Karamatura Falls - Tramping around Auckland

The Karamatura Falls are located in the Huia Regional Park which is about an hour's drive from Auckland.

About Huia and the only Huia Store:
"Huia - Just like Hawai but only cooler"
Huia is a quaint suburb in Western Auckland. It has just one store - The Huia Store - which serves up delicious food and also serves as a general store. It celebrates its 130th anniversary this year(2016). The store is a must visit - it retains an old world charm. It has a small corner where books are up for sale. We had a cauliflower and broccoli salad as a pre-hike snack. They have salads in portions of 8$, 12$ and 16$.
A regular coffee is 4$ and a large costs 5$.

The ultra cute Huia Store

Location:
Search for 1320 Huia Road, Huia. This leads to the Huia Hall. Opposite the hall, there are two roads leading to the right - one to the Ranger's Office and another is an unsealed road. Get onto the unsealed road and drive to the car park.


Time to get there : 
An hour from Auckland by car.


What to wear :
Sturdy boots as the track can be quite muddy and slippery in some places.
Most of the walk is inside the forest so it can get cold depending on the time of the year so carry a layer of warmth.


Things to carry :
* Sufficient Drinking Water
* Lunch and snacks
* Garbage bag - you must carry away all your rubbish
* Swimming costume and towel


Karamatura Falls:
Type of falls : Horsetail

The Karamatura Falls

Karamatura Loop Track and diversion to the falls:

At the start of the track, there are camping grounds.

Go past the camping ground and follow the Karamatura Loop Track. This track is supposed to take 1hour return. I recommend doing this track in an anti-clockwise pattern cause otherwise you would end up tiring yourself climbing up the wooden steps.

In the first couple of minutes, you come across remnants of the timber milling days. After about 20 minutes of walking, you come across a sign which directs you to the left to follow the Karamatura Loop Track. Ignore this and head on straight a couple of meters and follow the next sign to the Karamatura Track. This will be the diversion to the falls. Follow along this track until the next sign post which takes you to the falls. A small stream crossing is required but is easy with lots of stones to step on.

Once at the falls, one could also get down into the water and then get onto the huge stone to finish some reading and packed lunch.

On the way, there are plenty of places to get down to test the water and for photos or a relaxing read. 

Return via the same route to the Karamatura track and then complete the Karamatura Loop Track which is mostly downhill and easy. 

The whole walk took us about 90 minutes with about a 20 minute break to dip our feet in the water.

View from Huia Point

Other things to do in the area:
* Visit the Huia Dam
* Twin Peaks Track - gets you to the highest peak
* Lower Huia Dam Road - 1 hour return - one to do when the lake is overflowing (possibly after the rainy winter)
* Mt Donald McLean Walk - 30 minute return - on a clear day, can view Mt Taranaki
* Whatipu Caves - 50 minutes return

A visit to Tiritiri Maatangi Island

The island is a pest free scientific reserve and is home to many native species of flora and fauna as well as birds. It is one of the most successful conservation projects in the world and is also referred to as the "Treasure Island".

Time to get there : 
A  little over an hour by ferry  - Fuller's 360 Discovery
The ferry starts at 9am and returns at 3:30pm on the same day. There is an option to stay the night, which will require a booking at the bunkhouse.

Cost : 
70 NZD for return fare for a person on the ferry plus extra for coffee and snacks. Add on the cost for lunch. We carried a home cooked meal.


What to wear :
Comfortable clothes depending on the weather. Layer up would be my recommendation. It gets a bit cold on the ferry and when exposed to the sea at the beach in winter/spring.
Sturdy, comfortable walking shoes - can get slushy in some parts especially if after a rain.

Things to carry :
* Sufficient Drinking Water - there is water available at the store
* Lunch - packed in a sealed container - to deter rodents and other pests
* Snacks
* Garbage bag - you must carry away all your rubbish
* A rain jacket
* Sun hat
* Sunscreen
* Good camera
* Binoculars
* Sunglasses

 If staying overnight, ensure to pack more food.

Things to do :

• Walking

In this post I will cover the walking tracks as this is what we went there for. Along with walking, we managed to do quite a bit of bird watching as well.

The walks are suitable for all kinds of walkers and are not strenuous. There are parts which have a few steps but you can always do it at your own pace. There are numerous spots to have a wee bit of relaxation and watch the birds enjoy the birdbaths in place. There are a multitude of short walks which can be connected together to make a longer walk.

This link mentions all the walks.

• Wattle Track - Wharf to Lighthouse - under 30 minutes. There is an option to do this on the road

• Hobbs Beach Track - Wharf to Hobbs beach - under 10 minutes. Take in the beautiful views of Rangitoto and Auckland. Don't miss the penguin nesting boxes on the left hand side

View of Rangitoto Island from Hobb's Beach

•  Kawerau Track - Hobb's Beach to Ridge Track - under 40 minutes. A scenic walk with loads of opportunities to view some birds like saddleback, tui, wood pigeons, rifleman
• Ridge road/track - connects from Kawerau track to the lighthouse - under 30 minutes. Most of this is on gravel road.
• East Coast Track - about 90 minutes. This is a very scenic track with a few steep sections.  

If you have some extra time you could combine these walks for a longer walk.

• Wattle Track - Lighthouse - Wattle Track loop track - about 1 hour
• Hobbs Beach Track - Kawerau Track - Ridge Track - Wattle Track -  loop track  - about 3 hours

• Kayaking 
• Diving and Snorkelling
• Bird watching
• Relax on beach/Swimming
• Shop at the store
• Enjoy a free tea/coffee

Other things to note :
Since the island is pest free, you must ensure that all your gear is free of rodents and other pests. Brushes are provided before getting onto the ferry as well as at the concrete landing to free any lose particles on shoes.

Do try to avoid dropping food and doing your best to pick up what does fall.


History :  
Originally cleared for farming, the island was known for the light house, Tiritiri light. As years progressed, a foghorn was installed.  After more than a decade, the pastoral land has been eradicated of all pests and native trees were replanted. This helped reintroduce native species too.

View from the East Coast Track

Lighthouse area

Another view from East Coast Track

View of Rangitoto Island

View of Rangitoto Island from Hobb's Beach

Crystal clear calm waters

When the clouds imitated the macrocarpa tree

Road trip - ChristChurch to ChristChurch - a review of food, accomodation and activities with some trivia

Going on a holiday and making the most out of it, requires a lot of time spent on research. Our main intention was to explore the South Island by road and do as many side walking trails as possible.

