Easter Weekend 2016

Taranaki Region - New Plymouth

Vacation: Easter Weekend

Place: New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand

Day 1:

Went off without a hitch. Other than the part where we got stuck at a bus station without a clue where to go next. Or, for that matter, any buses to help us out with that little problem. (I blame Easter.)

Fortunately, we availed ourselves of the power points, bathrooms, and maps, and then hauled all our baggage (minus a sleeping bag left behind in Wellington) to the nearest campground,

We succeeded in claiming the final tent spot, practically seizing it from the person on the phone with the receptionist, who was also trying to book it. But she wasn't there in person, and we looked really, really desperate. And quite possibly like we would throttle someone if we were turned away. ;)

The campground wasn't much. A lot of campervans and motorhomes. The patch of grass we paid for was actually the receptionist's parking spot. She kindly moved her car as we made motions to set up our tent. Alas for the dwarven member of this duo, who is also a pyromaniac, there was no fire pit, and no fires allowed. We had to content ourselves with cooking in the nearby shared kitchen, leaving the "roaring fires" to our imagination. Kili made an excellent pumpkin curry, which was exceedingly welcomed by our famished bellies, after which we went for a walk along the now dark beach, then snuggled into the surprisingly okay $30 NZD tent and got some much-needed rest.

Day 2:

The morning came less quickly than we'd hoped, for once. We kept waking up to check the time. Kili, who had had to sacrifice her sleeping bag to the good of other members of the rather forgetful Company, suffered the worst of it, waking up cold and stiff. We'd made arrangements to procure our own transportation the previous night, so a 30 minute walk and $163 NZD later temporarily afforded us a brand new, white Toyota Corolla hatchback. Camp was swiftly struck whilst breakfast was being prepared, and we were off to nearby Egmont National Park, at the base of Mount Taranaki, where we struggled against an obscene amount of traffic which was clearly crazed and trying to run us off the (basically) one-lane road. (Okay, so it was a road the width of a one-lane road, with a painted broken line down the center at intervals. This is very much a New Zealand thing, we're finding out. The road department is very stingy.)

The parking lot/car park of the Visitor's Center was terrifying. It was all Kili (the hapless driver) could do to get out again without smashing into all the insane tourists crowding in. Nonetheless, once we'd succeeded in reaching a less crowded park some distance down Egmont Road, we were much better equipped for the day. We began by testing out one of the shorter trails (for the elf's benefit). We ended up going in circles. We think. We still can't decide just how lost we were. Boo on Egmont for trail markers. This will be addressed later on.

Afterward, we decided to go on a hike. A real, challenging one. The trailhead said "two hours." We said, "no problem!" After all, we'd packed a lunch and everything. The trail proved to be an amazingly immersive jungle experience. We were impressed by how much faith its creators placed in potential trampers, considering it required numerous unguided river and stream crossings, and some of the slopes were incredibly steep and not well cut. The foliage was, of course, gorgeous. I won't waste words describing it because we have pictures, and I'm lazy. Pictures. Look at them.


After about two very long hours of hiking, we decided we must have taken a wrong turn. The elf was exhausted and in low spirits, most likely from slipping and falling half a dozen times, squashing the lunch in her pack. The dwarf tried to be sympathetic, and ultimately took the pack (mostly to spare the food), but it was no use. The elf was simply not as wood-hardy as the dwarf, who seemed to have endless stamina amidst the muddy track and unmaintained trails. We did mention it was raining, didn't we? No?

It was. Rather earnestly. A bit, at first, which we shrugged off as a passing shower. As the hike went on, however, it started coming down through the canopy overhead, and all the water that was accumulating on the ferns brushed off on Kili (who was in the lead, obviously), soaking the poor dwarf's leggings.

On the plus side, we found an incredible river, which we proposed to revisit the following day in cosplay, and Kili enjoyed confusing the birds with vocal imitations.

