3 Autumn 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption ​ Mountain biking Andrew Morton If it was that easy, everyone would do it. I’ve fallen off the mountain bike, been stung on the lip by a bee, my van, rear sliding door has packed a sad and I can’t access my fridge! Lots of riding: one day a 600m climb, followed by two day-rides of 7hr and a 3hr ride on third day. It’s been cold up here in the Central North Island, in Summer, much to my surprise: snow. At least six days of torrential rain! But I would not swap this for anything, the light, the colours, the experiences, the people you meet, are priceless to me. Sure reminds me just how lucky I am to live in the south (Southland). Up Up 3 Autumn 2023 , p 23

3 Autumn 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption ​ Ten hours into a power cut Cheine Matheson Ten hours into a power cut with this cyclone .... THEN I remembered I've got full batteries in Mavis! Cheine Matheson ©2023 Cheine Matheson Up Up 3 Autumn 2023 , p 7

8 Winter 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption ©2024 Gary Stoneley a convenient way to pay What is KiwiCamp? Miriam Richardson What started out as a pay-for-what-you-need set of camper facilities like National Park, has now expanded to include sites that charge per night or for particular facilities. Check their website in advance. kiwicamp.nz Regional camps without resident managers, such as Hurunui Council’s Amberley Beach Campground, are now using KiwiCamp to collect the fees, and the NZMCA is using them to manage charging for power at some of their parks. The Kiwicash fob To use KiwiCamp sites or facilities you need a KiwiCash fob (digital key), and it needs to have enough credit. See their website for places you can buy one. You recharge the fob online, so internet is required. You need to get the fob before you get to the site. You need the charged fob to lift the barrier and enter the camp. When you depart, it counts the nights you have been there, and debits your fob. The fobs are small enough to carry on your key ring, but bear in mind you need to carry them with you into the shower or laundry etc. Private campsites using KiwiCash have their own rules about who can stay, but KiwiCamp facilities are available if you are using a tent or a vehicle, self-contained or not. kiwicamp.nz/what-is-kiwi-camp Sites vary in what they provide, but these are things you might be able to pay for with the fob: Secure parking Hot showers Dishwashing/cooking facilities Laundry facilities Waste recycling station Water filling station Secure power points (charging laptop, phone etc). Caravan powered sites. WiFi Dump station Kiwicamp module at TECT, in BOP, with showers, toilets, kitchen and laundry. I used these showers at the TECT park (right) in the Bay of Plenty and it was really nice to just wave the fob to get another 4 minutes. It’s a bother to get the fob and to get set up to recharge it, but after the set-up hurdle it is a very convenient way to pay for things. National Park photo ©2024 Gary Stoneley Up Up 8 Winter 2024 , p 37

4 Winter 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption get_IMG_5287.webp Cycling beside the remaining railway track The trail is mostly flat, and the terrain easy, as it winds beside the Ohinemuri River. ©2023 Fiona Thomson The tunnel The 1100-metre long brick-lined tunnel was dry and well- lit, however a torch or cycle lamp also helps with visibility. ©2023 Fiona Thomson Tunnel and bridge Departing the tunnel, you ride straight out onto a dramatic bridge that crosses the river below, with road traffic crossing above the tunnel mouth. ©2023 Fiona Thomson In front of a dramatic bridge We cycled the13.2km return trip from the Karangahake Gorge carpark, near the Karangahake Tunnel, to the charming Waikino Station Café ©2023 Fiona Thomson Relics of the old gold mining era The remains of the Victoria Battery on the left. ©2023 Fiona Thomson The remains of the Victoria Battery Waikino Station The Waikino Station Café The Waikino Station Café provided us with a delicious and leisurely lunch before our return journey. The café provides a variety of options to suit most dietary requirements and budgets. ©2023 Fiona Thomson The trail is mostly flat, and the terrain easy as it winds beside the Ohinemuri River. Get on Ya Bike Fiona Thomson We cycled the13.2km return trip from the Karangahake Gorge carpark, near the Karangahake Tunnel, to the charming Waikino Station Café. On some parts of the trail, mobile phone coverage can be patchy. ©2023 Fiona Thomson The 1100-metre long brick-lined tunnel was dry and well-lit, however a torch or cycle lamp also helps with visibility. Departing the tunnel, you ride straight out onto a dramatic bridge that crosses the river below, with road traffic crossing above the tunnel mouth. The trail is mostly flat, and the terrain easy, as it winds beside the Ohinemuri River. Relics of the old gold mining era can be seen along the trail, with information boards and historic machinery providing opportunities for a break from cycling. The remains of the Victoria Battery were fascinating to explore, and provided several photo opportunities. The remains of the Victoria Battery. ©2023 Fiona Thomson This was once a booming industrial area, where the mining battery operation could be heard from the town of Waihi, approximately 10km away. The Waikino Station Café provided us with a delicious and leisurely lunch before our return journey. The café provides a variety of options to suit most dietary requirements and budgets. The Waikino Station Cafe ©2023 Fiona Thomson This section of the Hauraki Cycle Trail is a great ride — a fellow APC member (Graham Leslie) hadn’t ridden a bike for years, but found this trail easily achievable. ©2023 Fiona Thomson Up Up 4 Winter 2023 , p 14

