Innholdsfortegnelse for March - April 2020 i RV Travel Lifestyle

Trug maker Tony Hitchcock is a survivor of a critically endangered species. According to the Heritage Crafts Association (of which The Prince of Wales is president), the Golden Bay artisan woodworker practises an ancient craft in danger of dying out in England, its country of origin. Trugs are traditional shallow baskets made from shaped slats of wood, used for carrying garden tools and produce, and perfected in Sussex two centuries ago. Tony still uses original techniques to keep the craft alive from his workshop just outside Takaka. “After I made the first one I was quite excited,” recalls Tony. “It just feels so natural, working with untreated alternative timbers. In winter you harvest your rims and handles and it’s such an enjoyable process. Taking a little handsaw, pottering along the…

KAYAK MOUTOHORĀ/WHALE ISLAND Wherever you are in the coastal eastern Bay of Plenty, you’re never far from a view of Moutohorā/Whale Island, an important wildlife reserve that sits 9km offshore from Whakatāne. The distinctive hump always looks postcard-pretty from the mainland, but it’s even better up close, thriving with bird and marine life. White Island Tours offer boat trips to Moutohorā. You land on the island then take a guided walk to hear its story and see rare birds like tīeke (saddlebacks). KG Kayaks also offer trips to Moutohorā; you sail out on a catamaran then get to paddle beside the island on stable sit-on kayaks, spotting marine life such as seals, and landing on a hot-water beach. EXPERIENCES + ACTIVITIES www.kgkayaks.co.nz RIDE THE DUNES TRAIL SECTION OF MOTU TRAILS…

If you are like us travelling in a motorhome and are looking for something different, why not give kiwifruit a try, and meet some really cool people and see a different part of the country. The kiwifruit season will soon be upon us again; you may have seen the vines with thousands of light brown globes hanging off them. There’s a lot of work to be done with these and it gets really busy in the orchard and the pack-house. It was March 12 and our first day at a kiwifruit pack-house. I was to drive the forklift and Sharon was to pack the kiwis into trays. We had never done anything like this but that’s what this way of living is all about, trying new things, experiencing different jobs,…

We are so happy to have RnR back that we decided to get some work done to future-proof her for the next few years. Now we have sold NZ Classic Driver magazine, and NZTODAY magazine now sits within these pages, we plan on being on the road a lot more. With that in mind we decided to get the Powertec Cel-Fi GO 2 mobile signal repeater system installed for our future internet and phone accessibility around the country. It can be pretty annoying at times trying to get good coverage, especially if you work on digital devices as much as we do. We’ve actually had the unit for a few months, but when we decided to sell the vehicle held off installing it. In the end the process was pretty…

After six short years the Nature’s Head Waterless Toilet has now become New Zealand’s leading compost based toilet for off-grid living, boats, motorhomes and baches. Now, importing agent and distribution outlet Alan Morton is pleased to announce that the Nature’s Head Toilet has been industry recognised with a PASS certification for building compliance. This means that the toilet has been assessed for structure, durability, hazardous building materials, personal hygiene and industrial liquid waste within the requirements of the NZ Building Code. Now, where a Building Consent Authority consents to a waiver, the toilet can comply with the Building Code. Additionally, the Nature’s Head Toilet contributes to compliance for the Standard for Self-containment for motorhomes and caravans, as well as meeting the ‘No Discharge’ Regulations for US Coastguard type III marine…

GRAND PRIZE This year the Covi SuperShow have teamed up with the good people at Jayco and Jayco Auckland to offer visitors the chance to win a $64,432 Jayco Starcraft 19.61-4 caravan. Visitors can enjoy a wide range of activities including free seminars on a wide range of subjects from industry experts. The No Reserve Auction at this years’ Covi SuperShow will be for a brand-new Benimar motorhome – at NO RESERVE. The Covi SuperShow is again giving $10,000 cash to one lucky visitor who purchases a motorhome or caravan at the show. See page 105 for more details. EXHIBITORS LIST Covi Motorhome Caravan & Outdoor SuperShow, 13–15 March, 2020, at the ASB Showgrounds, Greenlane, Auckland. W: supershow.co.nz AA Solar 441,443 ACM Motorhomes 287 Adjusta Mattress New Zealand 401,405 African…

