2 Summer 2022 2 Summer 2022 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Athol The campsite at Athol was basic but attractive. The kitchen was a small hut with a sink, toaster and fridge, so I cooked outside on my own stove. Part of the camp was set up for campervans, with each site assigned a small hut, with toilet, shower and basin as an en-suite. ©2022 Stephen Wood A snack stops at Garston Coffee Bomb, Garston. ©2022 Stephen Wood The road from Kingston to Frankton The road from Kingston to Frankton is one which many believe is too dangerous to cycle, but with less traffic due to covid restrictions and keeping a good eye out for vehicles ahead and behind it was manageable. ©2022 Stephen Wood Queenstown I decided to head into central Queenstown to look for a few bits and pieces. It was certainly quieter than I’d seen it for years, but still plenty of shopping and food options. ©2022 Stephen Wood Heading up the Crown Range Setting out from Arrowtown, I used Tobin’s track to bypass the zigzag at the bottom of the Crown Range road, but there is still plenty of climbing to do after rejoining the road. It’s a long winding climb, and even though I could ride much of it, a loaded bicycle is pretty slow and wobbly at low speed. I decided that my safety was a lot better if I walked, especially around blind left-handed corners as I could be further to the left, with my bike between me and the traffic. The Crown Range Monument With the sealing of the last part of the road in 2000, the Crown Range Pass, at 1076m, became the highest sealed road in New Zealand. The first Europeans crossed the pass in 1850 and the first tourists crossed it in horse-drawn wagons in 1877. ©2022 Stephen Wood The summit, Crown Range It’s always an achievement to get to a road summit — it was the first time I’d cycled this one from the south. ©2022 Stephen Wood Wanaka The downhill from the Crown Range Summ it was wonderful, with a café stop at Cardrona and a relaxed arrival in Wanaka, where I decided to camp at one of the campgrounds to allow another grocery top-up. Approaching the neck between Lakes Hawea & Wanaka ©2022 Stephen Wood Haast Pass Summit From Cameron Flat it was a relatively short haul up to the Summit of Haast Pass/ Tioripatea. The descent however is steep, and requires care on a loaded bike, including checks for brakes overheating. Gate of Haast bridge ©2022 Stephen Wood Knights Point The first day took me past the steep bluffs around Knights Point and gentler coastal terrain to a DOC campsite at Lake Paringa, giving me plenty of a time for an afternoon excursion up the road to check out the nearest café, 18km away. ©2022 Stephen Wood West past road through the bush ©2022 Stephen Wood Handlebars The rear vision mirror on the right shows me the traffic coming up behind me. ©2022 Stephen Wood West Coast bridge ©2022 Stephen Wood The pub in Hari Hari is set up for campervan stays. ©2022 Stephen Wood Tile garden in Hari Hari ©2022 Stephen Wood Cycle touring: Part II, Southland to the West Coast Stephen Wood After my ride from Canterbury to Southland, the next step was to continue my clockwise circuit of the Island. I left from Lorneville, in Otago, heading north. Winton was a good opportunity to stock up on a few groceries before lunch in Dipton and carrying on to Lumsden. I researched where the overnight stop might be, and settled on getting to Athol, which was a long enough day, such that there weren’t any cafés or shops open when I arrived. The campsite at Athol was basic but attractive. The kitchen was a small hut with a sink, toaster and fridge, so I cooked outside on my own stove. Part of the camp was set up for campervans, with each site assigned a small hut, with toilet, shower and basin as an en-suite. An early, foggy start in Athol soon cleared and I found snack stops in both Garston and Kingston. I enjoyed the landscape, suggestive of the much larger river that once drained Lake Wakatipu before the Kawerau River captured that role. The road from Kingston to Frankton is one which many believe is too dangerous to cycle, but with less traffic due to covid restrictions and keeping a good eye out for vehicles ahead and behind it was manageable. I decided to head into central Queenstown to look for a few bits and pieces. It was certainly quieter than I’d seen it for years, but still plenty of shopping and food options. Because my next day was going to be a big one, I headed out via Arthurs Point to Arrowtown to camp there. Setting out from Arrowtown, I used Tobin’s track to bypass the zigzag at the bottom of the Crown Range road, but there is still plenty of climbing