Kiwis and Fairy Bread

17 December 2023

It has been a day of contrasts. It started on a warm, sunny, beach with a party atmosphere and ended in a dark, wet miserable little campsite that we almost lost. Along the way there were sites spectacular and stinky, crowded and remote, refined and rough, unreal and real.

We viewed the sunrise over the Pacific from the comfort of our bed in Miranda, our camper van. The pink sky above the water gave way to a brilliant globe shining through the tall and angular trees called Norfolk pines. Sea Gulls pecked through the garbage that a group of twenty-something campers had left out over night. Joggers were already making their way up Mauao. Little kids were biking in their pajamas.

Mike and I always feel at home in beach towns, having grown up in them. The sands may be different colors and textures, the seas different shades of blue or green, the view developed or natural. But, be it St George, The Lido, Uvita, Beverly Farms, or Bay Head, the people, the vibe, are always the same.

So it was with reluctance that we left and headed south. We drove into Te Puke the Kiwi Fruit Capitol of the world, passing through miles of kiwi orchards and processing plants. The farms were set up a lot like vineyards, with much of the fruit growing low on vines. New Zealand kiwis are lighter in color and have a thinner peel than the Italian Kiwis we in the north-east US are familiar with. Mike loved the taste.

The orchards gave way to mountains of lumber farms. Now we understand why there are so many trucks and cargo ships loaded with fresh cut trees in the Mount Mouganui Port. It’s clearly a major export of the country. More was to be learned about that subject when we arrived at the Whararewarewa Redwood Forest.

Just off a highway of shopping malls is a tall and dense redwood forest! About 100 years ago, as New Zealand was becoming deforested, someone planted some California redwoods, hoping to build a lumber industry with them. Turns out that when grown here, the wood of the tree was softer than in their native California. Still, breeds were established and so was the business.

In this area, which is owned and run by several Māori tribes, trails lead deep into this dense forest. It was very Chronicles of Narnia (another movie filmed here in NZ). In one section you can go right up into the trees! Stairs, bridges and platforms have been built connecting the trees. Artistic mobiles hang down. Information about the trees, mythology, the wood industry, and the care of the environment is on display. Fern plants cover the forest floor below in varieties small and HUGE! Birds dart in and out. Everyone was having a great time. When we heard a familiar accent we got talking to a woman from Hillsborough with her friend from Toms River! It sure is a small world.

It was like another of my favorite fantasy places: Endor, in Return of the Jedi. I swear I could hear the song and calls of the Ewoks, imagine Leah, Luke and Han walking among the bridges. My 16 year old self was beaming.

Having gotten a taste for hot pools in Miranda I was craving more. But we didn’t have time to go to the famed Paradise Spa, so acted on a local tip: Kerosene Falls was just a few kilometers away.

We should have thought more about that name. Driving down a dirt road to a gravel parking area, we stopped and spoke to some Americans. They assured us that the water was warm, and just down the path. The mother’s name was Gala. They had also just been to Hobbiton and were also headed to Tongiro tomorrow, as we were. They were going on a Lord of the Rings tour to celebrate their son’s high school graduation (what a gift!). Well, the water was hot, but the smell was absolutely nauseating! After a quick soak for my still aching feet we headed to one of NZ’s most popular natural wonders: Huka Falls.

And for such a popular spot the parking lot was surprisingly small. Still, we got out and oooed and ahhed with the rest of the tourists. It didn’t look real. To me it looked more like a man made Olympic Canoe and Kayaking course: it has the same clear blue water and white foam. Worth a quick stop, for sure.

Now our Hillsborough friend in the tree tops recommended we drive through Taupo, a popular lake side resort. Her praise was well deserved, as it is a beautiful town! In fact, we immediately regretted not being able to stay there over night, or even for a few days. Lake Taupo is New Zealand’s biggest lake, surrounded by mountains three quarters around. The town is very classy. Māori art abounds along the water front path and even the play ground. Cute shops and restaurants, hotels and rentals. Excellent ice cream in waffle cones served by cheery teenagers. A short walk in the park and we reluctantly moved on.

It was already getting late and we were worried about missing our check in at the DOC (Department of Conservation) Mananguia Campground. It was a spectacular drive! The lake on one side and towering mountains on the other. And then I spotted it in the distance: Mount Tongariro, a.k.a Mount Doom!

We were clearly out of civilization and into the wild.

Into the campsite and not a registration office in sight. We drove the big van around the campground 3 times before finally finding out from another camper that there was none. Just pick a spot, we were told. And there was only one left. We squeezed into a space completely surrounded by bushes and trees, with barely enough room to get out the door. It was dark. It was raining. We were exhausted. After the luxury of the holiday parks, this campsite was depressing,

Well, we were on the edge of Mordor, after all.

To be continued….