Mark Smalley

Saturday, 19 Mar - Dargaville
Today's main goal is to travel up to the Northlands, above Auckland. Starting at 0830 it takes us until 1600, stopping maybe 3 times for an hour total to get to Dargaville, a town with a population of 5000, 185 km north of Auckland and 20 km south of the Waipoua Kauri Forest, which is one of the primary attractions of this part of NZ. We drive through town - stopping briefly at a log chopping contest - to find Visitor Information just closed but there's a list of accommodations outside. We go for the Dargaville Motel at $90. At the beginning of town, close to the bridge over the Wairoa River, enthusiastic reception, well-equipped units.
On the owners advice, we take a 14 km drive to Baylys Beach, on the 100 km long Ripiro Ocean Beach. Some 4x4's driving on the beach but apart from that very quiet. Marijke has a swim and we walk for half an hour before getting some shopping at Woolworths supermarket and, on the advice on the lady at the check-out, get some Hoki and chips for $6 at the Steak House opposite.

Along the way, national radio has kept us entertained with a good mix of news, intelligent speech and music. It sounds a bit old fashioned, in the evening there's a programme that's very much like the BBC's 'Family Favourites' of the fifties and early sixties.

Fueled up twice today $36
& 29 l at 1194 km and $33 & 27 l at 1632 km. Mileage was 114 km yesterday, plus 567 today bringing the total up to 1761 km.

posted by Mark Smalley @ 5:07 PM