to do after rejoining the road. It’s a long winding climb, and even though I could ride much of it, a loaded bicycle is pretty slow and wobbly at low speed. I decided that my safety was a lot better if I walked, especially around blind left-handed corners as I could be further to the left, with my bike between me and the traffic. It’s always an achievement to get to a road summit — it was the first time I’d cycled this one from the south. Of course the downhill was wonderful, with a café stop at Cardrona and a relaxed arrival in Wanaka, where I decided to camp at one of the campgrounds to allow another grocery top-up. Next day I was heading off past Albert Town, the first time I’d come across a one-way bridge with traffic lights and a cyclists’ push-button to switch them, and then on to Hawea and beyond. There was a reasonably strong nor’westerly slowing me down. After a lunch stop on the road and then a café stop in Makarora, I headed to the DOC campground at Cameron Flat. Despite some publicity about DOC campsites needing to be pre-booked, so far I have found that you can still just turn up and pay at an honesty box, as long as the site isn’t full! The site is close to the Blue Pools, a scenic hotspot with an upgraded car park. From Cameron Flat it was a relatively short haul up to the Summit of Haast Pass/ Tioripatea. The descent however is steep, and requires care on a loaded bike, including checks for brakes overheating. Once down on the river flats it was easy going until Haast, apart from navigating around several road crews working on sections of an optic fibre link. Although there were camping options in Haast I upgraded myself to a backpackers hotel and a pub dinner. Fox Glacier is a 120km away and I decided that although I can do that distance in a day, that I’d split it into two easier days. The first day took me past the steep bluffs around Knights Point and gentler coastal terrain to a DOC campsite at Lake Paringa, giving me plenty of a time for an afternoon excursion up the road to check out the nearest café, 18km away. An early start the next day got me to Fox Glacier township, where I was expecting another welfare visit from my wife Robyn in our campervan. Because she was planning to shadow me for a couple of days, this meant I could tackle the up and down road to Franz Joseph as well as the next hump, called Mount Hercules, without my panniers. That got us to Hari Hari where the pub was set up for campervan stays and we had time to look around the town. The next day’s forecast carried a heavy rain warning, but I was determined to keep going. We had a cuppa stop together in Ross where Robyn reported that the campervan had a worrying roof leak. I did start riding towards Hokitika, but thinking about both my safety on the road when every passing vehicle was lifting a cloud of road spray, the forecast, that suggested the next several days would also be wet, and that the last leak on our campervan had caused a lot of electrical damage, I decided to call a halt to my ride and help Robyn get the campervan home to Canterbury. I wasn’t sure if this was going to be the end of my ride around the island or not. 9 days riding, 707 km. Up Up 2 Summer 2022 , p 9

10 summer 2024 Summer 2024 ISSUE 10 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption GO TO Springing bring the tent, bring the kids The All Points Camping Club of NZ ALL POINTS CAMPING CLUB of NZ We are proud to sponsor this issue of Camping the Kiwi Way Brought to you by NZ’s inclusive, friendly, camping club, for your reading pleasure. Family membership to the All Points Camping Club gives you: ✶ Membership support ✶ Friendly, inclusive camping events ✶ Nationwide savings ✶ Lobbying support for campers’ rights. You don’t have to have a self-contained vehicle to join. You don’t have to be a member to come to our events. It’s more than just a club, it’s like one big family. Come along to one of our events near you.Bring the tent, bring the kids. Image: ©2024 Margaret Earle Join now only $35NZ’s national camping club Join here: www.allpointscampingnz.org ✶ When the benefits far exceed the cost you’d be crazy not to take it up. ✶ Our values: compassion, inclusion, support and encouragement Top image: Motukarara, Canterbury. ©2022 Linda Butler. Up Up 10 Summer 2024 , p 48

4 Winter 2023 Winter 2023 ISSUE 4 BUY PDF CONTENTS Up I am on track Andrew Morton Up I am on track with my original goal of 100 nights per year & mountain bike as much as I can in other regions. Teardrop. © 2023 Andrew Morton Up Up 1/0 ISSN 2815-827X (Online) | ISSN:2815-8261 (Print) editor@campingthekiwiway.org

