Innholdsfortegnelse for January - February 2024 i RV Travel Lifestyle

Dear Readers, What a whirlwind of a year 2023 has been. It’s true what they say: time seems to pick up speed as the years roll by. I found myself delving into my diary to piece together the mosaic of moments that made up the past year. It’s astonishing how it all becomes a blur. As I write this before Christmas, our team at NZTODAY is looking forward to a well-deserved break, embracing a four-week hiatus from the screens before plunging into the New Year. The printers and distributors demand our early attention, and while it’s a logistical necessity, it allows us to revel in the luxury of a complete digital detox. In the spirit of exploration, we’ve just unveiled our sixth Collectors’ Edition publication – the NZTODAY-RVLifestyle Walk and…

Few are more talented or content than hat maker Judy Cartwright who has built a successful business over 30 years and believes she’s living in the best town in New Zealand. Despite having taken her first sewing lesson when she was in Form Three, Judy has no intention of retiring just yet. Judy recalled that first lesson – “All the other girls knew how to thread a machine and had done sewing with their mothers,” she told me, “but I hadn’t got a clue.” The teacher suggested she might be better off taking French lessons instead but she stayed in the class and learnt quickly. The first thing she had to make was a pillow case and after that she was away. At the age of 14, when she wanted…

On the North Island/Te Ika-a-Māui’s western cape is the volcanic cone-shaped mountain named Taranaki Maunga. Beneath the mountain on the north side is the coastal city of New Plymouth or Ngāmotu, which means ‘the islands’ in reference to the nearby islands off Paritutu Rock. Thanks to the volcanic nature of the soil, New Plymouth is home to several amazing parks and gardens as well as contemporary art galleries, a unique coastal walkway and great surf beaches. It was also the sunniest region in New Zealand for 2021 and 2022. Between January and March there are several special events along with plenty of great places to visit and excellent restaurants and cafés to nourish you after the day’s activities. 1 Climb Paritutu If you don’t mind a scramble up rocks and…

I love riding cycle trail loops. You get to return without support, plus it’s satisfying to come back to the familiar. One of my favourite day loops is the Coppermine Trail, a NZ Great Ride in Nelson that starts in the city and climbs high above to offer a wilderness experience without the need to drive. Yet far from the wilderness, another type of loop is the sort that explores the urban jungle. The latest is known as Te Aka Ōtākou or ‘The Otago Vine’ a path that winds around the coves and points of Dunedin’s Otago Harbour. I was quick to pick from this vine as it’s just recently opened. Before I arrive I visit Mosgiel on the outskirts of the city. That evening I attend a public meeting…

Badjelly the Witch Spike Milligan RRP $28 Penguin Badjelly the witch is coming to get you! Badjelly the witch can turn children into sausages or chop them up to make boy-girl soup. She can turn policemen into apple trees or bananas into mice! Tim and Rose’s terrifying encounter with Badjelly is a classic fairy tale, loved by children for 50 years. Light Keeping Adrienne Jansen RRP $37.50 Quentin Wilson Publishing In 1977, in the shelter of a remote Aotearoa lighthouse, Annie wraps her arms around her two orphaned grandchildren. Her husband Bill, the keeper, shares old stories of the sea, sailors and the son he has lost, broken himself but doing what he can to help the children navigate their new lives. But how secure can they all be, with…

ROTARY MARTINBOROUGH FAIR When: Saturday Feb 3 and Saturday Mar 2 Where: The Square, Martinborough www.martinboroughfair.org.nz One of the largest and most popular craft markets in the southern hemisphere. WAITANGI DAY RACES AT TAUHERENIKAU When: Tuesday Feb 6 Where: Tauherenikau Racecourse, Tauherenikau Www.tauherenikau.co.nz Wairarapa’s best kept secret – get your family and friends together, pack a picnic, or enjoy a good-old-fashioned hotdog. All guests have a blast on-track with live music, free kids entertainment and exciting racing action. SOUTH ISLAND MOTORHOME SHOW When: Saturday Feb 10–11 Where: Ashburton A&P Showgrounds www.southislandmotorhomeshow.co.nz The South Island Motorhome Show is a not-to-bemissed motor-caravanning event, held annually in Ashburton. WAIRARAPA WINES HARVEST FESTIVAL When: Saturday Feb 17 Where: Dakins Road, Gladstone www.wairarapaharvestfestival.co.nz Celebrate the beginning of the 2024 grape harvest season by spending a…