A lot of sites have itineraries for road trips across the South Island but don't really mention the activities or the amount of time that one could have to do a little bit of exploring - may be on foot or activities (you are in the adventure capital of the world).

Here is the story of our first campervan trip in the South Island, New Zealand, with what we did and could do and what we could not or did not want to do. We did end up rushing the last few days - after day 9.

Trip details - Christchurch - Lake Tekapo - Oamaru - Dunedin - The Catlins - Invercargill - Bluff - Te Anau - Milford Sound - Queenstown - Glenorchy - Arrowtown - Wanaka - Glaciers - Hokitika - Christchurch
Day 1 : Auckland to Lake Tekapo
Day 2 : Lake Tekapo to Oamaru
Day 3 : Oamaru to Dunedin
Day 4: Dunedin to Invercargill.
Day 5: Invercargill to Milford Sound via Te Anau
Day 6: Milford Sound to Queenstown via Te Anau
Day 7 : Exploring Queenstown
Day 8 : Queenstown to Wanaka
Day 9 : Wanaka to Hokitika via the glaciers
Day 10 : Hokitika to Christchurch
Day 11 : Christchurch to Auckland

Trivia :

• Scenic Route from Christchurch upto Queenstown
• Total kms covered by road - 2,275kms
• 18th  April, 2014 to 28th April, 2014
• This was quite an ambitious trip and we ended up doing nothing else but mostly driving on a couple of days
• We could not use deals on bookme as we were not really sure of the timing and where we would be but we did manage to grab a few deals from the AA and Jasons magazines.

Day 1 : Auckland to Lake Tekapo (1.5+3.5 hours) 
Today includes a flight to Christchurch, hiring a campervan and driving to Lake Tekapo via Ashburton and Geraldine.

Lake Tekapo gets it turquoise colour from the 'rock flour' that is dispersed in the lake. The rocks are ground by the glaciers higher up.
Lake Tekapo houses many hydro power generating stations and is also know for fishing and boating.

Background : All radio stations screaming of bad weather and road blocks.
Also, a public holiday - Good Friday so stocking up on essentials was a bit tough. Public holidays in New Zealand can make life really difficult - more so when the big super market chains close down as well.

Transport :

• Flights from Auckland to Christchurch for 2 - 500$ - 1.5 hours
• Campervan hire - 99$ for the day
• Fuel charges - 64$ 
• Christchurch to Lake Tekapo - 3.5 hours 

Food : 

• Breakfast - Moko Cafe, Regent Street 
• Hearty sized portions
• Cost for 2 portions plus coffee - 24$
• Lunch - Robbie's Bar and Bistro, Ashburton
• Lovely ambience 
• Friendly staff
• Cost of 1 main and 1 beer - 25$
• Dinner - self made sandwiches

Activities : 

• Antartic Centre
• Cost : 56$ per person including the Hagglund ride
• Simulated storm not to be missed
• Ice water competition is fun if not already tried it at Kelly Tarlton's in Auckland
• Hagglund ride is a different experience
• Blue penguin feeding is very informative
• Spend about 2 hours
• Church of the good shepherd
• Cost : Free
• Must visit
• Beautiful place to walk around
• Can spend about an hour or so walking around the lake - around the evening
• Walk near Lake Tekapo 
• About 45 minutes post dinner

Stuff that we missed cause of the public holiday
* Ashburton flight museum - usually open between 1pm - 3 pm
* Geraldine Vintage Car Museum

Stay :
Lake Tekapo Holiday Park and Motel

• Price - 15$ per person for a non powered site plus 2$ for a hot shower
• Beautiful location - only thing they got going for them
• Nil equipment in the kitchen
• Showers are without any proper ventilation 
• Free BBQs

Total Cost : 875$ including some bits and odds

Day 2 : Lake Tekapo to Oamaru (2.5 hrs)
Today includes a walk up Mt. John, breakfast at the breathtakingly beautiful Astro Cafe, stocking up on supplies and heading to Oamaru to see the Blue Penguin Colony.

Transport :
Campervan hire - 99$ per day
Fuel charges - 63$
Lake Tekapo to Oamaru - 2.5 hours

Food : 

• Breakfast - Astro Cafe
• A sandwich and hot chocolate - 12$
• Breathtaking views
• Lunch
• Boiled eggs and bread
• Dinner
• Grilled salmon - salmon bought at Twizel for 13$, self grilled

Activities:

• Mt. John Walkway
• Cost - Free
• 1.5 hours return
• Moderate climb
• 360 degree views of Lake Tekapo and beyond and the mountains
• Visit Astro Cafe for a quick bite
• Lake Pukaki Scenic Lookout and Twizel Salmon
• Cost - Free
• Can purchase farmed salmon
• Lovely views
• Walk around the Oamaru Victorian Precinct
• Cost - free
• About 30-45 minutes 
• Blue Penguin Colony, Oamaru
• Cost -  48$ for 2 - with some discount for holding a YHA membership card
• Get educated on blue penguins
• See the blue penguins get washed ashore while returning from feeding in the sea
• The number of penguins that you see depends on the time of the year and your patience
• We saw over 80 penguins

Stuff that we missed
* Night star gazing at the observatory due to bad weather
* Elephant rocks - just missed it as we were arguing and drove right past
* SteamPunk HQ

Stay : 
Waitaki Waters Holiday Park

• 29$ for 2 people for 1 night for a non-powered site
• Well equipped kitchen
• Friendly staff

Total Cost :  270$ including bits and odds

Day 3 : Oamaru to Dunedin (1.5 hours)
Today includes visiting the Moeraki Boulders(a natural wonder), Larnach Castle and Alan's Beach which meant driving around the Otago Peninsula. There are other paid activities such as the Yellow Penguin Place, Albatross Centre which we decided to give a miss as we thought it would be best to see the animals in the wild rather than under human influence.