11 autumn 2025 11 autumn 2025 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Full time for 20 odd years One thing I learnt after travelling full time for 20 odd years. It doesn't matter so much where you are, as long as you are present where you are. ©2025 Rv and Tiny House Living NZ Full time for 20 odd years ©2025 Rv and Tiny House Living NZ Full time for 20 odd years ©2025 Rv and Tiny House Living NZ One thing I learnt 20-odd years Fran One thing I learnt after travelling full-time for 20 odd years: It doesn’t matter so much where you are, as long as you are present where you are. Mind you, I still struggle with that at times, wanting nature and just the sounds of nature. lol. FB: facebook.com/rvandtinyhouselivingnz YouTube: ckw.nz/tiny-youtube©2025 Rv and Tiny House Living NZ Up Up 11 autumn 2025 , p 29

8 Winter 2024 8 Winter 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption favourite tips and tricks for cold Winter tips from our previous issues Editor Winter tips never go out of date... Winter’s here… Here’s a few favourite tips and tricks for keeping warm, dealing with cold, wind, rainy days, and embracing the colder months outdoors. ckw.nz/winter-tips Photo © 2023 Bette Cosgrove TIPS for the cold Camping in the winter (tent or van) needs to be pretty organised and good gear is needed. I do most things, from being out and about in my van to tramping and snow-holeing. ckw.nz/tips-cold Photo ©2022 Daniel Munro More cold season tips Sharing our best hacks which made life so much easier on a recent Matariki vanning trip. ckw.nz/tips-cold-more Photo ©2024 Bette Cosgrove Insulation: Preparing for the cold winter “brrrrrr’s” Darn, we could only get the new heater up to 10ºC on that night, and woke to a -3ºC frost. Eventually we were told the poor insulation and many windows in the bus were the problem. ckw.nz/brrrr Photo ©2023 Linda Butler Pegs for tough weather A commercial and a DIY (metal) version of a peg for windy weather. ckw.nz/pegs-for-wind . Photo ©2023 M Richardson A stove jack Best mod for camping so far, a stove jack sewn into the awning. ckw.nz/stove-jack Photo ©2023 Keil MacDiarmid It was cold at Mavora Lakes I think the Mrs thought I was a bit crazy suggesting a night away in the van this time of year. ckw. ckw.nz/mavora-cold Photo ©2022 Daniel Munro Up Up 8 Winter 2024 , p 31

7 Autumn 2024 Autumn 2024 ISSUE 7 BUY PDF CONTENTS Click on image for full view and caption Traction engine rides ©2024 Margaret Earle Traction engine rides My granddaughters particularly liked the traction engine rides and dancing to the music at the various stages around the central business district. ©2024 Margaret Earle Vintage and classic cars On Saturday the main street was packed with a display of vintage and classic cars and other vehicles of those eras. ©2024 Margaret Earle Vintage and classic cars On Saturday the main street was packed with a display of vintage and classic cars and other vehicles of those eras. ©2024 Margaret Earle The vintage weekend is an annual event held over Wellington Anniversary Weekend. Music at the various stages around the central business district. ©2024 Margaret Earle More music Music at the various stages around the central business district. ©2024 Margaret Earle Dancing to the music Dancing to the music at the various stages around the central business district. ©2024 Margaret Earle SteamRail Wanganui ©2024 Margaret Earle Wanganui Aeroclub ©2024 Margaret Earle Aeroclub We drove out to the Whanganui Aeroclub on Sunday morning to see the planes on display. My three-year-old granddaughter had lots of fun climbing into the cockpit of a top-dressing plane and a couple of others that were open to view. ©2024 Margaret Earle Aeroclub We drove out to the Whanganui Aeroclub on Sunday morning to see the planes on display. My three-year-old granddaughter had lots of fun climbing into the cockpit of a top-dressing plane and a couple of others that were open to view. ©2024 Margaret Earle Aeroclub We drove out to the Whanganui Aeroclub on Sunday morning to see the planes on display. My three-year-old granddaughter had lots of fun climbing into the cockpit of a top-dressing plane and a couple of others that were open to view. ©2024 Margaret Earle All Points camp at the Whanganui Intermediate School In January, 70 adults and 25 young people took part in an All Points camp at the Whanganui Intermediate School. ©2024 Margaret Earle A mix of caravans, tents, motor homes and small vans We were camped in a mix of caravans, tents, motor homes and small vans and many camped as family groups or groups of friends. There was a great sense of