Jali's Journey: Goodbye Dougie!

So we did it. We sold Dougie - our beloved home, van, tour guide, (t)rusty friend and extended family member. He/she has been an absolute beauty of a motorhome and rarely let us down. A true workhorse on our travels around New Zealand, Dougie took us hundreds of miles around the country - right to the top (Cape Reinga) and all the way down to the bottom (Slope Point). Farewell and may Dougie continue to bring joy to the lovely couple who are now the new owners.

Ok, so slightly rose-tinted glasses about good-old Dougie. Sure, a great van but she was certainly hard work: I don't think we ever got use to the gears, we had four punctures, we feared breakdowns as we climbed hills at a snails-pace and the interior was in a constant state of repair and upkeep due to four-months of continuous use by our family and the antics of two young boys. Even the day before we sold the van, Jonny was out fitting a new front headlamp and campervan lock to make it sale-able for the new owners.

However, we were super-pleased to sell the van to the first people who viewed Dougie (we had lots of people lined up to view the van) - and make the sale even before we had made it to Christchurch. We also received the full asking price of $25,000 (we originally paid $20,000 so the extra profit will cover our modifications such as having seatbelts fitted, new tyres and repairs/service). I'm sure Dougie will go on to travel for many more miles to come.

So we happily spent five days in Christchurch relaxing now the van sale was taken care of. We stayed at a cosy 'sleep out' owned by a lovely family who had two young girls so the boys made friends and used their trampoline and borrowed toys. There was also a BATH which made Ali immensely happy. The weather unfortunately was not great for us - wet, cold and grey which is apparently quite unusual for this time of year. But still we managed to get out and about to explore Christchurch riding around on the historic old trams, visiting the grand old Canterbury Museum, building Lego at the Imagination Station and treating ourselves by eating out - especially on Mother's Day. You can't help but feel sorry for the city as evidently as you wander the streets, it is still recovering from the devastating earthquake in 2011 - progress seems to be slow with buildings still in ruin or fenced off and condemned. The Cathedral is sadly still a half-ruin as the authorities are still arguing on what best to do with it: try and salvage the historic remains or knockdown and rebuild (at least, this is what I can gather).

Being without a motorhome now means we have hired a car for the remaining days we are in NZ before we fly out of Christchurch on 5th April. We have also arranged to stay at a variety of lodges and cabins suitable for the four of us. We decided to take a trip North to Hanmer which is an alpine resort but famous for its hot springs pool spa. We spent a day here and loved swimming and splashing about in the various outdoor hot pools you can relax or play in. Most people sit in the lovely 40 degree waters but there are also children's pools with water playgrounds and slides which the boys really loved.

We also spent two nights in the Waipara valley staying in an old railway sleeper carriage which was really fun and unusual. They have been converted into accommodation and fitted out with beds and sofa etc. This was in the town of Waipara which is a region famous for it's wineries. Obviously we couldn't pass on the opportunity to indulge so we spent a sunny afternoon at the Waipara Springs winery sampling a tasting menu of their fine wines (a sandpit full of diggers was on hand for the boys). Perfect.

Heading South, we headed for the Banks Peninsular region east of Christchurch, a spectacular region formed many years ago from volcanic activity so there are huge hills surrounded by beautiful waters. On route we stopped off at the small town of Lyttelton to visit the Saturday morning farmer's food market selling all kinds of food and crafts. We sampled some delicious treats in this lovely bohemian area of Christchurch, sadly badly damaged by the earthquakes but getting back on its feet again. We continued on a long, twisty-turny route which took us into Akaroa, the main town on the Banks Peninsula. We enjoyed two nights at Onuku Farm Hostel with beautiful views out across the bay, relaxing and having fun on the beach. Now we have only one night left before we sadly say 'Goodbye' to New Zealand.

So despite the lack of motorhome, we have still found ourselves 'on the road'.

Oh well, perhaps we can rest in Sydney. But I doubt it...
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Van truths

Using the loo
Do you have a cupboard, small, quite difficult to access, say under the stairs? Or a wardrobe that all the stuff gets put, the winter coats, the broken bits of equipment that might come in useful to mend something in the future, clothes that are too big/small that might fit one day? You pull a muscle trying to unhook the kite stuffed behind the old bbq, you get a face full of moldy material as you try and prise the wellyboot out of the corner just out of reach. Now put a glorified potty in this 'space' try and turn in the none existent floor space and sit down and shut the door. You are now sitting in on our loo for the past 4 months. Dougie's shower room was, for us, a cupboard that stored all manner of things including a pushchair, a picnic basket of shoes (overflowing - Jonny's shoes are huge), wellies and snorkels, at least 4 towels hanging up plus sponge-bags etc, a trike, occasionally a lawnmower (toy), the dining room table top, x2 camping chairs...
Oh and the loo didn't empty itself. About twice weekly it needed dragging out of a hatch in the side of van and pouring down a drain at a 'dump station'.

Sunsets (missed every night)
By about 8pm we were all exhausted (Ali and Jonny more obviously than the smaller ones) and so it was bedtime for Sam and Ben. This process was not a simple pjs, teeth, milk, stories and lights out, although all those things did happen too. It involved rearranging the whole van from day mode to night mode. Heaving cushions the size of single bed mattresses had to be dragged into place and the sheets and duvets has to be assembled over said cushions, to make up the double-ish bed at the back of the van for Jonny and Ali. If you have ever tried to make a bed with two small people sat/rolling/thrashing around shouting 'Magic Carpet Ride!!!' you will know how exhausting this process can be. This had to be undertaken EVERY NIGHT. Then because Sam and Ben were sharing a bed high up it was necessary to get Ben off to sleep in our arms before he went up to his bunk. An often long and frustrating process, but not always. So anytime after 9 all is quiet and dark in the van. Sunset missed.

For more van truths, question or queries contact jalicrook@gmail.com