Transport :
Campervan hire - 99$
Fuel - 57$
Oamaru to Dunedin - 1.5 hrs

Food : 

•  Breakfast 
• Self made bread and eggs
• Lunch
• Self made sandwiches
• Dinner - Scenic Hotel Southern Cross
• Cost - 59.50$ for 2 mains and 2 beer
• Good food
• Nice ambience

Activities :

• Sunrise at the beach in Oamaru
• Cost - free
• Our first cobbled beach experience
• Secluded except for a couple of fishermen
• 45 minutes
• Moeraki Boulders
• Cost - donation of personal choice
• A natural wonder
• South Island's most photographed natural wonder
• Perfectly spherical boulders made due to chemical reactions in the limestone 
• Can also visit the cafe about which I don't have too much to say 
• 30 minutes
• Shag Point - Fur Seals and Sea lions in their natural habitat
• We may have missed this one if not for the free touring map by Jasons. 
• We saw so many fur seals up close and personal.  
• Not too many people - looks like a best kept secret
• 30 minutes to an hour or more
• Larnach Castle
• Cost - 50.40$ for two (including 10% discount coupon)
  
• Lovely garden and well maintained house
• Can be missed as you get better views for free
• Alan's Beach
• Can see yellow eyed penguins and seals, if you are lucky
• Gravel road makes for an uncomfortable drive with a 2WD vehicle
• Explore the town center
• Post dinner we walked around the town center
• Stunning architecture

Stuff we missed
* Yellow Eyed Penguin Place
* Albatross Centre
* Dunedin Botanic Gardens
* Sandfly Bay - similar to Alan's Beach
* Gypsy Fair - Arrggh!! It made me sad that despite being gypsies for those few days, we missed it - sheer foolishness on  our part.

Stay : 
Dunedin Holiday Park and Motel

• Cost - 36$ for 2 for a non powered site
• Super market/Stores a stone's throw away
• Very close to the beach
• Quite a popular place
• Ill-equipped kitchen

Total Cost : 305$ including odds and bits

Day 4: Dunedin to Invercargill. (3.5hrs)
Following the scenic route brochure that we had picked up, we decided to go to Invercargill via The Catlins. On the way we visited Kaka Point, Nugget point and also made it to the Bluff. It being Easter Monday we missed out on Bluff Oysters in their land.

Travel :  
Campervan hire : 99$
Fuel : 51$

Food :  

• Breakfast
• Self made sandwiches
• Lunch 
• Self made stuff
• Dinner - Speight's Ale House
• Cost - 43$
• Nice ambience
• Unfortunately had run out of the beer that was on promotion for a limited time
• Was one of the few rare places open considering the public holiday

Stay : 
Beach Road Holiday Park

• Cost - 28$ for two persons
• Surcharge on credit cards

Activities :

• Nugget Point 
• Lovely views
• Come face to face with how nature deals with the harshness of nature
• Tiny baby seals playing - need a pair of binoculars
•  A nice walk
• Tautuku Bay
• Florence Hill Lookout
• See how nature changes what we see
• Explore bluff
• Learn a bit more history and enjoy great  views

Stuff we missed due to lack of time
* Jack's Blowhole
* A visit to Stewart Island

Total Cost : 250$ (Including bits and odds and stocking up on essentials)

Day 5: Invercargill to Milford Sound via Te Anau (4.5 hrs)
Today we drive to Te Anau. On the way we confirmed a Milford Sound Cruise and stay at Milford Sound. We also do a few walks on the way to Milford Sound as planned.

Travel :
Campervan hire : 99$
Fuel : 110$

Food : 

• Breakfast
• Self cooked
• Lunch
• Self cooked sandwiches
• Dinner - Blue Duck Cafe and Bar
• Cost - 48$
• Happening place considering it is the only place open
• Cool ambience
• Loved their kitchen

Activities :

• Lake Gunn Walkway
• A 45 min walk through beech wood forest
• Teeming with birdlife
• Amazing views of Lake Gunn
• Loads of trivia about beech trees 
• Very easy walk
• Mirror Lakes
• Teeming with people
• All bus tours stop here so this should be visited when there is no crowd
• 15 minutes walk and viewing
• Homer Tunnel Walk
• A short walk to understand the flora and fauna of the harsh terrain
• Lovely views
• Appreciate the sharp contrast to the other side of the tunnel, once you drive through
• The Chasm 
• Work of art by nature
• Sheer force of water
• 15-20 minutes walk and viewing
• Milford Sound Cruise
• Cost : 70$ per person including free tea/coffee
• Amazingly beautiful sounds
• Fur seals
• Get bathed in pristine waters from a waterfall
• 2.5 hour cruise

Stay : Milford Sound Lodge 

• Cost - 44$ for two - most expensive
• Worst in all our travel
• Was just a car park with zero views
• Ill equipped kitchen 
• Bad roads to get there

Total Cost : 375$ including bits and odds

Day 6: Milford Sound to Queenstown via Te Anau (5 hrs)
Travel :

• Campervan hire - 99$ 
• Fuel - 50$

Food :

• Breakfast - self made sandwiches
• Lunch - Self cooked noodles and baked beans
• Dinner  - Bombay Palace, Frankton
• Amazing ambience
• We took our food for a candle light dinner by the lake front
• Good biryani
• Nice sides though we missed the pepper in the pepper chicken 
• Cost - 36$ - we did use it the next day for lunch as well

Activities :

• Lake Marian walk
• A steep climb
• 3 hrs return
• We missed the views due to bad weather but it was rated 2nd in the list of must do walks at the Milford Sound Lodge
• Explore Frankton LakeFront
• Candlelight dinner at the lake front
• Council provided Barbecue available for use
• Council provided seating available too

Stuff we missed cause of lack of time, wet shoes and bad weather
* Kepler track
* Key Summit track

Stay  : Frankton Motor Camp

• Cost - 36$ for two persons per night
• Items for kitchen use available for loan from office - I quite like this idea
• Lovely location - right at the waterfront under kowhai trees - a romantic can't ask for more

Total Cost : 230$

Day 7:  Exploring Queenstown
We were so satisfied with the relaxed and lovely atmosphere of the Frankton Motor Camp that we decided to stay a day more. We explore Glenorchy and try to find Paradise.