community during the weekend. ©2024 Margaret Earle A mix of caravans, tents, motor homes and small vans We were camped in a mix of caravans, tents, motor homes and small vans and many camped as family groups or groups of friends. There was a great sense of community during the weekend. ©2024 Margaret Earle A mix of caravans, tents, motor homes and small vans We were camped in a mix of caravans, tents, motor homes and small vans and many camped as family groups or groups of friends. There was a great sense of community during the weekend. ©2024 Margaret Earle A mix of caravans, tents, motor homes and small vans We were camped in a mix of caravans, tents, motor homes and small vans and many camped as family groups or groups of friends. There was a great sense of community during the weekend. ©2024 Margaret Earle A great sense of community at the All Points Camp. All Points camp at the Whanganui Intermediate School. ©2024 Margaret Earle Whanganui vintage camping Margaret Earle In January, 70 adults and 25 young people took part in an All Points camp at the Whanganui Intermediate School. They were camped in a mix of caravans, tents, motor homes and small vans and many camped as family groups or groups of friends. There was a great sense of community during the weekend. The Intermediate School is in walking distance of the many events held during the Whanganui Vintage Weekend. The vintage weekend is an annual event held over Wellington Anniversary Weekend. The first vintage weekend was held in 2012 and the following year the Whanganui Vintage Weekend Trust was formed to grow the event for the benefit of the Whanganui community. Over the course of the weekend a great variety of events are held. Many of these events are free or very low cost. My granddaughters particularly liked the traction engine rides and dancing to the music at the various stages around the central business district. We also visited the steamboat and tram museums on Taupo Quay. On Saturday the main street was packed with a display of vintage and classic cars and other vehicles of those eras. Lots of the activity takes place by the Whanganui River including a riverside market on the Saturday and a Riverside Shindig with live music and food stalls on Sunday. Some locals and visitors get dressed up in vintage outfits and we saw a few steampunkers strutting around as well. On Saturday night the town reverberated to the bands playing on the stages in the main street. We drove out to the Whanganui Aeroclub on Sunday morning to see the planes on display. My three-year-old granddaughter had lots of fun climbing into the cockpit of a top-dressing plane and a couple of others that were open to view. There were also planes taking off and landing on the nearby runway, including a vampire jet and a DC3. After the visit to the Aeroclub we dropped in at the SteamRail Whanganui workshop for a jigger ride. This is the fourth time All Points has used the Intermediate School to camp during at the Whanganui Vintage weekend. By using the school grounds we can keep the camping fees low. The money we raise is donated to the school. The Whanganui Intermediate school grounds are a big grassy site on two levels with a playground and a swimming pool. This year the weather was tropical — hot, sunny, humid, and even a torrential downpour on Saturday afternoon. The school pool was a great place to cool off. On the Sunday evening we had a communal dinner when many of us came together with our food, drinks, tables and chairs. Low-cost camping and community fundraiser. Holding camps to coincide with local community events is a great way to provide low-cost accommodation for out-of-town people who want to visit these events. Schools, scout halls and other community or group facilities are a practical option for these types of weekend. They have the sorts of facilities that campers require and it’s a great fundraiser for them. Come and camp with us next year for the Whanganui Vintage weekend and look out for other All Points camps organised to support local community events. n All Points Camping Club of NZ JOIN US: allpointscampingnz.org For only $35 (1st year) GO TO Celebrating Summer Come and camp with us next year Private property. Not affected by law changes. Up Up 7 Autumn 2024 , p 36 ISSN 2815-827X (Online) | ISSN:2815-8261 (Print) ISSUE 4 editor@campingthekiwiway.org

