Boosting the Kamo economy, or, Vacationing in fits & starts

Grab your coffee, this is a long one. Ben and I got off the Ice on the 21st. We were scheduled to leave on the 19th, but leaving Antarctica is like leaving the Bush in winter – you’ll leave when the weather & plane are ready. Our first night in Christchurch was awesome! Even though I was not anxious to leave McMurdo, when I stepped off the plane, smelled and felt the humid air I jumped up and down with excitement. So green, so beautiful, so alive!! We settled into our hotel – this deserves its own story - - it’s a new place called the Hotel So and it’s very modern. We had our own bathroom in the room, wake up light, flat screen TV at the end of the bed, very nice. The only drawback was that it was smaller than our dorm room on the Ice!! With 2 adults and 4 large bags we couldn’t move around too much. But, it was clean and we had a bed with a full mattress, rather than 2 twins cargo strapped together. (end of side story) - - After settling in (i.e. shoving our bags under the bed & changing into “real world” clothes) we met up with friends at a local bar for a beer. Then we proceeded to dance and party the night away. It was such a time for celebration and we seized the moment. I tried to start a mosh pit, but the Kiwis are too nice and just shied away. So, we had our own mini McMurdo mosh pit. Good times.

Next day I had my favorite Kiwi breakfast that I’d been dreaming about since October, French toast with bacon and banana on it, and a tall black (double espresso). Otherwise just did errands and such and a little bit of going out on the town. Christchurch is a neat city, but we were ready to get out of town. Our friends who were suppose to come off the ice the day after us were delayed 2 days as well so Ben and I decided to head out of town to Maruia hot springs. We arrived there, found a nice place just off the road next to a river and set up our tent. Then the rain started. It continued to rain for 2 days, except for the few hours we spent on our first hike. We went up the side of a mountain on Lewis Pass and it was beautiful.

After 2 days and nights in the rain we headed back to Christchurch into the sun. That night we met up with our friends who were delayed and had a last night together. In an effort to save money Ben and I slept in a park by the airport. Hip Patagonia Dirtbags, or derelict vagabonds – you decide. We caught an early flight to Auckland where we proceeded to spend 3 days looking for a campervan. We also sorted out a bank account, cell phone service, visited with Mark Flanum, and checked out the Auckland Sky Tower (highest tower in the world).

We found a 1987 4 wheel drive diesel Mitsubishi Delica and paid $2700 for it. Plus $175 to have the seats taken out and a bed frame built. We would have done all of this ourselves but the lack of tools made it impossible. So, at 5pm on February 29th (leap day) we drove out of Auckland. Here is where the real adventure begins. – refill the coffee mug…

We’re headed to the Bay of Islands in the north of the North island and we pull off onto a road that ends at the Waipu Bird Refuge. Cool. We take a look at the cool birds photo and decide to camp somewhere else. Car wont start. Nothing, just a click when you turn the key. Ben spends about an hour, in the dark mind you, trying to trouble shoot and then we decide just to wait until morning to deal further.

We wake up in the morning and there’s another campervan there, lucky us, we’ll ask them for a jump (even though the battery is most likely not the issue). We wait around until they get up and that’s how we meet Nick and Fran. A Brit & German who live in Auckland and are out for the weekend kitesurfing. Despite the vehicle not running Nick wants to buy it from us right then. While Ben goes off to find a kind neighbor who can jump us, or bump us so we can do a pop the clutch start Nick details on our map all the cool places to go in the Northland.

Later on here comes Vic in his F350 who eventually pulls us up to speed and Ben pops the clutch and we’re started. We say our goodbyes and thank you’s and head to a neighbors house to return a cargo strap Ben borrowed. We pull into the drive and Ben turns the key off!! Did I mention that it’s about 10:45 and all the shops close around noon and we have a 40 minute drive to Whangarei to get the car repaired? So, we’re stuck again and eventually get another pull start from a young kid with a lowered truck.

Now we’re off to Whangarei, biggest city we’ll hit on our way north. Get to Whangarei at 11:50, pull into a car repair shop that looks closed but we want to check it out and Ben turns the key off, again!! He walks down to a Midas shop and they are closing and can’t help. So, eventually (all these eventuallys are to spare you from the total frustration/arguing/just about ready to cry/pleads for help from stranger moments) a guy helps us push it down the road and we’re able to pop the clutch that way, ala Little Miss Sunshine.

Ok, on our way again to a repair place who is open, and this is how we meet Robbie and Selwyn,

and this is the start of our supporting the Kamo economy. We all think it might be the starter so Ben and I head to town for some lunch and let Selwyn have a look. After some lunch we head back and have some luck – it’s an electrical issue that was fixed for $100. On the road again, only back to Whangarei to buy supplies, we run into Nick & Fran. So we go have a beer to thank them for all their help earlier that day and then we head out to camp at Ocean Beach. Nice place and we had a great hike that day photos.

That evening we head off the track again and end up in Whangaumu. The road to the beaches in this area go over little mountains and they are narrow winding steep roads. We’re headed down the last steep section, it’s dark and we’re not sure where the road goes when the stereo turns itself off and the lights start to dim. This time we’re sure it’s the battery, maybe, and start to panic just a bit as, again, we’re at the top of a steep hill, it’s dark and there is no pull out. We make it down to a car park and just have to realize that once we turn off the van it wont start without a jump. So, we settle in for another night knowing we need help from strangers again in the morning. When I turn around in the van the bed has come apart. Yeah, that $140 number, piece of sh*t, which we knew but didn’t have a choice, buckled and ripped out the screws. I figure that’s 3 things now, once we get this issue fixed we should be good to go, except it’s raining and the old sun roof is leaking and we are using our trash bucket to catch the drip.

Morning comes, we get that help and here I sit, back with Robbie & Selwyn. We’ve been here since 10:30 (it’s now 3:00) and are expecting to be here until 5:00. This time they’re looking at the alternator, but not entirely sure if that’s the problem. I really hope it is because we just have not had a vacation yet. We’ve gone on 2 hikes and had lots of car worries and troubles. I can say at least when it decides not to start we’re at a place we can sleep for the night. Oh, did I mention it’s been raining since we left Auckland? Luckily when we’ve been hiking it’s not been raining, but every other moment it has been. We’ve been spending buckets of money and just feel low. I’ve been fighting a sinus/cough issue so we’ve not been sleeping very well either. I know things will get better, it’s just getting harder and harder to keep our spirits up and we’re starting to wonder what the heck a “vacation” feels like??

So Robbie & Selwyn are part of our story now. These guys are crusty old Kiwis who’ve been working together for years. They act a bit like a married couple, have the requisite German shepherd, (Monty) and lots of old cars and car parts hanging around. We’ve been given lessons on cars and car repair, (Robbie could be a Car Talk host down here), been all through their medical history, talked about local politics, Maori politics, places to see on the North Island, etc…This is to say that things happen here very slowly. There is a bit of sitting around shooting the breeze that is required before one starts a job, during the job, and after the job.

We’ve spent some more money in Kamo and are shoring up the bed, adding curtains and bug screen to the van so we’ve been using the time wisely. At least we’re not missing a gorgeous sunny beach day.

I have to say I sometimes wonder what we did to be on this bad Karma trip. It’s probably just the time for the van to need repairs and we happen to be the next owners in line who’ll have to pay for them. Regardless, I’m sure you all know how we feel – vacationing in fits and starts.