8 Winter 2024 Winter 2024 ISSUE 8 BUY PDF CONTENTS Click on image for full view and caption GO TO Autumn Gold easy, effective and safe Diesel heating in caravans and motorhomes – 
it’s easy, effective and safe Collyn Rivers Diesel heating for caravans Diesel heating for caravans and motorhomes is easy, effective and safe because it hugely reduces the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, Collyn Rivers reports. Diesel heating for caravans and motorhomes is also relatively affordable. Furthermore, it is easy to self-install. Fuel is readily available, safe and readily stored. LP gas versions are also made. This is the Webasto Dual-Top water heater unit. The Eberspächer (Dometic) unit is similar. Pic: Webasto. Carbon monoxide poisoning is your main risk (of heating) in a confined space. Carbon monoxide is colourless and odourless. It forms when a carbon-based substance (coal, LP gas etc) burns without enough air. The (only minor) indications are headache, nausea, fatigue, and then unconsciousness. If you sleep, you may never wake up again. Carbon monoxide is rightly called the ‘silent killer’. It also causes brain damage at minor concentrations. Your second risk is oxygen deprivation. We need about a half a cubic metre of air an hour. We convert about 4% of that air into carbon dioxide. If you are in a confined space the exhaled carbon dioxide level rises. As a result, the remaining oxygen level falls. It is normally 21%, but symptoms (such as fatigue) set in below 15%. Brain damage consequently occurs shortly after. Oxygen deprivation is serious (or lethal) in poorly ventilated areas. It occurs whether heated or not. See Gas risk in caravans. Diesel heating for caravans and motorhomes — safety Use diesel or LP gas heating in caravans and motorhomes to avoid such issues. Both draw air from outside the RV into a tiny furnace that is sealed from the living area. Diesel oil or LP gas is injected and ignited in this furnace. Air to be heated is blown across it and ducted to wherever needed. The ‘burnt’ air expels to the atmosphere. Burning gas is thus totally sealed from the air heated within the vehicle. The units were first made in the 1930s by Germany’s Eberspächer and later by Webasto. Both are still respected worldwide. The units are similar in many ways. Some parts (such as silencers, calorifiers etc.) are interchangeable. The Snugger, a similar but cheaper unit, is sold by Diesel Heating Australia. The Snugger unit. Pic: Diesel Heating Australia. The company’s Genesis product too is worth considering. So also is the Alde Compact 3010 LP gas unit. This combines space heating and water heating. It also runs from 230 volts ac. The Genesis II provides space and water heating in one unit. Pic: Diesel Heating Australia. Truma introduced similar (LP gas) units a few years ago. The Truma LP gas space heaterPic: Truma The two main types are air heating, and air and water heating. Some are made in various sizes. Use the smallest to heat annexes, camper trailers, small caravans and motorhomes. Use the next size up to heat large RVs. Air heating The basic (soup-can size) unit is best floor mounted. A separate tiny electrically-driven pump, hose and filter connects to a separate tank. Alternatively (with motorhomes) to the vehicle’s tank. You can locate the electric control panel wherever convenient. Water heating The combined space/water heaters use a furnace unit to heat glycol. This flows through a calorifier heat exchange unit, that also stores heated water for taps and showers. In addition. small fan-powered radiators blow hot air wherever required. The calorifier is also available as a tiny unit that heats water as it is drawn. The heaters in action We used a Webasto air heater unit in our OKA in outback Australia. Temperatures there drops quickly after sun-down, often below freezing. Even on its lowest setting, it heated the OKA to 25º C. Expect to use a fifth of a litre of diesel per hour. We had a Webasto Dual-Top air and water heating unit in our Tvan camper trailer. Used too, around Australia, it worked well and reliably. Its on-line calorifier supplied hot water for cooking and showering. The water is hot within a few minutes. You must, legally, in Australia, add a tempering valve. This valve automatically mixes cold and hot water. It prevents it from exceeding 50º C. Without it, however, the water reaches a scalding 80º C. If not silenced, the exhaust is noisy outside the vehicle. It bothers nearby campers. You can reduce this by adding the (now