8 Winter 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption The family at Rotorua ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan Coopers Beach ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan Coromandel Amodeo Bay Anglers Lodge ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan Russel ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan Cape Reinga ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan The family at Rotorua ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan time to dream up and follow through on ridiculous ideas The road less travelled: ten lessons learned on the road Kimberlea Turner Three years ago we decided to trade the hustle and bustle of everyday life for the open road. Hitching up our caravan and waving goodbye to house-life, our family of four hit the road to explore our country, Aotearoa New Zealand. It’s been a whirlwind of experiences from picture perfect campsites, overnight hikes to breath-taking views, kayaking and sailing the stunning coastline, playing tourist in our own backyard and meeting a whole load of amazing people along the way. Sure, there have been some hiccups, (a flat tire in the middle of nowhere at 10pm at night comes to mind!) but the highs have always outweighed the lows and we find it so important to take some time to reflect on our incredible journey so far. Here’s a deep dive into 10 invaluable lessons we’ve learned from 3 years of full-time family travel. 1. The first year is all about learning, the second year is when you really start enjoying the journey. The first year can be tough — you learn to live in a confined space with your family, you spend half your life in search of the next dump station (or laundromat, water source, rubbish and recycling, supermarket or fuel station), setting up and packing up your rig, and juggling the travel/work/homeschool balance. Somewhere along the way this becomes organic, leaving you more time to dream up and follow through on ridiculous ideas… Like buying a sailboat. 2. The old cliché, don’t forget the journey. Initially we rushed everywhere to get to the destination (the classic, kids are sleeping — let’s just keep driving!) but the more we travel the less distance we cover and the more breaks we take. Waterfall walk on the side of the road? Sure, lets stop! Kids spot a playground? Why not! 3. You will bicker, and that’s ok. When you have multiple personalities packed into a confined environment, especially after a few days of rain, there will be some tense times! But you will make leaps and bounds in learning to communicate better and when to give others some space, or take some yourself. 4. Opportunities are endless Opportunities are endless once you’re available to take them. The best opportunities we’ve had along our travels (and consequently the friends we’ve made from them) have been as a direct result of us living on the road and being able to accept opportunities on a whim. 5. There will be some soul searching. You’ve left your job, got rid of most of your possessions and hit the road and it feels so freeing! Until eventually you discover how much of our identities are tied into the jobs we do and the lives we live. Who are you outside of what you do? Who do you want to be? What exactly do you want from this chapter of your life? There will be some soul searching… Spoiler alert: who you are when you hit the road is not the same as who you will be 3 years down the track… Personal growth, baby! 6. Home isn’t a place, it’s a feeling. It certainly helps we tow our 14m2 home on wheels behind us wherever we go, and when we’re tucked up at night we feel right at home no matter what landscape is outside our 4 walls, in fact, sometimes we have to crack a blind in the morning to remember where we are! But we’ve discovered that home isn’t the place we live, it’s the people we surround ourselves with and as long as our family is together, we feel at home wherever we are. 7. Take a moment to be in the moment. It’s so easy to get lost in the long list of things you want to do and see next or get frustrated when life inevitably throws a curve ball. We never would have dreamed 10 years ago we’d be doing what we are today and wouldn’t trade the experience for the world. Sometimes we need to stop and remind ourselves of that and take a moment to look around and appreciate where we are and the journey we’ve had along the way. And on that note… 8. You can see a lot, but you can’t see it all. How cute were we when we thought we could whip around New Zealand in a year or less?! 3 years later and we’ve been as far North, South, East and West as you can go and zig-zagged all over the middle. While we’ve ticked a lot off the list, we know we could do another 5 laps and still see new things each time. Have a list of top spots you want to visit but make time to follow your nose and ask for recommendations from locals and other travellers along the way. Be present and embrace the adventure. 9. Always have a plan B. Life happens, just have a plan B. 10. Just go. The rest will sort itself out. Looking back at all we’ve learned and the memories we’ve made, we can confidently say: we wouldn’t change a thing. See you out there! All photos ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan facebook.com/twokidsandacaravan Up Up 8 Winter 2024 , p 5