Autumn 2023 ISSUE 3 BUY PDF CONTENTS Click on image for full view and caption Recipes for camping Margaret Earle and Graham Leslie Rocks and gravel for 4–6‡ Our kids and their friends invented this recipe (pictured) when they were teenagers camping at Kaitoke on a wet, long weekend (pictured). They often cooked it over the fire, but it can also be made in a camp oven (or a large pan with a lid) on a gas cooker or in a hooded BBQ. Ingredients 1–2 onions, chopped Bacon and/or sausages (the best sausages are the cheap ones) 1 Tbsp oil 3 cans of baked beans Bag of scone mix 1 tin of creamed corn Method Make dumplings by putting a tin of creamed corn in a bowl and adding enough scone mix to make a stiff dough. If the mixture becomes too dry add a small amount of milk or water. Form the dough into small balls and put aside. Put camp oven to heat on cooking fire or gas cooker. Add oil to camp oven. Fry onion, bacon and sausages for a few minutes. Add baked beans and stir through. When the mixture is warm put the uncooked dumplings on top of the baked beans and put the lid on the camp oven. Turn the gas down to low or put the camp oven on a cooler part of the fire. Leave to simmer gently until the dumplings are cooked through. Be careful that the baked bean mixture doesn’t burn while the dumplings are cooking. Paneer and vege curry for 4–5‡ I came across this recipe when I was looking for a vegetarian meal to dehydrate for tramping. It is tasty and the veges listed can be substituted for whatever is available. Paneer is used a lot in Indian vegetarian recipes. You will find it in most supermarkets. It will keep for some weeks in a fridge so is a good source of protein when most of the fresh ingredients have been eaten. In this recipe, the paneer is cubed and fried before being added to the other ingredients. This makes it crisp and flavoursome. Ingredients Cooking oil 1 onion diced 3 cloves of garlic or 1–2 tsp minced garlic 1 Tbsp grated ginger root 1 tsp garam masala 400g tin diced tomatoes ½ cup vege stock (½ tsp powdered stock + ½ cup water) 1 tsp brown sugar 1 pinch of chilli flakes 1 cup pumpkin,chopped into small cubes or kumara or carrot 1 red capsicum, diced 2 courgettes, diced 3 cups baby spinach 300g paneer, cubed Method Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large pan. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened. Add garam masala and stir. Add tomatoes, stock, brown sugar, chilli flakes, capsicum and pumpkin. Simmer until pumpkin is soft and liquid is reduced. Add courgettes and spinach and cook until wilted. While curry is cooking heat more oil in another pan. Brown paneer on all sides. Add to curry before serving. Serve with rice. Tuna pasta for 4–5‡ This recipe can be cooked entirely from tinned food so it can be made when all the fresh food has run out. Ingredients 1 onion, sliced, if available 2 cloves of garlic or 1 tsp of crushed garlic, if available 1 Tbsp oil 1–2 whatever vegetables are available (eg, mushrooms, courgettes, beans, capsicums). If no fresh veges are available, then freeze dried peas can be used: cook them separately and add with the tuna. 450g tin of tuna in spring water, drained 2 tins of diced tomatoes in juice 1 tsp dried basil 1 tsp dried oregano Handful of olives (optional) Salt and pepper Dried pasta such as spaghetti, spirals etc Grated parmesan or tasty cheese, if available Method Heat oil in a medium sized fry pan. Add onion and/or garlic (if using) and fry until slightly starting to brown. Stir in carrot and cook for 3–5 minutes. Add tinned tomatoes and bring to boil. In a separate pot boil the water for the pasta. Add sufficient pasta to feed those eating the meal. Add veges that require the most cooking. Continue to stir regularly and gradually add all the veges. Add the veges that require the least cooking last. Add drained tuna, basil and oregano. Stir well and cook until veges are desired softness. Add olives (if using) and salt and pepper to taste. Serve sauce over cooked pasta. Top with grated cheese (if using). ‡ Depends how many vege you cook, how many it will serve Up Up 3 Autumn 2023 , p 25

7 Autumn 2024 7 Autumn 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Waipu Caves ©2024 Fiona Thomson Waipu Caves ©2024 Fiona Thomson Waipu Caves ©2024 Fiona Thomson Waipu Caves ©2024 Fiona Thomson Waipu Caves ©2024 Fiona Thomson Waipu Caves ©2024 Fiona Thomson Waipu Caves ©2024 Fiona Thomson Waipu Caves ©2024 Fiona Thomson up close to the stalactites and stalagmites Hidden gem Fiona Thomson Recently when we were traveling south from Whangārei on State Highway 1, we spotted a sign for Waipu Caves. It was a spur of the moment decision to investigate further, as we turned onto a gravel side road. The road took us on a short journey through a variety of scenery including wetlands, farmland and native bush. On arrival, we were meet by the friendly