standard) exhaust silencer. You can reduce it yet further by adding an inlet silencer. The units are still not totally silent, but unlikely to disturb others. Here is the Webasto Dual-Top water/space heater in my Tvan. Pic: rvbooks.com.au Further information on diesel heating for RVs is in Caravan & Motorhome Electrics and The Camper Trailer Book. In addition, The Caravan & Motorhome Book. You can use these units to heat rooms in solar-powered houses. My books on solar are Solar That Really Works (for cabins and RVs), also Solar Success (for homes and property systems). rvbooks.com.au ©2024 RV Books This article: onlineckw.nz/d-heater Collyn Rivers has published 6 books relating to caravans and motorhomes. Information about them & more than 150 searchable articles are included on his website: rvbooks.com.au Up Up 8 Winter 2024 , p 32

7 Autumn 2024 7 Autumn 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption I'm heading to The Burt. The coast way. Slowly. ©202 4 Tony Knights. I'm heading to The Burt. The coast way. Slowly. I'm heading to The Burt. The coast way. Slowly. ©202 4 Tony Knights. I'm heading to The Burt. The coast way. Slowly. ©202 4 Tony Knights. I'm heading to The Burt. The coast way. Slowly. ©202 4 Tony Knights. I'm heading to The Burt. The coast way. Slowly. ©202 4 Tony Knights. I'm heading to The Burt. The coast way. Slowly. ©202 4 Tony Knights. I'm heading to The Burt. The coast way. Slowly. ©202 4 Tony Knights. I'm heading to The Burt. The coast way. Slowly. ©202 4 Tony Knights. I'm heading to The Burt. The coast way. Slowly. ©202 4 Tony Knights. I'm heading to The Burt. The coast way. Slowly. ©202 4 Tony Knights. I'm heading to The Burt. The coast way. Slowly. ©202 4 Tony Knights. I'm heading to The Burt. The coast way. Slowly. ©202 4 Tony Knights. I'm heading to The Burt. The coast way. Slowly. ©202 4 Tony Knights. I'm heading to The Burt. The coast way. Slowly. ©202 4 Tony Knights. Bugger it, I’m heading to The Burt Heading to The Burt Tony Knights Well after a week of covid and still not a lot of energy I decided bugger it and I’m heading to The Burt [Burt Munro Challenge, Invercargill]. The Coast way. Slowly. Photos ©202 4 Tony Knights. Free camping with a non-fixed toilet will be impossible after the law change. Up Up 7 Autumn 2024 , p 15

5 Spring 2023 5 Spring 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption The Waiau Tavern Outdoors at the Waiau Tavern Our Lady of the Rosary Our Lady of the Rosary, Roman Catholic Church. Cost 350 and opened 1900. The Waiau River bridge The old The Waiau Lodge Hotel The Waiau Lodge Hotel The old entrance The grassed area for tents and overnight parking The Waiau Lodge Hotel Waiau-MNR_8569.webp The old Lodge's stone walls surround the camping area. The logo for the sadly, closed, motorcamp History The old jail The Tavern can unlock this for you. Old mobile cabin Mobile cabin The hauling end of the old mobile cabin The gig shed You can view the gigs any time. Church, now a museum The Cob Cottage Museum Old bricks, outside the cob cottage. Sign in the cob cottage museum A gem of a town STOP and STAY Small town: Waiau Miriam Richardson A small, North Canterbury, gem of a town, with friendly, welcoming locals, walks, exhibits, cycle rides, shops and free overnighting. Perfect for a couple of nights. Or more. Waiau, in the Hurunui district, is on State Highway 70, the Inland Kaikōura Route, that links Kaikōura with Hanmer Springs and Amberley. It is a short side trip off SH7, the Lewis Pass highway. Settled in 1860, it is the oldest settlement in the region and the local historical society has created an intriguing range of exhibits to interest and inform, including the original gaol, a shed full of carriages, and museum displays in an old sod cottage and an old church. Plenty to explore, even out-of-hours. Three sad events hit Waiau in the last 7 years. Waiau was near the epicentre of the 2016 earthquake, suffering considerable damage to buildings and roads. The Waiau Lodge Hotel, red-stickered after the earthquake, burned to the ground in 2021. In 2022 the beautiful local campground was closed, taking the dump station with it. Where you can stay The Waiau Tavern offers free overnight stays (including tents), in exchange for you enjoying the tavern’s fare. Dogs are welcome. The parks are in the grassed-over space where the hotel once stood or on hard stand by the tavern. There is a toilet, also used by the tavern patrons, and a water tap, available on request. To the north of Waiau there is a