Been doing a lot of driving since we left Raglan. The "slight detour" back to Auckland to pick up our bikes which should have taken 2 ½ hrs took 5hrs - to do 85miles/130km ! ! ! Traffic accident, massivedetour,(no people in NZ = very few roads = no alternative when roads are closed) We had to do God knows how many miles of bone jarring dirt roads to get round the holdup - but very scenic ! !

Drove down to Lake Taupo today - another 5 hours to do very few km but it's the best you can do with the roads all single lane passing through every town & village & no motorways. It must have been like this driving from Paris to the South Coast in the 1950s before they built any motorways in France. A real retro experience ! ! - except that with the camping car we can just stop & spend the night whenever we decide we've gone far enough for the day. Highlight of the day was a tiny town called Tirau where someone had made an art form of corrugated iron sheeting - we'll put on line photos of the "dog" &"sheep" buildings

Another new experience for us in Taupo - "freedon camping" - we're just parked up along with a few other people in an idyllic spot by the side of the river, not an official campsite. No problem to us as our camper van will go at least 72 hours with full lighting, cooking facilities, hot & cold water, wc & even heating if required (not at the moment it's very hot & humid). Very much appeals to the yorkshireman Stewart as unlike official campsites it's FREE ! !

Wednesday - first outing on our new mountain bikes to Huka Falls- spectacular rapîds and "Craters of the Moon" a whole area full of steaming geysers, boiling mud pools and craters. Weather fantastic, great day out followed by a cooling dip in the Waikato river and lamb on the barbecue.