New Year 2004-05 (Writing) - Natural living, food forest gardening in New Zealand

Over Rimutaka range in morning winds, twists and turns. Stopped for freshwater swim. Featherstone river, cold, crisp and blue. I felt the return to the wide open sky. Then on and on by many familiar towns, names and places. Night saw us at Karakau beach, out from Waipawa. A full moon rose, swollen gold, from the east. I know it was the east because I had shown Signe how to locate south using the southern cross formation (the one that appears on the NZ flag). Under a clear starry sky we wandered north along the beach, tide receding. Turning inland to navigate the valley, tall grass and sluggish stream. A brief encounter with an eel, then on track in deepening shadow. We located the waterfall, cascading in darkness, a soft trickle, constant and alive. The darkness broke, pinpoints of light glowing out from the moss and moisture. Glow worms to watch and listen.
Sea swim, twice for good luck, then on again, making tracks. Next stop Te Mata Peak, Havelock North. Fair weather, Napier beach, lunch and a latte. The waves sucked at the small stones, which were warm underfoot. New roads, long and hilly, took us from Napier through heat and hills to Taupo and mountains, still white with snow. Provided lift aid for unfortunate van owner, having stopped to dip and freshen up.
Taupo lake, cold, stretched, from here to far away. Black swans, scavengers of tourist shoreline. Likewise, float plane transports eyes and camera skyward. After a quick stop at Huka falls to witness the outpouring of lake Taupo, along with other snap-happy travellers it's on toward Rotorua. We located a small lake, just off the main road where we made camp and extracted local knowledge of hot springs from a fisherman. Armed with directions to Kerosene Creek, we rattled off down a narrow, rutted shingle road. On arrival we were confronted with a large crowd of people (mostly youngsters) watching Spiderman movie from the warm waters of the stream. Quite a surreal experience, sitting in the steaming pools, with a projection system and PA in the middle of the forest. We sat, talked and drunk a beer with a local couple, soaking in the sulphurous waters. Signe first gave in to the heat and we returned to camp. When we awoke it was drizzling and grey. A dull day, now on to Rotorua town for a brief look around sulphur point and lakefront. Moving on toward Tauranga, past many more familiar place names, and out via Papamoa beach and on to Waihi. Long flat beach, where I once stopped for a long shell hunting walk. From Waihi beach we rejoined the main road, headed for Whangamata. We arrived, to a state of madness. Weather packing up, kids parading their fat cars and police overseeing the whole scene. We checked out a candidate beach for camping but the concentration of yuppies and the lack of vacant ground suggested we try elsewhere. Opoutere beach, large mud flats and estuary with pine forests, mangroves and bird sanctuary. A beautiful beach, gust winds, and threatening rain. Morning came with an early wake up call from the camp warden. Whatever happened to the kiwi camping tradition?
Off to Tairua for a hot breakfast. oHoHot coffee and a power point for Signe to recharge her camera. A socket I exploited on my travels earlier in the year. North to hot water beach, windy and raining with pounding waves. A couple of girls and a guy stripped down and sprinted off to the beach. I grabbed the shovel and followed. High tide, wave washed beach. Digging wildly exposed a distinct lack of hot water. By now the rain was depressing to the point of desperation and we sough serious shelter. However, with demand being so high, we weren't so lucky. We ended up camping in the back of the car again (we were better at it this time).