Spud the Pop Top Caravan

It was an instant decision, we brought a 1970s pop top caravan or tent trailer to some of you. We love the idea of a Tiny House but we wanted to create something straight away, so we brought Spud.

The photos shows the development of Spud for 2 months before we camped in it 2 weeks solid over the summer break.

Before Photos.. Spud was musty, dull, and leaky but had awesome potential.

Started with a clean slate and demolished every internal item.

 First step was painting over the vomit coloured roof. 

The grand plan...

 The cat decided curtains were a nice place to chill.

Photo shoot!

Taking it camping at Waipatiki Beach

 Taking it camping at Mangakino

Touring around Bay of Plenty and Coromandel NZ. We forgot to take pictures! So here is what we got up to instead. 

 Waihi Setup

Trumpets at Hot Water Beach, Coromandel New Zealand

So there we are. Spuds life in pictures.

 Kiwi Dee, over n out!

Vintage 1930's City in New Zealand

You may think it unlikely and odd that in little ole NZ, the country sometimes forgotten off the world map, that there is a random as vintage 1930s city. Some think NZ is only full of sheep or grassy green meadows and hobbits...

Walking through Napier (in New Zealand) and overhearing Mexican and German accents I wonder how they managed to find themselves exploring just a small wee dot on the map. Considering we are well off the beaten track and lets face it a little frontier-ish (you will look out of place if you don't have jandals on, and ditch the blazer, you will not fit in at all). Cruise ships and NZ Tourism must be making some impact.

One thing that I really did notice when I came back from a Europe backpacking trip was how new New Zealand was. I was a bit of a classics nut at school so I always wanted to head to the more  history rich places of the world and soak it all in. It never occurred to me Kiwi's were still building our main infrastructure where other world cities are light years ahead. I was quite shocked about having to learn the metro system in just about every major city I went to in Europe - Wellington and Auckland are still developing a rail system. I guess we don't really have the population to really justify massive metro systems.

Imagine if New Zealand was populated and built at the Ancient Roman time! Ha imagine that! A Colosseum in Taupo and hippodrome in Christchurch. Oh dear! The mind is wandering :)

I guess what I am trying to make sense of, is that we do have interesting things happening in NZ and having a fully Art Deco city smack bang in the middle of it is pretty cool. The natural disaster of the 1931 earthquake was an awesome excuse to create a bit of a 'Phoenix from the ashes' and ensuring Hawkes Bay could rebuild in an even more modern and stylistic way. Because NZ is still so young and in comparison it occurred quite early in the history of making NZ, therefore had the opportunity to create a unique art capital of the world (exaggerating a bit?)! Although there are a few too many businesses or rest homes that are run/overrun by old fogies - it is fast becoming a awesome lifestyle to be in the bay.

Quite a unique place if I may say. Vintage baby!

Cheers,
Kiwi Dee xx

P.S. Kiwis are so frontier-ish that whenever I type in Jandals it keeps autocorrecting me to sandals, vandals or pandals!!

Extra PS. I realize New Zealand has the word 'new' in the word...

Local Guide to Survive Napier Art Deco Weekend

Me and my gorgeous friend at Art Deco Weekend 2014

Every February, a happy mob of dressed up 1930s hooligans converge on New Zealand's Art Deco Capital for a weekend of splendour and party.

Follow the below as a simple insiders guide to surviving such a weekend.

• If it is a scorcher (i.e. hot sunny Hawkes Bay day) you will need a parasol (women), hat (men) and a good lathering of sun block.

• Have a Art Deco getup. You well and truly feel out of place if you are not dressed up for the weekend. If you are doing a last minute costume - ladies find some long pearls, a non figure hugging dress (dropped waist) and a head band (put on horizontally not vertically), gentlemen - find some trousers, suspenders and a light button up shirt. Shoes? Well I am a kiwi girl at heart and am most comfortable in jandals but ladies wear a low heels and men in dress shoes. Voila! 

• Have a weekend plan and then a Plan B in case of bad weather

• Book ahead for accommodation and special events because blimey it gets busy! Consider renting a house in Napier or go further a field and book accommodation in Havelock North and combine going to see wineries at that time.