freedom camping spot in a lay-by beside the Wandle Bridge. Hurunui (weirdly) requires you to arrive after 8pm and leave by 8am. Mt Lyford Lodge, 22km north, offers powered and unpowered campsites on 3 nights of the week. Facilities The Waiau Tavern serves the 300-odd locals and visitors with drinks, marvellous food (both dine-in and takeaway), a lovely outdoor area, really friendly locals, pool, and overnight parking. The town also has a dairy /cafe, Brenda’s on Lyndon, the well-stocked Waiau Foodmarket, a hardware store and two fuel pumps (one with 24-hour access). There is free wifi in the township. Look for the sign on the public toilets for instructions. A recycling depot is across the river. Walking, cycling, swimming, exploring in Waiau There are two 30 minutes walks, plus there is the Waiau historical trail, a meander with many interest points. There are 3 bike rides from the township, one 90, two 60 minutes return, a mixture of sealed and gravel surfaces. Waiau is on the 260km Hurunui Heartland Cycle Ride between Kaikoura and Christchurch. The swimming pool is open in the warmer months and visitors can get a key to use it. Waiau is a small town that welcomes visitors, enjoys meeting them, and has things to do and a place to stay. Time your visit to join in, or come along and just enjoy it. Miriam Richardson Links Waiau: waiau.nz Waiau Tavern: ckw.nz/waiau-tavern Cycling in Waiau: ckw.nz/waiau-cycle Hurunui Heartland: ckw.nz/hurunui-cycle The Alpine Pacific Route Join in with these Waiau events Events at Waiau Restore rally 13–15 Oct. A rider event, open to all over 18yrs. Bikes, trikes, all welcome. Fireworks fundraiser. Waiau pig hunt is on at Labour Weekend (21–23 Oct).A fund raiser for the fire brigade. Hurunui garden festival 26–29 Oct. Gardens, workshops, events, tours, food. Waiau fireworks 4 Nov. Fab night out with lots of fun, family entertainment, stalls. Pay with cash. Amuri A&P show Every March since 1916, in Rotherham, the neighbouring township. 6–7 Apr. For competent riders of off-road motorcycles and ATVs. Set on breathtaking farms. Basic overnight camping. School fundraiser. The old hotel’s stone fence bounds the camping area. Below, the old hotel entry. Up Up 5 Spring 2023 , p 23

Summer 2024 ISSUE 10 BUY PDF CONTENTS Issue 10, Summer 2024 Cover image: Waiorongomai Valley ©2024 Greg Lokes Editorial Come Camping Stop and Stay Contribute About TESTING DYNAMIC ISSUE 10 Table of contents Double-digit highways Next SH 32/41, West of Lake Taupo Next SH45 The Surf Coast Highway, Te Ika a Maui North Island Next SH60 Richmond to Collingwood, Tasman Next Butchers Dam aurora Next We got bogged: “Because it’d be funner,” he said Next And people wonder why I like camping Next Springing Next What a difference a day makes Next Waitaki first day Next Ōtaki Rivermouth Next NIWA summer forecast Next Camp Fest ‘25 Next All roads lead to Camp Fest Next I really like the Waiouru Army Museum Next Camping in Tairāwhiti this summer Next Freedom camping news Next Self-containment warrant cards: Which ones are valid? Next But I am not freedom camping… Next A roof-top tent Next Revolutionizing Kiwi camping with Fix’n’Rail Next What is out there Next This is the summer to visit Queenstown Next The Wairau Next Getting your camping vehicle certified Next Dealing with a caravan flat Next Sunday morning caravan Lego Next Old Blue Next Kea attack Next First time out with my new tent Next Thornbury-Aparima Bridge Reserve Next Temple Stream Next Marfells Beach Next Exploring Clandyboye Next Being able to get out into nature Next Making camping more accessible for everyone Next Caravan tales Next Dannevirke Holiday Park is making its facilities more accessible Next What a view to wake up to Next Danseys Pass Next From rugby to pets — How Covid19 started the tail wagging on HELPP VET Next Pippa in the hammock Next Planning to camp with your pet? Resources Next My day at the Ellesmere A&P Show Next The Slow Road Next My day at Ferrymead Next NZ Cheese Festival Next A long weekend on the Waikato River Next Safe toilet chemicals Next The fairy forest walk Next Teeming at Terako Downs Next Terako Downs entrance Next Up, up the Waiorongomai Valley Next Favourite and quick camping meals Next Alice cooking dinner on the BBQ Next Heating a pie Next Ordinary cycle Next Fishing in the snow Next Trying out my new quilt Next GAME: DOC campsites 4: Lower North Island Next HOBBIES: Disc golf Next Stop and Stay: City dwellers: 2nd camp: more adventurous Next Lake Poaka Next Rays Rest Next