Into the storm …..

Our short sojourn in Russell has sadly come to an end, and we start our return journey south as soon as our last delicious Arcadia breakfast will allow. 

This will be one of the longest sections of our road trip, and we’ve two essential stops mapped out quite early on. I love the work of Hundertwasser - his use of colour and rejection of the straight line, his sheer quirkiness,so first stop is the final art work to be completed in his lifetime  - the public toilets at Kawakawa, completed in 1999 a year before he died.  And they do not disappoint - fully functional public toilets so beautifully designed, with tiny details and recycled materials everywhere.  And there are other pieces of his artwork scattered around the area. Just wonderful! G, however, is more impressed by the fact that a railway line runs literally through the town’s main street - admittedly seeing the train trundling along is quite a sight. 

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hundertwasser-toilets

From here we drive further south to Whangarei and the recently opened Hundertwasser Art Centre. From its initial conception in 1992, the idea took 30 years to actually come to fruition, opening in February last year. Hundertwasser’s original designs date from 1993,  but it has taken collaborative work with various architects, designers, constructors and administrators to finally see this magnificent building come to reality. 

I love the completed building - both the exterior and interior - though our visit is of necessity limited to just one hour. We learn so much more about the artist - such an original thinker who found his home in New Zealand and lived here for the last 23 years of his life. Not only an artist and architect, but an ecologist and a promoter of green principles - there’s so much more I want to learn about him.  The centre houses paintings, posters, photographs, a biographical film - all in wonderfully designed surroundings. The website is excellent: 

https://www.hundertwasserartcentre.co.nz

But, sadly, we must go on as we’re less than a third of the way through our journey. From now on, it’s just stops for coffee and/or toilet visits. Past Auckland, we’re keeping a careful look at the sky to the east as we know what’s heading our way. Cyclone Hale is due to hit the North Island later tonight, with Coromandel- our destination- bearing the brunt of it. Our Airbnb host has told us we should be fine today, but not to expect to leave the property tomorrow as a month’s worth of rain is dumped over 24 hours. We consider going to Hamilton instead, but the weather doesn’t seem much better there, and I’m working in the principle that we should get at least one day where we can do some exploring around Coromandel.  

Increasingly I feel we’re acting out a scene from ‘Twister’, ‘storm chasers’ heading towards the eye of the cyclone (strictly speaking ‘ex cyclone’) while most other cars are heading in the opposite direction. Roadside signs read all non-urgent travel to Coromandel should be avoided; but there’s no sign of rain just yet, and as we’re taking the high road over the saddle rather than the coastal route, we think we’ll be safe from floods. 

Of course, the closer we get, the more the rain changes from slight drizzle to downpour. We’re driving through what must be glorious scenery, but it’s difficult to see much of it. Eventually, we reach Whitianga and head for the supermarket - we need supplies for at least the next two days. And then it’s the final stretch - up the hills to our ‘Tree House’ near Kuatuna. It’s an idyllic little detached studio surrounded by forest with a covered balcony looking out to what we think is the sea - not that we can see this now of course. Relieved to be here, we settle down to ride out the storm  ….