2 Summer 2022 Summer 2022 ISSUE 2 CONTENTS PDF BUY Up Camping / caravan tips — Setup / packup Marty Ireland Up Do you struggle when you set up your camp or your caravan? We are on to our 3rd caravan but the latest came with a host of manuals for everything like gas stove, fridge, awning etc. so as a specialist assembler and installer, advising others that they should read all instructions provided, I decided to do just that. Now here is a suggestion: just relax, sit down with a coffee and read, even if you do not fully understand, read all the information to get a general overview.Then go and try each appliance until it works and you feel comfortable and confident with it. Do a dummy run on awning or tent set up if you have or can find an area to do this before leaving. It may be a little trying, but as you get each thing down pat, start a set up list with each step in order and have it laminated and ready inside the car, caravan door or tent bag. Label poles with a marker with appropriate numbers or letters and a brief description of which end, or middle etc; or colour code with electricians tape. Tent or awning assembly will become a dream. Have you ever driven off with a support leg still down, or a jockey wheel not retracted, even a power cable still plugged in? Not a good look and it can be both embarrassing and expensive. So do a reverse-order pack-down list too, and stick to it. Having an assistant read out the lists while you do the tasks is a help, both to set up and to pack down. Having a measured plan of your tent or van footprint with awnings and ropes sizes will help you quickly decide on arrival at the holiday site which way to face your tent or van saving a lot of frustration if you find you have to reposition. See my plan, above. A seamless set-up lets you sit down for your first refreshment early, and the satisfaction of doing it both quickly and without forgetting anything is very rewarding. Watching new arrivals go through the same process can be cheap entertainment, however offering to assist with your experience and wisdom is a pleasure in itself. Happy and safe camping all. Download these files if you would find them helpful: My sheet (print it A4, double sided and laminate; pdf). The .doc version of my sheet , to edit and make it your own. Or the .rtf version . The awning assembly order sheet (pdf). The awning space sheet (pdf). A blank awning space sheet to put in your own measurements (pdf). Up Up Record the spacing needed for your awning Record the order and lengths for your awning ropes Laminated sheet Download my laminated sheet. Record the spacing needed for your awning 1/3

1 Spring 2022 1 Spring 2022 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Immediately restricts camping in over 50% of NZ's regions The big picture on the proposed changes for freedom camping Miriam Richardson The stated intention of Hon Stuart Nash, Minister of Tourism, is to “improve the regime for freedom camping, to protect our environment, remove unfair burdens on locals in some destinations, and lift the quality of tourism.” What does he think the problem is? poor behaviour, waste and litter, and overcrowding by freedom campers; lack of infrastructure and systems to support freedom camping; too many tourists choosing to freedom camp; high costs to local communities; reduced willingness of local communities to welcome freedom campers. What changes has he put into his bill? A: A blanket limit on vehicle-based freedom camping on public land to certified self-contained vehicles only. (Solves none of the above) B: A ‘fixed’ toilet is required for a vehicle to be self contained. (Solves none of the above) C: More powers and tougher penalties to enforce the rules. (Might discourage tourists; might reduce poor behaviour; might make locals feel better. Then again, might not.) D: A national register of self-contained vehicles and a revised system for certification, to prove who is or isnt self contained. (Solves none of the above but will help the enforcers.) AND/BUT: The changes aren’t intended to affect camping more than 200m from a road, nor homeless people. When might the changes affect everyone? It will immediately restricts camping in the 50% of NZ regions that do not already have freedom camping bylaws. Every camper will be affected, 2 years after it is passed by Parliament. What the bill does not address: Lack of supporting infrastructure like rubbish disposal and toilets; lack of enough space for the visitors who arrive; ‘too many’ tourists; poor behaviour; high cost to local communities. BY: Miriam Richardson Up Up 1 Spring 2022 , p 9