6 Summer 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption battle_20230218_074430_mw.webp battle_20230218_125924_w.webp battle_20230217_191709_w.webp ​ Battle Hill Farm Forest Park: A great Summer camping spot Bette Cosgrove STOP and STAY Pauatahanui, Paekakariki Hill Road, Wellington Regional Park This super affordable camp ground close to Wellington, Hutt Valley and Kapiti is situated on a former farm and a significant historical site. In a sheltered valley, it caters for everyone on a pay per person basis with online reservation and payment services at the gate. It’s a lot like freedom camping in that you simply register and park up wherever there’s a suitable spot, either near the stables, river or forest. There are plenty of natural spaces for everyone from pup tents to large RVs. There’s always a wide variety of campers enjoying this camping spot. We love the masses of eels to feed, day hikes and night walks to search for glow worms; there are safe fire-pits too and a little swimming hole for hot days. A basic flushing toilet block and water facilities are provided, with the only restriction being that no dogs are allowed. Big vehicles stick to the southern road access. MORE Pauatahanui, Paekakariki Hill Road, Wellington Regional Park. STOP and STAY Where to stop when travelling and camping in NZ — use it, share it, add to it. Stop and Stay is a free resource for NZ campers and travellers, brought to you by campers for campers. It might be a country pub for a meal, a rural property, a council reserve, a DOC camp; it might be a commercial campground or a unique day-stop or cafe. Please add your recommendations to the list. Anyone one can access the list or make recommendations. It’s free, too, for property owners to be on the list. Remember to always check with hosts first — phone numbers are provided on most listings, and keep in mind that some properties have restrictions. Dog-friendly properties are indicated on each listing, as are wheelchair accessible properties. STOP and STAY | Add a place to Stop and Stay Up Up 6 Summer 2023 , p 33

SUMMER 2022 ISSUE 2 BUY PDF INDEX Summer, Issue 2, Camping the Kiwi Way Previous Next Miriam Richardson (Editor) Buy a copy, subscribe for a year's worth of copies, read it on paper, read it here or read the pdf. The choice is yours. Only $12 a copy delivered, $36 for 4 issues. BUY We bring you travel stories, tips, wonderful places to visit, insight into political changes, some solid information, a crossword: light reading, serious reading and some fun browsing. Enjoy Previous This issue is kindly sponsored by the All Points Camping Club of NZ and NZ Lifestyle Camping. Next left-turn-ruapehu_w_th left-turn-train left-turn-pedestrian_w Left-turn-Maungatautari-view_w Ad ISSN 2815-827X (Online) | ISSN:2815-8261 (Print) ISSUE 2 editor@campingthekiwiway.org

SUMMER 2022 ISSUE 2 BUY PDF INDEX Summer, Issue 2, Camping the Kiwi Way Previous Next Miriam Richardson (Editor) Buy a copy, subscribe for a year's worth of copies, read it on paper, read it here or read the pdf. The choice is yours. Only $12 a copy delivered, $36 for 4 issues. BUY We bring you travel stories, tips, wonderful places to visit, insight into political changes, some solid information, a crossword: light reading, serious reading and some fun browsing. Enjoy Previous This issue is kindly sponsored by the All Points Camping Club of NZ and NZ Lifestyle Camping. Next left-turn-ruapehu_w_th left-turn-train left-turn-pedestrian_w Left-turn-Maungatautari-view_w Ad ISSN 2815-827X (Online) | ISSN:2815-8261 (Print) ISSUE 2 editor@campingthekiwiway.org

