Cameron Yorke's Blog, page 4
October 19, 2017
First Sign's of Summer on Auckland's Northern Beaches
It's been exactly six weeks since I moved back to New Zealand, and with the exception of a couple of quasi-clear days, with enormous cumulus gathering by mid-day, and rain threatening by 4 pm, there hasn't been a single day worthy of a spring excursion. Yesterday, on when we awoke at 7 am, surprised to see not a cloud in the sky, I decided to strike while the iron was hot. On consulting the weather forecast, which confirmed a dry 24 hours, albeit followed by rain today, which hasn't disappointed, I was determined to get out and take some photos to convince everyone reading this, that I am in fact down under, and not still mired in the onset of British winter, as my recent photos may well have indicated!
Rick, My Landlord suggested a drive up the coast to the Northern Beaches, and as he has a car, I jumped at the chance, as I decided not to buy one yet - I'm still sorting out my drivers licence, but that's another story! We headed off a little after 12 noon, with no clear plan, but I'd had in the back of my head that as a child we used to go and stay with my God Mother in Mangawhai, which 40 years ago was a good two hours drive from Auckland central, so was keen to re-visit it, time permitting.
Out onto the Motorway and we were soon flying over the Auckland Harbour Bridge and once on the north shore, a sleek new multi-laned highway lay stretched before us."Do we want to take the Toll road or the free road?" asked Rick from behind the steering wheel. "I think the free road is longer."Toll Road? What toll road? I seemed to recall the 'in the old days' once you hitBirkenheadthe road narrowed to one lane in each direction, and the next two hours were an arduous battle, up hill and down dale, through village after township, often stuck behind a lorry, with little chance of passing and hazard signs everywhere, warning of a high risk of a crash! Somewhere after Wellsfordthere was a sign off to the right, and then about 40 km of gravel goat track followed at speeds of about 40 km/h maximum, all the way to Mangawhaiand the coast. Not anymore! 
After stopping at Birkenhead to pick up Rick's friend Frank, a recent Chinese foreign student graduate in Pharmacy, we were once again eating up miles along the new Toll highway, which now bypasses many of the little villages I remembered from my childhood, partly because they have now merged into a great sprawling mass of Housing, Industrial parks and shopping malls for some 50 km north of the C.B.D., as apparently Auckland in particular has almost doubled in size since I was last here 15 years ago. I seem to remember that Urbanised Auckland ended well before Albany, and we would wind along the coast from Silverdale to Orewa, Waiwera and Puhoi, then Warkworthand ontoWellsford. nowadays its almost completely built up right through to Orewa and a streamlined route now heads strait for Wellsford, by-passing most of the smaller towns and barely slowing to catch a breath in the larger ones.
On this excursion we decided to check out Omaha Beach, and I was reminded for the first time since my return of just how beautiful parts of New Zealandcan be. restricted by the wishes of those travelling with me, I now wish, on consulting the map after our trip, that we had explored a few of the other small villages and beaches in this area, as I'm sure they would have been just as picturesque as those shown here. One of the disadvantages of a beautiful new Motorway of course is that it bypasses sights which in years gone by would not have been missed, but I have to admit, from an infrastructure point of view, the journey is far less traumatic, and the travelling time is literally halved from what I remember as a child! 
From there it was back to the highway, through a mixture of the farmland I remembered, together with the relatively new addition of numerous vineyards and wineries that seem to have popped up in the past 20 years. My Chinese friends were keen to take photos along the way of both, and I was struck by how beautiful they find the normal New Zealandcountryside which we as natives, particularly having grown up in a rural environment, find common place and uninteresting, And I think too, having lived in London and other large cities in Europe for the past 15 years or so, I'm beginning to see the rural landscape in a new light.
The Road too, from Wellsfordto Mangawhai has improved dramatically over the last two decades, and in no time at all we were in the township, where so many childhood memories came flooding back. I first remember going there when I was 10 years old and there was just one general store which sold everything from petrol to fishing tackle, beach towels and grocery items. Nowadays its a bustling seaside township with a raft of stores and businesses, and houses in abundance. A short drive through to Mangawhai Heads, stopping at the golf course where we've spotted a sign which says 'Lookout'. After driving down a short track to a car park, with a path leading up a hill, we come across a rather elaborate timber structure with a spiral staircase leading to a viewing platform, from where we caught an uninterrupted 360 degree view across the landscape to the ocean and the islands beyond.