Transport :

• Campervan hire - 99$
• Fuel - 50$

Food : 

• Breakfast - self made sandwiches
• Lunch - leftover from Bombay Palace
• Dinner - Frankton Arm Tavern
• Cost -  56$ for 2 mains and 2 beers
• Amazing ambience
• Lovely fireplace which was taken by locals
• Good food
• Really friendly staff

Activities :

• Queenstown walk from Belfast Terrace
• 360 degree views
• 2-3 hrs return
• Steep climb but well worth the views
• Explore Glenorchy and the search for paradise 
• A 45 minute drive from Queenstown
• Beautiful Lagoon Walkway
• A semi gravel road drive to Paradise
• Eat world famous carrot cake at "The Trading Post" in Glenorchy 
• A short exploration of the 12 mile delta where we stopped for lunch
• Lake Diamond walk
• a lake in the shape of an eight

Stuff we missed  due to lack of interest and time
* Frankton Lakefront walkway
* Exploring the crowded town centre
* Skyline Gondola
* Paragliding
* Shotover Jet
* Million Dollar Cruise

Stay : Frankton Motor Camp

• Cost - 36$ for two persons 

Total Cost : 260$ including short eats

Day 8: Queenstown to Wanaka (1 hr excluding time spent in Arrowtown)
When we explore the true colours of Autumn and exercise our brains at the Puzzling World!

Transport :

• Campervan hire - 99$
• Fuel - 50$

Food :

• Breakfast - Arrowtown Bakery Cafe
• Cost - 12$
• Snug place
• Yumm food 
• Lunch - Uncle John's Pizzeria
• Cost - 14$ for a burnt calzone and "1" fried bluff oyster
• One word - Avoid!!
•  Snacks - Puzzling world
• Cost -  10$
•  Dinner - Self cooked

Activities:

• Explore Arrowtown
• Quaint town
• Known for Autumn Colours
• Hosts Autumn Festival
• Zero crime 
• Explore the lakefront
• Puzzling world and the Great Maze
• Cost - 32$ including a 10% discount voucher
• A must visit - great fun
• Exercise your brain
• Purchase some more puzzles to further exercise your brain
• Outlet track
• About 1.5 hours along the river side
• Flat easy walk

Stuff that we missed due to my wet shoes
*Mt Roy walk
*Mt Iron walk

Stay : Lake Outlet Holiday Park

• Cost - 28$ for two persons plus 1$ for a hot shower
• Beautiful views
• Easy walks start from here
• Liked the fact that they sold stuff at the office - convenience matters
• Hot shower did not work

Total Cost : 275$  including short eats

Day 9 : Wanaka to Hokitika via glaciers (5 hrs)
In spite of the long drive, we did fit in a lot of walks.

Transport

• Campervan hire - 99$
• Fuel - 110$

Food : 

• Breakfast - self cooked
• Lunch - Haast World Heritage Frontier cafe
• Cost - 37$ - a main and a beer
• Vintage ambience
• Good local food 
• Dinner - self cooked

Activities : 

• Blue Pools Walkway
• 30 minutes return
•  Through beech/tahina forest, across a swinging bridge to the mouth of the blue river
• If you are lucky, you can see rainbow trout
• Thunder Creek falls
• 5 minute return
• Just as the name suggests - a sudden bolt of water falling from a height
• Fantail falls
• 5 minutes return
• As the name suggests, a waterfall that looks like the outline of a fantail.
• Fox Glacier Te Moeka o Tuawe Valley Walk
• 1 hour return depends on your agility to cross streams
• Takes you to a view that gives you a frontal view of the glacier
• Cross a surging stream - which can be tricky
• Lake Matheson walk
• Lake Matheson is famous for the reflective view of Mt Cook
• We did just the first point of interest but the bride, read Mt Cook, was too shy to come out from behind the veil, read the clouds.

Stay : Hokitika Holiday Park

• Cost - 28$ for two for a night
• Very good facilities
• Hosts let their expectations well known

Total Cost : 285$ includings bits and odds

Day 10 : Hokitika to Christchurch (3.5 hrs)

There was just one worry on my mind for this day and that was the weather. I heard that Arthur's Pass could be closed due to bad weather and since the weather had not been particularly good, I wanted to make sure that we get to Christchurch on time. We did nothing but drive all the way to Christchurch today. The views were great and an enjoyable drive. 

We were in Christchurch by lunchtime and spent most of our day inside a motel room cause most businesses were closed as it was a Sunday.

Transport 

• Campervan hire - 99$
• Fuel -  60$

Food :

• Breakfast - self cooked 
• Lunch and Dinner - Pedro's House of Lamb
• Cost - 36$
• Huge Portions

Activities :

• Relax
• Explore Hagley's Park in the city of gardens

Stay :
Ashford Motor Lodge

• Cost - 120$ for a one bedroom apartment
• Comfortable and clean
• Eco friendly

 Total Cost : 315$


Campervan review : 
Company : CamperCo

• Sturdy, dependable vehicle.
• Had all that we needed for our trip.
• Cost per day 99$ with no excess
• Hired for 11 days
• The only grouse was the lack of charging points. You can either run the freezer box or charge *ONE* device at a time.
• Also, we forgot to take our AUX input cable. I am sure that we could have asked Ross from CamperCo but decided not to as it was Easter time and did not want to disturb him. The radio works most of the time and it was good as we got the weather updates as we needed them.

Road tripping across Northland and some trivia

Well no..not a recipe in spite of the break in my posts. Blame it on holiday planning and then the actual holiday. I am now in my siesta period - the recuperating vacation after a vacation and doing all the catch up that is needed.

Coming from India, it is a rude shock to see things fill up so fast in a small, sparcely populated country. Motels have fewer than 10 rooms and so during a holiday season, good rooms at good prices are hard to come by.  And being a piscean don't help one bit.. nopes. Fickle mindedness can be a very nasty trait to put up with...  ummm for your partner. (Wicked!!)

Well, finally we booked a mix of backpacker and motel accomodation over 6 nights to explore Northland. We went up the west coast from Auckland to Dargaville and from there to Kaitaia to Cape Reinga, the northern most tip, and came down the east coast via Kerikeri, Paihia and Whangarei.

The Kauri Museum :
It was a vacation filled with activities. High on adrenaline after diving out of a plane at 16500 feet, we took the 2 hour odd drive to Dargaville. Enroute, we visited the Kauri Museum at Matakohe. An entrance fee of 25 NZD per person buys you nauseousness from the rich smells of Kauri wood. On a serious note, it is breathtaking to see the size that a kauri trunk can grow to. Indulge in the spectacular food from the Gumdiggers cafe located on the same premises. Visit the matakohe school as well as old post office to feel like you got a good bargain for your 25 NZD.  Strong urges to splurge at the museum store must be fought with as the things are very very highly priced. The same tee shirt is available for half the price at other stores.