DOC update Next Uretiti Next King’s Birthday camp at Kekerengu Next Foxton Beach Next Three nights at Conway Flats Next Fantastic time at the Onearo campground Next Come camping Next Festivals Next The All Points Camping Club of NZ Next A summer of content: editorial Next Councils & Government Camping in Tairāwhiti this summer Read But I am not freedom camping… Read This is the summer to visit Queenstown Read Getting your camping vehicle certified Read Thornbury-Aparima Bridge Reserve Read Being able to get out into nature Read Making camping more accessible for everyone Read Dannevirke Holiday Park is making its facilities more accessible Read Safe toilet chemicals Read A summer of content: editorial Read Self-containment & Freedom Camping Camping in Tairāwhiti this summer Read Freedom camping news Read Self-containment warrant cards: Which ones are valid? Read But I am not freedom camping… Read This is the summer to visit Queenstown Read Getting your camping vehicle certified Read Thornbury-Aparima Bridge Reserve Read Being able to get out into nature Read Making camping more accessible for everyone Read Caravan tales Read Safe toilet chemicals Read View More

11 autumn 2025 Autumn 2025 ISSUE 11 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption Brian and Rosie ©2025 Maggie O’Rourke The entrance to Rosie and Brian’s ©2025 Maggie O’Rourke The vege shop at Rosie and Brian’s ©2025 Maggie O’Rourke Rosie and Brian’s ©2025 Maggie O’Rourke Rosie and Brian’s ©2025 Maggie O’Rourke Brian and Rosie ©2025 Maggie O’Rourke Butchers Pool ©2025 Maggie O’Rourke GO TO Here & there last summer STOP and STAY Rosie and Brian’s Maggie O’Rourke What a hidden gem for a POP. I now know why it was recommended to me by members. Is it worth staying here? 100% yes! When I rang to book my stay I got Brian on the phone, with a huge welcome and the directions of 2 yellow vegetable signs and where to park in the 2nd paddock with the caravans. Of course his directions were spot on, but I still managed to overshoot the drive — if you’re heading either way and see the Reporoa sign you’ve gone too far. I tell you, what a welcome! I think why people stay is due to our lovely welcoming hosts Rosie and Brian. They have been operating this site in their paddocks for 8 years, back then it was a gold coin to stay and to help campers out. Brian is a master grower, not bad for 79, 80 this year. Their market vegetable shop and Rosie’s knitted clowns are for sale for cash only. It’s been a delight to stay here for a week learning about our hosts and having homegrown fruit and veges on the doorstep. People travel from Taupo to get their fresh produce here. Though not classed as organic with a certificate, it’s pretty close without that label attached. The vege shop is open Tuesday to Saturday from 8am– 5pm-ish. So what does this POP offer us? Well where does one start? The longer I stayed more I discovered. The cost is $5 per unit per night. You need to be fully self-contained. Tents are welcome, but you need your own toilet. Generators are allowed but please be considerate. Vege shop is open to pay 7 days a week please put money in blue container if they are not in the house or garden. Open year round and no time limit on your stay. Pumice ground for winter stay overs. Potable water. Book exchange. Shelter hut and stage with a piano and couch. Compost bin. Fire pit and bbq area —firewood is available for a donation. Dogs welcome, on a lead. All ages and groups welcome (groups: book in advance). Members and non members welcome. Book your spot by contacting them by phone but please be considerate and don’t ring too late. Nearest dump stations: Rotorua, Wairakei BP (often blocked), Taupo and Kinloch. What’s in the area Fishing at the bridge or by boat on the Waikato River (Brian knows all the best spots); shopping or tourist activities in either Taupo, Rotorua or even the mountain. If you go to bookme.co.nz you may get a bargain of 20–90% off activities and food. Butchers Pool The best kept secret in the area is 19km away, towards Rotorua: Butchers Pool, a free thermal pool. It’s so secret that you think the Google Maps are wrong as there is no sign, but someone’s house numbers are on the fence. It seems the locals don’t want you to know their secret and the sign often disappears. Coming into the dirt road is like a tankers track narrow and rough, me poor girl got shook up a bit (the bus not me); I was praying that no-one took us on coming the other way as there is no room to pass. Toilets, changing