7 Autumn 2024 Autumn 2024 ISSUE 7 BUY PDF CONTENTS Click on image for full view and caption Camp site I could live like this forever. Mavora Lakes. ©2024 Nigel Henry Morning sun I could live like this forever. Mavora Lakes. ©2024 Nigel Henry Campsite I could live like this forever. Mavora Lakes. ©2024 Nigel Henry Cycling at Lake Mavora I could live like this forever. Mavora Lakes. ©2024 Nigel Henry Misty morning I could live like this forever. Mavora Lakes. ©2024 Nigel Henry Misty morning I could live like this forever. Mavora Lakes. ©2024 Nigel Henry Mist rising I could live like this forever. Mavora Lakes. ©2024 Nigel Henry Mist rising I could live like this forever. Mavora Lakes. ©2024 Nigel Henry Sundown I could live like this forever. Mavora Lakes. ©2024 Nigel Henry Camping at Mavora ©2024 Nigel Henry I could live like this forever Nigel Henry I could live like this forever. GO TO Celebrating Summer DOC. Not currently affected by law changes. Up Up 7 Autumn 2024 , p 7 ISSN 2815-827X (Online) | ISSN:2815-8261 (Print) ISSUE 4 editor@campingthekiwiway.org

10 summer 2024 10 summer 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption as the sun was going down STOP and STAY A roof-top tent M Richardson A roof-top tent captured at the Ōtaki Rivermouth freedom camp as the sun was going down. Kāpiti. October. ◊ ©2024 M Richardson Up Up 10 summer 2024 , p 13

10 summer 2024 Summer 2024 ISSUE 10 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption GO TO Springing Sunday morning caravan Lego Beverley Stoneley Sunday morning caravan Lego with our boys, Eddie and Boston. ◊ ©2024 Beverley Stoneley Up Up 10 Summer 2024 , p 9

11 autumn 2025 11 autumn 2025 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption camp-oven_H-Cooking over the fire including two camp ovens-e.webp Camp-oven - one with lid on and other with trivet-e.webp Camp-oven - with lid on an dother with trivet 2.webp Camp-oven lid close up-e.webp camp-oven_Both camp-oven ovens with trivets-e.webp camp-oven_Cooking over the fire including two camp ovens-e.webp camp-oven_Scout stew cooking in camp-oven over over fire-e.webp camp-oven_Sausages in camp-oven oven.webp camp-oven_Using camp-oven oven to keep sausages warm.webp camp-oven_Cooking with camp-oven ovens on the river bank.webp camp-oven_Lentil and eggplant stew with gnocchi.webp camp-oven_Stuffed apple dessert cooked by scouts.webp camp-oven_2001 Roast dinner from the camp-oven ovens off the fire-e.webp By the way, roast potatoes cooked in a camp oven over the fire are particularly yummy. A camp oven is much more than just a pot Margaret Earle Early in our relationship, my partner Graham gave me a camp oven for Christmas. He thought it was a very practical gift as we were about to head off camping. However, I wasn’t impressed with getting ‘a pot’ for my Christmas present. Years later, I have quite a different view about camp ovens. We carry two camp ovens (two different sizes — 10 inch and 12 inch) in our caravan and use them for a multitude of cooking purposes. When we go away in our trailer yacht we take the camp ovens with us. Camp ovens are designed for cooking on a fire, but they can also be used on gas burners. You can use a camp oven to cook everything from stews and curries to roasts, bread, cakes and puddings. I’ve included a couple of recipes that I put together on our most recent trip from the ingredients I had available (p27). Both were cooked in my smaller camp oven on a gas cooker. Camp ovens are essentially large cast metal pots. Originally, they were made from cast iron but more recently have also been made from aluminium. Some camp ovens have legs you can screw into their base so you can set them in the embers of a fire. Alternatively, you can place your camp oven on a wire grate or rocks in the fire. Our camp ovens are New Zealand-made but there are similar imported products available which are probably just as good. The lid of a camp oven has a ridge around the edge so that embers from the fire can be stacked on the lid to help cook the top of a cake or bread. I recommend that