From there, back in the car, we continued on a kilometre or so to the village, again with a collection of shops including the Ubiquitous Real Estate office, No doubt responsible for the population explosion here in recent years, before driving down to the Heads, past the sheltered estuary where in my youth I remembered rowing across to the open sea, where we were able to prize fresh oysters off the rocks. Thankfully, despite the urban sprawl, it's still just as idyllic as I remembered, and the beach itself is pristine, and surprisingly empty, with only two or three eager sun-lovers lying on the white sand which stretches for miles in both directions, despite the explosion in housing of late, and I couldn't help thinking that if this were Europe, the entire beach for miles in both directions would be covered in sun-lounges, and umbrellas, with bars and cafés dotted at intervals, and hawkers peddling their wares whilst fat English tourists lazed around drinking cocktails, their immense skin burning in the mid-day sun! Perhaps there are advantages to New Zealand being so far way from everywhere after all! 
As it's now 4pm, We are contemplating the drive home via the scenic route, along what I presume is the old coastal road, when Rick spies a google mention of some caves at Waipu, which doesn't seem all that far away. Driving further north a short 40 km along good roads, again through picturesque farmland, checking out more idyllic spots like Langs Beachand Waipu Cove we arrive atWaiputownship, stopping in for an excellent pizza at McLeods Pizza Barn and Taphousebefore once again heading off across country for another 22 km as the roads quickly deteriorate into gravel for the last 10 km, arriving at theWaipu Caveswhere there are a number of tourists and camper-vans already parked in the car park. clearly this is more popular than we imagined, and completely free to both view the caves and camp overnight.
After a short walk across a field, we see the entrance to the cave, and at first glance it doesn't seem to spectacular - rather muddy underfoot, with a puddle of water in the centre of the cave, and it's dark, with some rather inconsequential brownish cream blobs of muddy sandstone hanging off the ceiling which look like they might once have been stalactites, however we can hear faint echos of voices coming from somewhere far away, and on turning on the lights on our iPhones we realise that it in fact goes back far further than we imagined.
Picking our way across the stream of water on the strategically placed rocks as stepping stones, in completely inappropriate Prada bowling shoes, I find it difficult to keep traction in the damp slippery going, but as we inch our way further into the bowels of the cave, the calcified stalactites and stalagmites become far more dramatic, and on looking up we're thrilled to see a mass of thousands of tiny lights from theglow wormsliving on the ceiling. Unfortunately I'm dressed for the city, and hadn't been prepared for cave-crawling at all, unlike some of the other tourists we pass on our way out, suitably dressed in flannelette shirts, hiking boots and with head torched fitted to their skulls, but we all agree it was well worth another look on another trip when we're better kitted!
As we got back on the road heading home in under two hours along the highway, I was struck by how much there is to do and see as a tourist in such a small country. Having been away for such a long time, I'd forgotten about many of the features which make this country so spectacular, and on this trip we had only just scratched the surface. Even though I'm still coming to terms with living here again after so long, I have to admit that having visited more than 135 countries around the world, and lived and worked in more than 40, there is still a unique and special flavour to this tiny corner of the universe, and so many sensational sights and experiences to take in - many of which are still free of charge, something rare to find in itself! Stay tuned for the next excursion, as soon the weather clears again!
October 10, 2017
Day Tour with 'The Big Foodie Tour Company'
"Meet me outside Sky City at 9.20 am" She messaged at 7.30 am as I looked dubiously out the window at the rain pelting in sideways, completely obliterating all hope of any kind of view from my Hotel room. By 9.15 am though, I needn't have worried as the clouds had parted just as a sleek new black Mitsubishi SUV pulled up to the front doors and out she jumped - a bubbly effervescent bundle of energy, shaking our hands warmly and welcoming us to New Zealand - 'She' being the self proclaimed 'Big Cheese' ofThe Big Foodie Tour Company', with a Big personality to match - English Ex-Pat, Elle Armon-Jones.Our tour comprised of just three guests, an intimate gathering, although not surprising given the weather and that being early September we were only just beginning to see the first shoots of spring break through, but Elle was quick to assure me that large numbers were not a problem and as the tour progressed I got the feeling nothing would be too much for this super organised, 'Kiwi can-do' focused Tour operator. For the next three hours we were treated to a running commentary of interesting anecdotes and funny little pearls as we circumnavigated the city first heading up Queen st to Millers Coffee House in Cross st, part of the now uber-groovy 'K road' precinct. This little Gem fits right in with it's surroundings, housed in an unassuming commercial barn conversion, a perfect balance between the rough hewn, unlined timber walls, juxtaposed against the most glamorous crystal Chandeliers hanging from rough timber rafters, the decor is as much a treat as the coffee roasting demonstration. Everything happens in the one room and its all very simple, with only one blend produced, a mixture of Papua New Guinea, Colombian and Kenyan beans, and it's outstanding! They make no bones about the fact that its all about the coffee, and in that respect they do a pretty fine job! The entire operation is not much bigger than a double garage really, but the smells of coffee emanating from the coffee roaster at the back of the room came wafting out into the street to greet us on arrival and only intensified on entry. 