rooms and rubbish bins are onsite. Hot thermal pools according to my thermometer sit between 40–42°C. Beware when you climb in as the steps are slippery and pay attention to the signs saying not to put your head under (to avoid bacterial meningitis, a danger at all natural hot pools). Reporoa is 21km away. Another delight. Reporoa Valley Traders & Post Shop; Awaken cafe (8am–5pm Mon–Fri), I highly recommend their coffee and food and the staff are so welcoming and helpful — I ended up asking umpteen questions on the area. The op shop behind the playground on the main street is open 11am–4pm Thursday only. There is a fish and chip shop (11am–7pm, every day). Bake House (5am–5pm/6pm); Reporoa Food Market plus Lotto (7.30am–6.30pm, every day.) The Woolshed Tavern offers drinks, meals, a bottle store and takeaway meals (11am–8pm or 10pm, every day); there is a car mechanic, a tyre shop, police, health centre, vet, and playground. Though Taupo is the same distance from Rosie and Brian’s as Reporoa, Reporoa is not as busy, you can find a carpark, find a seat at the cafe and you can relax way more. Bliss. Plus the Butchers Pool is free just up the road. Up Up 11 Autumn 2025 , p 31

8 Winter 2024 8 Winter 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Rays Rest Friday evening and Saturday morning at Rays Rest. It never disappoints. © 2024 Greg Lokes. More on FB: Gregs Eye: https://ckw.nz/gregs-eye Rays Rest Friday evening and Saturday morning at Rays Rest. It never disappoints. © 2024 Greg Lokes. More on FB: Gregs Eye: https://ckw.nz/gregs-eye Rays Rest Friday evening and Saturday morning at Rays Rest. It never disappoints. © 2024 Greg Lokes. More on FB: Gregs Eye: https://ckw.nz/gregs-eye Rays Rest Friday evening and Saturday morning at Rays Rest. It never disappoints. © 2024 Greg Lokes. More on FB: Gregs Eye: https://ckw.nz/gregs-eye Rays Rest Friday evening and Saturday morning at Rays Rest. It never disappoints. © 2024 Greg Lokes. More on FB: Gregs Eye: https://ckw.nz/gregs-eye Rays Rest Friday evening and Saturday morning at Rays Rest. It never disappoints. © 2024 Greg Lokes. More on FB: Gregs Eye: https://ckw.nz/gregs-eye Rays Rest Friday evening and Saturday morning at Rays Rest. It never disappoints. © 2024 Greg Lokes. More on FB: Gregs Eye: https://ckw.nz/gregs-eye Rays Rest Friday evening and Saturday morning at Rays Rest. It never disappoints. © 2024 Greg Lokes. More on FB: Gregs Eye: https://ckw.nz/gregs-eye Rays Rest Friday evening and Saturday morning at Rays Rest. It never disappoints. © 2024 Greg Lokes. More on FB: Gregs Eye: https://ckw.nz/gregs-eye Rays Rest Friday evening and Saturday morning at Rays Rest. It never disappoints. © 2024 Greg Lokes. More on FB: Gregs Eye: https://ckw.nz/gregs-eye Rays Rest Friday evening and Saturday morning at Rays Rest. It never disappoints. © 2024 Greg Lokes. More on FB: Gregs Eye: https://ckw.nz/gregs-eye Rays Rest never disappoints Greg's Eye at Rays Rest Greg Lokes Friday evening and Saturday morning at Rays Rest. It never disappoints. See the images in the gallery above. © 2024 Greg Lokes. More on FB: Gregs Eye: ckw.nz/gregs-eye Up Up 8 Winter 2024 , p 11

11 autumn 2025 Autumn 2025 ISSUE 11 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption Sailing through the Waiheke Channel on our way to the northern coast of Waiheke. The wind has finally turned to the south. Feb. ©2025 Graham Leslie Sailing through the Waiheke Channel on our way to the northern coast of Waiheke. The wind has finally turned to the south. Feb. ©2025 Graham Leslie GO TO Here & there last summer the wind has finally turned Sailing through the Waiheke Channel Graham Leslie Sailing through the Waiheke Channel on our way to the northern coast of Waiheke. The wind has finally turned to the south. Feb. ©2025 Graham Leslie More Up Up 11 Autumn 2025 , p 7

11 autumn 2025 11 autumn 2025 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Loading Weight Distribution ©2025 Collyn Rivers a virtual recipe for jack-knifing Loading a caravan safely Collyn Rivers Knowing how to locate mass correctly along the length of a caravan is vital. That applies both to its design and the owner’s loading. This article shows the safe approach to loading a caravan — and why and how it matters doing so is vitally important. The caravan see-saw As with a see-saw, two children of the same weight sitting at equal distances from its pivot balance each other. Likewise an adult sitting nearer the middle on one side can balance the far lower mass of a child at the far