All Wrapped Up For Xmas
Licenced To Retire
by licencedtoretire
1y ago
Our trip last week to Matamata had many highlights including finding the delightful park over property run by Ron and Gayle Arnott, that I wrote about in my previous blog. But our real reason for the trip was to visit Matamata Saddlery to have a cover made for the front windscreen of the motorhome. In the past we have done a large amount of freedom camping and we both felt the cover would provide just a little bit more protection. Plus being a thermal cover, it would help keep us warmer in winter. Although my health issues and Covid, have prevented travel recently, 2023 will offer new opportun ..read more
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A Slight Misadventure.
Licenced To Retire
by licencedtoretire
1y ago
Back in late 2021 while we were away exploring the country we noticed that the bathroom window wasn’t sitting “flush” in it’s frame. It appeared to us that it was coming out of the hinge that holds it into place. After a little bit of difficulty we managed to get it shut and sealed, leaving it shut until repairs could be undertaken. Then in early December 2021 the motorhome was due for the annual water tightness inspection. There wasn’t time for them to look at the window but with the motorhome failing the water tightness test it would need to return for repairs. With Christmas and the ..read more
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The Long Way Round
Licenced To Retire
by licencedtoretire
2y ago
In my previous blog I mentioned that we had to make an unexpected trip home. Its always annoying when you have to cut your trip short and you wonder why it couldn’t have happened during the last six months spent at home. Murphy’s law I guess. Anyway, with the problem resolved it was time for another trip. We have a few other things happening over the next couple of weeks including a hospital appointment for me so we didn’t want to go to far. Or be away for too long. With Fat Cat having disgraced herself on our last trip with her failed escape attempt. We decided to leave her at home on this t ..read more
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Magical Mangakino
Licenced To Retire
by licencedtoretire
2y ago
Before we moved on from the Whakamaru Reserve we wanted to get the bikes out and complete part of the Waikato River cycle trail we had done two years ago. By riding back from our position we could finish the route between Whakamaru and Mangakino. One of our fellow campers who appeared quite the experienced cyclist asked me about our intended route as I wheeled the bikes out of the back of the motorhome. When I told him where we were headed he gave me a heads up about some rather steep parts of the trail. I had left Sarah a little in the dark about our intended route, she thought we would b ..read more
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Whakamaru. Lakeside Paradise.
Licenced To Retire
by licencedtoretire
2y ago
After leaving the Horahora Domain it was time to find a new destination without having to travel too far. This trip was about relaxation not seeing how far we could drive. Also with the price of diesel climbing through the roof who wants to have to keep filling their tank. We have had a number of people mention the Whakamaru Reserve as a great spot to stay, and not too far to drive from where we were, so it was time to find out for ourselves. Like a lot of people I took a look at the travel app before we left to get a rough idea of where we where headed. But rather than hand it over to the chi ..read more
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Catching Up.
Licenced To Retire
by licencedtoretire
2y ago
One of the drawbacks from all the time we have spent off the road is how little we have seen of people we have got to know over the last few years. So with my treatment for lymphoma now well and truly behind us it was time to hit the road for some new adventures. We had no real plans other than we were heading south, maybe eventually ending up in and around Napier to catch up with a good friend. A couple of days before we had planned to depart I took a phone call from a friend of ours from Northland who was heading south. Together we arranged to catch up for our first night back on the road ..read more
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Saddle Sore In Waihi
Licenced To Retire
by licencedtoretire
2y ago
After spending two restful nights staying with our friend Terry (see last blog), it was time to move on. However, before doing that, we wanted to take advantage of the coolness of the morning and squeeze in another bike ride. To be honest about it, my legs and lungs felt positive about the ride. My backside, not quite so much after the long ride the previous day. When you haven’t been on the bike for a while, as I am sure lots of you know, it takes time for your body to become accustomed to the pressure spots. Anyway, putting on a brave face, I hopped on the bike and led Sarah back towards the ..read more
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Away, During The Summer Madness.
Licenced To Retire
by licencedtoretire
2y ago
Lots of families have their own holiday traditions. Ours is not to go away during the peak holiday season. We like to leave the campgrounds and beaches to those who cannot get away at any other time. So that we can make the most of things when they are less crowded. When I mentioned to Sarah that we head away for a couple of days during the first week of January I expected stiff resistance to the idea. But, I had a cunning plan I had mentioned a place neither of had stayed before and rather than a campground we would be staying at someone’s house. No need to panic about overcrowded campgrounds ..read more
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It’s Over, Time To Get Away!
Licenced To Retire
by licencedtoretire
2y ago
So much has been written about the lockdown in Auckland over the last few months that I think we are all over it. We might be over it but it was still having a major influence on our lifestyles cramping our desire to go camping. When the restrictions did finally lift on the Friday, Sarah and I decided to let the masses enjoy the weekend and do something early the following week. Since travel out of the Auckland borders was still forbidden we wanted somewhere close where we could spend a couple of nights. The Auckland Regional Park network offer some fabulous places to stay but many of the desi ..read more
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A Very Quick Trip Home
Licenced To Retire
by licencedtoretire
2y ago
Back in late April and early May, Sarah and I managed to escape Auckland for a couple of days. At the time we were waiting for me to be accepted into a clinical trial at Auckland hospital. So it was the perfect chance to get away before I was again spending long days being treated. I wrote about the first part of our trip here, this is the remaining half of the trip were things took a rather unexpected turn at the end. After having crossed the hilly range from the Coromandel we decided to turn left towards Whangapoua. You can Freedom camp here in a couple of spaces just outside the local da ..read more
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