Instagrammable: making the most of instagram Previous Next Bette Cosgrove Instagrammable(v) beautiful enough to share on the Instagram.com app So many travellers, campers, and vanlifers are recording their journeys on 'the gram' these days, sharing snippets of their lives, packaged neatly in squares or reels. Instagram, the social media platform, is a quick and easy way to document and share to your chosen followers or a keen public, just where you've been and what you've seen. ‘Reels ‘or ‘carousels’ of photos and video snippets with background music, are simple to create and can make even the most basic scenery shot look like a luxe travel promo for camping or travelling adventures. It also creates a simple visual diary for your trips away or life on the road. Instagram is an attractive and often addictive 'look book' to scroll through, filled with recommended places to visit and shared experiences. It's a good place to start researching if you want to go on a roadie or camping trip of your own. Beware of what you see though stories Instagram feeds can often glorify or sanitise the sometimes cold, miserable or cramped reality of vanlife or camping adventures. Always be conscious that the carefully curated shots of stunning vistas, natural beauty, and carefree living might be missing the full truth of everyday challenges that weather, environment, crowds and lack of home comforts can create. Where to start? If you're keen to discover new places to visit or freedom camp, in our gorgeous country, then a good place to start is to search Instagram using the #hashtag #Coddiwompling You're bound to find an INSTA account with adventurous Kiwis, just like you, to follow. They're intent on finding out-of-the-way places to share their life 'in squares' so that their followers get a head start on which top spots to add to their itinerary. Try these recommended accounts for starters : @vangranz @adventureswithrosy @wandawompling @coddiwomple_van @lifedonedifferentlynz @wee.white.van @shazgram What is a hash tag? And how do you use it? Take a word. Put a # (hash) in front of it. Its a hashtag. Add the hash tag to your photos on instagram, your posts on facebook, any blog post you put on the internet. Just type it at the end. #coddiwompling Now you can find your and other peoples stuff that share the same hash tag. Your photos and posts will stand alongside others who also add #coddiwompling to their photos. Beware of what you see though stories Previous Next coddiwomple_w_m.webp coddiwomple_w_m.webp 1/1 ​ Advertisment ISSN 2815-827X (Online) | ISSN:2815-8261 (Print) ISSUE 2 editor@campingthekiwiway.org

9 Spring 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson ©2024 M Richardson I am perched on the shoulder of a god On the shoulder of a god Miriam Richardson It was August when I set off from Ōtaki for a few nights on Mt Taranaki. This was before my campervan days, so I was booked in to The Camphouse, high on Mt Taranaki in the National Park. Although there is a sealed road to The Camphouse, like other DOC tramping huts I was booking just a bed and mattress in a bunk house. Apart from some late night hoons in the carpark I had the place mostly to myself. I had a great view of Mt Ngāuruhoe on my first day there, though it was invisible for the rest of my stay. On the shoulder of a god I feel the last of the sun’s winter warmth in the macrocarpa seat Squint a little in the bright snow-light Watch my black footprints soften in the snow Listen to a drip from the roof a faint gurgle in the drainpipe corrugated iron ticking in the sun. I am so high up I see a storm ride from land to sea swallowing the broad curve of coast. I see our civilisation shrink —nothing more than a patchwork quilt moulded to the curves and hollows of the plain, dotted with bright beads and sequins. I’m perched on the shoulder of a god. Beyond, on the white plateau another god, pale pink and mauve,rides my horizon. I still struggle to accept that anything so large can so completely disappear. Thankfully Taranaki didn’t disappear on me. There are several day-walks from the hut. You must book online with DOC for this hut. Your booking gives you an unlock code, to obtain a key. There are locked boxes at the visitors’ centre below the Camphouse that hold the keys.tip: Take a torch. If you can do without your privacy for a night or two, you get an easy access, fantastic base to explore the mountain, with spectacular views, and, if the gods are kind, views of Ruapehu and Ngāuruhoe. ◼️ More: ckw.nz/camphouse Images ©2024 Miriam Richardson Up Up 9 Spring 2024 , p 19

9 Spring 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption ©2024 Heather Auckram ©2024 Heather Auckram ©2024 Heather Auckram Coming from the icy deep south, we soon shed our coats for lighter sweatshirts. The West Coast in winter Heather Auckram Winter is a great time to visit the West Coast. One winter’s morning in June, my son and I spontaneously took the campervan on a road trip up the coast. Coming from the icy deep south, we soon shed our coats for lighter sweatshirts. The weather is much milder on the coast. Roads are wide and well sealed and road-marked and despite the clear skies and sunshine we only found a few patches of light frost! We never booked ahead. We just drove in to camping grounds and found a stunning place to park up. Many of the holiday parks have cheaper winter rates as it is outside peak tourist season. With no crowds to battle through, we meandered through mossy bush, saw glowworms, waterfalls, glaciers, hot pools, snow hilltops — and not a single tour bus. There are plenty of friendly locals and curious wekas out enjoying the winter sun too. We did cook, but we treated ourselves to delicious and reasonably priced food too. Highly recommended! ◼️ Images ©2024 Heather Auckram Up Up 9 Spring 2024 , p 8

7 Autumn 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption The cat comes too ©2024 Warren B Smith only 6km from home... The cat comes too Warren B Smith Up Up 7 Autumn 2024 , p 16