staff who were just sending a group of school students off with their guides to explore the caves. We enjoyed our hour or so guided walk through the Milky Way Glow Worm cave, where our guide taught us about cave conservation, its geology and ecology. The concrete path, and stainless steel handrails, made for a nice experience as we got up close to the underworld cave formations of stalactites and stalagmites. This is a wet cave system, with water flowing deep below us. This provided just the right habitat to see New Zealand’s world-famous glow worms. There are a number of other activities available at the 320-acre park, including; caving, mountain biking, bush walks through naturally sculpted limestone formations, orienteering, abseiling, rock climbing and archery by arrangement. There are also campground sites set aside for tenting and parking motorhomes, at this newly opened attraction. Up Up 7 Autumn 2024 , p 25

1 Spring 2022 A North Island freedom-camping adventure Up Shoshanna Shand After my South Island trip, I decided I wanted to road trip the North Island and go all the way up to Cape Reinga. For me, freedom camping in the car was the best way to do it. I found some couch cushions at the recycling centre, sewing them together formed a perfect bed in the back of the car. I folded down the back seats, leaving one side with the car seat in it. This left enough space for the baby to sleep behind. I bought a gas cooker from Mitre 10 and was set to go. I also had a “pee” jug makeshift toilet which did the trick for emergencies. I had saved up $1000 and had my regular benefit payments weekly. I was still paying rent for my flat back in Nelson but I had about $300 a week to live on for food and fuel. I booked a ferry ticket for the 8th of October. I had a six-week window to do this, with no commitments. I felt so excited, yet nervous embarking on this trip. I worried about money and how it was all going to work. I didn’t plan ahead much, the extent of my plan was to go up one side and come down the other. A week before we were booked to go on the ferry, I dropped a heavy piece of wood on my toe and broke it. Ouchies. It felt okay to walk and I had a moon boot on to protect it from wild toddler and other stuff. We drove from Nelson onto the Interislander and had a cruisy trip over. I was having to hop all over the place juggling a toddler, a broken toe and all our gear. I drove straight up to Woodville to stay with some friends who gave us a horrible vomiting bug. Great start to the trip. Once recovered we headed on up to Napier where we stayed with some lovely friends, felt so classy not camping in the car. We explored Te Mata Peak which was so beautiful. We drove to the top instead of walking because why walk when you can drive). We carried on to Taupo and found a freedom camping spot near Huka Falls. This was my first proper experience of freedom camping since the Catlins. It was a cold night. I found out the gas doesn’t work when it’s really cold, so we ended up having a half-cooked dinner. That night was so cold for Spring, I wasn’t expecting it. We explored Huka Falls which was beautiful! We then drove to Rotorua for the night. We stopped in at Kerosene Creek for a swim, it was super pretty and warm but the toddler wasn’t a fan. In Rotorua we stayed at this really cool wee dinosaur park holiday park. I needed to do washing and have showers etc so it was great to freshen up. We only stayed a night in Rotorua, I wasn’t feeling the vibe, so we left the next morning and drove up the Coromandel. We skipped the Mount; I didn’t realise it was such an iconic place. I felt anxious I wouldn’t have enough time to get up to Cape Reinga before I had to go home. Turned out in the end I had plenty of time! Hot Water Beach and Cathedral Cove The next day was a big one, we explored Hot Water Beach and Cathedral Cove. If I did it again I would make sure to spend a whole day at Cathedral Cove. Being a true Kiwi, I walked down the steep track to the cove in bare feet carrying my 14 kg toddler in the carrier on the front and my backpack on the back. I ran into a couple on Cathedral Cove beach. I asked them to take photos of us. We got talking, they were so lovely and helped me carry the toddler and our stuff back up to the bus at the top of the very steep hill. One important thing to know about Cathedral Cove is you have to walk a lot more or take a bus from the car park in town. I was late finding somewhere to stay that night. I checked out the Campermate app and found some place to park up. To Auckland The next day was a beautiful one, we drove all the way up the coast