We just wrapped up four nights at Opoutere Coastal Camping on the recommendation of a Queenstown friend. It was awesome!! When I asked Nina (originally from this area, the Coromandel Peninsula) how long we should stay on the Peninsula, she responded "Well, I'd like to retire there, so maybe 15 years?!" Fair to say we knew we were bound for a special spot :)
Highlights and unique/memorable aspects of our Opoutere experience:
Tight Tent Quarters This was only our 3rd time tent camping as a family (1st time was Lake Rotoiti at the start of our Summer roadtrip). And our 2nd time tent camping at a private (as opposed to DOC/Dept of Conservation) campsite (other time was New Years Eve in Pipiriki). This was a whole new experience. Hundreds of people. Tents packed in like sardines. A plot reserved just for us. A hustle & bustle unlike any we've experienced at a campsite. Kids running all over the place. A general beehive of activity.
During all hours of the day there were people all around, noises of kids shouting & laughing from all directions. Miraculously at about 10:00pm the place went silent. Quiet time for the campsite was 10:00pm-7:00am, and literally within a few minutes after 10pm you could hear a pin drop. Amazing collective respect for the rules!
Free Range Kids
Kids ruled the roost! The campsite had several different designated areas for tents & campervans. The zones were spread out and kids roamed around non-stop on bicycles. No helmets, no shoes. If kids weren't on bikes, they were fishing on the little pier, snorkeling in the opaque river water, or playing flashlight tag. Scruffy, back-to-basics play that was so refreshing to see. Doug & I literally didn't see a single kid on a device the full four days/nights we were there, no exaggeration. Mind you, there was no reception (nor WiFi) at the campsite, but that's besides the point. Several times in our travels we've been told that as a Kiwi, your favorite memories as a child are those camping with your family. I now have a whole new level of respect for why/how that is. Kids are having the BEST time.
P&S made friends with our "neighbors", two little girls from Auckland named Zadie (10 yrs) and Reva (4 yrs). Paige initiated by walking over and asking them if they wanted to play. Very proud of Paige. Little Reva loved yelling "Hi Sadie!" to Sadie at the top of her lungs. It embarrassed Sadie, but equally made us all giggle out loud. The girls would bound away and play catch, do cartwheels, draw and all other sorts of things together.
Location is Key
When we booked we made no preference on where we were placed. When we checked in the lovely woman at reception told us that we were in slot 40 (pink dot on map) of the Lower Camp, "a really nice & big lot near the facilities" (her words). You might think being directly across the street from the communal kitchen, shower & bathroom facilities would be a somewhat undesirable spot (noise, smells, etc.) but it turned out to be uber convenient and just the right level of energy/liveliness. We were set far enough back across the road that we had none of the collateral noise damage of being closer to the facilities. It helped that the facilities were all really clean, well maintained and well lit (especially appreciated during inevitable middle-of-the-night toilet visits).
Once we got a chance to explore the various areas of the campsite further, we were unanimous in our agreement that the Lower Camp was the right fit for us. The vibe in the Lower Camp was super fun, teaming with enthusiastic kids and gregarious people, but equally a very laid back spot. The Upper Camp was much louder and the facilities a tad less nice, in our humble opinion. As my parents have drilled into my head since a young age, it's all about location. We felt great about our Opoutere tent location!
The campsite even had it's own wee general store/coffee bar. It always had the best music and the workers were genuinely happy souls that welcomed you in with big smiles. It contributed towards the overall awesome vibe of the place. It was especially fun to walk through the various sections of the camp at twilight, checking out all the different tent set-ups & seeing their fairy lights turned on.
Drinking Water & Wooden Swings
There was only one safe drinking water source on the campsite. We were in the Lower Camp and the water was in the Upper Camp, about a 5-8 mins walk away. We'd make the "trek" up there 2-3 times per day, and the girls would always make off for the wooden swings around the bend. We'd let them venture up to the swings on their own. They'd bound off together, and relished the chance to be off on their own, unsupervised.
Beach
The beach was located just beyond the Upper Camp, through a little forest. It was the site of morning runs for me (one day) and Doug (several days), several seashell scouting trips
and a few solid boogie board rides by P&S. It was also the only place we got cell reception :)
Dishwashers & Cooks
When the dinner cooking rush was over, the dishwashing rush began. No exaggeration, at least half the dishwashers were kids! How amazing is that? Kids ranging in ages of ~9-16 years led the charge for their family's dishes cleaning. I can't understate how awesome it was to see kids taking responsibility and having autonomy for the task, contributing towards their family experience. WOW. It never got old to see. It was an excellent example for the girls to see, and it definitely prompted them to help out more. The girls are always great about helping out in the food prep/cooking department, but they stepped in to help dry dishes during our stay, which was most definitely inspired by the example of the Kiwi kids all around! No photographic evidence of the dish drying, but I promise it happened :)
Miscellaneous
During our stay, two families independently commented on how Paige has a bit of a Kiwi accent. She's fulling assimilating, people!
Big gaming advancements: Opoutere goes down as the place where I taught Sadie how to play cribbage. Her ability to grasp the concept of the game, the strategy for counting cards and do the math in her head is impressive! Paige & Doug conquered a new card game, Battleship.
Postcards galore! Back on the road = back to snail mail. I love every minute of it, and feel happy/grateful to send bits of NZ off to family & friends.
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