• A local favourite is to watch the war birds (vintage fighter planes) do their aerobatics show. Find out what time they are flying and find a spot on Marine Parade for the perfect watching spot.

• Take snacks and water. Yes there are stalls there on the weekend but it is always good to have a muesli bar and some water on hand to munch on to keep your energy up!

Well there you have it. Simple :) Any more advice my friends?

Have a jolly good time!

Cheers,

Kiwi dee xxx

Top 5 Art Deco Buildings in Napier

If you are a cruise shipper, backpacker, day tripper, or even a local in Napier, New Zealand then if you go to these 5 buildings you will get a good sense of the architecture and feel of Art Deco Napier.

Stop faffing around with those boring brochures and get all you need from here!
Note - 4 of the buildings are walkable but the Tobacco building in Ahuriri is a ride away.

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1. National Tobacco Company 1933

Address: 1 Ossian St, Ahuriri, Napier 4110, New Zealand

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2. Municipal Theatre 1937

Our Theatre an ultimate site link

Address: 119 Tennyson St, Napier South, Napier 4110, New Zealand

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3. The Telegraph Building 1933

Address: 49 Tennyson Street Napier, New Zealand

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4. Hawkes Bay Museum and Art Gallery 1937
 

Address: Corner of Herschell and Browning Street Napier NZ

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5. ASB Building 1932

Address: 100 Hastings Street Napier, NZ

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This is the closest you will get to living in The Great Gatsby time. If you are fortunate to visit during Art Deco weekend in February it is an amazing site!

Hope you enjoy the beautiful city of Napier.

Kiwidee over and out! xx

Top Solo Girl Travel Tips

Roman Forum in Roma

In 2011 I had the time of my life, I packed up my bag put my courageous face on and ventured on my first adventure out of New Zealand.

With three months traveling around Europe/UK I quickly learnt ways to keep myself healthy and happy on the road. I have created a wee list of tips and tricks that I learnt in no particular order:

1. Favourite jeans. Trust me, you will miss them if you don't. Cool article on non-jean washing here.

2. Hair straightener. Having a bit of luxury when you have curly wild hair is so so nice. I ended up buying one over there and ditching it over there.

3. Take black lace up boots - doubles as hiking shoes, tourist wandering shoes and going out 'grunge look' towning shoes. Get the inside zip up ones so its easier to chuck shoe on and go.

4. Drink yoghurt drinks if you are a 'have a yoghurt everyday' type of girl. Keeps your stomach regular because you are eating 'not normal' everyday!

5. Buy Body Shop Tea Tree Exfoliating Pads - Cut them in half to make them last longer. They are great to quickly clean away the grime of travel and city pollution before you crawl into bed after a long day site seeing or travelling. You can use them on your face and feet! They are OK to take on planes as they are not liquid. So refreshing.

6. Cable ties. Really great way of securing bags to beds, or 'padlocking' your suitcases when going through airport customs. You will need scissors to cut them off at the other end!

7. Smartphone. The iPhone was my friend the whole time I backpacked. It was on me at all times so I felt a bit more safer. Wifi was your friend and communicator. I booked hostels, emailed, kept up with the news and created a 'Family' Facebook group.

8. Ditch the fanny pack. No one uses it and its a damn nuisance if you need something from it. Leave all small black shoulder bag that you have on your person at all times (even in the shower and sleeping). I kept my phone, money, itinerary and map of where I was with one hand firmly grasping it at all time. Note: Get one that has zips to get into it, make it look inconspicuous. If you look at pretty much all my travel photos, you will see it!

9. I brought my brother a Swiss Army Knife when I was in Switzerland. Lo and behold it was one of the most useful tools I had with me. Simply the scissors and knife came in handy! Remember to NOT carry it on the plane. Put it in your hold suitcase or get a cheap one while traveling and ditch it or pass it onto another traveller.

10. Do not be influenced by others buying a heap of souvenirs. They get very annoying in your luggage. Get small momentos for your closest family and friends. People understand when you don't have much money and spare room in your luggage! Plus you dont spend so much time in souveneer shops so you have more time to experience the place you are in.

