Toot Toot, Vanlife - Oct 2021

 

Finally the day had come!  Earlier in 2021 we had bought a van to afford us a bit more independence.  Our housesitting lifestyle had become a little unreliable since Covid took over the world.  There were either no housesits available because the country had gone in to lockdown or there were tons of them as the rules relaxed.  The uncertainty can be a little tricky to negotiate so we decided that Vanlife would give us a little flexibility.

We finished our renovations, packed all our belongings and headed for the South Island for the six months of summer.

We started out on a journey through Waikaremoana country expecting there to be plenty of places to stay in the wild and at least some fishing to be had.  Unfortunately we found everything closed.  We assumed that the recent lockdown had meant that things hadn't quite opened up yet but came to find out that the government had given control of the land back to Iwi. Nuff said.

But at least we were able to stop on the side of the road for James to get his legs out for the first time this spring.

So that first night we popped out on the coast near Mahia and decided to go for a hunt.  We got a goat and some hunters we met along the way gave us some venison backsteak.  We have a small fridge in the van but can't carry too much meat at one time.  We stopped on the side of the road on the way out to pick some watercress to go with our wild meat.

We also managed to score a turkey which was very tasty too.

We slowly made our way down the east coast revisiting a farm sit we did a few years ago.  It was great to see everyone again.  The puppy had become and adult in our absence!  Stopping in Wellington for a few days with Clare's sister and to visit her parents (for the first time since they moved into a retirement village).

We crossed over on the ferry without fuss.  We are required to wear facemasks on public transport and in shops or gathering places but everything else for us is pretty much normal.

We headed straight for Blenheim to embark of a journey neither of us had taken before ... the coast road back to Picton!  It was rugged and beautiful and very quiet.

So great to have the sand between our toes

Nice to meet this slimy bugga

Marlborough Sounds from on high

It was great to discover that our beloved sourdough crumpets turned out to be very van friendly.

We then made our way slowly toward family in Nelson, stopping in some wonderful camp spots along the way.

In Nelson we spent a few days with Clare's nephew and his wife.  It was great to meet young Elliott for the first time.  Also great that we were able to bore him to sleep so that his parents could get a few precious moments to themselves :-)

Next we headed toward Collingwood, detouring up the Cobb river for a night, catching and eating our first trout of the trip.  We don't eat many of the fish we catch and only ever take fish and animals for food when we need it.  We prefer to forage for our own food rather than eat meat from the supermarket, something we don't do a lot of.

We found this bbq in situe which was
damn handy

Feeding the eels at the same spot

Back on the coast we managed to forage some cockles and mussels and some really huge ones!  We enjoyed a fine laksa and a couple of batches of mussel fritters.

Next we headed for Collingwood and into the Aorere Valley.  The river was spectacularly clear.

 

Look! A river bath

We found this really cool shop in the middle of nowhere and bought some sour snakes.

Then we found this really cool waterfall at the end of the road.

Again, the water was unbelievably clear

It was way too windy in Collingwood on our way in and out or we would have liked to spin up some kahawai at the rivermouth, so we headed back to Motueka. We had attempted to make contact with two families we had housesat for in the area.  We like to call in and visit the pets again when we get the opportunity.  However, we found both of them had moved on to other places.  It is sobering to know that other people are on the move too, not just us!

Next leg of the journey was down the Motueka River.  This was a treat we weren't expecting. James also became reacquainted with his fly rod.

Sometimes James blends in so well with the background .....

Hitting the main road back to Blenheim we took a detour to visit the picturesque alpine town of St Arnaud.  It was bitterly cold and oh so windy.  We didn't stay long.

Lake Rotoiti, St Arnaud

We continued our journed up the Wairau River back to Blenheim.  We weren't as impressed by the Wairau as we were the Motueka but we did happen to find a very surprising jewel in the crown - Argyle Pond.  This is not only an awesome freedom camping spot but is a well stocked man-made lake at a hydroelectic dam.  Chatting with some fellow fishermen we were advised there were not only trout but also salmon in the lake.  We didn't really believe them until .....

It was time to head back to Blenheim and stock up for the next part of our adventure.

Lockdown and a brief relief - Aug/Sep 2021

 

The Bay of Plenty in all it's glory

The Delta variant of the Coronavirus was discovered and Auckland and the country was again plunged into level 4 lockdown.  We spent the few weeks at our 'home away from home' in Whakatane with our amazingly supportive friends, Ollie and Snow.

We were pretty busy getting the van ready for our summer getaway.  Clare got busy painting and decorating and James spent the time buiding and fitting new additions .... awning, solar panels etc.