if you are cooking something like a cake or bread that you use a trivet (a rack or upturned metal plate) to elevate the cake tin from the bottom of the camp oven. This will reduce the possibility of burning the bottom of the cake or bread. By the way, roast potatoes cooked in a camp oven over the fire are particularly yummy. When roasting, it is good to jam a small stick between the pot and lid to create a gap to let steam out. In the past as a sea scout leader, I had lots of fun showing our scouts the versatility of camp ovens. At our camps the scouts cooked mostly over fires. We introduced camp ovens so that the scouts had a large pot for cooking meals like stews and something in which to keep their food warm while they were finishing cooking their meals. Over time, I taught them to cook cakes and bread in the camp ovens and they also used them for awesome stews and desserts that they created themselves. Up Up 11 autumn 2025 , p 26

10 summer 2024 Summer 2024 ISSUE 10 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption GO TO Springing Festivals Whare Flat Folk Festival Mon, 30 Dec–3 Jan Dunedin’s legendary outdoors folk music festival. 15 mins from town. whareflat.org.nz Rhythm & Alps 2024-5 Mon 30 Dec–1 Jan, Wanaka A three-day music festival in the Cardrona Valley. rhythmandalps.co.nz Omakau Trots, Otago Tue, 31 Dec–2 Jan ’25, Omakau, Central Family friendly, with entertainment. Camp for CSC campers. ckw.nz/omakau-25 New Year’s Race Day at Tauherenikau Thu, 2 Jan, Featherston, Wairarapa Live music, family-friendly, racing events. Dogs on leads. On-site camping: ckw.nz/tauherenikau Revitalize Festival Thu, 2–4 Jan 2025, Blackmount, Southland/Fiordland An organic farm, healing, & music festival. Family friendly. No dogs. Free camping. revitalize.nz Egmont Country Festival Fri, 10–12 Jan 2025, New Plymouth A country music blast to kick off the New Year. Camping for tents and vehicles opens on 9th. ckw.nz/egmont-music bookings: crawfordlm50@gmail.com Wairarapa Music in the Country Fri, 10–12 Jan 2025, Tauherenikau Top country music acts. Family friendly. On-site camping: ckw.nz/tauherenikau Katikati Avocado Food & Wine Festival Sat, 11 Jan 2025, Katikati Great food and wines, music, demos. Family friendly. Choose a freedom / camp site, as far away as Athenree (there’s a bus); NZMCA: parking at the local school. katikatiavofest.co.nz Motueka Country Music Festival Sat, 11–12 Jan 2025, Motueka Free. Marchwood Park. Vehicle camping on-site. ckw.nz/fb-motueka-25 Marton Country Music Festival Fri, 17–19 Jan 2025, Marton Some of New Zealand’s best. Camping on-site. Animals on leads. martonfestival.com The Great Momorangi Treasure Hunt Fri 24 Jan, Momorangi Bay Campground, Marlborough Sounds For kids and kids at heart. ckw.nz/momorangi-25 Auckland Folk Festival Fri 24 –27 Jan, Kumeu, West Auckland Play and dance, long into the night. aucklandfolkfestival.co.nz 160th Turakina Highland Games Sat 25 Jan, Turakina Domain, Rangitikei A Scottish festival for all the family. Camp sites available. ckw.nz/turakina-25 Edendale Crank Up Sat, 25–26 Jan, Edendale, Southland CAT, Field Marshall, Emergency Vehicles and Classic Trucks. Family friendly. Camping at the school. ckw.nz/crankup-25 Dimension Festival Fri 31 Jan–4 Feb, Maungatapere, Whangārei District Psychedelic festival of music, art, and transformation. R18. Camp on-site. dimension.nz Burt Munro Challenge Wed, 5–9 Feb, Invercargill and Bluff The Bluff Hill Climb, the smell of the exhaust, the scream of the engines… most make it. Tickets and camping: burtmunrochallenge.co.nz/rally Niagara Falls Bluegrass & Roots Festival Sat, 8–9 Feb, Niagara, Catlins, Southland Musicians converge at the Niagara Falls Caf in the heart of the Catlins. ckw.nz/niagara-25 Napier Art Deco Festival Thu, 13–16 Feb, Napier All that Jazz and the Art Deco Era. Book at a campground, or find a free camp. artdecofestival.co.nz Taranaki Country Music Festival Fri, 14–16 Feb 2025, Waitara, Taranaki 4-day motorhome/ caravan parking. taranakifestival.co.nz Waimakariri Country Music Festival Fri, 14–16 Feb, Rangiora, Canterbury Has CSC campervan parking. Dogs on leads. countrymusic.org.nz Roam Central Wine and Food Festival ‘25 Sat 15–16 February, Central Otago A series of unique events for the wine enthusiast across Central Otago. Find handy freedom camping