After a hefty caffeine shot, it was back into the SUV and through the pouring rain to Sabato in Newmarket for a lesson on local, homegrown produce, and here our Tour guide Elle's knowledge really shone, introducing us to tastes and combinations I had thought were only grown in warmer climes!. Who knew that New Zealand grows olives and produces olive oil? The store showcases local grown and produced delicacies including an extensive range of cheeses, preserves and oils, and other yummy things, as well as hand made pottery and other kitchen gadgets and artifacts. They also run a kick-ass coffee shop with a huge range of home-baked cakes and pastries, guaranteed to bust the resolve of even the most rigid of dieters! 
The flow of conversation never lets up as we are soon back in the car, and listening to quirky little points of history, and facts about the local area, en-route to the Auckland Fish Market. Fish you might ask? Yes! fish is one of New Zealand's biggest exports, earning over $1.7 billion per year and most of it is bought and sold through here, in a huge traders gallery which looks more like a stock trading hall, with pictures of the fish to be sold, projected onto the wall behind the auctioneer! Very civilised - no fishy fingers in here! 
After a wander through their retail outlet which sells the days catch, including huge green lipped mussels, fresh live crayfish, oysters and a whole host of other native species, the tour ended with a delicious seafood platter and a chilled glass of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc at Marvel Grill, one of Auckland's premier seafood restaurants, on the North Wharf, the perfect way to wrap up the morning!
The tour itself is well worth a look, for the local insight and facts alone, as well as a sample of the many local tastes and delicacies on offer, but you simply don't want to miss the entertaining and informative commentary offered by our personal 'Big Cheese' Tour guide, Elle. Her knowledge of the local producers and their backgrounds is extensive and fascinating, but her personal approach and friendly manner will very soon have you completely at ease, and feeling like you've just been out to lunch with a mate. An absolute must tour whilst in Auckland - and likely as not even better in fine weather! 
After a hefty caffeine shot, it was back into the SUV and through the pouring rain to Sabato in Newmarket for a lesson on local, homegrown produce, and here our Tour guide Elle's knowledge really shone, introducing us to tastes and combinations I had thought were only grown in warmer climes!. Who knew that New Zealand grows olives and produces olive oil? The store showcases local grown and produced delicacies including an extensive range of cheeses, preserves and oils, and other yummy things, as well as hand made pottery and other kitchen gadgets and artifacts. They also run a kick-ass coffee shop with a huge range of home-baked cakes and pastries, guaranteed to bust the resolve of even the most rigid of dieters! The flow of conversation never lets up as we are soon back in the car, and listening to quirky little points of history, and facts about the local area, en-route to the Auckland Fish Market. Fish you might ask? Yes! fish is one of New Zealand's biggest exports, earning over $1.7 billion per year and most of it is bought and sold through here, in a huge traders gallery which looks more like a stock trading hall, with pictures of the fish to be sold, projected onto the wall behind the auctioneer! Very civilised - no fishy fingers in here! After a wander through their retail outlet which sells the days catch, including huge green lipped mussels, fresh live crayfish, oysters and a whole host of other native species, the tour ended with a delicious seafood platter and a chilled glass of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc at Marvel Grill, one of Auckland's premier seafood restaurants, on the North Wharf, the perfect way to wrap up the morning!The tour itself is well worth a look, for the local insight and facts alone, as well as a sample of the many local tastes and delicacies on offer, but you simply don't want to miss the entertaining and informative commentary offered by our personal 'Big Cheese' Tour guide, Elle. Her knowledge of the local producers and their backgrounds is extensive and fascinating, but her personal approach and friendly manner will very soon have you completely at ease, and feeling like you've just been out to lunch with a mate. An absolute must tour whilst in Auckland - and likely as not even better in fine weather!
