Getting into summer

Had a very slack end to last week because of a camping trip we went on down the west coast… Overall the trip was fantastic, and I’m thoroughly looking forward to rod and tent time this weekend too.

Some friends from home are over for their honeymoon and have been busy with their round the world ticket for the last 8 weeks. New Zealand is their last stop so I thought we could use the opportunity to go exploring.

We ended up just north of Mokau about an hour north of New Plymouth. Originally we planned to go to Raglan but everything was booked out, so spent the first night at WaingaroHot Springs campsite. Waingaro camping is interesting to say the least. The gates are locked at 9pm, and there’s no way in or out. A 10ft barbed wire perimeter ensures nothing gets out unscathed. Try and find a way out and your met by a strange little lady screaming at you wondering what you are doing at the gate with a torch. Explain that you want a pint from the pub next door and she’ll tell you to go to the big door up the hill marked “KEEP OUT, NO ENTRY” and knock on it… of course. Long story short, we got no pints that night.

Apart from that bizarre experience, this summer is going extremely well. Only complaint is that I’ve got a heap of work on my plate and balancing it with the great outdoors is proving to be challenging… Shouldn’t complain, I know.