spots. roamcentral.co.nz Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival Sat 15 Feb, The Cliffs, Carterton, Wairarapa Celebrate the start of the grape harvest. Motorhome (CSC), available, or book at the local camp. wairarapaharvestfestival.co.nz Campfest 2025 Fri 21–23 Feb, Bulls Domain Pack up your tent or camping vehicle and join us for a weekend of fun, music, food and family-friendly entertainment. MORE campfestnz.org South Island Motorhome Show Sat 22–23 Feb, Ashburton, Canterbury Stalls, and come for a social weekend. On-site camping. southislandmotorhomeshow.co.nz Mandeville Fly In & Steam Festival Sat, 22–23 Feb, Mandeville, Gore Vintage aircraft, motorcycles, cars and steam-engines. CSC campers. ckw.nz/steam-event-25 experiencemandeville.nz Cruz’n the Bayz Thu 27 Feb, Paihia, Bay of Islands Over 3 days we cruise Northland with like-minded classic car and bike enthusiasts. cruznthebayz.nz Later Selwyn Sounds 1 Mar, Lincoln, Canterbury. North Canterbury Wine & Food Festival 9 Mar, North Canterbury WOMAD — The World’s Festival 14–16 Mar, New Plymouth Māoriland Film Festival 2025 26–30 March, Otaki, Kapiti. Repco Beach Hop 26–30 Mar, Whangamata George Begg Festival 30 Mar–2 Apr, Invercargill Classic Fighters Omaka 18–20 Apr, Blenheim Arrowtown Autumn Festival 24–27 Apr, Arrowtown Up Up 10 Summer 2024 , p 46

10 summer 2024 10 summer 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption What a view to wake up to What a view to wake up to Dave Adamson What a view to wake up to this morning. National Park, Waiouru. ©2024 Dave Adamson Up Up 10 summer 2024 , p 13

10 summer 2024 Summer 2024 ISSUE 10 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption GO TO Springing this article explains all Safe toilet chemicals Collyn Rivers Safe toilet chemicals are essential, but some toilet chemicals kill essential bacteria in septic and environmental systems: some are toxic — this article explains all. To safely dispose of toilet waste is a major problem for caravan and motorhome owners who free camp. Safe toilet chemicals are essential as faecal matter endangers humans. Many toilet chemicals, however, contain non-biodegradable content. Worse, they kill essentially needed bacteria in ‘long drop’ and septic systems. Safe toilet chemicals So-called bio-stimulant products are environmentally friendly. Adding oxidising agents (or enzymes), speeds up nature’s breakdown of faecal matter. It also reduces smells. You can empty safely treated sewage into septic and sewage treatment plants, but not some so-called environmental systems. Environmentally safe toilet chemicals are oxygen-loving bio-stimulants — such as live bacteria and yeasts. Known-to-be-safe toilet chemicals include Bio-Pack, Odour-B-Gone, Aqua Kem Green and Aqua Kem Rinse (but not necessarily related products), and BioMagic. Their makers claim Envir-Chem, Reliance Bio-Blue, Century Blue Clean N Fresh, and Chempace bioFORCE to be safe. Biocides kill all bacteria Biocides kill all bacteria — good or bad. If you treat toilet waste this way it becomes allergenic: some people claim it possibly triggers cancer. Adding a further chemical reduces the stench of sewage broken down non-aerobically. The industry claims that sewage so-treated is disposable in sewage treatment plants. Biocidic chemicals, however, kill bacteria indiscriminately. This causes many that rely on septic tanks to have a concern about their facilities. Never use formaldehyde The major risk to the ecology is formaldehyde. The US Department of Toxic Substances Control states: ‘Chemical toilet additives include chemicals that are known to cause septic tank failures by killing the bacteria essential to the treatment process in the septic tank. Formaldehyde can thus cause these to die in holding tanks as it controls odour by killing bacteria. When a septic system fails, sewage waste does not break down. It can cause an increased risk to people in contact with raw sewage.’ The Department also warns against de-deodorisers such as Bronopol, Dowicil and Glutaraldehyde. Check the declared content of any product. One, promoted as ‘environmentally safe’, has the (obligatory) Material Safety Data Sheet stating it contains Bronopol. Chemtech’s Portasol claims to be environmentally friendly, but its data-sheet states it contains 10 g/L Glutaraldehyde. Be wary of home-made chemicals. Most contain bleach or Pine-O-Clean. Such material is cheap and effective, however, it kills essentially-needed bacteria. This is not a problem if the waste is disposed of in town sewerage systems. Do not, however, empty it into environmental or septic systems. Is Napisan a safe toilet chemical? Many RV owners suggest using Napisan (or similar) products. Napisan and its many look-alikes contain sodium percarbonate. This, in water, breaks down to soda ash and hydrogen peroxide. An additive makes the faecal matter smell less bad. This works well from an RV user viewpoint but content information, however, is hard to obtain for look-alikes. These may include chemicals that are poison to marine life. Some makers warn they are not safe to use in septic and similar systems. Some such products claim to be bio-degradable to Australian Standard 4351. But that Standard relates only to ‘surfactants’ — a detergent ‘wetting’ effect. It is thus not relevant. These products are cheap. They are, however, only border-line effective in breaking down faecal matter and reducing smells. Using them may damage the environment. Napisan — a professional view Emeritus Professor Ian Jenkins (previously Professor of Chemistry at Griffith University) has kindly provided an independent professional opinion on safe toilet chemicals. The authoritative article explains the active ingredient (in Napisan and associated products) that does the job is sodium percarbonate. It contains from 25%–35%. You can buy sodium carbonate (100%) in bulk. Brewing supply companies sell it for about $5.50 a kilo. Emeritus Professor Jenkins explains how to use it. Use only safe toilet chemicals You can safely use proven bio-friendly toilet chemicals to treat sewage for city sewage treatment plants. But if you travel a lot, be 100% certain the chemicals are bio-friendly. If not you can ruin costly septic systems. n Reproduced with permission, rvbooks.com Napisan article: ckw.nz/napisan You can buy sodium percarbonate from Binn Inn and on TradeMe. Editor Up Up 10 Summer 2024 , p 30

8 Winter 2024 8 Winter 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Where-we-MNR_2659_H.webp ©2024 M Richardson assume the new laws apply everywhere Where are we at with self-containment and freedom camping? M Richardson If you do not want to freedom camp you do not need the new green warrant. The existing blue standard and blue warrant is still acceptable for all other places that require certified self-containment (so far). ■ The new government is not making any of the changes it championed in the Select Committee stages of the amendment to the Freedom Camping Act. ■ Green warrant cards for freedom camping are being issued, as long as you meet the eight new requirements. See PGDB diagram and link, p8 ■ There are still insufficient testers across the country for the number of vehicles that need warrants in the available time. Search the list here (put in your region first). ■ Costs for getting a 4-year green warrant vary from $200 to $300, including the $120 PGDB levy. ■ The NZMCA has indicated that it will not be issuing green warrant cards until or unless the venting requirements for cassette toilets are lifted. They intend to issue non-green cards for those who do not wish to freedom camp (or pay the government levy) which will be sufficient proof of self-containment for NZMCA parks and events and, presumably, their park over properties. ■ The peculiarities around the venting of toilet cassettes is still required for a green warrant. There are indications that this vent rule will be changed to exclude cassette and compost toilets but this won’t be confirmed until later in the year, if you can trust the politicians. ■ Aside from the venting issue the other peculiarities around self-containment managed by the Plumbers and Gasfitters Board are going to remain part of the regulations. There is no process or willingness to revise any other rules. The Minister has declared he won’t look at any revisions of the law as a whole until June next year at the earliest. ■ Rental companies must have green warrants by Dec 7 this year if the tourists are to be able to use these vehicles to freedom camp. The rest of us already-certified travellers, have until 7 June 2025. ■ From June next year the law demands that the Government must review any effect on homeless vehicle