Peta Stavelli never grew out of the love of travelling instilled in her at an early age. She’s been following that dream ever since.
I must have been born to travel, RV-style. I just love the thrill of the open road, which literary readers of a certain age might recognise as a line from Wind in the Willows. When I read that line attributed to the magnificent Toad, I was probably nine or ten, and it just struck a chord.
Dad was a travelling salesman, so we travelled a lot as kids. Mostly around Tasmania, where I was born, but also regularly to visit our three aunts who lived in Melbourne, and on a road trip through Victoria and New South Wales to Queensland. Hooked by the warmer climate, I later lived in Cairns, which gave me ample opportunity to hitch up and down the eastern seaboard of Australia, back in the days when it was (relatively) safe to do so. Later on – 22 and back in Tasmania – I bought my first RV, a fully kitted out Commer Van. But then I began to build boats, both commercially and privately, and we eventually moved to New Zealand with our young family to live in a remote place that involved a lot of boating. Many RVers share the same love of freedom as the boaties, and I loved being at the helm alone, even in wild weather.
But all good things must end, and when I was a solo mother to four children, my travels ground to a halt. Eventually, though, things took a turn for the better and I returned to work at Motorhomes, Caravans and Destinations. The editor role was advertised as ‘must love travel’. I was ‘In like Flynn’, back where I had many years before been deputy editor of MCD. And so it began… again! That desire to be on the road, always seeing something new. And once more I had the opportunity to fall in love with the wonderful world of recreational vehicles. All kinds – from the humble to the height of luxury. On a personal level, I found myself drawn to the vintage caravans, but then again, I loved the get-up-and-go convenience of a small, agile, campervan. If dreams were free, I’d probably have a B-Class, long-base Mercedes Sprinter. Yep! That would do me nicely. But back to reality: I am a mere peasant.
A pleasant peasant, but a peasant nonetheless, and all I could stretch to in the real world was a compact campervan I bought in immaculate condition from two lovely Swiss gals. I then proceeded to make it look more, er, lived-in. I had two fabulous Northland trips, one with each of my sisters. And then Covid came. In between lockdowns I made another dash for Northland and the Far North. The next time regional borders opened I set out on my Waikato Wanderlust and travelled from coast to coast in that wondrous region.
The following time, when we emerged from the longest lockdown, I set off for Taranaki where I spent several unexpected, but strangely delightful, days waiting for a new radiator to be fitted at Challenge Rehotu (bless those lovely people). But this is only half the story. Regular readers from way-back-when may recall my travel companion, The Co-Pilot. The Co-Pilot lives in Christchurch, and several times a year we set off on epic trips around Te-Waipounamu in his caravan, which is a very lovely thing.
The great thing about the Co-Pilot is that he keeps a map in his head of all the places I haven’t been. Fortunately for him, and largely thanks to him, this is now a very small list and easier for us both to remember as we enter our dotage. There are no rules to these travels, but rather an unspoken understanding that I can leave it to him to get it sorted, and that no amount of heckling or badgering will get him to reveal where we are going.
In April, a little trip to Wanaka somehow turned into an epic six-month Southland adventure. In early October, I returned from such a trip to The Catlins, which included Invercargill. Oh, my! Everything you have been told about how amazing the Catlins is, is true. We stayed at Kaka Point and travelled the length of the region, frequently slipping down side roads to see wild beaches and waterfalls. I loved it. Of course we had to visit the incredible museum at Owaka, and Bill Richardson Transport World in Invercargill, which did not disappoint. We took the route through Lawrence to Wanaka, a journey that I’d love to revisit.
Next, we’re off again – to Tauranga, specifically Papamoa – and then to the Coromandel. This time, though, we’ve booked motel accommodation throughout. I’m looking forward to staying at Hahei for the first time. I’ve been to the Coromandel many times, but I’ve never been there, or to Cathedral Cove. Next, there’s one last missing piece of the Te Ika-a-Maui (North Island) puzzle left: the road from Te Kaha to Gisborne. That will have to wait for another time.