11. Get a bag that has wheels and back straps. I think they are called hybrid bags. When you need to go big distances its actually easier to wheel it. However when you need to go up stairs (at most hostels and in the tube) or cobblestones, just whip out those straps and walk up/down them with ease. Good for the weaker armed gals... like myself...

12. Plaster a smile on your face, give the language a go, and have fun. There will be times of loneliness and home wanting.. but push through. Have a cup of tea, try contact your folks for a chat. Carry on.

13. Budget in buying fresh water bottles every few days. Recycle instead of bin of course ! Trust me.. its easier than washing your drink bottle in the hostel kitchen, laundry or hotel sink.

14. If taking part in the group tours like Top Deck or Contiki, make sure that you know not all meals and food is included. In fact a majority isn't. Budget this in and you can buy muesli bars, snacks and bread to get you through. Every time you hop on the bus for a long time just know you will most likely buy snacks at the stops (My weakness were Pringles... they were in every country without fail!).

15. Take a pashmina scarf. It can be a scarf, wrap, sarong, umbrella, blanket or something to lie on the grass with. So so useful and always looks pretty. Brightens up your day!

Loved my scarf!

16. If you have allergies (like I had hay hayfever), take your medication like antihistamines just in case. So important to feel your best and travelling through many countries with different climates/environments and some dusty lodgings... it will help you stay on top of your game!

Anything I have missed? Would love to hear more tips :)

I loved my long skirt too. Rolled it up and it squeezed down into nothing. In Scotland above

Greece - Chaotic.Historical.Beautiful

KiwiDee at the Acropolis

In 2011 I went on a 3 month solo Europe trip. Never been out of NZ but had always wanted to experience other countries and cultures. One of the best places I visited was Greece, and below is blog post from my old travel blog.

I went sailing for three days in the Ionian Sea, went to Mykonos and had a few days in Athens. Each place held its own enchanting feel.

Chaotic Athens. Amazing! Coming from such a small country, I found the riots to be fascinating, especially since democracy was born here. This was my account of times in Athens...

29th June 2011, Athens, Greece.

While we were in Mykonos, we heard reports of rioting in central Athens. On the morning coach going into Athens Aiofe (tour guide) told us that the government would be making the decision to take the IMF loan or not, that afternoon. The majority of Greece did not want the government to accept the loan as it would mean higher taxes and pretty much hinder the next few generations.

People were protesting, and some were rioting. We decided anyway to go to the Acropolis as we were told it was quite a way from the rioting. We metro-ed into central city - went underneath the main square where all the rioting was happening, the doors opened and people were covered in white and wearing gas masks - we ended up at the Acropolis station and went up the hill to see my mecca.

I have never felt such an atmosphere before. There were hardly any tourists or people up at a normally extremely busy tourist attraction. There was no people sounds or traffic sounds. All you could hear was tear gas canisters cracking and chants on the wind from in Syntagma Square in front of Parliament. We could see the white tear gas cloud and people standing on the roofs around the central square. The rest of the city was unmoving. They were probably inside watching the television with family and friends. There was a feeling of tension but calmness in the air. Everyone was aware and watchful but quite silent.

We walked down to the Plaka where we had been told there was good food, so we found ourselves at Hadrians Arch. Hearing a bit of a ruckus, we looked up the road and saw two massive lines of fully kitted out riot police heading towards Syntagma Square. I did NOT want to get any closer! We wandered into the Plaka to find some Moussaka and some ladies told us to watch out for the tear gas! We were extremely close to the rioting. Many people walked past us with white faces from the tear gas. These people ranged from young adults to 50 plus. It amazed me how serious and determined everyone looked. We sat down, had some food and it looked it like it was all starting to settle down.

We wandered into a souvenir shop and next minute there was a massive crowd down the road blocking our exit route! We got a bit scared because we thought they might start rioting. But they were just protesters standing in a big group. We single filed through them holding hands and got to the other side and walked back to the Acropolis Metro where we went back to the Hotel.