Destination Dargaville and Tokatoka peak:
Tokatoka peak provides a 360 degree view and is about a 10 minute steep climb from the main road.
Dargaville is a small town on SH16 and is known for the Kai Iwi Lakes and Waipoa forests where one can see the great Tane Mahuta. An old school serves as a backpackers accomodation and if you can overlook the sirens of the neighbouring police station, The Greenhouse Backpackers is a good place to stay at. It is closely located to all supermarkets and restaurants.

Kai Iwi Lakes and Tane Mahuta :
Located at about 30 minutes from Dargaville town center is Kai Iwi Lakes - 3 fresh water lakes formed in between mountains from rain water. They are breathtakingly beautiful and a popular camping ground is situated closeby.
Next is the Waipoua forests where one could go camping and trekking.
Tane Mahuta - the Lord of the Forest - the largest living Kauri tree. Kauri trees are native of NZ and large kauri forests have been buried under the earth for years now. Scientists believe that a huge Tsunami caused these forests to get submerged underground not once but 3 times around. They have soft roots which do not go deep into the ground and this makes them more sensitive to pressure. They take years to mature and grow to their full height. These trees have self healing capabilities eliminating knots, providing great timber for furniture. Their gum was used for varnishes and resins.

Cape Reinga, Tapotupotu Bay and 90 mile beach :
An overnight stay at Kaitaia is important if one is to take the bus tour to Cape Reinga. Don't be misled and believe me when I tell you that you can drive all the way to Cape Reinga. It has been 2 years since the road has been paved. The only thing you won't be able to do if you don't have a 4 wheel drive vehicle is the 90 mile drive along the beach. Well, it is not 90 miles but about 98 kilometres but since 90 mile sounds cool, it is called that. Who cares right? Well, the beach drive is not much fun.
Tapotupotu bay made me breathless. The blueness of the ocean on a sunny day is from some picture. Limitless shade sof blue. Again, a popular camping ground.
Cape Reinga is the northernmost tip of Northland to us commoners. If one is a scientist, there is another tip which is part of a scientific reserve which is actually the northern most tip. There is a coastal track that takes one 3.5 hours from Cape Reinga to Tapotupotu bay.
Avoid the bus tour if you want to do any trekking - you get about 40 minutes at Cape Reinga with 5 bus loads, at the minimum, of people.

Tapotupotu Bay90 mile beach

KeriKeri:
A rustic little unspoilt town midway on the east coast is Kerikeri, home to the oldest stone store, rainbow falls, the parrot place, Palmco gardens and the famous Matakana Chocolate House. Rainbow falls was serene with almost no one at 9 am. It is called so cause of the 7+ tiny falls that make the whole falls. Avoid the parrot place if you don't like seeing trapped birds, more if you have to pay a 10 dollar entry fee.You do get a handful of peanuts to feed the birds and if you are too shy to do that, feed yourself. The Kerikeri belt is known for Macadamia nuts and that's what the Matakana Chocolate House is all about - Macadamia nuts and Chocolate.

Paihia :
The San Francisco of Northland. Crowded with a famous pier lined with restaurants and water based activities. It is known for its pohutukawa lined white sandy beaches but hey Orewa beach is the same and less crowded or commerctial. Fortunately we stopped just for lunch. However, if you are keen, you could go to the Aquarium by the bay, swimming with the dolphins and parasailing.

Whangarei :
Whangarei is a huge port town. We stayed at this rustic eco place called "Little Earth Lodge" where you are away from network coverage, close to glow worm caves, in the middle of a beautiful birdsongs and beautiful views.

We went on a fishing trip here which was a mixed experience. At some point your consciousness does kick in and one stares at the ocean wondering why one paid 85$  to sit amidst 20 odd people who are trying to get the bang for their buck.

Shakespear Regional Park, North Island

A perfect weekend getaway in summer would be the Shakespear Regional Park, 40 minutes away from Auckland city. It is a peninsular which now boasts of an Open Sanctuary. Gates are open from 6am to 9pm and there are options for camping onsite as well but you do need to book apriori if planning to camp. There is also the YMCA lodge where you could get to stay for the night. However, for an unplaned weekend, this is a good option when you decide an outing on an impulse.

The Shakespear Regional Park is now maintained by the Auckland City Council and is free to enter as well has ample parking space. One could go swimming, fishing, paddle boating, canoeing, kayaking, paragliding, boating, sailing, hiking, mountain biking or picnicing. The park has 3 walking trails to boast of which are graded "Easy".

• Lookout Trail - 1 hour return  - 2.5kms
• Heritage Trail - 2 hours return - 3.9 kms
• TiriTiri Trail - 2 hours return - 4.8kms

If you have a few hours to spare there, do the lookout trail which has a breathtaking 360 degree view. If you have half a day, you could opt for 2 trails or you could do one trail and picnic there. For a full day there, you could end the day with a walk to explore the glow worms display at The Waterfall Gully which is closeby.

We went there for half a day and did one trail - the TiriTiri trail. It shares a part of the Lookout trail so you get the good views too. It goes through beach, grassy meadows and native forest. 

What to wear :

If doing the TiriTiri trail try to avoid shorts as you will walk through the native forest with a few thorny bushes. 

The sun can be harsh so wear a thin cotton full sleeves top. 

Don't forget to apply enough sunscreen.

What to carry:

Food is not available there so please do carry your trek/picnic grub. 

Sunscreen

Swimwear

Towels

Camera

Sunhat

Sunglasses

Beach mat
A water bottle
A rubbish bag as you have to take back all your rubbish

Be careful about the rocky beach/sea floor which can easily cut while you head out ot swim.

Planning a trip to Bhutan??

Bhutan is one country which is recently opening up to tourism. When Pras and I decided to travel there, we did not find much information about things to do and places to visit. Ultimately, we were at the mercy of our tour guide and the taxi driver to take us places. Most of the websites and forums have information from non-Indians, which is really not helpful for an Indian travelling to Bhutan. Our trip turned out to be quite expensive since we were under informed. So here's a post on how to plan your trip to Bhutan.