admiring the amazing views. I was going to stop at a place just outside of Auckland where you can camp with self-contained or non-self-contained, the place is called Omana Clifftop Campground. When I arrived late in the day, I realised it was owned by Auckland Regional Council and you needed to book ahead and to get a key. I didn’t really know what to do because it was late, the toddler was tired out and we needed to stop for the night. At the carpark before the campground there was a freedom camping spot but only for self-contained vehicles. There was also a toilet at the carpark . So I decided to just risk it and stay the night. I felt soooo anxious about getting caught or getting into trouble over being somewhere I shouldn’t be. At around 9pm when the babe was fast asleep and I was up on my phone the security guy came around checking the car park. My heart was beating so fast and I felt like ohhh nooo im gonna get into trouble crap! He came over to my car and started writing down stuff on his phone. I got out of my car and said “hi” explaining that it got late, and I needed to stop for the night and apologised, asking if there was somewhere else I could park for the night. He was SO nice and told me I had to leave in the morning which I was happy to do of course, and let me stay the night because of the baby being fast asleep. It was such a tricky thing because I didn’t want to purposefully break any laws or rules, but it’s also dangerous to drive when fatigued and the next freedom camping spot was about half an hour away that I could find. That was quite a small but big adventure for us. We drove up to Auckland the next morning and stayed with friends exploring around Karekare and Piha. I’m not a big fan of big cities so I headed up to Whangarei heads. Whangarei You can camp at the carpark at Whangarei Heads without a self-contained vehicle so yay for us. We camped a night there and loved meeting another lovely older campervanning couple, a German guy who was camping out of his car too. I love meeting new people, especially travelers they are always so friendly. We went for a swim first thing in the morning. It was one of my favourite places in the north. On to Cape Reinga After Whangarei Heads we drove up to Paihia and stayed at the Top 10 Holiday Park which was a nice wee stop to recharge devices and do a load of cloth nappies. Then it was only a wee drive up to Cape Reinga. My goal. My dream. It felt surreal as I was driving up the last leg of the road. To the very end of New Zealand. Where the Maori believe the spirits of the dead travel on their journey to the afterlife, to leap off the headland and climb the roots of the 800-year-old pohutukawa tree and descend to the underworld to return to their traditional homeland of Hawaiki. We hung around the lighthouse for a while soaking up the surreal vibes. Eventually it was time to cruise, I found the Te Paki sand dunes and we spent the rest of the hot afternoon climbing to the top of the sand dunes and back down again, eventually the toddler got tired and requested we go back to the car. I went searching on the Campermate app for a place to crash the night. I found a DOC campground, Spirit Bay where we could camp for the night. It was FULL of campers, a long weekend I forgot about. We found a space though and parked for the night. We watched the sunset on the beach, I put the toddler to bed and jumped into the freezing cold showers that we were lucky to have at this campground. I collapsed into our car camper bed exhausted but feeling ecstatic that I had reached the Cape and survived camping with my toddler. The next day was beautiful and sunny (so blessed with good weather up in the Far North). I wanted to find 90 Mile Beach. Google maps, of course, lead me on a goose chase up a gravel road with no reception. My fuel tank was running low and I was getting stressed out. I got back onto the main road and found a fuel station to fuel up at (not many fuel stations up there so make sure if you’re going up far north to fuel up when you can). Driving back south I passed the sign for 90 Mile Beach and did a big face palm. I don’t know why on earth Google maps wouldn’t take me straight there. Oh well. 90 Mile Beach This was my favourite place I think in the north. I drove my Toyota Wish onto the sand dunes and had so much fun driving down the beach. (Definitely do not drive on the beach like me unless you’re in a four wheel drive.) I cooked up a feed of instant noodles then parked my car closer to water. That was a bit of a mistake because a wave came up and almost killed my car. I panicked and tried to drive