We have just spent our fourth New Year's Eve together - and all of them have been in camping grounds. Seems this lifestyle of ours was meant to be from the start.
December 31 2008 - Arrowtown
We were on a two week holiday in the South Island - in a tent. We hadn't booked any sites, but were just taking pot luck. This was a very lucky find.
On New Year's Day we rode the lovely track around Lake Hayes; just a quick jaunt to clear our heads.
At the end we were flying down the gravel road to the carpark (36km/hr according to my bike computer). I hit a pothole, cartwheeled my bike and we had to trundle off to Queenstown Hospital.
I had a dislocated AC joint and a small tear in my rotator cuff. Luckily I stopped as soon as I hit the ground, so I didn't have many gravel burns.
For the rest of this holiday the tent stayed in the car and we stayed in motels.
December 31 2008 - Shelly Beach Reserve
This was our first big caravan holiday. There are only six sites at this stunning spot near Helensville. The reserve fills up with daytrippers from Auckland during the day, mostly there for the fishing. At night they all go home and the campers are left with a beautiful, serene harbour.
31 December 2009 - Paekakariki
This was our 'home base' when we had the caravan. The camping ground is quite big, but there are lots of mature trees and hedges so you don't feel like you're in a big parking lot. Just a couple of minutes away is the lovely beach, great for swimming, walking, riding and kayaking.
Some of the trustees who run the camp turned up on NYE with their guitars and amps, so we had free music while we barbecued and saw in the new year.
December 31 2010 - Pataua South
A very different NYE. The camp brought in a DJ and the campers danced the night away - starting with the little kids who had a great time, then slowly they were all packed off to bed and the adults got down to some serious partying.
I still had the late cleaning round to do (10pm-11.30pm), but some lovely campers turned up with a much appreciated glass of bubbles for the cleaners. Craig was night watchman, with lots of extra duties like putting up the gazebo for the DJ and lighting the bonfire.
Have a happy and healthy 2011 everyone.
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