It is always importent to read the instructions, and there they were. Wig and dress up for music night, New Years Eve. Unfortuneatly this was the first time those words had registered and we had left home for the annual South Auckland Caravan Club Safari. A ten day excursion exploring North Auckland. New Years Eve would see us at the Kawakawa Rugby Club. Well, we would see if we could pick up some thing in Whangarei when we passed through on Sunday the 29th Dec.
Friday the 27th and Saturday the 28th we parked our vans at the One Tree Point School near Marsden Point. Those with ebikes explored the nearby area and yacht marina while those of us without bikes did the same on foot. The local coffee shop did good business. Saturday afternoon there was croquet to play and in the evening Housie (Tombola). Much to my surprise I shared a house with David and received $3.50, nearly recovering the $4.00 Judy and I had ‘invested’. Judy then won $7.50 and I won another $9.00. What a night, came out $12.00 up. A first for us and a lot of fun.
Sunday it was off to Whangarei to queue up to empty our black and grey water and refill with fresh. A very busy dump station. Now off to get some wigs. We drove past a large shopping area full of post Christmas shoppers. There were cars and people everywhere. It was buzzing like a honey hive on a hot and sunny day and we turned into the parking area with the caravan attached. After about 70 metres we came to a stop. There were cars in front, cars to the left and cars to the right. All facing us and to the right there was also a ute trying to back out of a park. It quickly became apparant that I had driven down the wrong way and all those eyes looking at me were thinking what is this idiot going to do now. Well backing out down the very narrow lane was an option I wasn’t looking forward to and as we sat there and the queue facing us quickly grew in number the passenger in the ute came and helped us inch forward and left to give room for the ute to move out. Gradually those in front were able to squeeze past and I slowly turned left towards the lane going in the correct direction. One more tight 90 degree turn and we would be right. Fortunately another helpful shopper came to our rescue and with millimetres to spare we were in the correct lane. I dropped Judy off in front of a likely shop and found a park where car and caravan could fit. Now to get out of this park I would have to reverse against the traffic into the narrow lane. There was room to do this if a bit tight and decided to hurry Judy along with a call on the phone before circumstances changed. We got out without further drama and off to find a coffee shop with our new wigs where my blood pressure and breathing could return to normal.
Next stop was the Kawakawa Rugby Club where we stayed for three nights including New Years Eve. There were over thirty vans attending. Time here was spent relaxing and socializing. We had a trip over to Paihia to visit my nephew and a swim. New Years Eve we had games in the Rugby Club followed by our dress up, music and dancing. It was a blast and time passed quickly to mid night. Next door, about 200 metres away another party was in full swing and they had an impressive fireworks display to welcome in the new decade.
Some of the Caravan Club vans at the Kawakawa Ruby Ground.
Just a few of those who dressed up for the night. It was great to see the participation and it was very difficult to recognize most people. Lots of hair is very uncommon amongst the male members of the club. We were dressed as monks with weird hairdos.
New Years day we moved on to Taipa, up near Kaitaia. We had a lovely spot not far from the sea. More relaxing and swimming. Today, the 4th, we left the Caravan Club behind to travel on north to Tokerau out the Karikari Peninsula We expect to have an extended explore of the north, returning home at the end of January.
South Island and Return 