Day 5 = All aboard the motor home of adventure

Day 5 - Thursday 12th December - The Motor home aka campervan, the van

Having managed to stay up until 9pm last night I was confident of a good night's sleep. Unfortunately it was miss-placed confidence as I lay there. Then my stomach decided to join in the protest. Those of you who have been to Egypt with me will be familiar with Antinal. Two of those and a "Nightall" later and I kind of lay there some more. I some point I I managed to get into deep sleep. At 6am Sarah decided it was a good time to facetime home and wake us all up!
At 10am we were checked out of the apartment and were picked up promptly to be taken to the motor home depot by a van that had been dispatched. Once again a friendly driver. The depot was put near airport and was a busy place. Apparently the number of motor homes owned by the firm is in the thousands.

Paper work and a walk through the van's features and we were off! Two miles later we had stopped again - well the supermarket was practically next door. So once that was done we were really off - New Zealand here we come (again).
Thanks to some recommended reading from a friend (thanks Val Tranmer) I had obtained (via an Amazon import from author) two small books on New Zealand written by an American gentleman called Scott Cook and titled NZ Frenzy. Scott writes up locations that tend to be off the beaten track and a little bit different. The whistle-stop tour of North Island would begin with two of his recommendations.
Karangahake Gorge

don't forget a torch

It's tag line is Stretch Your Legs and Let the Scenery do the Rest. It's a talk back to the pioneering gold mining days - along the riverside - crossing swing bridges and letting you stroll (with a torch through the mine tunnels - some of these (The Windows) have side opening overlooking the valley below. Fantastic stuff - just the sort of good honest fun the safety police in the UK would have a coronary over. But is really is quite easy and the tunnels have no hidden surprises - any bits inside that have are gated off. This hour's walk was great. Suddenly with the sun on our backs and the stunning views the jet lag seemed to have gone.

 We actually had some energy. It was time to move on to our overnight camp spot as recommended by Scott.
Kaiate Falls
New Zealand's Department of Conservation (DOC) not only encourage you to play in mine tunnels they also lay on free overnight "free camping" spots as long as your camper is self contained - own water tanks for waste (which is emptied in lovely places known as dump stations...). This was such a spot were as Scott suggested was seldom visited by tourists - a locals spot in which come bed time we would be the only occupants.

We parked up and got our swimming things and headed down the path as advised in the book. What young fit Scott hadn't mentioned was that the path consisted of long steep paths and steps down into the gorge passing the lovely water falls until eventually at the bottom we came across several local lads who had just finished swimming in the bottom pool under the last waterfall. They were rather bemused to meet the family down there but all good blokes. We asked about the swim hole one demonstrated the rope swing out and the 25 foot or so so drop/jump into the pool and then how to get out again relatively safely. I don't think they expected us to be up to the challenge and they left us to it. I tried out the water first - cold but manageable. then off we went for the leap of terror. As usual Elin was straight in after me, followed by Tomos who having seen we'd made it was willing. All good so time to move it up a notch and go for the high rope jump. I don't know how deep the water was but i know that despite by

ungraceful entry there was still go sign of bottom and it seemed a while to break surface again. But grins all round we did it and had the pictures to prove it and terrify relatives at home.
It was then time to head up for dinner to be cooked in the camper. First there was the small matter of all those steps. Kids bounded up. Sarah and I didn't. Knackered.com
The camp car park was now empty so we had the place to ourselves all night and its one facility - the "long drop" toilet. think about it.
Our first night in the camper and after all that finally sweet sleep came easily and lasted all night. Bye bye jet leg ya bastard.
Things I learned today:

• Some government departments in some countries actually seem to work for the people's good - thanks NZ DOC
• In a long drop toilet you plop but hear no splosh...