A North Island
Camper adventure 18th Feb to 28th
Throughout
this diary are links to Rhondda’s pictures.
Wednesday
Left home and drove up to Hastings Ken had
contacted us and said he wanted photos taken of a house he was selling and wanted
to put them on trade me, while we were there a lady came in and requested to
rent the property, she talked to Ken and he agreed and they were to bring the
money around the next evening. We went around to McDonalds and emailed them to
him, then back to the house and parked up slept in our camper.
Thursday
British car museum, Beacham Jaguar and Napier art Deco. Part 1
We went off to a car museum out of
Hastings, what a funny place it was. You rang the bell which was a Claxton horn
and this eccentric fellow took our 20 dollars and we were free to roam, every
car ever constructed in N.Z was there in some cases like minis and Hillman’s
one in every colour and year in various stages of rust from nearly pristine to
diabolical. Also many other things like potties, planes, pictures, books and
organs you name it was there. We spent quite a long time talking to an American
chap then I left Tony to it, the owner had imported 2 hearses and was keen to
find out how we got the camper VIN’ed (road worthy in
left hand drive) so he and Tony talked for a while and I read my book, it
really makes a difference having a home away from home outside the museum to
escape to.
Next stop Beachams,
another bloke that is a petrol head only this time he makes a lot of money out
of it, in fact he has been knighted, his workers strip down cars then
reconstruct them to new, amazing prices he gets 250 thousand dollars for
Jaguars like ours and a Million plus for old Rolls Royce’s and the like of
highly rare cars, the restoration is amazing.
Went back to the house to wait for Kens tenants however they never
fronted up so we parked up again for the night.
This restored Rolls Royce is about to be
driven into a container and shipped overseas.
Friday
On to Napier, Art Deco week here and everyone dresses up in 1920s to 1940s clothes old bikes bicycles, drives old cars, ride old motor bikes and the shops all participate and dress the windows accordingly.
We met a guy at the camper dump station, he
took us to the high school where the caravan club had arranged parking for the
members so we got our site put up our notice the site was taken and went back
to town, parked up by the aquarium on Marine Parade and rode our pushbikes into
town, locked them to a lamp post and went for a wander. Tony was sitting at the
side of the road watching the world go by and spotted Bill a friend from the
Ulysses club riding his bicycle along the road. After a chat it was found Bill
was parked in the same school camp site as us.
It was so nice even the children were dressed
in the 30s costumes we had to get into the spirit to so I purchased a long
skirt and Tony a hat so we could dress up that evening like everyone else, took
photos of the old cars and people, had our usual subway lunch then wandered
around some more.
A couple all dressed up to kill.
When we were at Beachams
the parts manager there told Tony about some wire wheels for the jag so he decided
to go back and have a look at them. Prior to going we were wandering around we
had met Tony’s cousin from Blenheim Peter and wife Pattie, Tony’s cousin joined us as he was interested in seeing the
construction of the cars also, and he was able to tell them where to get
aircraft aluminium so they were appreciative of that. The wires wheels had rust
on them so they were a no go. We went back to town met Pattie’s relatives who
had a apartment on the water
front then went back to the camper.
Saturday
Sat morning went back Into town and got a
park with lots of other campers, by the beach only a few minutes away from town
so we walked in, there were people everywhere dressed up and heaps of cars, the
traction engine was giving free rides to anyone who wanted them they were
setting up tables and chairs for a dinner, there were a lot of things you could
do but they were very expensive like the dinner was 95 dollars a head so we
just did all the free things and that was plenty it kept you occupied the whole
time. They were giving out medals to the Police, Air force and Army for various
things a string of old cars brought the top brass of the Air force with their
ladies all dressed up for the occasion in 30s dress. Police dogs were also on
display, it was very hot and one of the soldiers was nearly fainting so 2 men
stood alongside him grabbed one arm each and marched him off funny to see him
not moving his legs must happen quite often as they had it down to a fine art,
we then went back to the camper for a cup of tea after watching the Air force
do a flying display of the Red Checkers and vintage Harvard’s.
The planes are doing aerobatics about the
QE3.
Next a competition of the dresses and
bathing suits, also a young lady was singing the 30s tunes and a great quartet
of musicians and entertainers, a young guy did a fantastic Charlie Chaplain
impersonation.
Then the cars with all the people in them
paraded down the main road it was fantastic, I was speaking to two Ladies in
amazing costumes, they were Russians who owned a costume hire shop in Auckland and they came every
year and took out most the prizes but this year they did not get any at all.
The cruise liner Q E 3 was sitting out in the bay and must have had a lot of
Americans on it as they were everywhere at the show as were Russians.