What a day. I must say that this was one of the amazing parts of my Europe journey. I am so glad I got to experience it. I went out the next few days in central Athens and the vast difference of the day before and the next few days was amazing. Everything seemed back to normal. Tourists and people were everywhere. I walked through the main square where people were cleaning up burnt things, cracked concrete and rubbish. I used the Syntagma square metro where there was remnants of tear gas in the air and I could feel it in the back of my throat and eyes. What a time to be in Athens!

The following days I took my time to really check out Athens. It grew on me and describing it would be ramshackle, chaotic, passionate, historic, cultural, friendly, Metro and Acropolis! I was quite sad to leave, it felt like I still had a lot to do there. I will go back to Greece.

Cider Fanatic

I have realized I am a cider fanatic.

Cause: 
Going to Ireland and not liking Guinness so settling for the next abundant cheap drink - Bulmers cider.  Drinking some at night and developing a taste for it. Love the memories, love the taste, love how it sits between the wine and beer scale on my alcohol meter.

Diagnosis: 
Walking straight to the Cider section in the bottle shop and supermarket. Eyes lighting up at the range and price. Congratulating people on buying Cider at parties and gatherings. Cracking one open on a hot summers day.

Treatment: 
Drink Cider responsibly. Mighty fine choice I might add.

(P.S. I found this post in draft from Nov 2011. This is before the massive popularity of cider how it is today and the amazing assortment of ciders you can get now (Apple and Elderflower??? Fejoa Cider??? So good though). I was a pioneer before the cider fad...)

Europe and UK Adjectives

So you (or me) dont get bored reading about EVERY SINGLE PLACE I went, I thought limiting myself to 3 words for each place which seemed more fun, and also a very thought-provoking way to remember experiencing these places.

1. London, England: unknown. overwhelming. nuts.


2. Paris, France: glamorous. exercise. neat


3. Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland: spellbinding. fresh. like NZ.


4. Avignon, France: touristy. walls. meh.


5. Barcelona, Spain: architecture. suspicious.


6. Nice, France: relaxing. homely. retire there.


7. Monaco, France: rich. glamour. boring.


8. Verona, Italy: boutique. scam.


9. Venice, Italy: maze. water. thunder.


10. Pisa, Italy: stopover. dirty.


11. Rome, Italy: in awe. unreal.


12. Vatican City: holy. artistic.


13. Ignomennessa [bad spelling], Greece: calming. little.


14. Sailing Boats, Ionian Sea: relaxing. sun. sleep.


15. Corfu, small fishing village, Greece: traditional, smelly


16. Mykonos, Greek Is: beautiful. blue/white. quad biking.


17. Athens, Greece: chaotic. historical.


18. Delft, Netherlands: bikes. relaxing.


19. Breda, Netherlands. family. modern. comfort.


20. Dinteloord, Netherlands. quaint. harbour. family roots.


21. Amsterdam, Netherlands. vibrant. young. pretty.


22. Berlin, Germany. alternative. exciting. spreadout.


23. Prague, Czech Republic. fairytale. touristy. cold.


24. Vienna, Austria. classical. gorgeous.


25. Munich, Germany. beer. Dachau, quiet sadness.


26. London, 2nd time. cozy. happening. chilled.


27. Dublin, Ireland. music. friendly. guinness.


28. Killarney, Ireland. 3:1. fun.


29. Kilkenny, Ireland. castle. cute. rain.


30. Cushendall, Northern Ireland. cold. annoying. out of the way.


31. Belfast, Northern Ireland. developing. friendly. edgy.


32. Edinburgh, Scotland. beautiful. big. Fringe festivities.


33. London, 3rd time. relaxed. cider. happy. friends.

So that just about sums it up! I covered a lot of ground within 3 months solid travelling. I was on a budget but I had the best time. The longest I spent in 1 place was 1 week (in Delft) so on average I was changing places every 2-3 days. I feel this is a HUGE achievement for me in my life as I got the courage to just go.