Getting there :
By Air
There are flights from Delhi and Kolkatta. These are small ATR type flights which get filled during the season. The online site of Druk Air quotes all prices in dollars which is not an option for us Indians. To book the ticket, travel to Kolkatta or Delhi. Spend a day or two roaming around the place and try to book the tickets directly from the Druk Air counter at the airport. A round-trip flight via Kolkatta to Paro costs 12000 rupees(approx) per person. The tickets are more expensive via Delhi. You could book via a travel agent too and we got responses from different agents claiming different air fares. The flight is for about 2 hours.

By road
You can get to Paro via road through Bagdogra - the border town in India. There are regular buses that ply this route. It usually takes about an over night journey from Bagdogra.

Stay :
We had opted for a package which costed us 3300 rupees per person per day for stay at a 3-star hotel including all meals, sight seeing and taxi fare. Though the hotels claim to be 3-star, they barely make that mark compared to real 3-star hotels in India. We stayed at Hotel Pedling in Thimphu which was actually quite nice, except for the noisy discotheque open on weekends alone. In Punakha, we stayed at a resort which was beautiful - Meri Phensuem resort. In Paro, we were put up at the worst of all hotels for *3* nights - hotel sonam trophel.
One can book hotels online rather than go through a travel agent. Make sure to indicate that you are an Indian.

Food :
There are not many options for food in Bhutan. You do get Chinese and North Indian food everywhere. Traditional Bhutanese cuisine is limited to Ema Datsi with red rice and Pork Pa. Beef is basically imported from India as cows are considered sacred there. My advice would be to try and avoid the beef dishes. Ema Datsi is a mix of sauteed chillies (big variety which is used for making Bhajis in India) with cheese.  The chillies can be replaced with a variety of cooked veggies and pork but the basic taste remains the same.
We did try the Buttered tea which can be very well missed in my opinion.

Getting around :
As I mentioned that the taxi fare was included in the package. We were provided with a suave Hyundai Sante Fe to go sight seeing. The vehicle is fab but let me tell you that had we taken a taxi at will rather than having one at our beck and call, and too an SUV, we'd have saved precious money.

Things to do :
1. Visit the great Buddha statue being built by a Chinese company in Thimphu
2. Visit the Punakha Dzong
3. Travel to Chelela pass
4. Don't miss the hot stone bath - stones heated in a fire are used to heat up water in a tub.
5. Walk around the streets of Thimphu and Paro - they are really small and the walk is well worth it.
6. Watch an archery match  in Thimphu or Paro.
7. Visit the Swiss Bakery in Thimphu - don't miss the chocolate eclair
8. Take a walk amidst the rice fields and take in the fresh non-polluted air
9. Get a taste of Ara the local brew from rice
10. Bird watching on the way to Chelela pass
11. Visit the weekend market in Thimphu
12. Get a taste of Shambaala, a beef patty, in the local market in Thimphu


Getting a guide :
We had opted for a guide at rupees 500 per person per day. The guides are well trained and speak good english. However, do make sure you let them know what it is that you exactly like doing. Our guide took us to numerous temples and forts which did get boring and repetitive.

Places to visit :
Visit Thimphu, Punakha, Chelela Pass, Bumthang. Bumthang is considered the switzerland of Bhutan and is not to be missed.

Lakshadweep - true heaven on earth

My husband has been in between jobs and we were planning a trip. I had managed to get my leave approved but we were unable to finalize on the holiday location. We initially tried Uttaranchal and then the north-east. Failing both, my husband chose Lakshadweep - India's only coral destination. I was not very impressed initially. I had my own inhibitions but I obliged as life has been really different for me these last few months - have been travelling a lot, work has been a bit hectic and worst of all, I have been undergoing a lot of treatments. I really don't know why I go to those doctors and then fall for what they tell me. Anyways, I am done with that phase again :)
This package to Lakshadweep is a Government of India organized trip. There is a Government ship named Kavaratti, which sets sail from Cochin in Kerala. They have a fixed schedule. The ship is not intended only for tourism and has other agenda as well and hence it is requested that you stick to the schedules given.
We took a day train from Bengalooru to Ernakulam on the 3rd of March, 2010. Hubby and I planned to watch movies and pass time through the day and sadly, the laptop power charging socket had an erratic power supply. I did, however, manage to watch most of "Invictus". We had a hotel reservation at the "Hotel Abad Metro". We had eaten at this place on our earlier visit to Alleppey. The food was awesome and value for money. We checked into the hotel, took a bath and took a walk around the streets of Ernakulam.
The ship was to set sail on the 4th of March, 2010 from Matancherry Wharf, Willingdon Island. One word of advice here, eat your lunch and then head for the screening spot [ a few metres from the Wharf, where your luggage is checked and they ensure that you are not carrying any alcohol as alcohol is banned on the Lakshadweep islands]. The itinerary does mention that you will be served lunch aboard the ship but that is not the case. However, you can catch up on a kerala thali for 30 bucks at the second class canteen aboard the ship meant for the bunk class passengers. The food in the second class canteen is really better than the food served to first class cabin passengers a.k.a tourists. The ship sets sail around 4pm, around which time tea and tiger biscuits are also served to tourists. We noticed some pink nosed dolphins just off the coast of Cochin - was my first time seeing dolphins :)
The cabins are really cozy, if not luxurious. You are provided with a table, 2 chairs, a 2 seater sofa, 2 cupboards, life jackets and 2 comfortable bunk beds. The toilet is also very cute and comfortable. Drinking water, towels, blankets and soap is provided - I guess it is included in the package cost of 20.5k per head. Warm and not hot water is available for bath. Since the ship has other agenda and not just take tourists sight seeing, it is requested to keep your valuables under lock and key, whenever you are not available in the cabin - there is no lock provided for the cabin. The ship is a means of transporting people as well as other goods between the other islands. Lakshadweep consists of 36 islands out of which 10 are inhabited by humans. Kavaratti is the capital of Lakshadweep and is the largest amongst the islands. Minicoy is the second largest island. Coconut farming, livestock rearing and fishing are the major sources of income for people. All people are government employees and 99% of the population is Muslim. It is believed that there is 0% crime rate on these islands. Alcohol is prohibited and most of the islands are not open to foreigners. All the people living on the islands speak and understand Malayalam or one of its dialects. Minicoy has its own language called "Mahal" which is a dialect of the language spoken in Maldives, however, they do understand Malayalam.

