South Island driving route
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@Bones said in South Island driving route:
@voodoo last time we were in Napier we stayed at the Shoreline Motel, not sure about their family rooms though. Was a cheaper option for us.
Make sure you grab brekky at Mister D and dinner at Restaurant Indonesia if they're open.
Restaurant Indo, too soon mate!
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@voodoo The Gisborne route isn't as bad as @MajorRage is making out, but it depends on where you want to go. If you want to stop in at Rotorua/Taupo on the way then that route is fine but is as boring as the other way, but the road is a bit better. If you want stop on the coast then Gisborne is a nice place and then on the drive down you get to go through Nuhaka where George Nepia is from
.Waikaremoana is an interesting drive but I think it's still gravel road in some spots. @MajorRage's old man might be able to confirm that. Going around the Cape is an interesting drive but fairly long.
You'll probably want to stay in Napier, but I don't have any idea of the air bnb/hotel situation at the moment. There's 3 or 4 of the motels like that along the 'waterfront' - the Marine Parade.
If you're feeling brave there's a funky little Asian Street food place called Funbuns ... at least then you can say you braved Hastings. Actually, you should go to Rush Munros for ice cream in Hastings.
@Bones I had to look up Mister D ... it used to be called something else, do they still do the donuts where you can insert your sauces?
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@voodoo if you have time on your hands, go visit Gisborne. It really is a nice place. Take the long way too.
Otherwise, Taupo would be the best place to stay. Matmata has places with thermal pools along with Okororie which has a pub, accommodation and the pools. (I don't know anyone that has stayed there though and I imagine it is reasonably priced)
One thing that has struck me with accommodation is that they aren't really fighting for your dollar at the moment, unlike rental car companies etc.
We were looking for a bit of a deal in Auckland and ended up paying normal prices for this Saturday night which was disappointing.
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@Hooroo said in South Island driving route:
@voodoo if you have time on your hands, go visit Gisborne. It really is a nice place. Take the long way too.
Otherwise, Taupo would be the best place to stay. Matmata has places with thermal pools along with Okororie which has a pub, accommodation and the pools. (I don't know anyone that has stayed there though and I imagine it is reasonably priced)
One thing that has struck me with accommodation is that they aren't really fighting for your dollar at the moment, unlike rental car companies etc.
We were looking for a bit of a deal in Auckland and ended up paying normal prices for this Saturday night which was disappointing.
Think a few places have run specials that have all been snapped up.
I know the Chateau had some crazy cheap prices going but they were all gone 2 days later. -
@Hooroo said in South Island driving route:
@voodoo if you have time on your hands, go visit Gisborne. It really is a nice place. Take the long way too.
Otherwise, Taupo would be the best place to stay. Matmata has places with thermal pools along with Okororie which has a pub, accommodation and the pools. (I don't know anyone that has stayed there though and I imagine it is reasonably priced)
One thing that has struck me with accommodation is that they aren't really fighting for your dollar at the moment, unlike rental car companies etc.
We were looking for a bit of a deal in Auckland and ended up paying normal prices for this Saturday night which was disappointing.
Yeah, we have found most airbnb owners willing to negotiate, and most hotels happy to give a 10% discount. But less and less so as time passes
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Waikaremoana is still a lot of gravel and will be fucking cold. Its a slow drive and you don't get to see much from the road. Round the Cape is the best scenically but it would be back to back long drives. Through the Waioweka is the quicker option but on balance I'd do Taupo. From Whitianga I'd be tempted to do it in a day but with kids you may not want to. The only option to stay really is Taupo and IMO the place is well over-rated plus its only 90 minutes further to Napier. Still with a family I suppose you can do the prawn farm, Huka Falls, hot pools option.
Two warnings. Keep an eye out on the road conditions as although its still a bit early at this time of year every route can close. Also Taupo can be fucking cold and miserable if there's a southerly.
Do you guys like cycling.? Napier has 80 kms of grade separated cycleways often along the top of stop banks. Great day out. You can even hire electric bikes if you're lazy. Place in Ahuriri is the best.
I love The Bay but having kids would sort of change it for me. Still the trip out to the gannet colony could be a goer - more interesting than it sounds. Lots of great - I mean great - food options some great bars, vineyards. Hastings market on a Sunday is a nice place to pick up good produce and get a decent breakfast. It can be quiet though off season and I guess this is definitely off season. Limited options if it rains - Other than pubs, cafes and vineyards of course.
Plenty of Bay buggers on here who can give you more appropriate advice.
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You could consider Rotorua if you haven't already done that when you went to Rotoiti. The Top10 camp ground at Blue Lake has very clean tidy motel cabins, probably at a reasonable price.
Just 2.5 hours on to Napier after that and cuts an hour off the day before. -
The East Cape drive is best to do clockwise but be aware that the best scenery is between Opotiki and Te Araroa. After that you spend most of the drive inland. I last did that route in January leaving in the other direction. We stayed in Gisborne to use as a East Coast base but there are only so many things you can do in the city if the water is too cold to swim in. But there are vineyards nearby and some good restaurants.
Agree with @dogmeat about the Waikaremoana drive. I hope the road has improved since I was there (10 years ago) but all those blind corners on a gravel road made for a very slow trip. It made the Forgotten World Highway seem like SH1.
