Fourteen trampers started out from the railway station at 4.15pm. We had a long drive ahead of us – 6 hours up to Lake Tutira campsite, just north of Napier. We stopped for gourmet delights at Country Chef Fast Food in Dannevirke and then got back on the road. The campsite was only marked by … Read more
My hopes of Wellington being the sort of city that can be escaped in matter of minutes in favour of the great outdoors were dashed as we discovered the state highway choc-a-bloc with others making the same assumption. Spirits stayed high though for the long drive north. Our initial delays meant we couldn’t get as … Read more
Easter this year starts with rushing out of the office on Good Friday to meet the Easy/medium tramping crew at the station. On schedule, the caravan packed with eager trampers and heaps of backpacks starts towards Turangi. Just before 10pm we arrive at the backpackers and it takes less than 20 minutes until all of … Read more
Five years ago at Easter I had to bail on a club trip to Whirinaki because of a cold. Despite multiple sneezes on the day we departed, this time I decided to take a “kill or cure” approach. We don’t often go to Whirinaki because of the distance: seven hours driving under the best possible … Read more