Extracted from Eat Green by Melissa Hemsley, published by Random House UK, RRP $50.00. Copyright © Melissa Hemsley 2020. Photography © Philippa Langley 2020 Quinoa Cakes with Chimichurri Yoghurt Feeds 4, takes 40 mins Utterly moreish, hot or cold, these make a delicious veggie burger and are also brilliant for parties as bite-size canapés with the chimichurri yoghurt as a dip on the side. They are a great way to use up leftover quinoa, but if you want you can make them from scratch. Just remember to cool the quinoa right down, don’t try to cook these with hot quinoa! Serve with a refreshing green or tomato salad. Small onion or 4 spring onions, finely chopped3 garlic cloves, finely chopped1 big handful of fresh coriander, parsley or basil, leaves and…

Dear Laura, Thank you very much for your donation of an annual sub for the RV-NZTODAY Lifestyle magazine for the Hororata Parish raffle. We have no trouble selling the tickets for this raffle with all the fantastic prizes which people are willing to donate. We have drawn the raffle and notified the winner so, thank you for your contribution. Kind regards Karen Meares ED: We are happy to support local community fundraising if approached Karen. Thanks for your letter. Hi Laura Thank you very much for your prizes of RV-NZTODAY Lifestyle subscriptions, for our recent NZMCA fifth-wheel rally. We had 33 fifth-wheelers at our weekend in Hinuera for our Xmas/AGM rally after spending two weeks on the road travelling from Whakatāne via East Cape to Gisborne and made our way…

When I awoke to splendid sunshine after a sound night’s sleep at the Aussie Bay DOC camp in the Marlborough Sounds, I was feeling pretty excited by the prospects of my first drive down the Kaikōura Coast since the earthquake. My first experience of this revered stretch of our country was in late 1949 when the Dicks and Dickettes moved from Auckland to Dunedin, with Father Dick piloting a huge Wolseley limousine that had been imported for a proposed royal tour in the mid-thirties that never eventuated. We’d crossed from Wellington (with the Wolseley as deck cargo) on the slow old, lop-sided Tamahine. After a couple of days in Picton with my uncle and aunt we headed down the coast with my father expressing some fear and trepidation at the…

Profile A GREAT RIDE Cartographer and trail designer Gary Patterson has mapped his way around the globe from subantarctic islands to back-country bike trails on every continent. He returned home for an epic adventure, riding all 22 NZ Cycle Trails Great Rides to make a mobile app. The Great Rides App is the only mobile app for the trails, and can be freely downloaded from the app stores. Follow his travels to inspire, plan and to help you on your own journey. I became officially designated a fool in a town called Ross. You see a few days earlier I had travelled up the coast with a riding mate on our way to the official opening of the Paparoa Track. Given the long journey from the Deep South, we decided…

The crackling sounds of breaking waves pierce the crisp winter morning air as I amble down to the start of the New Plymouth Coastal Walkway near the Lee Breakwater. The clear blue sea stretches out to the horizon where it meets the soft powder-blue sky. The Power Station chimney towers over a container ship berthed at Port Taranaki, and fishing boats are moored by the breakwater. The coastal walkway meanders around the bay past Len Lye’s Wind Wand in the central city out to the white wave-shaped Te Rewa Rewa bridge near the Waiwhakaiho River mouth 7km away and on through Hickford Park to Bell Block Beach. In the early morning the walkway is quiet near the port. A tag team of three cyclists glide by me – perfect timing…

When former US president Barack Obama visited Northland’s luxury Kauri Cliffs golf course in 2018, it’s not known if he had a snack while on the premises. Chances are that if he did, the tableware he used would likely have contained a product mined on the property just down the road. That’s because the fine white halloysite clay used in the production of high-end tableware today is found right there at Matauri Bay in the Far North. Kauri Cliffs and Imerys, locally known as the clay-works property were both once part of the same estate. Past owners included my husband’s great-great-grandmother Eleanor Stephenson who bought the place called Waiaua but also known as Tepene Tablelands (Tepene being Māori for Stephenson) in 1854. It went out of family ownership for a…