It was a coup for the designers of the Romotow T8 caravan to be included in the Time Magazine Best Invention Award list for 2023 recently. I checked out how the Romotow T8 video was tracking and saw it was #1 viewed video for the last month and in the top three videos viewed in the last 12 months. This had me looking at our content online and seeing what was taking viewers’ interest in recent weeks, months and the last year. These are the top watched videos by genre over the year. Kiwi Built Models KIWI BUILT OVERALL – Romotow T8 Design Innovation (vol22) We reviewed the Romotow caravan back in Vol 22 May-June 2023, and added a video to our YouTube channel NZTODAY. This video includes an interior…

OFF-ROAD OVERALL – Cub Frontier Camper D&E Outdoors (vol15) This Cub Frontier compact camper trailer has taken the eye of many – the quick set up and great fit-out is enticing. D&E Outdoors in Ashburton handle the distributorship for Cub Campers trailers here in New Zealand, and we visited them to check out their JB Caravans and these Cub Camper trailers. We had seen them previously at a show but wanted to see them in more detail. Established in 1968, Cub Campers are the longest-running manufacturer of camper trailers in Australia and are quite the experts in the market after 50 years, with in excess of 20,000 camper trailers built to date. Manufacturing is based in North Rocks, Sydney. There is a lot to love in the combination of simplicity…

OFF-ROAD – Royal Flair Family Flair 2022 (vol20) We caught up with the Levin RV team in Vol 20 and checked out this Royal Flair caravan before the new owners took delivery. Levin RV has been well established since owners Brian and Varee Anderson took over the then-Gypsy RV Centre in July 2018. Brian has worked in the caravan sales industry for more than 30 years, and he has strong knowledge and insight about what his customers are looking for. The Australian-built Royal Flair caravan distributorship for New Zealand followed not long afterwards, and in early 2022 the business moved from their original site to a new, more centrally located sales yard with modern buildings allowing for expansion of the customer service side of the business. Billy Gist heads the…

TINY HOME Cedar Creek Cottage (vol24) Wow was all we could say after looking over the Cottage – all that for under $200k, ready to go, no building permits required, and more space than you would normally dream of in the concept of a tiny home. A much bigger unit than the Rockwood caravans and fifth-wheelers that are mobile units but also have static home possibilities – Ken is certainly giving options to both sides of this larger RV market. Bruce and I arrived to visit owner Ken Jackson at Sun Marketing in Dairy Flat and look over the latest models. We were impressed by the models available in the Rockwood caravan and fifth-wheelers, but it was the Cedar Creek Cottages that caught our eye, a tiny-home solution of epic…

Here are some key points to consider: What is an inflatable awning? Inflatable awnings are becoming more and more popular with holiday makers around New Zealand. They are compact, lightweight and easy to put up and pack away. This makes them perfect to carry when travelling our beautiful country. Your inflatable awning can be used as an extra room, for storage or just as a place to get out of the rain or sun. I have been using an inflatable awning with our motorhome for the last five summers and absolutely love it. What are the different types of Inflatable awnings? Whether you have a Motorhome, a Caravan or Camper Van, there is usually an awning to suit. Some attach directly to your vehicle on the side, or onto an…

Game answers Vol 25 Word Search Winner Sandra Barrie, Porirua Clues across: 7. Te ------or “The Long Pathway” is the 3000km walking trail opened in 2011, covering the length of New Zealand (6) 8. The noun describing a town or city noted for holidaytime activities and attractions (6) 10. Convenient stopping point in the Karangahake Gorge, either to take train rides, view mining relics, or walk or cycle a network of paths (7) 11. Modern electronic method of keeping in touch, fast replacing ‘snail mail’ type letters (5) 12. Impressive NZ tree, of the myrtle family, with two main species growing in the North and South islands (4) 13. Hawke’s Bay township named after a British soldier and statesman who made his name in 18th century India (5) 17. Borough…

If the Far North is laid back with its own slow pace of doing things, the Hokianga is the same but more so. Things were different a century ago; with timber mills operating on both sides of the harbour in the early 1900s, it used to be a noisy industrial centre, but when the supply of trees was exhausted the area slipped into the quiet haven it is today. Kohukohu, at one end of the ferry crossing and Rawene at the other, both offer the visitor a pleasant day out. There are other settlements on the harbour – notably Horeke, where the second signing of the Treaty of Waitangi was completed just a few days after the first, and Ōpononi, made famous in the 1950s when a friendly dolphin appeared…