dwellers. ■ Money from international tourist’s levies, that could have been used to improve facilities for freedom campers has instead been spent on Councils to fund bylaw changes, provide enforcement and ambassador programs, plus fund the new PGDB vehicle certification system. The bulk of these funds was paid by MBIE to the regions with the strongest restrictions (and least provision) for freedom camping such as Queenstown Lakes District. ■ Those with fixed toilets and a blue warrant card issued before 7 Jun 2024 will be able to continue to freedom camp until 7 June 2025. ■ There is no indication that the government will extend the available time beyond 7 June 2025 as the Act allows. ■ Only those certified before 7/7/23 with a portable toilet can freedom camp: no-one else with a portable toilet can freedom camp on council-controlled land. ■ Regions vary in their enforcement of the new legislation. Some regions simply choose not to police the certified vehicle restrictions. Some don’t yet have the bylaws in place to apply restrictions, prohibit areas or offer freedom camping areas for non-self-contained campers. ■ It is safest, from a getting fined point of view, to assume the new laws apply everywhere, and to check the region’s website and their signs very carefully for their current rules. n Image: ©2024 M Richardson Freedom camping & self-containment 2 Where are we at with self-containment and freedom camping? 2 Who can freedom camp from now until 7 June 2025? 4 Getting your camping vehicle certified 8 Am I freedom camping? 8 What you need for a green warrant for freedom camping 10 Planning a toilet for the freedom camping green warrant? 12 Venting a toilet cassette: why, what, when and how 14 Keeping up with the self-containment changes 16 Composting and coddiwompling ︎ Up Up 8 Winter 2024 , p 2

3 Autumn 2023 3 Autumn 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption We took the dog on many of the easy bush walks (it’s amazing who you meet on the tracks — old friends and famous people ©2023 Heather Auckram We took the dog on many of the easy bush walks (it’s amazing who you meet on the tracks — old friends and famous people ©2023 Heather Auckram We took the dog on many of the easy bush walks (it’s amazing who you meet on the tracks — old friends and famous people ©2023 Heather Auckram Cooking marshmallows. ©2023 Heather Auckram ©2023 Heather Auckram I was invited to spend the New Year with friends at their crib at Papatowai. ©2023 Heather Auckram I rode on a trailer being towed along a long sandy beach. I squashed a few sandflies and went to bed blissfully happy each night. Catlins, Southland . Heather Auckram ©2023 Heather Auckram We took the dog on many of the easy bush walks (it’s amazing who you meet on the tracks — old friends and famous people ©2023 Heather Auckram About 10pm the sun went down, so we put the lead on the dog and made our way to the beach. We set up our deck chairs and chilly bin and watched the huge bonfire being lit on the sand. It crackled into life and flames reached for the stars in the still air. People mixed and mingled, sharing a laugh and a story. I crept into my camp some time around 1am on a warm, star-filled night. Hello 2023. ©2023 Heather Auckram We dipped our toes in the cold sea. ©2023 Heather Auckram I went to bed blissfully happy each night HELLO 2023 Heather Auckram I was invited to spend the New Year with friends at their crib at Papatowai. To tell you the truth, it has been fifteen years since I was last in the Catlins. Shameful really; I live in Southland. The weather was perfect. Long hot sunny days with a warm gentle breeze. The drive over was easy, on good roads with little traffic and well signposted. I met my friends at the New Year’s Eve fair on the beachfront. There were markets and games and prizes to be had. I didn’t take any photos as I was so overcome with the joy of being at an old-fashioned fair like those of my childhood many decades ago. About 10pm the sun went down, so we put the lead on the dog and made our way to the beach. We set up our deck chairs and chilly bin and watched the huge bonfire being lit on the sand. It crackled into life and flames reached for the stars in the still air. People mixed and mingled, sharing a laugh and a story. I crept into my camp some time around 1am on a warm, star-filled night. Hello 