The retro caravan scene is flourishing in New Zealand with numbers at retro caravan events and membership of online forums continuing to grow. While many members own restored vintage caravans, the online chat suggests an even greater number are in the process of restoring a vintage caravan with their own interpretation of features and retro styling individually imprinted on their caravan. Owners of retro vans are styling them with their own unique and creative flair, ranging from original (dressed up or not), shabby chic, American diner/rock n roll, cute as a button or practical modern retro. As the older 1950s and 1960s vans become harder to get, the retro scene is embracing 1970s and 1980s vans. These were built in my production heydays and hardly seem vintage to me, but…

Find your frequency at magic.co.nz Sponsored by Williams TODAY Southland is a place very, very close to this writer’s heart. As a boy I lived there for six years, and as a young adult I worked at the local radio station for a time. I love visiting the place as often as I can, even if it’s not the easiest or the cheapest place in the world to get to. It’s a place that is often, to put it kindly, meteorologically challenged. Especially in the middle of summer. Therefore it makes sense that the town’s greatest tourist attraction is indoors. In early January we made a pilgrimage south from a Central Otago holiday, to see firsthand what has become the country’s most talked about truck and car museum, the Bill…

We caught up with Laura and Brett from DeLuxe RV Group in Blenheim recently. They are a premier supplier and seller of caravans, motorhomes and RVs in New Zealand, dealing in prominent brands such as Bailey, Pilote and Le Voyageur, with subagents in Levin and Mt Maunganui carrying their Pilote brands. They pride themselves on offering customers a range of RVs that cover everything – from economical caravans for the budget conscious to luxury RVs for the discerning buyer – and after-sales servicing is paramount at DeLuxe RV. The DeLuxe Group business was first established in Blenheim in 1926. They may have expanded and changed over the years when it comes to their products and services, but the one thing you can always be assured of is their ongoing care,…

Leading motorhome retailer SmartRV will be back at the Covi SuperShow in March with a range of RVs for every lifestyle, including brand-new 2020 models that have just arrived from Germany. SmartRV is the exclusive New Zealand importer of value brand Carado, popular Bürstner and premium HYMER motorhomes from Germany, and operates sales centres in Auckland and Christchurch. SmartRV won ‘Best Stand In Show’ at the Covi SuperShow in 2019 and will have another inspiring display for 2020 with 21 new and used motorhomes on site for viewing. Highlights will include the new 2020 HYMER ML-T 580 4x4. This RV is a collaboration between HYMER and prestige brand Mercedes-Benz and represents the pinnacle of motorhome travel in New Zealand SmartRV is taking $10,000 off all its 2019 Bürstner models –…

It seems like sooo woooofy long since I last wrote a column, that I had to go back through mama’s photos to catch up on everything we have been up to. Last time we were getting ready for Christmas. It was all go before that though with a quick trip down to Tauranga to see papa’s grandson Finn, another little kid to train, woof woof, though he does have my mate Mac licking him into doggie mate shape. We visited lots of friends I hadn’t seen for a long time – my first home was in Tauranga with my big mama Deb and little mama Shannon. One of the friends who visited lots was Aunty Leslie. She would take me on walkies when she could, which was so great as…

Robyn Dallimore Editor - Writer - Publisher Peter Williams Writer Now based near the beach at Mt Maunganui, Peter Williams has worked within the national media world for over 45 years. More recently, as Peter winds down his TV career he is looking forward to sharing more RV-NZTODAY Lifestyle ramblings as he reflects on some of the places around the country he’s come to know and plans to test a few other towns and villages to see what lurks beneath their surfaces. Allan Dick Writer - Photographer 55 years a journalist, including 25 years as a radio talkback host and 15 years at Radio Pacific. Founder of Driver magazine, as well as NZ Classic Driver and RV-NZTODAY Lifestyle, Allan is passionate about living in New Zealand and has visited pretty…

In mid-January we had the opportunity to help out Rob Floris at UCC in Christchurch as he needed a Dethleffs Distinction Trend four-berth motorhome delivered from Zion Motorhomes in Pōkeno down to Christchurch. This was an ex-McRent vehicle that Rob sells as part of his Dethleffs range of new and slightly used motorhomes in Christchurch. We picked up our vehicle from Pōkeno and took it home to pack with our belongings. We didn’t take much as we were still juggling ideas as to how we would return home, so limited ourselves to one carry-on bag each. Sealable sandwich bags with coffee, tea, sugar, butter, salt & pepper went into a drawer, and crackers, tomatoes and drinks into the fridge – done. Next decision whenever we drive south is which way…