These are two Russian ladies. People travel
from all over the world to this event.
Went back to the camper and changed into
our glad rags and went into town, had dinner at the RSA that was also decked
out in the Art deco them with all the people dressed to suite, enjoyed all the
entertainment, went back to the camper, what a great experience I would happily
do it every year
This chap won the best outfit in the
competition.
I was having fun
This young fella was having a ball playing
the part.
Sunday
Hamilton with Johnny and Annie then
onto Parnel
Set off for Hamilton it took us till 3 o’clock to get there, we stayed the evening with John and Annie, caught up on all the news, Annie has a new motor scooter to go to work on, John has a new Motor bike and they have a new car.
Annie on her scooter, she normally rides a
1200cc Suzuki Bandit.
Monday
We picked Cheryl up from Auckland airport
and went to the hotel where she and Simon were staying. On the way we followed
this tank driving down the main streets of Auckland
They were going to the Roger Waters show
“The Wall” that evening, we all went into Parnell for lunch, they reckon Wellington
has hills, well we had to go up several very steep ones to get to the café
where we had lunch and while we were there a lady sitting outside on the
footpath had her handbag snatched, it was the 2nd time it had
happened there in 3 weeks the proprietor chased the guy down the road but never
caught him, the police came and interviewed the customer. We went for a wander
around the street, some very pretty old cottages that had been restored.
We then got the camper and drove to Waiwera to stay with Ken and Mariana. We stayed here and
Ken and Marina went Roger Waters, they really enjoyed it so we were even more keen to go, Cheryl loved it but Simon said it was only
so so.
Tuesday
Visited Fred and Sandra, Fred went to
school with Tony and I went to college with Sandra’s twin sisters, it was great
catching up with them and their daughters Susan and Jo came with their families
and 6 of Freddie and Sandra’s friends. A couple of their friends had stayed
with us many years ago when they were in Wellington with their daughter for
marching. Had a B.B.Q tea and saw photos of all the grandchildren 14 of them,
the family are sure growing like a mushroom.
Freddie and Sandra still smiling you just
got to love them.
Wednesday
We had a quiet day here as it was raining, then went into town at 6 o’clock by the time we picked up our tickets only half an hour to go. Got a park in the camper right next to Vector arena for 10 dollars with a security guard, could not have been better. The show by Roger Waters called “The Wall” was just Fantastic not what I had imagined it would be, more a Rock Opera with music and singing with a lighting spectacular. They built up a huge white wall while he was singing and projected images onto it and then huge puppets came out and were part of the show it is hard to explain but would recommend it, we both thought it was great.
Thursday
We went out to lunch with Ken and Marina’s
friends Bob, Winsbury and Gay in Manly then went back
to Winsbury and Gay’s place to see their cars. Winsbury has constructed two cars designed and built by
himself which are amazing, also he owns a 1950’s Riley, a late model Rolls Royce, a 1970’s
Rover v8 also a 1950’s Rover the same as Karen’s first car. We spent the
afternoon with them a very pleasant time and before we knew it was 7 o’clock,
we came home for tea.
Winsbury’s Rover the same as what Karen
had.
One of two cars Winsbury
built.
Ken and Tony are highly impressed with these hand built cars.
Friday
We had picked up a huge trailer full of
mulch when we dropped off Bob, so Ken Marina and Tony are spreading it on the
garden and I am making curry they have 11 coming for dinner tonight, we were
going to the beach but have not got around to it so looks like we maybe going this afternoon for a couple of hours, this is
the first time we have seen the sun so Wellington is not so bad after all, but
I must admit It has been warm, we are sleeping in the camper with only a sheet
over us at night, but rain, rain, rain.
Well the sun is out and we are preparing
for a dinner party so after the mulch was spread the boys were not so keen to
go to the beach.
Saturday
We got to Hampton Downs race track during the day, it was very impressive with apartments overlooking the track for sale rental or lease. The views from around the track are excellent and Tony is looking forward to see classic motorcycle racing there next year.
That evening we had dinner with Neville and
Gina and Neville entertained us with Music from the 1970’s.
Sunday
Matakana, “ Rock at the Vines” with Little River Band, Sharon O’Neil, Shona Lang, Annie Crummer and Debbie Harwood. Awesome!
Monday
Morning we saw Aunty Shelia and their new
home.
On our trip home stopping off at Ashley and
Lisa’s for the night and another look at his Dodge truck.
Monday we will lunch with Aunty Ida and
celebrate her 94th birthday.
Home Monday night. That’s the news from us love to
all T&R alias M&D