Road to Athens 2011 Highlights - Topdeck

After 3 days in London doing the usual touristy things, I was ready to embark on my epic Euro tour. Since this tour was go go go from the start, I did not get the chance to update my blog! Also because this tour was so epic, it is impossible to write about every bit of the tour, so this is a summary of the best/worst/interesting/historic places.

• Paris was the first port of call but I must say it has left an impression on me. I got one hell of a work out (walking from The Louvre to the Arch De Triumph to the Eiffel Tower, Metro to the Opera house and back to the Eiffel). We finished the day off with a picnic dinner and a very 'interesting' cabaret show.

• A highlight from the trip was quad biking around Mykonos in the Greek Islands. Finding little beaches, driving into oncoming traffic (driving on the right side of the road!), squeezing into the little stone walled roads and attempting to keep up with the other maniacs I was convoying with - was all part of the fun. The warmth of the Greek sunshine and the magnificent views made it a highlight for me. Awesome stuff!

• Best history place was Roma! I was in awe at practically everything. The maze of streets led to the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Roman Forum and the Colosseum. Hay now, this is what dreams are made of! It was sweaty and hot but it was worth it. I could imagine being a Roman whilst walking amongst the buildings and ruins.

• Best Beauty? Was Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland. It had a magical feel to it. Misty waterfalls, lush greenery, snow capped mountains and faggots (perfectly stacked wood piles) everywhere. It was a great time too because it was when we where getting to know everyone on tour, it was lighthearted and fresh.

• Worst place. That would hands down be Pisa, Italy. Thank goodness it was a quick stop for a photograph at the leaning tower. There are sooo many souvenir shops, dodgy people and a generally questionable place. -Second worst would be the random arse fishing village we stopped at in Corfu on our 3 day sailing in the Ionian sea. It had haggard looking stray cats everywhere, an awful indescribable stench wafting and whole little octopuses for my dinner (I thought itd be calamari rings but no) haha.


• Unexpected cool place. Athens, Greece! Chaotic and historical. Going to dedicate a whole post to it - watch this space!

The 24 day tour was so massive and so epic that I could write essays on it. So to limit myself I have tried to pick out a few words to describe what each place was like :) Enjoy...

1. Paris, France: glamorous. exercise.


2. Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland: spellbinding. fresh. like NZ.


3. Avignon, France: touristy. walls. meh.


4. Barcelona, Spain: architecture. suspicious.


5. Nice, France: relaxing. homely. want to retire there.


6. Monaco, France: rich. glamour. boring.


7. Verona, Italy: boutique. scam.


8. Venice, Italy: maze. water. thunder.


9. Pisa, Italy: stopover. dirty.


10. Rome, Italy: in awe. unreal.


11. Vatican City: holy. artistic.


12. Ignomennessa [bad spelling], Greece: calming. little.


13. Sailing Boats, Ionian Sea: relaxing. sun. sleep.


14. Corfu, small fishing village, Greece: traditional, smelly


15. Athens, Greece: chaotic. historical.


16. Mykonos, Greek Is: beautiful. blue/white. quad biking.

I will no doubt come back and add to the list as I remember stuff . So that is the sum up of the crazy 24 day tour with an awesome group of peeps, from London to Greece.

Let the Euro Trip continue!

WOW Hard to upkeep a blog on the road

Hello!

Sitting in a Greek Cafe at 10.30pm and very sunburnt from 3 days of napping, eating, swimming and sunbathing. This travel blog is so hard to upkeep! Its all been go go go for the last 3 weeks. When I get off the group tour I may be able to update the blog a bit more. I have 4 days left on this amazing tour . So I better go as I am feeling very anti-social but I will upload a photo as a tie over. If you are friends on Facebook with me I have uploaded a few pics as well.

Cheers!

Dee

Me in the Roman Forum in Roma - 30 degree heat!

Dee's Adventure Maps

The plan of my journey.





Rough plan of my few months in Europe.

• From London to Spain,Italy and ending in Greece on Topdeck Tour (Road to Athens)

• Wwoofing in Italy in Naples and Tuscany


• To Netherlands to meet relatives and check out where the Verhaart Grandparents come from


• Back to UK and explore


• Melbourne city break


• Back to NZ

Cant wait!

x