Profile A GREAT RIDE Cartographer and trail designer Gary Patterson has mapped his way around the globe from subantarctic islands to back-country bike trails on every continent. He returned home for an epic adventure, riding all 22 NZ Cycle Trails Great Rides to make a mobile app. The Great Rides App is the only mobile app for the trails, and can be freely downloaded from the app stores. Follow his travels to inspire, plan and to help you on your own journey. I had been looking forward to this trip for some time – a true ‘out of the way’ ride with stunning backcountry scenery – although I admit I had some apprehension. While the trail is near to Hanmer Springs, I would be cycling alone at altitude, away from…

Profile A GREAT RIDE Cartographer and trail designer Gary Patterson has mapped his way around the globe from subantarctic islands to back-country bike trails on every continent. He returned home for an epic adventure, riding all 22 NZ Cycle Trails Great Rides to make a mobile app. The Great Rides App is the only mobile app for the trails, and can be freely downloaded from the app stores. Follow his travels to inspire, plan and to help you on your own journey. Māori travelled in waka and navigated by the stars to reach the east coast. Later, Europeans steered tall ships and navigated with sextants, crossing the globe and making discoveries along this coast. Today, I begin to chart the Hawke’s Bay Trails by bicycle and my navigation tools of…

Although media reports led us to believe that Titirangi was overrun by marauding gangs of rats, some as big as small cats, others the size of cocker spaniels and probably by now as large as your average German Shepherd, we didn’t see a single rat at all. Well that’s not quite true. At Titirangi’s monthly Sunday market, Colin Heath from NZ Coin Works was doing a lively trade in small brass ornamental rats, selling to those who like myself were entertained by the prospect of a new Titirangi icon. That’s not to say that there’s not a ratty issue, and if so, judging by local warning signs it has obviously concerned the local authority enough to take steps to rid itself of the predicament. Titirangi’s renowned for its chicken population,…

When we organised our recent trip to Christchurch, our plan was to drive to Wellington via Napier and Martinborough, ferry to Picton, then drive to Blackball, visit Greymouth, and then head to Christchurch via Arthur’s Pass to deliver the Dethleffs Distinction Trend motorhome to UCC. For the return journey we had the option of either picking up a relocation vehicle to drive north, jumping on a plane directly for home, or booking ourselves on the Coastal Pacific for the rail journey to Picton and then either flying or taking the Northern Explorer from Wellington to Auckland. A couple of times before, we had tried to fit in the Coastal Pacific train trip after the service resumed on December 1, 2018 – following the Kaikōura earthquake on November 14, 2016 that…

This family business in Drury is now broadening its reach by aiming to become a one-stop-shop for motorhomes. • FREE alignment checks in under 10 minutes. Latest technology brand-new Bluetooth Facep motorhome alignment machine. • Established in 1980, owner Anthony offers 40 years of experience in tyres. For tyre issues ask for Anthony – and he will ensure you have the best tyres for all your motorhome requirements. • Park and Stay – free park-over when we are working on your vehicle, with power toilet and shower block, lock in after-hours. • They also do batteries, Nitrofill on tyres and motorhome servicing and grooming. • Easy motorhome access – simply hop off the southern motorway north or south and pop into their massive yard to book in your RV. Don’t…

2009 Mercedes Atego Camper Onboard metro generator, self contained New electric awning, sleeps 6-8 people $190,000 Ph: 027 502 6974 2016 Swift 644 Escape 18,600KM 4 seat belts NZ gas & electrical complied. External shower and BBQ point Thule bike rack for 2 bicycles $96,000 Ph: 027 284 5851 2010 VW Crafter 2 permanent beds at rear. Double bed up front. Front swivel seats. 7.2m. Auto 2.5.Table front or rear. Microwave, Auto TV, 150 watt solar panel. $75,000 Ph: 021574453 Hino Rainbow Fitted Fiarma windows, near new flush toilet and shower. 2 new truck batteries, outside shower Extensive quality work done, have receipts $95,000 Ph: 027 295 9704 2013 Elddis Buccaneer Clipper 8M immaculate, comfortably sleeps 4. 2 decent sized single beds, fully insulated. Central heating, stability control, anti-sway $62,000ono…