it up the beach but it was bogged, I tried again slower and yes! It moved. Heart attack moment averted. I drove back up the beach and we had made some new friends near Cape Reinga so stayed there for a night. Next day we went to Rainbow Falls which was beautiful and crowded, long weekend vibes. Such an incredible waterfall to visit though, so highly recommend it. West coast We cut across from the east coast to the west coast and drove through the amazing kauri forest stopping in to visit big old Tane Mahuta. I found a camp for the night called Glinks Gully which was such a cool spot, no reception and right on the beach, low cost campground with hot showers available for a token and a kitchen area to use. We walked up a track to a gentle cliff overlooking the open ocean of the rugged west coast. We drove back to Auckland for a night and stayed with a new friend we made along the way. Only one night because we had booked for a Hobbiton tour, which is near Hamilton, for the next day. Hobbiton The Hobbiton tour is expensive but WELL WORTH IT. Two hour guided tour around the set, and then a stop at the wee pub for a complimentary pint afterwards. Hamilton, Kawhia We stayed in Hamilton for the night parked in someone’s driveway (they invited us to). Explored the Hamilton Gardens the next day and then drove down to Kawhia, Hot Water Beach was pretty cool. We turned up just after someone had left, so I soaked in the hot water while the toddler reminded me he wanted to go back to the car, and played in the sand. The Oparau Roadhouse hosts freedom campers so we stopped there for the night. The owners were so friendly and gave me lots of local tips and recommended we visit Marokopa Falls so we did the next day and it was amazing! Taranaki Next stop Taranaki. I had my best friend living in the Naki and we stayed with her for almost a week just recouping after a busy few weeks travelling. The mountain was amazing, we tried walking up the mountain but it was so cloudy we turned back. Then the sun came out and the clouds moved so we could see the peak. What a magnificent mountain. Southwards On to Palmerston North to stay with more good friends for a week. I quite liked Palmy. It was chilled and friendly. I had itchy feet though and didn’t wanna stay around for too long. We had our ferry booked so had to keep moving. Driving down the west coast of the north island now we stayed on Otaki beach where technically only self contained campers are allowed but according to locals everyone camps there anyways. I had my makeshift toilet to use anyways so it wasn’t a bother. We watched the sun set and just chilled out on the beach, I went for a quick swim the next morning. A local mum saw me share on my Instagram and invited me to her cafe for a chai which was so lovely. BY: Shoshanna Shand PHOTOS: ©2022 Shoshanna Shand Up Up Up Spring 2022 ISSUE 1 BUY PDF CONTENTS I love meeting new people, especially travellers; they are always so friendly. On the Interislander We drove from Nelson onto the Interislander and had a cruisy trip over. Hot Water Beach and Cathedral Cove The next day was a big one, we explored Hot Water Beach and Cathedral Cove. If I did it again I would make sure to spend a whole day Dawson Falls On the Interislander We drove from Nelson onto the Interislander and had a cruisy trip over. 1/6

Autumn 2023 ISSUE 3 BUY PDF CONTENTS Click on image for full view and caption South Island lakes: fill in the blanks Rhonda Marshall Fill in the blanks Download a printable pdf Solution Up Up 3 Autumn 2023 , p 29

Summer 2023 ISSUE 6 BUY PDF CONTENTS Up Rv & Camper services Up Find rv and camping services. Any relevant business can list; it is free. Anyone can recommend a business to add to the list. No endorsement is implied. The thumbs up shows people you can ask, if you are stuck. Their local knowledge can help you find the service you need. North Island listings South Island Listings Up Up RV-Business-Services_MW.webp RV-Business-Services_MW.webp 1/1

4 Winter 2023 4 Winter 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption One hundred nights a year Andrew Morton I am on track with my original goal of 100 nights away per year and mountain bike as much as I can in other regions. I just hit 3,000km on my mountain biking tally (non ebike!), 200 nights tonight in 20 months. I am marking the occasion with other teardrops at Orton Bradley Park on Lyttleton Harbour. I got a ‘healthy camper’ check done in Christchurch, having hauled it 15,000km so far. It passed with flying colours, and I look forward to many more trips. Images ©2023 Andrew Morton Up Up 4 Winter 2023 , p 4