Waikato WANDERINGS

Tischler takes a road trip from Auckland to Cambridge in a rented EV.

New surroundings are often viewed through rose-tinted glasses. The routine of life back home has been broken; the locals somehow seem more forthcoming, the air more invigorating, the views more picturesque, the coffee stronger. All this rings true on a recent jaunt from Auckland to Cambridge with my partner and young son. The quaint Waikato riverside town dressed in a cloak of oranges and radiant reds from its many deciduous trees has always carried an air of prestige. Many successful racehorses come from Cambridge so it’s possible its equine heritage provides that edge. Things just seem brighter here.

I observed another of Cambridge’s legacy sports – rowing – from the living room window of our weekend accommodation. Situated on grassy banks complete with grazing sheep and with sweeping views of Lake Karapiro is The Oar and Paddle, an intimate collection of suites oozing lakeside lodge luxury. We were perfectly positioned to watch the action on the water and enjoy the charm of rural life, while being only a short drive from Cambridge township.

On the way to Cambridge, we’d stopped in Hamilton in time to enjoy local produce at the Waikato Farmers Market. The hum of shoppers was met with the gentle melody of live music; we made a beeline for stalls brimming with some of our favourite staples.

The nearby Hamilton Gardens provided the perfect backdrop for morning tea and we reacquainted ourselves with old favourites including the Japanese Garden of Contemplation and the Indian Char Bagh Garden while enjoying the surprise of new gardens.

With a range of 420km, the EV would have covered the 300-odd kilometre return trip but on arrival in Cambridge, we downloaded the ChargeNet app and plugged in to one of the handful of public charging stations. We locked up and browsed the town centre while the vehicle recharged.

Once I had completed my retail therapy, we hit toddler therapy – also known as the playground. We found a space oozing with fun to be had on the edge of Lake Te Koo Utu Reserve, before trekking down a steep pathway and tracing the lake itself, littered with fallen leaves and a dusting of ducks.

Hungry stomachs lead us through the doors of the town’s historic post-office, which is now home to Italian restaurant Alpino, where boxes of takeaway pizza were waiting for us. If we didn’t have a restless toddler as our plus-one, the ambient space where fresh, local produce is transformed into authentic Italian dishes would have been the perfect spot for a date night.

Although perhaps not, as the familiar comfort of The Oar and Paddle and its radiating gas fireplace was awaiting us. We completed our time in Cambridge partaking in another of its main identities: cycling. Clipping on helmets at Riverside Adventures – located within the worldclass Grassroots Trust Velodrome where New Zealand’s top track cyclists train – we mounted e-bikes and set off along a section of Te Awa River Ride, our toddler wideeyed and cooing with excitement strapped into a children’s seat at the bike’s rear.

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Istand on the pristine white sandy shoreline of One Foot Island, hypnotised by a turtle wallowing in the shallows of the diamondclear water. I’ve arrived in paradise.

Describing somewhere as ‘paradise’ can seem clichéd, but Aitutaki really is akin to utopia. And spending time on the lagoon is one of the best ways to explore the magic of the second most-populated island in the Cook Islands, after Rarotonga.

After cruising the Aitutaki lagoon for the day while my partner and toddler son stay at our resort, I have experienced the translation of this beautiful place’s name – Aitutaki means to ‘keep the fire going’. Today, the fire in my soul is burning brightly.

Home to fifteen motu including One Foot Island where visitors can get their passport stamped at the world’s smallest post office, Aitutaki lives up to its reputation as a tropical nirvana.

It’s also a snorkelling mecca. While it can be easy for the untrained eye to get lost in the lustrous expanse of aqua, the skipper of our of Teking Lagoon Tours boat has an inbuilt compass and drops anchor at the most intriguing spots.

Later, I find my family back at Tamanu Beach Resort, weary from their own adventures of flitting between the pool and the gentle waves of the lagoon at the resort’s beach. Casually luxurious, Tamanu Beach Resort has only recently opened one wing to families, while the other remains adults only.

A short taxi ride takes us to Aitutaki village where we follow enticing aromas to Blue Lagoon Restaurant and Bar.

Poised right on the water’s edge we dine overlooking Ootu Beach in the last of the sun’s rays which eventually dim to reveal the glow of the Matariki star constellation.

Air Rarotonga takes us back across the 220-kilometre stretch of Pacific Ocean to the ‘mainland’. After pared-back Aitutaki, landing in Rarotonga is like arriving in a bustling metropolis.

We immerse ourselves in the sights and smells of Punanga Nui Market, open on Saturday mornings and bustling with more than 130 food, craft and clothing stalls. Fresh fruit juice is the perfect tonic to combat sweltering heat, and the cacophony of indigenous music and colourful produce is the perfect entertainment for an inquisitive infant.

In contrast to the bustling market, Maire Nui Gardens and Café is pocket of peacefulness, set across seven acres of lush, tropical grounds where huge palms give way to lily ponds, tranquil beneath wooden footbridges.

Muri Beach has long been a favourite for tourists with its idyllic stretch of sandy shoreline and prime snorkelling spots. But this evening we’re experiencing another of its highlights: the Muri Night Markets. We take our own meals back to enjoy on the veranda of Sands Villas, B n’b-style accommodation overlooking Titikaveka Beach.

Venturing inland in Rarotonga we find unassuming beauty. Joining a Storytellers Eco-Cycling tour – our son happily attached to the back of a bike in a toddler buggy – we trace the 1000-year-old thread of road that weaves in from the coast.

Constructed from coral and lined with basalt rock, the oldest infrastructure in the Cook Islands is known as ‘the road of our ancestors’, according to our guide. We push past trees dripping in tropical fruits and stop to investigate their bounty: tamarind, cassava, soursop, kapok seeds. We learn how to identify box fruit, the now-banned ‘lazy fishing method’ (the toxic seeds are powerful enough to stun fish) and how the sap of bread fruit is sticky enough to be used as sealant for vaka, or canoes.

We had booked a table with a highchair for our last dinner. But once we learnt of the island’s babysitting service, we amended the reservation to a table for two to indulge in a more peaceful meal. Sitting under swaying palm trees at the Nautilus Restaurant, set within its namesake resort, we relaxed to the sound of waves lapping at the shore. After our meal we savoured the luxury of a hot cup of tea –finishing it before it got cold – and, with stomachs and hearts filled to the brim, returned to our sleeping son.