Lisa Jansen catches up with consummate travellers Jaala and Stephen, who are travelling the country after returning to New Zealand after several years abroad.
Sometimes, you have to leave to appreciate what you have at home. Jaala and Stephen McClymont know this very well. While both are born and bred Kiwis – Jaala grew up in Northland and Stephen in Hamilton – they spent many years overseas, mostly living in Sydney and Singapore. When they returned to New Zealand in 2018 with their then-teenaged kids, one of their big goals was to explore more of the beautiful country they call home. “When you’ve been away for so long, you really appreciate how beautiful New Zealand is, and we wanted to see everything the country has to offer.”
It didn’t take much for them to realise that a motorhome would be the perfect way to do so. “In the beginning, it was mostly a practical choice; a motorhome was simply the best way to see our country,” says Jaala. “Now, however, it’s so much more than that. It’s a simple way of being. Having fewer things and rushing less seems to make life so much better.”
The Hamilton-based couple bought their Dethleffs Trend i7057EB motorhome in mid-2020, and have been exploring the country every chance they get, whether it’s for just a quick one-night trip or a few weeks. “Whenever we have a spare evening, we’ll head away. We try to keep our motorhome ‘ready to roll’ at a moment’s notice,” says Jaala.
Of course, getting into motorhoming in the middle of 2020 means that Covid has been a part of the adventure from day one. The pair say it forced them to become really good at dealing with uncertainty. At the time, Stephen was still mainly based in Sydney to finish up a contract with PWC Legal and to sell the family’s home in Australia so they could settle permanently in New Zealand. “Stephen got stuck in Sydney for four months which meant we had to delay our plans to travel to the South Island twice. When he eventually made it back, lockdowns forced us to change our plans several times. We’re now booked on the ferry to Picton in the first week of March, and we have our fingers crossed it will be sixth time lucky.”
Despite those setbacks, Jaala and Stephen never lost their passion for the lifestyle. While they continued to enjoy the trips they were able to take together, for Jaala, some of the setbacks actually gave her the motivation to try something new. “Stephen had always done the driving, but when he got stuck in Australia, my desire to get out in the motorhome anyway gave me the push I needed to learn how to drive it by myself.”
While she was a bit nervous about driving such a big vehicle at first, Jaala says it didn’t take her long to get used to it, and she’s pretty comfortable now. So much so, she now loves travelling on her own. “I just love being in my own little mini house, all cosy. I work remotely as a health coach and am studying to be a clinical nutritionist, and I find I always seem to get so much more done when I’m in the van.”
However, Jaala also points out that she’s a bit more conscious about where she stays when out on her own. “I’m not particularly worried about safety, but I know if I were woken up by a strange noise in a remote place, I would spend hours with my imagination running wild, overthinking what it might be. So I just make sure that doesn’t happen by staying in the busy parts of the campground where others are around and by always making sure I’ve got cell phone coverage!”
Jaala and Stephen dream about packing up and travelling full time in their motorhome at some stage. However, they also see the advantages of being part-time travellers. “Because we’re not full-timers (yet!), our motorhome is our happy place. We rarely argue anyway, but if we are having a disagreement, it has to be kept away from the van. It’s our no-drama zone. Happy vibes only. Having a ‘happy place’ is so good for our mental health – it’s a deliberate mindset shift.”
While Covid has disrupted some of their plans, it certainly hasn’t stopped these two from getting out and exploring the country. The Coromandel, Northland and Tairawhiti Gisborne are among their favourite places to visit, mainly because of the beautiful beaches. However, they also really like the Central Plateau, especially Ruapehu in winter. “Waking up to snow all around is magical, and the best bit is, it’s never crowded. You can always find a spot in the DOC campgrounds. Our favourite is Mangawhero Campsite, which is easily accessible for big vehicles.”
Stephen and Jaala’s adventures have taken them to some fantastic places. Their other favourite campgrounds include Kinloch Marina at Lake Taupo – a secure, affordable and gorgeous spot right in the middle of the marina; Flaxmill Accommodation & Venue in Cooks Beach for its pretty garden, privacy and proximity to the beach; and Castlepoint for its stunning scenery and beachfront location.
“In the South Island, we loved White Horse Hill Campground at Mt Cook. It gets busy, but with good reason. The scenery is stunning, the famous Hooker Valley Track is right there, and the DOC headquarters is a mini-museum.”
So far, Jaala and Stephen are very happy with their Dethleffs motorhome, which is comfortable, reliable and, importantly, very well insulated for those winter trips to Ruapehu. It’s also surprisingly spacious. “Our favourite thing about our motorhome is the super king-size bed. It’s bigger than any bed we’ve ever slept on.” However, while the motorhome can technically sleep up to five people, Jaala and Stephen consider it a two-man van. “The extra beds are handy if our kids ever want to come. But they are all grown up now, so it doesn’t happen very often. And when they do come, they usually prefer to stay in tents.”
While the motorhome is their happy place and they love almost everything about it, there is one thing they would like to change. “We often wish it had AWD. We’ve almost got stuck a few times. Front-wheel drive and wet grass isn’t a great combination!”
Being cautious of wet grass is only one of the many lessons the two of them have learned since becoming motorhome owners and travellers. Another big one is that freedom camping is not always as great as it sounds. “What nobody tells you is that many freedom camping spots are often completely full, especially in summer, and often the sites are for small vehicles only.” As a result, they regularly prefer to stay at paid campgrounds, partly also because it’s a great way to support small, hard-working Kiwi businesses.
However, maybe the most valuable thing Jaala and Stephen have learned on their travels is talking to locals everywhere they go. “They know the best trails, cafes and things to see and do. The checkout staff at the local store are always a good place to start. They know everything.”
Jaala and Stephen hope that 2022 will be the year they finally get to do their big South Island road trip. However, regardless of whether that happens or not, these two will surely continue to enjoy life on the road and make the most of every moment.
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