Dinner is served at sharp 8pm and consists of dal, roti, rice, fish fry, chicken curry and some vegetable dishes too - the vegetable side dishes depend on the vegetables that are being transported, I guess - we had brinjal on all 4 days - even on the islands.
Morning tea is served at 6am and breakfast is served at 7am. Breakfast consists of bread, butter, jam, a local delicacy - such as dosa/upma/idli, coconut chutney and sambar.
At 7:40 am, all tourists need to assemble for disembarking to proceed to the island.
We visited Kalpeni first. Kalpeni is the smallest of the 3 islands on the agenda and I feel had the warmest and friendliest people. We are taken by means of a boat between the islands and the ship. We are then taken to the government run resort by means of some vehicle. The beaches are very clean, the sand is very fine. The water is crystal clear - with two shades - a lighter blue where the water is shallow and the dark deep blue of the sea.The first activity was water sports - kayaking and snorkeling. I got into my swimsuit only to be stared upon by the aunties and uncles from Bengal and Ajmer :) Sadly , hubby and I were the only "YOUNG" couple in the tourist crowd. We first went kayaking from the island to another smaller island close by. From there, we were given snorkeling equipment. The water was about 3feet high[low tide] and the corals in Kalpeni are really sharp so wear your footwear when in water too. You need to float and look into the water and get a good look at the fish and corals. I am really really scared of water and especially of it getting into my ear - by the time I got comfortable of putting my head into the water, it was time to head back for lunch. I did however see something.. We also saw sea cucumbers - which shrink when taken out of the water. There was one which was like a snake and was moving. We have to stick to the schedule as the ship has to stick to its schedule ;) Post lunch, we were taken around the island.Kalpeni has a hosiery factory and a khadi bhavan. We bought tees for 63 bucks from the hosiery factory. We were shown how the weaving is done. However,the raw material comes from the mainland and that may add to the cost that we eventually will pay. I loafed around while people took their time at the hosiery. I made friends with Saifudeen who wanted his picture to be taken. His mom offered me some coconut fruit - this grows inside a coconut. After tea and some cultural programmes, we are taken back to the jetty to embark back onto the ship.
The next day we visited Kavaratti - the capital. Kavaratti is more commercial and has a population of 10k. We were taken on a glass bottom boat ride where we could get a good view of the corals and fish. We got to see the colourful sea anemone and many other corals. On payment of 200 bucks, you can get to go snorkeling for 30 minutes. I was a bit sea sick after the boat ride and decided to stay back. I did change my mind at the last minute but my hubby said that he would not take care of me - there are guys who come to help and take care of people but my hubby insisted I save my energy for the scuba diving the next day. I am told that the snorkeling at Kavaratti is a must-do. Post lunch, we had some cultural entertainment. We also went to the desalination plant which is the source of drinking water across the Kavaratti island. This plant was installed for an initial cost of 4 crores and one litre of water costs 15 paise. People are however not charged this amount. The technology for this plant is all Indian coming from the National Institute of Ocean Technology, Chennai. We also visited an aquarium and museum of preserved varieties of fish. I loafed around while people took their time and made friends with the villagers. After tea, we got back to the ship to proceed to the next destination - Minicoy.
Minicoy was very beautiful - had 3 different colours to the beach - a white, crystal blue and the deep blue of the sea. This was because of low tide. By afternoon, this had changed. The landscape of Minicoy was very different from the first two islands - there were a variety of trees that could be seen. In Kalpeni and Kavaratti, it was hard to find a tree other than a coconut tree. We first went to the lighthouse. We climbed all the way to the top - from which we could see a small island with 12 coconut trees, named Wringley island - after Lord Wringley who was buried there. It was a beautiful sight. Back at the resort, we registered for scuba diving. I mustered all my courage to go scuba diving. However, with an impatient, discouraging helper and my non-supportive hubby, I did not make it. I was very depressed post this - felt like a failure - could not overcome my fear for the water and deep blue sea. My hubby and the others kept talking about the beauty and of a big fish hiding inside a small cave. I was given back the 750 rupees as I had cancelled the scuba diving - I did however get over most of my fear for water. Post lunch, we had a cultural programme. We were informed that in Minicoy, the husband moves to the wife's house post marriage and the entire expense of the wedding is borne by the husband's side. Minicoy has 10 villages with each village having a central village home. The people in Minicoy were least friendly when compared to the other two islands. Minicoy was also more hep in terms of resort look and feel, etc.. The boat ride back to the ship from Minicoy was what I enjoyed the most. The sea was rough and we were completely drenched once we got back to the ship.
The next morning we were back in Cochin. Hubby and I visited the Jewish synagogue in Jew Town. I met the beautiful Amelia, who works as a nurse in London but is from New Zealand. We bumped into each other again at the Dutch Palace museum.Hubby and her partner Rowan, who is from NZ but works as a carpenter in London, got acquainted with each other and we had some nice chit chat after which we bid each other adieu. It was nice to meet them as hubby and I plan to migrate to NZ for a while. We had tea at the Ginger House Restaurant and lunch at Caza Maria restaurant. We then took a local boat to head to the railway station - we did bump into one of the crew members of Kavaratti who was heading home until the 10th of March, 2010 when the M.V.Kavaratti would again set sail.

I am really amazed at what the Government of India can really accomplish. The islands are so clean and people so friendly. It is hard to believe that they don't have any crimes reported there. Alcohol being a no-no, makes it all the more appealing to me - though I really wanted to get drunk on a cocktail or two ;) More important is that they have preserved the beauty and culture of the people. Kudos to the Government for this. I recommend this trip to everyone - even if you are not a water person.
The government has other packages where one can opt to stay on an island. People say that it is better to stay on one island for 2-3 days so that you can get a better feel of the island and visit the places that may be of interest to you. Our package was called the Samudram package aboard M.V.Kavaratti. Aboard the ship we did not really feel sea sick - mostly cause the sea was calm. However, in case you do feel sea sick, the best way to feel better is to look at the horizon.