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@dogmeat said in South Island driving route:
Two warnings. Keep an eye out on the road conditions as although its still a bit early at this time of year every route can close. Also Taupo can be fucking cold and miserable if there's a southerly.
Bingo! Due to leave today and its been raining solid all night - S25 South of Whitianga is closed in both directions!
Looks like the road north to Coromandel is still open, so Coromandel and Stan Hill here we come! Adds an extra hour to the trip, but we are in no hurry
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@voodoo said in South Island driving route:
@dogmeat said in South Island driving route:
Two warnings. Keep an eye out on the road conditions as although its still a bit early at this time of year every route can close. Also Taupo can be fucking cold and miserable if there's a southerly.
Bingo! Due to leave today and its been raining solid all night - S25 South of Whitianga is closed in both directions!
Looks like the road north to Coromandel is still open, so Coromandel and Stan Hill here we come! Adds an extra hour to the trip, but we are in no hurry
Open now,
NZTA Waikato/BoP
FINAL UPDATE 9:20AM
SH25 is now OPEN between Hikuai and Whitianga. Please continue to drive cautiously and according to wet weather conditions. Thank you for your continued patience, have a nice day. ^APhttps://twitter.com/NZTAWaiBoP/status/1266805859792883715 …and going to be shit all over the north it seems.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12336066 -
@Snowy said in South Island driving route:
@voodoo said in South Island driving route:
@dogmeat said in South Island driving route:
Two warnings. Keep an eye out on the road conditions as although its still a bit early at this time of year every route can close. Also Taupo can be fucking cold and miserable if there's a southerly.
Bingo! Due to leave today and its been raining solid all night - S25 South of Whitianga is closed in both directions!
Looks like the road north to Coromandel is still open, so Coromandel and Stan Hill here we come! Adds an extra hour to the trip, but we are in no hurry
Open now,
NZTA Waikato/BoP
FINAL UPDATE 9:20AM
SH25 is now OPEN between Hikuai and Whitianga. Please continue to drive cautiously and according to wet weather conditions. Thank you for your continued patience, have a nice day. ^APhttps://twitter.com/NZTAWaiBoP/status/1266805859792883715 …and going to be shit all over the north it seems.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12336066🤦🏾♂️
I'm in Coromandel already!
Ah well.
As an aside, I just saw a bloke come out of the 4Square here with a tray of Rheineck. Had no idea you could still buy that stuff!!!
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@voodoo said in South Island driving route:
@Snowy said in South Island driving route:
@voodoo said in South Island driving route:
@dogmeat said in South Island driving route:
Two warnings. Keep an eye out on the road conditions as although its still a bit early at this time of year every route can close. Also Taupo can be fucking cold and miserable if there's a southerly.
Bingo! Due to leave today and its been raining solid all night - S25 South of Whitianga is closed in both directions!
Looks like the road north to Coromandel is still open, so Coromandel and Stan Hill here we come! Adds an extra hour to the trip, but we are in no hurry
Open now,
NZTA Waikato/BoP
FINAL UPDATE 9:20AM
SH25 is now OPEN between Hikuai and Whitianga. Please continue to drive cautiously and according to wet weather conditions. Thank you for your continued patience, have a nice day. ^APhttps://twitter.com/NZTAWaiBoP/status/1266805859792883715 …and going to be shit all over the north it seems.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12336066🤦🏾♂️
I'm in Coromandel already!
Ah well.
As an aside, I just saw a bloke come out of the 4Square here with a tray of Rheineck. Had no idea you could still buy that stuff!!!
Shit. Maybe it has been on the back shelf ince 1989?
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@Hooroo said in South Island driving route:
@voodoo said in South Island driving route:
@Bones said in South Island driving route:
@Hooroo maybe downtown Tony Brown then 😬
It's Stan Hill, one of Palmys finest!!! Good guy, he wouldn't remember me most likely, but I spent some time with him. His kids were a bit below me in age.
Also, Tony fucking Brown still owes me a keg!!!
Stan Hill!!! Thank You!! The man knows his steak!!
Well, ended up in Coro so checked this place out. Must have let the chef go because nothing was "low and slow" and there no wings. Food was fine though, just standard pub fare.
I chatted to Stan briefly, he didn't recognise me, and fair to say, didn't seem altogether interested in trying to 😁
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@voodoo you should be right with State/AA/AMI (State/AMI both owned by IAG)...I'd stay away from Tower/Youi/AMP (latter more because they have an excess on glass claims and Tower cos they just laid off some staff, Tower also bought Youi, Youi were cnuts prior to being taken over)
Think all those have an agreed value option (assuming you are looking at Full Cover)
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3 months to the day since we arrived to QT, and we are now back on the road - heading to Wanaka for a few weeks of skiing.
Fuck this boat rolls around, there are some seriously sick looking people around.
Good to be leaving Palmy for a bit, though I didn't feel that great this morning, scratchy throat, fever, dry cough - weird. Good thing I'm not planning to stop for a piss until I get to Wanaka. Got a bit lost coming out of Palmy too, busy town that. Called some old mates though and they helped, gave them each a quick pash as we said goodbye.
Happy days.