We got our vaccinations.

Snow had to go to work but the rest of us cooked and baked and we all got hooked on the Danish version of Alone!!  

Clare knitted face masks.

Best of all, we got to hang out with these two again.

Ruby, the cheese lover

Max, the cuddle bug

The best thing about having a dog in lockdown is that you are permitted to take them for a walk.  We took full advantage of this with daily jaunts out to the beach, river or surrounding hills.

As soon as we dropped down to level 3, we loaded up the van and headed for the bach at Whanarua Bay for a couple of weeks.  Clare joined the ladies up in the village with their weekly exercise classes.  

We climbed the mountain.

And enjoyed this fabulous view from the top

Maraetotora

The weather wasn't great, and the fishing was less than average but, just before leaving, we explored a new (to us) place on the rocks and hauled in enough fish to keep everyone happy.

Kahawai and blue maumau

Smoked fish, yum yum

We also caught a big 7.5cm cray in one of the pots which made a scrumptous pasta dish

As family was coming to use the bach one weekend, we took the opportunity to take the van up round the East Cape, staying at both Lottin Point and Hicks Bay

Lottin Point

This fella came to join us for breakfast
one morning on the beach at Hicks Bay

Well then.  That's enought of that!  Time to head back to Whakatane for the final preparations to the van before leaving for a summer of fun in the South Island.  Before we left, Ollie and Snow made their own trip to the South Island, leaving us to housesit for 10 days.

Winter in the Bay - July/Aug 2021

 

Mt Edgecumbe on a hazy evening

Back to the Bay of Plenty to start the refit for the van.  We had no sooner sat down for a cuppa with our friends when we spotted an emergency sit that had been posted on the Kiwihousesitters site.  The homeowners were stuck in Australia as the 'bubble' popped with the rise of cases over the Tasman and the current housesitter needed to move on to their next sit.  The location was one of our favourites in the bay,  on the beach between Thornton and Matata, so we were happy to help out.

We arrived to yet another heaven on earth, again feeling thankful for our lifestyle choice, even in these uncertain times of Covid.   We felt especially lucky to be hanging out with these gorgeous pups.

Nala is only 18mths and a bit of a nervous nelly,
till she gets to know you

12yo Chewy, absolutely bomb proof

The beach was just on the other side of the paddock.  We went multiple times a day, sometimes just for a doggy walk or two.

Reaching into back pocket for treats!

Nala loved to fetch sticks and chase waves

Whilst Chewy preferred to act her age and stay out of trouble

Of course, there was plenty of fishing going on too

Whale Island/Moutohora

One misty morning

We just couldn't get enough of this place! And as usual, we became totally attached to our charges, and they us.  It was an unusual sit in that there was a lot of uncertainty for both us and the homeowners over when they would be able to get home.  It turned into a week long sit and we were happy to hunker down and wait it out. 

When we left, it was only to another of our favourite places ..... Whanarua Bay.  More relaxing, reconnecting with friends from the village, fishing (including eating lots of fish) and a visit from Clare's nephew, Jack.

The bay on a beautiful winters day

We caught enough kahawai from a couple of trips out in the kayak to smoke some up.

Brine of salt and brown sugar

Finished product

We made the smoked fish into a kedgeree which we shared with a friend, and lots of fish cakes, also shared with friends.

We spent some time surfcasting on the beach at Te Kaha too, contemplating the world from a different perspective.  We caught some Trevally which we enjoyed as sashimi and crumbed fillets.

Jack and Clare untangling an unholy mess of
seaweed in the line!

A couple of weeks later we decamped (reluctantly) to our next sit in Kawerau.  17yo Littles required companions whilst his mummy headed for a holiday in Northland

This was going to be a week of sitting in by the fire and keeping Mr Little company.  As a much older gentleman he sleeps a lot during the day ..... whilst masquerading as a bed and blanket thief at night!!!  He also needed to be given a pill every evening which, whilst he didn't like it, he was very very good about it.

It was Clare's birthday so we indulged in a bit of overeating ......

Homemade sourdough crumpets

Spag bol for dinner

Lemon meringue pie for pudding!

The only other activity that remained for tha taking was a lovely walk on a lovely day up the lovely Tarawera River to catch a lovely wee rainbow trout.

Everyone was happy.

Nekminit, we find ourselves back in Level 4 lockdown as the Delta varient of Covid is discovered in the community.  Littles' Mum scrambles back down country to make it home before the curfew and we head back to Whakatane to sit it out.  All future plans on hold until whenever.

Ho hum.  Deep sigh.