This and that of Alleppey

As part of our "staggered"/"scattered" honeymoon, my hubby and I visited Punnamada resorts in Alleppey. The resort is a beautiful place with a lot of attention given to detail, so much so as to have wooden locks for the doors. Personally, I did feel that they've gone a bit overboard with the wooden interiors. That said, the place is very beautiful, peaceful, calm and serene, overlooking the Punnamada lake/backwaters. The staff there were very welcoming, everyone from the sweeper to the manager kept smiling always and were always willing to help.
We spent the first day on a houseboat. Well, I was thrilled - it was just Prashanth and me with the captain, a cook and a helper on the boat. Just before getting onto the boat I was cribbing about having to share the deck space with some noisy north-indian family. It was a welcome surprise when we were shown the way to our boat via the north-indian family's boat :). We were garlanded once we entered the boat and given a yummy pineapple juice. It was all hospitable and warm. We then set sail. The backwaters are very still and calm - smooth sailing :) I had a look around the boat and went to take a shower and to my disappointment was unable to get a single water droplet to fall on me :( Then hubby dear tried and he too failed. Finally, came captain to the rescue and all that had to be done was to turn the knob upwards :-P After a cold shower, it was time to enjoy the beauty of the backwaters - green rice fields, calm water body around us, other house boats passing by, noisy government transport boats, private boats with people ever willing to wave me a "hi", women busy at work outside their homes - they are so lucky to have a house just on the side of the river. Sadly, these people dont realize that they are polluting the water by bathing in the water, washing clothes in the river/lake, washing their vessels in the river. I wish they would realize this and instead of washing in the river/lake, take water out of the river/lake to do the needful on land with proper drainage facilities. Hmm.. this did sadden me quite a bit.

Anyways, forgot all that with scrumptous spread Syjeeth put in front of us. Once done with that, we played some carrom and I beat hubby dear 2 to 1. We then were joined by a very sweet couple from the US as we went in a row boat across the Venice of the East. Once back, we went a bit further and stopped the house boat for the day. Took a small stroll with Anoop[helper] leading us. We went near a lotus pond and saw a water snake... with its head nicely perched on top of a leaf - sadly we only got a glimpse and could not take a pic cause as Pras went closer to take a pic, it dived into the water. We walked back, played some cards, had another yummy meal and hit the bed.

The next morning, we awoke to the smell of pooris being fried. Once we ate, we set sail back to the resort. Back at the resort, we checked into our lake view room. The same had a view of the pool in the front. We took a shower, some snaps and went cycling. Once back, we showered and got into the pool. I tried to relearn swimming with Pras's help. We then had lunch, played carrom and table tennis at the activity center and then went on the speed boat.

I was very frightened when I heard the word "speed boat". However, not wanting to play spolit sport, I got into the boat and put my hands to my ears and looked down. We started and to my surprise I did not get the usual speed butterflies in my tummy. The person in charge also gave Pras and me a chance to try our hand at the speed boat. Was real fun. I never wanted it to end. Waterways are fun as you have no "right" way :)

Back at the resort, we took a walk around the nearby village with one girl coming out of her house and politely asking us to photograph her, which we willingly did so. We then had dinner, did another photography session and crashed for the day.

Next morning, we woke up, had bath and went in a row boat. Pras and I took turns with the one paddle given to us. It was a good exercise. One more bath and it was time to leave :( We were dropped at the alleppey bus stand from where we took a bus to ernakulam. On the way we got off to take an auto to "Fort Kochi". Fort Kochi is very much like Goa and you get to see a lot of foreigners in "short" shorts. ;) We visited the Maritime Museum whose caretaker was a very nice gentleman who asked me to take a look at his security guard when I asked him if it was safe for me to leave my haversack with him :) After walking around, we entered a gallery cum cafe, the manager of which was surprised to know that we were not from Goa - my thali confused him quite a bit. Infact, I think it confused many people since many of them kept glaring at it.

We had dinner at the "Abad Metro" hotel near the KSRTC bus stand. The food was very tasty and worth every rupee. We did not expect the bill to be just 115 rupees from the looks of the place. Got onto our bus and I slept through the entire journey on hubby's shoulder waking up for the first time when the bus had stopped cause there was a minor fire mishap due to faulty electrical wiring, which the conductor fixed in a few minutes. However, the bus got delayed and we were on the bus for more than 12 hours :(

I enjoyed this trip so much as I had Pras by my side at all times - the TV did not come in between us - not even once, which I had not anticipated. ;)

Back to Chennai

When I was a kid, I always told my mom that I would never marry anyone who is from a hot place like Coimbatore or Chennai. I had visited Chennai on a school trip and hated it. We stayed in a youth hostel and got brown coloured water to drink. However, I ended up doing my bachelor's degree from Coimbatore and working in Chennai - all out of my own free will. What's more? I can not stop praising these 2 cities. Coimbatore is a nice city to live in - kind of a prosperous place. Chennai is an awesome place compared to Bangalore, where I currently am put up. I felt very safe in Chennai. I DON'T feel safe in Bangalore.

Well, I convinced my husband, and we went last weekend to Chennai. I was so excited about the whole trip. I was on a high. The heat never bothered me except for 5 minutes on the way to Sathyam cinemas - we got lost and were trying to find our way[lot of diversions cause of the so-called infrastructure building]. Sathyam cinemas has changed a lot from when I left Chennai but it is beyond comparison with the INOX/PVR in Bangalore.

The beach is such a lovely place to go to. The vastness of the ocean makes me feel so small and my problems much smaller that I get back riding the wave. It does depress me to see that people don't keep the beaches very clean but is that not the case everywhere? I wish I was more bold to tell every person I saw throwing paper or rubbish onto the road, that he/she was doing wrong.

Lunch at Tiffany's in IIT was really good. Somethings never change. Oh, but they have increased the prices quite a bit.

We spent a lot of time with the NMSWorks folks - and it never felt like I did not belong there. Everyone was so warm and welcoming. I love this about the place and the folks there.

After dinner, I enjoyed getting out of the A/C restaurant - the warm, balmy air hugging every inch of my body. It made me feel so welcome. I was so happy to be back "on my turf". We rode back to the guest house in a light drizzle. Now, can you think of doing this in Bangalore? It is too cold to really enjoy it.

Somehow I don't think I will ever change my views about Chennai. I guess, you never realise the goodness of the place unless you experience it yourself. Who knows, sometime in future, when I move from Bangalore, I may end up saying Bangalore is a good place too...