Kyle Mulinder, also known as ‘Bare Kiwi’, has dominated the online influencing scene for 14 years, showcasing his adventures with style and innovation. Recently named Jayco’s first New Zealand ‘vanbassador’, Kyle explores Aotearoa in a Jayco Outback caravan, embodying his vibrant, contemporary, and daring essence. With a knack for transforming travel experiences into captivating videos, Kyle’s journey has evolved, now drawing global attention and partnerships with brands such as GoPro and Ford. In an industry renowned for its fickle nature, remaining at the top of the online influencing game for 14 years is no mean feat. But it’s a feat Kyle Mulinder is pulling off in style. The Jayco Outback caravan is the perfect companion for Kyle who is always hankering to explore as far off the bitumen as possible…

Since the earthquakes, Christchurch has welcomed a wave of new craft breweries and the city is fast carving out a reputation as the home of flavour-filled, diverse beers. According to Ralph Bungard of Three Boys Brewery, it’s probably thanks to the city’s combination of geography and generosity that has shaped Christchurch into the craft beer mecca it is today. The brewing landscape in New Zealand between the mid-1800s and the late 1900s was dominated by just two large national brewers, who focused on making beers at a low price and at high volume. As Ralph says, they were producing “pretty easy-drinking fluids for the masses”. “It wasn’t until 1991 when John Harrington established a familyowned brewery in Kilmore Street – now Pomeroy’s Old Brewery Inn – that the sparks were…

KIWI BUILT OVERALL – ACM Hino Platinum Custom 4x4 truck (vol21) This Hino truck-based motorhome with the luxury living space on the back was built by ACM in Auckland. Custom manufacturers of motorhomes from small to this large, they work with clients to meet with their requirements. Going off-road anywhere in the world is possible in this beast. What a fantastic build from ACM. The custom features added to the already bespoke build that is standard from ACM take this home to another level. I have referred to this area as the ‘house’ as opposed to the motorhome or RV, because it has a level of separation from the cab unit which changes the dynamic to feeling like a separate tiny home or apartment you step up into. To fit…

OFF-ROAD OVERALL – Jayco All Terrain Campervan (vol21) This Jayco All Terrain campervan is a ripper, based on the Mercedes Sprinter chassis and under 7 metres, and beautifully fitted out with all the off-grid necessities you might need with water, cooking, heating and air conditioning, Smart TV and a big 85L fridge/freezer – in fact I doubt there are any extra options you could think of that aren’t already fitted. ​Mercedes used the technical knowledge learnt from their luxury car brands with these commercial cab chassis, with a range of driver ‘Assist’ safety technology as standard features: active brake, active lane keeping, adaptive distance assist in cruise control, adaptive ESP, blind-spot assist, crosswind assist, cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, variable speed limiter, electronic hand brake, high-beam assist are all on board,…

LIGHTWEIGHT OVERALL – ERIBA Touring caravan (vol20) It was a delight to see the ERIBA touring pop-top caravan at RV Mega in Mt Maunganui. This little beauty had won first place in the UK Caravan of the Year 2022 compact caravan class, and we could see why. The pop-top roof has a hard GRP top, and the sides are canvas with integrated zip-opening windows with built-in mosquito nets, offering a chimney effect in hot weather when improved airflow is required. The bathroom space has a canvas wall at roof height to maintain the separate room feel when set up. The pop-top concept is important to Richard as he knows many customers have constraints for storage at their homes. The low 2270mm exterior height will see these caravans tuck away nicely,…

Woof-woof my fabulous readers! Can you believe it? The end of the year came arf-arf fast, faster than a bird dodging through the backyard. My humans, da mama and papa, were busier than a cat in a room full of laser pointers. When they weren’t working we were either cruising in the car or the motorhome. I felt like barfing at one point – I mean, who wouldn’t after so much zooming around? The last trip was a bit confusing. We drove to Auckland in the motorhome, stayed in it, but then drove the Jeep back home, leaving the motorhome stranded there. Arf-arf, weird human logic. We made quite a few pit stops, and let me tell you, this trip had more breaks than a game of fetch. We even…

