in a YHA (Youth Hostel) for 3 nights over the weekend and had little plans while we were actually there, but Taupo has a huge selection of things to do so you know you’re not going to be short of entertainment.

It is fairly odd share a room with your family – an experience anyway. You all should try it sometime. It will put hairs on your chest. We didn’t get much sleep at all the first night because some people thought it would be funny to have a shouting party outside the door for fun all the way through the night. Not to mention contending with the sleeping habits of 8 other people (6 of whom all snore – cotton wool in the ears works as a good deterrent, I found!)

My Aunty (who is awesome) had stayed home to look after my Mum and Dad’s Dog, and my Grandma, but had managed to slip an envelope stuffed with cash into one of our bags with a note saying we had to go on the Huka Falls Jet which is something we would have done anyway but Erica had generously paid for us on the sly. So on the first full day there we headed down to the Wiakato River and jumped on what would be totally illegal in most other countries. It seems extremely dangerous but is really really awesome. You can’t help but grin. Heather loved it so much she wanted to go on twice. Even though I have been on it before I enjoyed it more this time for some reason. It seemed to be a longer trip but was probably the same. My aged brain ain’t what it used to be. The worst bit was the spazzy face I pulled on the official photo, thinking we wouldn’t buy them. That bit me in the A-Hole when Heather laid down the smackers for them and now my stupid face is immortalized for the world to see (I did tell him beforehand, in no uncertain terms, that I’d be buying the photographs.) After the boat ride (understatement) we headed down the river to one of New Zealand’s biggest Hydroelectric dams where we watched them take an almost bone dry set of rocks, and turn them into a raging torrent of grade 6 rapids. It was impressive and really relaxing too. From there we headed back to the lake, where Thomas and Chris took a little sailing boat out whilst my Dad and Peter hired some Windsurfers. For those who may not know, my Dad used to Windsurf all the time. One of his biggest hobbies before moving to England in fact. He really hasn’t lost his touch. Once he go his balance he was away, just a little speck on the horizon. Peter was good too, it took a little bit for him to get going but soon figured it out. The rest of us just lazed at the lake side while we waited (Heather: I enjoyed a proper swim here, as it isn’t as scary as the sea!) It was super hot that day and even though we had been vigilant in the sun cream depo, me and Heather got toasted. It was the first time since being here thankfully but it really does put you out of action. The other days in Taupo where spent, either walking through forests or swimming in the lake then relaxing in the hammocks at the YHA in the evening.

We had been given the job to take Peter and Chris to the airport on the Monday because that would allow us to venture where we wanted from then on. On the way to the airport we did a miniature road trip through Rotarua and then onto Tauranga before heading north to Auckland. We had gone a day early so that would could stay over in the city centre and see a little bit of one of New Zealand’s largest cities. Auckland can be a humid sticky place at times but it does have a nice feel too it. Heather was really surprised by the city because she wasn’t expecting to like it. We intend to go back for a night before we leave for Japan because, it is really nice and my parents haven’t been since they came back here. We went for a Japanese meal while we were there to get some practice in for when we are there for real. The city has a massive amount of middle eastern residents and it shows with the amount of places you can buy sushi from. We also went to a 200 year old bar just off Queen Street. It was picturesque, but massively over priced (Heather: Nearly £4 for a shot of Jager! Thanks Peter and Chris for being gentlemanly! I owe you some cheap ones in England haha.)

After we had dropped the boys off and said our farewells me and Heather decided to head up the Coromandel Peninsula and spend a couple of days there visiting Cathedral Cove and other various white sand beaches. The drive didn’t look too far and in actual Miles it isn’t, but the roads are so winding and small it can take hours to just get anywhere. The plan was to make it all the way around the coast to the north east side of the Peninsula, to Whitianga, where we would stay the night and visit Cathedral Cove the following day.

We did make it to Whitianga, but it took hours and hours, and I tried really hard to appreciate the gorgeous road that was literally right beside the sea…however as we reached the summit of the peninsula I was in a right state of motion sickness and Scott had to go off by himself to capture the view up there whilst I steadied myself with a dry weetabix and some pretty gross water. We carried on to Whitianga and by the time we got there I was ready to get out of the car – and stay out for a very long time. As is always the case though, things don’t always happen as you’d like them too – and, though I was miffed at first we ended up reaping the benefits.