end of the other side. A centre-axled caravan behaves like this too. Where you locate stuff along its length has the same effect: its distance from the axle/s increases its ‘effective weight’. The effect of locating a 20kg (44lb) item at various distances from the axle/s of a caravan. Locating a (say) 20kg (44lb) tool box directly over a caravan‘s axle will have no effect on that caravan pitching or swaying. But if that tool box is half-way toward the back of the caravan (and that caravan then pitches or sways) — because it is further away from the axle/s that 20kg (44lb) tool box exerts a force as if it weighed 40kg (88lb). If that tool box was on a 10kg (22lb) external rack at the rear of the caravan, it acts as if weighs around 80kg (175lb) and the rack itself an effective 40kg (88lb) [120kg at the rear]. Loading a caravan safely requires [paying attention to] the above. Each spare wheel carried on the rear of a caravan has the same effect. A tool box and rack thus acts as if it were four times heavier at the back of a 7 metre caravan than in the middle. It not only exerts additional force when the trailer pitches and yaws (sways): it induces that pitching and swaying. The effect is similar at the front. The down and side forces on the tow vehicle cause that vehicle to pitch — and yaw sideways. That side force literally steers the tow vehicle by distorting its rear tyres. Weight placement There is a common and very dangerous belief held by many caravan owners (and even a few caravan makers) that it is fine to have a heavy load at the rear as long as it is balanced by a similar load at the front. That is virtually a recipe for jack-knifing . The rig will seem ultra-stable much of the time, but if sway sets in at speed it may be impossible to stop it. The sway is likely to escalate and the rig to jack-knife. This is not an ‘opinion’. It is basic Newtonian physics. Loading a caravan safely — summary Never have heavy items, particularly tool boxes, spare wheels and full jerry-cans, at the very front or rear of a caravan. Always load the tow vehicle to its maximum legally permitted weight. Keep the caravan‘s loading as light as possible — and as close to the caravan‘s axle/s as possible. A caravan needs to be about 10% nose heavy, but do that by locating heavy stuff slightly ahead of the centre-line of the axle/s — not like a weight lifters barbell (that has all virtually all of the weight at the ends). This is why RV Book’s articles and publications so strongly condemn locating heavy spare wheels etc at the extreme rear of long caravans. Be aware that a few long and heavy caravans are being made with all water tanks ahead of the axle/s. With these the critical tow ball mass will vary (and potentially dangerous if water is drawn). They appear to rely on the tanks being full whilst towing. Some have since been recalled and modified. For a truly thorough, plain English explanation of all this (and how to assess the stability of your own caravan) see our book ‘Why Caravans Roll– and how to prevent it’. rvbooks.com.au/why-caravans-roll-over/ n Reproduced with permission. rvbooks.com.au/loading-a-caravan-safely Up Up 11 autumn 2025 , p 24

10 summer 2024 Summer 2024 ISSUE 10 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption GO TO Springing A long weekend on the Waikato River Roland Jones Enjoying the long weekend on the Waikato River Cooked my favourite breakfast when camping: pancakes with boysenberry jam. Keely’s Reserve, Cambridge ©2024 Roland Jones Up Up 10 Summer 2024 , p 19

11 autumn 2025 Autumn 2025 ISSUE 11 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption I pulled into Lowburn free camp on the shores of Lake Dunstan and found a shady spot to park ©2025 Heather Auckam A shady spot to park. ©2025 Heather Auckam Loki the dog. ©2025 Heather Auckam Loki dog and I took a welcome plunge in the lake before settling in for the night. ©2025 Heather Auckam GO TO Here & there last summer a welcome plunge in the lake before settling in for the night A shady spot to park Heather Auckram After a long hot drive from Southland, I bypassed congested Queenstown and carried on through the Kawerau Gorge to Cromwell. I pulled into Lowburn free camp on the shores of Lake Dunstan and found a shady spot to park. Loki dog and I took a welcome plunge in the lake before settling in for the night. First Security drove their 4WD slowly through the camp twice that evening, eyeballing every vehicle parked there. ©2025 Heather Auckram Up Up 11 Autumn 2025 , p 7