2023. Over the following hot summer days, we took the dog on many of the easy bush walks (it’s amazing who you meet on the tracks — old friends and famous people), dipped our toes in the cold sea, rode on a trailer being towed along a long sandy beach, squashed a few sandflies and went to bed blissfully happy each night. Oh, I must tell you — there is limited mobile phone reception at Papatowai. I believe a couple of providers work, but I am with Spark and had no phone reception at all. Four days off the radar! If you want to stop the world and get off for a while — then Papatowai could be the place for you. I was shocked at how often I reached for my mobile phone. It was great not being beeped at on a regular basis or concerning myself with melodramas that are not even part of my life. I think I had developed a habit — but no more. My phone stays at home more than I do these days. Thank you Papatowai. Photos ©2023 Heather Auckram Up Up 3 Autumn 2023 , p 8

2 Summer 2022 Summer 2022 ISSUE 2 CONTENTS PDF BUY Up Preparing for the cold winter "brrrrrr's" Linda Butler Up My husband Martin and I met up with Ray Harris the winter before last at Waihi Gorge. Our first night in the bus in winter. Darn, we could only get the new heater up to 10ºC on that night, and woke to a -3ºC frost. We opened the oven door, lit the gas and waited for sunshine. I'm proud of my hubby, he did agree to stay another night, but we enjoyed the warmth of Ray's 30º heater that evening, while playing cards until bedtime. This was from our newly installed diesel heater. Oh boy, we soon wondered if there was actually nothing wrong with the old gas one after all. The installers spent a lot of hours trying to work out the problem. Even with lagged pipes the heater wouldn't get warmer than 18º. Finally we were told the poor insulation and many windows in the bus were the problem. So over the last few months we came up with a plan. Purchased woollen carpet; it won’t need underlay, we were told. Tick With the curtains closed around our beds we still had a draft coming from the windows. We have a silver rail in front of the window. No probs. Op shop curtains purchased and now we sit draft-free with a feeling of sitting in a yurt in the back of the bus. Tick The carpet did need underlay as we still felt it cold. Fixed. Tick Hubby couldn't stand the cold on his body from the bus wall lining under the window by the bed. He needs a bit more fat on him! So we bought yoga mats. Nice and thin. Can lay under the mattress when not in use. Perfect. Tick Stumbled on a net curtain to cover the door for insects and thought, why not also get a long curtain to cover the door for cold? Found one that fits a treat and hangs around my passenger-side headrest when not in use. Another draft fixed. Tick The venetian blinds in the kitchen: we found just enough curtain to cover over them as well.We are going to be so snug! Tick The bathroom felt like a bucket of ice. We hung a curtain cord and threaded a towel by its own hem. That kept the cold off our arm. Easy to wash. Tick Might try leaving the door open in the evening to let the heat from the cabin flow in. That only left the driver's window area. We heard about insulation paper that builders use. We bought about 10 meters, cut it down to each individual window size, then used a heat gun and sealed the edges. This hopefully will help with the frost also! We hope... Since doing all this, we have been unable to get out to try it, other than 2 nights at Lake Camp before winter really hit, after the carpet was put in and we had our curtains over the back windows. That little made a big difference. We are looking forward to next year when we hit the road. Late August after we return from Europe. We will be snug as a bug in a rug. We hope! Don't give up. Get ready for those winter blues… brrrrr… Photos ©2022 Linda Butler Up Up Now’s the time to plan or prepare your caravan, bus or motorhome for next winter. I asked Linda to tell us about her journey to warm up their bus. Editor Windows Our bus has a lot of windows ©2022 Linda Butler More windows Our bus has a lot of windows ©2022 Linda Butler Sealing the edges or the window insulation. We used a heat gun and sealed the edges on the insulation for the driver's window.©2022 Linda Butler Windows Our bus has a lot of windows ©2022 Linda Butler 1/6