Every summer that we’re in New Zealand we travel to the Coromandel Peninsula and take up residence in our family bach at Wharekaho. My parents bought the bach in the sixties, and like many New Zealand families it is traditional to spend Christmas at the bach. One of the special attributes of the Mercury Bay area is that within an hour of Whitianga there are many beaches to explore, each facing slightly different directions, and depending on the wind/swell the conditions may be quite different. I have learnt this due to the avid study by the family surfer, my partner Rick. In addition to exploring beaches there is a kauri forest and waterfall to discover on the 309 Road. Having spent many years exploring beaches and activities on the east…

The West Coast’s new Tohu Whenua site, (formerly known as Peak View), was developed in 2022. This special destination presents the creation story of Te Waipounamu/the South Island. Te Kopikopiko o Te Waka is the first South Island Tohu Whenua site that represents an iwi story and was nominated by mana whenua. Ngāti Māhaki from Te Makaawhio Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio conceived, designed and carved Te Kopikopiko o Te Waka in partnership with the Department of Conservation (DOC) and the support of the community. The collaboration celebrates and showcases the connection of mana whenua with the landscapes of Te tonga ki te Tai o Poutini/South Westland. The waka was funded by the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) to enrich Glacier Country’s visitor attractions and cultural experience. It is…

Lemon Risotto with Roast Vegetable, Garlic and Leek Serves: 4–6 Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 1 hour Fridge life: 3 days Freezer life: not recommended Ingredients 3 cups of vegetables of your choice. I love pumpkin, but parsnip, carrot, kumara or even zucchini or cabbage. This is a great way to use up whatever you have in the fridge.1 whole head of garlic1 onion, diced1 leek, rinsed and sliced3 tsp dried thyme2 ¼ cups arborio (risotto) rice1.5 L Vege stock1 x 400ml can coconut milkzest of one lemonjuice of ½–1 lemon large handful of spinach (any leafy green, peas or steamed broccoli also works)½ tsp ground nutmegoilsalt and pepper Method Preheat oven to 170°C. Cut your vegetables into bite-size cubes. Place the vegetables with the whole head of garlic,…

KIWI BUILT – Leisureline Caravan Factory (vol11) We featured New Zealand caravan manufacturer Leisureline and the Bates family in Vol 24 as they celebrated the 2000th caravan coming off the production line recently. Quite the achievement for the family business, originally started by founder Colin Bates as Ōhaupō Caravans in 1989. In 2013 the 1000th caravan was celebrated. At that time there were 36 employees, founders Colin and Merilyn ran the business, son Wayne was the factory manager and daughter Liz the office manager. Colin had previously worked from 1971 for caravan manufacturer Tek Jessen, building the well-known Lightweight caravans, now world-famous in New Zealand. Since 2013 the company has expanded, and in 2017 they moved into double-the-size manufacturing space. In 2018 a caravan redesign raised the chassis and body…

OFF-ROAD – Titanium Hardcore ATX 20.6 (vol24) Latitude 37 Caravans in Mt Maunganui are the New Zealand distributor for the Titanium caravans from Melbourne Australia. The display of Titanium caravans at the NZMC Motorhome Caravan Leisure show in September won the best outdoor stand award, and visitors were impressed as they looked through the variety of models and floor plans on display. Check out the video with Latitude 27 Director Kelly Tutbury at their Mount Maunganui yard. Kelly shows us the Titanium Hardcore ATX 21.6″ caravan, and talks us through her favourite features of this literally ‘hardcore’ off-road caravan. Titanium company was established in Melbourne in 2012 when Jason Grech started the company with his father Joe, building off-road timber-framed caravans. In 2015 they transitioned to full aluminium-framed models, and…

LIGHTWEIGHT – UK Swift Celebrate caravan (vol23) The UK-manufactured SWIFT RV brand is well-known in New Zealand for both lightweight caravans and their popular motorhomes. There are dealers around the country both north and south, who are knowledgeable on the brand, and understand how these SWIFT caravans fit right into the lightweight, easy-to-tow caravan category, with a variety of sizes to meet Kiwi’s particular consumer demands. This video features the Celebrate four-berth, 1462kg GVM caravan viewed at the NZMCA Motorhome Caravan & Leisure show in Christchurch this year, compact at 65-metre body – and overall length of 7.54-metres. Tech Spec’s Swift Celebrate 4 SB • Overall tow length 7540mm, body length 6546mm, internal length 5830mm • Overall width 2250mm, external height 2590mm, internal headroom 1950mm • GVM 1462kg, tare 1306kg,…