1 Spring 2022 Getting the internet on the road Up Miriam Richardson There are two ways to get on the internet while on the road: with your mobile phone or with mobile broadband. ONE: mobile phone Modern mobile phones use the internet routinely: have you checked your email? viewed a YouTube video? read Facebook? used Campermate? used Google? All of these use the internet through your phone connection. The plan on your phone determines how much internet you can use in a month. TWO: mobile broadband There is a network of towers through NZ that allows Netspeed and Wireless Nation to give travellers access to mobile broadband. Modem To connect to mobile broadband you need a modem. Generally travellers get an adapter to connect the modem to their 12v/24v power. Choosing: mobile phone or mobile broadband? If you are content to do all your internet connection through your phone, stick with a mobile plan. If you want to connect a tablet, iPad or a computer as well as your phone, you have a choice. To choose a plan you need an idea of • how much data you need, • where you might travel, • what devices you want to connect to the internet, and • whether you want to use your phone as the modem. How much data do you need? What do you normally use? Look back on the last few months of internet use, if you can. Will you continue to use the internet the same? Might you use use less when travelling? Might you watch TV through the internet and use a lot more? Hot spot the phone or use a modem? To use your phone to connect all your devices to the internet, you need a plan that allows you to do it: it is called ‘hot spotting’. When you ‘hot spot’, your phone becomes a wireless network that lets other phones, computers etc get online via the phone. The phone needs to sit where the signal is good while you are using it as a modem. Coverage: where can I get a signal? Your phone/internet provider has an online map that shows their coverage — where you can expect to get a signal. Mobile phones have stronger and more complete cover near towns and cities. Different providers share the towers. The coverage maps show the strength of the signal. There are dead zones with no coverage at all (no towers). Speed The biggest complaint people make is about the speed of the internet when they are travelling. There are several reasons why the internet could be slow. You are comparing it to a fibre connection at home. Mobile broadband is slower than fibre. It just is. You are a long way from a tower, so the signal is weaker, or there is something between you and the tower. Try moving. The nearest tower has lesser capacity. Some towers have greater capacity than others. Areas with few people may well have lesser capacity — and a bevy of motorhomers enjoying the back of beyond at the same time might overload it. You are parked up with a bunch of other travellers who are all using the same tower at the same time to get online. (Netspeed, Wireless Nation and local providers are all using the same towers.) You, or your neighbours are doing something that uses a lot of data: downloading video, visual phone calls, online TV or listening to radio, all use quite a bit of data. The locals are busy and using the same tower at the same time. The modem or its connection needs refreshing: do a speed test ( www.speedtest.net ), and then talk to your provider. _____________ I hear people on Facebook saying ‘I am with xxx and I have no speed problems.’ This is not a big help: it all depends where they have been travelling, how far they have been from the mobile tower, when they tend to use the internet, and how many others are using it at the same time. There might be particular times when the towers are being overworked: before work; after school; evening entertainment time (video and TV use a lot of data). Try after 11pm, at 1am, at 6am: if the speed is good, then it is a competition problem. ____________ Aerials Having an aerial on the roof might improve your internet connection. BY: Miriam Richardson Photo: ©2022 Miriam Richardson Next issue: How to choose an internet provider Up Up Up Spring 2022 ISSUE 1 BUY PDF CONTENTS I hear people on Facebook saying ‘I am with xxx and I have no speed problems.’ This is not a big help... 1/1

1 Spring 2022 Biking in Otago in Autumn Up Andrew Morton aking a bike trip around Otago. The teardrop camper at Champagne Gully on Lake Dunstan. Autumn. Andrew Morton. Photo ©2022 Andrew Morton Up Up Up Spring 2022 ISSUE 1 BUY PDF CONTENTS Autumn, Otago, biking ©2024 Andrew morton ©2024 Andrew morton 1/1