Travelling New Zealand in a Renault

I'm travelling around New Zealand in a Renault, Megane or something like that. 

I only know this info because the other day I had to pay the car registration.

My son informed me the rego needed paying soon.  Don't ya love when your kids say "Soon" about anything that needs  paying.  I checked the label and discovered I had two days till the rego ran  out. 

I also discovered how difficult it is to pay your car registration at a Post Shop without cash or eftpos.
What d'ya mean I can't pay with credit card over the counter? 
What happened to living on credit?
Who actually uses cash these days? 

I had to go find an internet and pay online. 

Now I am waiting for the rego label to be sent to the house.  I better tell them not to throw the mail out when it comes....cos I don't actually live at the house.

Till then I'm travelling New Zealand in a registered yet labelless Renault.

Across the Harbour Bridge to Beach Haven




Take a tiki tour one day, across Auckland's Harbour Bridge (a landmark in the City of Sails) to Beach Haven on the North Shore.

Beach Haven is not a destination for the masses.  Most travellers traversing the bridge northwards completely bypass the turnoff that takes you, via Onewa Road, to Birkenhead and on to Beach Haven, fondly referred to by our family as 'The Haven'.

You can drive straight up Onewa Road to Birkenhead or if you fancy a tiki tour on your way to the The Haven there are a number of little bays you can visit that offer views of the Harbour Bridge and Auckland City from slightly different angles and they aren't far off the main drag. 

To tiki tour, turn left into Queen St off Onewa Road and take a leisurely drive toward Northcote Point.  If you're thirsty stop off at the Northcote Pub.  At the end of the road is what used to be the Fishermens Wharf restaurant.  You get some awesome photo's of the bridge off the wharf.  If you fancy seeing what the underside of the  Harbour Bridge is like, there's a short footpath to take you there. 

Harbour Bridge from Northcote Point

Heading back along Queen St you'll find Rodney Road on your left.  Follow it down the Council Terrace hill to Little Shoal Bay.  Plenty of room here for the kids to run around and there's a playground to keep them entertained as well.  You can swim if you're in the mood, or just dip your toes in the water with the bridge in the background.

Little Shoal Bay on the Beach Haven Tiki Tour

Once you've taken all happy snaps you want, jump back in the car and head up the hill on the other side of the bay, or if you fancy a bit of exercise you can walk up the hill.  I only mention this because I drove passed a lady doing it....I kept driving. 

If you turn left at the top and follow Hinemoa St to the end, you'll come to the Birkenhead Wharf.  There's a nice park and if you've timed it right you can watch one of Fullers Ferry's docking.  The Northcote Birkenhead Yacht Club is housed here, so you migght spot a few learner sailors and the odd veteran heading out into the waters. 


Birkenhead Wharf Park

Drive back up Hinemoa St and you'll pass through Highbury with its little collection of boutique type shops.  I spied a coffee shop and it has been filed in the 'coffee shops to try' part of my brain.

A little further on you'll come to Birkenhead, the main shopping center for the area.  There are plenty of places here to eat and have coffee.  My nieces and I tried the Word of Mouth coffee shop.  They gave the iced chocolate a thumbs up.



Nice stop for a quick bite

If you want to get a closer look at the Chelsea Sugar Refinery (why?... I dunno!) you can find this down Colonial Drive at the other end of Mokoia Road.  There's lovely park-like lawns so you can get a picture of you and your car with the pink factory backdrop, if you're that way inclined. 

Getting back on the track to Beach Haven from Birkenhead shopping center is easy - go left at the lights.  When you reach the round about at Verrans Corner, stay left.  This takes you onto Rangatira Road which historically separated the 'good' side of The Haven from the 'bad'. 

Here's a bit history...Beach Haven is a seaside suburb and the side nearest the sea was for the more well off.  Houses on the other side of the road were largely state homes and a few of the occupants were fairly well known to the local constabulary.  I have no idea if the criminal element is still holed up on 'that' side of the road these days, I've been away for thirteen years, but I do know the coastal homes are still pricey.

The drive takes you past Island Bay Road which offers a swimming and picnic spot tucked away at the bottom with a wharf hidden behind a little hill where you'll often find people fishing.  The place is quite popular with local boaties as a launching point and is great for safe swimming. 

Continue along Rangatira Road and you will eventually wind up at the Beach Haven shops and a T-intersection with a roundabout.  Turning left will lead you to Beach Haven wharf.  We used to buy fish 'n chips at the local takeway and head down to the wharf to eat while the kids ran around at the beach. 

A local man, Frank Larkin, spent years building this beach.  I'm glad to report that it's still a nice spot.  In fact the council has done a bit of work there developing Hilders Park.  There are sufficient picnic tables and viewing points to look out over the water towards Whenuapai and the wharf still has that aged rickety feel, just like old wharves should - though it's perfectly safe and kids were still jumping off the end.

Beach Haven Wharf

There is no playground for young ones at Beach Haven wharf, so if you're after that it might be best to head to Shepherds Park, which is right turn at the round about and keep an eye out for the sign.  There's walking tracks and plenty of room to kick a ball, as well as a playground - but no beach.  I stopped in for a quick look.  If I'd had the kids I would've stayed for a muck around, but lone mature woman on the swings is kind've sad, so I left.