In the end, we reached the Visitor Center, mere minutes before they were closing, some three-and-a-half hours after we'd begun our "two-hour" hike. Anyway, Ngario Trail, 9.5/10. Definitely recommend. (Just don't wear fabric of any kind - the burrs will eat you alive.)

The vast majority of our energy exhausted, we decided to forego any further trails for the day and began our descent back down Egmont Road.

Tent was set up. Food of a very cold nature was eaten. Silly New Zealand doesn't seem to appreciate Kili's need for fire. Harrumph.

 Day 3:  

Sleep was much easier for the elf and dwarf, as a second sleeping bag had been secured the previous day. Given both slept past the “I See Fire” wake-up alarm, we’re assuming it was good rest, or dead bodies. After some cold cereal, Kili complained about our tent neighbors being orcs from our homeland, and wishing more than anything that they would be on their way already, and we proceeded with our cosplay plans.

We - more like Kili - were determined to capture photos of our recently favorited find on the Ngario Trail. A river we currently don’t know the name of… but beautiful nonetheless!

Lunch packed, and gear accounted for, we made the twenty-minute hike to the incredible, treacherous, slippery river crossing we encountered before - this time Kili carrying the pack.

The company did their best to document the magnificent surrounding area, even going as far as trying out their new selfie stick. Some shots were a success, others not so much, only the chosen ones will be revealed!

I, Tauriel, find the videos much more fulfilling in documenting our travels.

It was a great start for an enjoyable Easter Sunday. Short morning hike, getting to enjoy a beautiful river on a trail near our campsite. The setting being peacefully serene, minus the spider I found later in Kili’s hair… There’s just something very relaxing listening to the flow of the river, and the light sprinkle of rain.

Before we knew it though, our day was half gone, so it was time to pack up camp and leave Egmont National Park in hopes of seeing some other sights close in our region. We were indecisive, though we had the rental car and could pretty much have seen other parts of the Taranaki region other than New Plymouth, we had realized we had been fortunate in securing a vehicle. Our very own 1997 Nissan Cefiro Wagon. So staying close to the city was a bit essential.

Kili decided the museum would be fun to explore! Though we earned some stares and comments (you would think these men had never seen an elf and dwarf before), we saw some interesting culture exhibits on the Maori, as well as an interesting documentary before they were closing.

A coastal walk, visit to the Te Rewa Rewa bridge, and three circles on foot in town, we found a place to eat and parked our car near the coast with a bunch of other campers. The sight of stars with the noise of the waves crashing in the background welcomed us to sleep.

Day 4:

This is the day Kili and Tauriel picked up their BRAND NEW CAR! =D 1997 Nissan Cefiro wagon. Tentatively named Shadowfax (because if we named it Hedwig, Tauri feared it may one day meet the same fate as a certain Prius her friend owned).

Kili had concerns that it would die on us, but so far, Shadowfax has held up very well during the 400+ km we traveled from New Plymouth to our accommodations in Lower Hutt. But before returning, we drove to Dawson Falls and hiked the short trail to see the waterfall there. Not nearly as impressive as the Milford Sound falls, but it was lovely to see. We got to enjoy the Taranaki area a bit more - the surroundings and forest area in general were gorgeous and serene. Probably would have camped there longer if we had a cook stove, and some other needed supplies, but alas, Kili had school to return to - and Tauriel, work.

Our adventure wasn't over yet, though I think both the elf and dwarf refused to see it as an end, even during the five hour drive back. We stopped at a couple of small parks, both having a variety of flowers and little gardens for viewing. The most remembered stop was a cute strawberry farm and cafe. Our sandwich had been the most delicious of all sandwiches! At least since firehouse subs at DragonCon (Tauriel's favorite). Garlic incorporated into the bread, and a tasty combination of chicken, lettuce, tomato, swiss, and sauces.

Driving on the opposite side of the road, I'm not sure quite how Kili was handling it, but I believe she did rather well. It appeared to be natural for her, even as we twisted around a crazy windy road that I confused her on to near the evening. It's honestly strange the path phone navigation sets out for you, but in the end, we saw a magnificent view before dusk.