Trek to Taranaki

Feb. 15, 2011
Surf Sessions = 2

Km Driven = 4500

Note to self…do not book in a backpackers where there is a train yard over the fence…that is if you want a single wink of sleep! Nonetheless, we had to be in queue for an 8am ferry by 7am!  We made it to the ferry, drove our car on, and then found a little place to nestle in with Maia for the crossing to the North Island.  Happily, a family with 3 girls settled in across from us. They were interesting to watch. When they arrived, all the window booths on the ferry were occupied. Now when I say this I mean lots of single people or couples who take up booths that seat 6-8 people. Well, this family has the “method” down. Nobody offers to help a family with 3 small girls so they just “join” any unwitting single person or couple…the other people usually leave in short order! I (George) thought this was ingenious and felt we should “test” this methodology in the future! Anyways, the family with 3 small girls kept Maia quite busy for the next 2 hours.  The swell was mild and the day was sunny so it was all very nice.  Maia also found a bumble bee that had made its way to the window.  She talked to it off and on during the trip and we discussed how it was making the trip to go see its family on the North Island.  That meant I had to get it out the door when we finally landed (tricky, but done with a paper cup and some paper).  Maia said, “bye-bye!”

We drove the west coast of North Island up to New Plymouth in the shadow of Mt Taranki (known to many as the “stand-in” for Mt Fuji in the movie, “The Last Samurai”.  We stopped at a small town on the way to check out an Italian deli that was in the book.  They had some really good gelato! It must be because of all those happy NZ cows.  We also stopped a few places along the way to check out the surf, including the infamous “Stent Road” break. Note: Stent Road used to have a street sign...the sign has been stolen so many times from international visiting surfers and from locals who have tried to "de-badge" the road to keep the break to themselves. Now the road out to the surf break has a painted rock as a "sign"!

Stent Road "sign"

It was all too small for a surf session except for Fitzroy Beach, which is right in town.  George went out, but it was a bit small for the board he has so it was not counted as a “surf day” because of the poor conditions and lack of catchable waves. Maia played in the public kids pool for a half hour and then did some of her famous “sand swimming” (description: Maia lies flat on her belly and then starts doing the breast stroke in dry soft beach sand) on the beach.  Can we just say has anybody else had a kid who enjoys “sand swimming”? Frankly I (George) am amused and baffled! The backpackers (like a hostel it has a kitchen, laundry, etc) we booked is the same one where we stayed on our last visit.  It once was a nursing home and it seems to still have a little bit of that aura (pink toilets and handrails).