Entrance to Shepherds Park, Beach Haven

The journey to Beach Haven was not without purpose.  My father lives at a residential care facility there, and my sister and her family live nearby.  Plus, visiting Beach Haven is a trip down memory lane - it's where we brought our kids up - not on the coastal side of Rangatira Road either.

If you choose to take a detour off the motorway after coming across the Harbour Bridge and head to Beach Haven, you may not be wandering down memory lane, but you will find lots of quiet beach, picnic, fishing and boat spots with the most wonderful views that the locals have at their door step and that most other people never see.

Across the Harbour Bridge to Beach Haven....Was I there?  Yes I was :)

Auckland Airport to Waiheke Island

Auckland Airport to Waiheke Island...Was I there?  Yes I was!

I arrived home the other day and made my way from Auckland Airport to Waiheke Island.

My son and his partner met me.  They brought the grand-children.  I got hugs - Yay.
Outside the airport is a bus that transports new arrivals to the Ferry building at the bottom of Queen Street.  We piled on, paid my $16, stowed the bag, arranged the kiddies and settled in for the ride.

We made a new friend on the bus ride.  A young lady from Indonesia, currently living and working in Melbourne, was on her first trip to New Zealand.  She'd signed up for an adventure tour around the North Island and wasn't sure what she was in for.  We got to chatting, and gave her our two cents worth on her upcoming trip.  We think she'll enjoy it.  She has my e-mail and sent me this:

Hi Gaelene,

Sorry, not water rafting yet :) Just want to say hi for now as I have
access to 15 mins of internet in the motel.
Thanks for the chats. Enjoy your 2 month stay in Auckland.

Cheers,
J

I'm looking forward to hearing about the rest of her trip.

A one way ferry ticket to Waiheke Island cost just under $20.  The ride over was a bit of fun for the seasick prone - the weather was creating big waves and ooooohhhhh's  were to be heard.  For the seaworthy, it was a piece of cake.  (Note: I was going OOOOhhhhh).

Once docked on Waiheke we packed into the car waiting for us at the car park and drove the short distance to the house.  

A cuppa and a chat was in order.  It's been a few months since I saw the grand-kiddies and they have grown heaps.  It was early to bed that night and I slept like a log till 11am.

Once I surfaced and had a spot of breakfast (with moko cuddles) it was time to see what Waiheke had to offer while running some errands. 

The main street on Waiheke is kind of ..ummmm ....villagy.  There are little boutique shops on the hill and hidden in nooks and cranny's.  The road is on a gentle slope and is narrow enough to get built up by the traffic making it's way through, but not long enough for anyone to get heated by the hold up.  In fact, the whole island still retains it's bachy, alternative lifestyle, relaxed feel.  I've never spent much time on Waiheke before and I have to say, I liked it.

We went to Little Oneroa Beach so the kids could enjoy the playground and I could take photos of the sea view framed by pohutukawa trees. 

Across the road is a shop that sells home made food.  We had the loveliest homemade banana cake.  It's been a while since I've had such a nice cake bought from a shop.  It was just like the ones mum makes.

Lunch time arrived, so Willow took us to Onetangi and The Beach Front Cafe.  The ride allowed me to see a bit more of Waiheke.  Lots of little bays, lots of bush and baches tucked away off the road winding through the island.   We passed horse-riders, boat yards, and vineyards.

We sat on the cafe deck looking out over the water and munched muffins with coffee.  The moko had a Fluffy. After that run around in the surf was a perfect way to tire the kids out before heading home.

Our tiki tour had taken us on a loop around the island - not the whole island, but enough to let me see that Waiheke offers everything a family may possibly want but without the city traffic and stress.

The next morning I was on the 9am car ferry over to Half Moon Bay and on to the North Shore. The trip back to the mainland took half an egg sandwich and a Bundaberg Ginger Beer - and no heaving waves. 

Should you decided to visit Waiheke, Fullers runs the passenger ferry and Sealink runs the car ferry.  Two different websites to visit for timetables.  I'd recommend you also organise a car in advance and, if possible, have it waiting at the wharf.  It's a little out of the way.

One ferry after another.

If you're looking for a get away from it all place after landing at Auckland Airport, Waiheke Island is definitely worth a look.

I travel New Zealand by car

Whenever I go home to New Zealand I tiki tour around the place by car.

It's always nice driving on the proper side of the road again - the left hand side.  Actually it's nice being able to drive at all - where I live now, ladies don't drive.

The price of gas is a bit on the ekky side - that's a real downer about NZ.  We are, as my husband likes to say, at the arse end of the world, so some things costs just a little bit more.

And that wierd little give way rule New Zealand has still gives me a tiny bit of angst at intersections - maybe when I move home I will actually learn it properly.  For now I try to remember the right hand rule ditty "Give way to all traffic crossing or approaching from your right."  (If all else fails 'wait to see what they do' has always worked for me).

But the scenery - the views from winding mountain roads, the picnic spots, the beautiful beaches, our smooth city highways, even the occasional rural gravel road, more than makes up for any issues with little things like fuel cost and quirky road rules. 

There are so many things about driving around New Zealand that are worthy of sharing.  Join me, and lets travel around New Zealand in my car, together.