Whitianga was full to the max with holidaymakers. It didn’t seem too busy; it is a quiet, bayside town with calm air and a relaxed “let’s go Kayaking” sentiment, but there was obviously a lot of bustling behind closed door as all of the hostels, BnBs and motels were fully booked. Every single one! The YHA we wanted to stay at had no room….but the lady there told us she had a friend who owned a nice place not too far away from Whitianga, in a very tiny town (think one shop, League of Gentleman style “allooor Daaave”, one petrol pump, one beach… haha) called Kuaotunu. I felt so ill I really didn’t even want to do anything. Let alone get back in the car and drive to the middle of nowhere. AND I really needed a wee, which I only realised when we’d set off for Kuaotunu. Most of the time, I will put up and shut up, but as is my way, when I’m in a situation I really dislike I start to panic a bit and so was unleashed the Drama Queen from the depths of hell! Scott had a time of it I’m sure. Ok, that;s a bit of an exaggeration, but I did whinge – a lot. which is not what I like to do. It’s hard when you are desperately trying to not wee yourself AND stop yourself from puking all at the same time. It might be an ordinary occurrence for any binge drinkers out there, but I was mortified! And you’re probably all thinking, after clicking that link up there, what on earth was she moaning about, look at the place! But I didn’t know it was going to be like that…and 20 minutes drive felt like 2 hours haha!

So anyway, we finally got to Kuaotunu, and found Reefers, the name of the “backpackers” we had been directed to. Backpackers my arse….it was a Villa! We wandered into the house, that had no reception, or any sign of life. We crept upstairs, feeling a little anxious that we might be breaking the law, and went through a door that opened up into an entire house – that DIDN’T look like somewhere strangers would be allowed to sleep. We ran back downstairs and out of there…I fretted on a bench as to our next move, and possibly going for a wee behind a palm tree, but before I could commit such an atrocious act a lady walked up with a broad grin “awww haaaay guys, are yuooh tuooh frum tha Y-AITCH-A?”

She was the owner of reefers, and it turned out the bit we had walked into WAS her house, and the bit we were staying in was in through a door next to hers. The place had been build as to self contained areas, she kept one, and rented the other out. She led us to our bedroom – a Mezzanine above a room of timber, shells and beautiful furniture. Our bedroom had a low ceiling, and the window revealed this gorgeous view of Kuaotunu’s beach, literally a minutes walk away. You’ll see the pictures on flickr when we get them up. There was also a ceiling window right above our heads which meant we could see the stars when we were falling asleep. Paradise! It is the kind of place you’d pay hundreds of pounds a night for – not $66! Jackpot. It was amazing. So amazing we stayed for 2 nights. And SO amazing that we INSIST you stay there, if you ever decide to visit New Zealand.

Some guy had set up a little shack in his back garden, called Luke’s Kitchen, and he cooked us up two mean, lean pizzas from scratch (and made Scott actually enjoy avocado for once) then we walked the little way to the beach (but not before stopping to play on a gorgeous little tree swing) to watch the start of the sunset. We watched the last of the sunset from the comfort of our bed in the mezzanine and made plans for the next day where we would visit Hot water Beach and Cathedral Cove.

Cathedral Cove is probably one of the most coveted sights in New Zealand, and is also probably one of the images that will crop up time and time again when New Zealand is discussed. Ok, so it only comes up on page 3 of google when you type in New Zealand, but I know what I mean. It’s special. And everybody knows it. It takes about 40 minutes to walk to it from the car park…up and down some steep hills, and over pastures and through forestry….all this in steaming heat (no wonder Reefers lady warned Scott to take lots of water)….but it’s definitely worth it. Though it was very busy (the cove is quite small, but grand) I still couldn’t help but be mesmerised by it – which is exactly what Scott said would happen. And here, I swam in the crystal blue sea easily, as the waves didn’t break, just bobbed. I was in up to my neck! We stayed there pretty much all day before we went back to Kuaotunu for a BBQ on the balcony. There was also a nice Dutch couple staying at reefers, who said that they’re having a similar cold snap in Holland like you guys in England. It was strange for us all being in such glorious sunshine when we knew everybody back home was layered up to the eyeballs and inhaling soup to stay warm. I still want there to be snow when I get back though. Sorry people!

We don’t have much time left in new Zealand at all, so our North Island holiday in a holiday came to an end the next day. Scott drove us back down to Napier – which took up the entire day nearly. That was three days ago now…we haven’t done much except relax, take walks around the estuary, the Hargroves’ got a new puppy called Benji, who we helped pick (a bundle of fluff!) and today we went fishing on the Mohaka. Scott caught a trout but it was only small so we gave it back to nature. Yvonnes is just putting the trout that Peter caught in the oven now. We’ll undoubtedly do an update before we leave for Japan, and our time in Tokyo is so limited that we might not be able to post about that until we’re back on English soil.

Until then,

cayonara guys!

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