When I arrived in New Zealand in 1974 I was a hitchhiker, traveling and exploring with my back on my back. It was coming on to autumn and winter and being a warm blooded Australian I thought my swimming days were past. I soon discovered that in this geologically younger volcanic landscape, there seemed to be hot pools around every corner. Recently I have been based in the … [Read more...]
Te Aroha – kayaks, hot pools, tapas and the mountain of love
Te Aroha is a rural town in the Waikato region of New Zealand with a population of 3,768 (2006 census).[1] It is 53 km northeast of Hamilton and 50 km south of Thames. It sits at the foot of 952-metre Mount Te Aroha, the highest point in the Kaimai Range. (from Wikipedia) GOOGLE MAPS Te Aroha is a pretty interesting place these days, and about to get more interesting. The … [Read more...]
Hot Pools – swim all year round in NZ
When I was hitchhiking around NZ 35 years ago, it took me a while to realise that you always pack your swimmers (togs, swimming costumes, swimwear...). Even though it is cold and even snowing, you never know when you are going to run into a hot pool. We visited De Bretts Hot Pools in Taupo on the way home from skiiing, visited Waiwera Hotpools north of Auckland for a winter … [Read more...]
A Days Road Trip around the Coromandel
Thirty five years ago I hitchhiked my way to Whitianga with a pack on my back and guitar in my hand. I ended up at the Anglican Vicarage where we formed a community of sorts - as Christian hippies - I lived there for four years. I worked with the Vicar, Bill Smith and his family in the parish, which included everything from Manaia to Port Jackson on one coast and Pauanui to … [Read more...]