Report 19 March
By Dirk

Today we deliver the cars in Auckland at the shipper’s yard.
We get up early and before we leave Chris and Erin in Glenbrook, Chris and Dirk still clean the radiator of the  Model T. There are all bees and other flying pests that absolutely can not go to Australia.
Together with Trudy Chris drives the route to Auckland of about 40 km. in the Landrover. Trudy is happy that she does not have to drive.
Dirk drives in the Model; it goes like a spear with the new carburetor on it.
With a speed of more than 90 km. they drive on the highway.
Phil Gibbs from the shipping company receives us warmly. The Model T is stripped of the last New Zealand grass tips, but the Landrover will have to be thoroughly cleaned with a high-pressure sprayer.
We say goodbye to our cars that have piloted us through New Zealand without problems. We also say goodbye to Chris, who has helped us tremendously well in the last few days.

driven route

goodbye to Chris 1

Goodbye to Chris 2

The New Zealand team

New Zealand goodbye: it was a wonderful trip with wonderful encounters.

Report 18 March
By Steef

To the reader

This is my last report because it is the last day of this memorable journey for us.
When we were with Eddie Buckley on March 13, I was moved by a statement from their oldest daughter Lilith. She looked with Trudy in her “memory book”. A book filled with photographs of small events from her short life. Half of it was still empty. Trudy said “these are still empty” to which Lilith said “I need more memories”. I need more memories. Then I thought of our journey and the memories it brought to us, many memories.
The smell of the Landrover, the feeling of the smooth steering wheel in my hand, the panoramas, the hospitable people, the climate and our view of the back of the Model T. Our journey together with Trudy and Dirk as a small part of their great company was adventurous and challenging. With four of us we have traveled all those kilometers in harmony for which we want to thank them. In the English translation, some mistakes will undoubtedly have crept. As long as the reader understands what we wanted to tell, our goal has been achieved.
The sequel is now in the hands of the next team. We wish them a lot of success and creativity.

a junction

Steef and Greetje Reilingh.

Report March 17 and 18
By Trudy

Saturday, March 17th

Chris and Dirk check whether the float of the new carburetor is still leaking. He does not leak anymore so this renewal has been approved by the mechanics.

down under

Meanwhile, there are still visitors from Pukekohe and the neighbor.

good morning 1

goodmorning 2

There is a lot of talk about the Model T.

T-talking 1

T-talking 2

Niel Cremer (president of the New Zealand Model T-Ford Club) and his wife Lucy come to pick us up to show Auckland.
Auckland is a big city with, among other things, a huge bridge, a large harbor and busy shopping streets. After all traveling through rural New Zealand, this is a different face.

skyline of Auckland

When we are back again the men make a ride in our Model T.

ride

happy

Then we say goodbye to Niel and Lucy and thank them for the introduction to Auckland.

Together with Neil and Lucy

Sunday, March 18th

In the Model T Dirk goes with Quinten, Chris, Leon and Zed to the old-timer show in Karaka. Today I can join Steef and Greetje in the LandRover.
The Model T drives with 5 men as a beast in the mountains with the new carburetor.
We have a lot of visitors at the show and Quinten is happy sitting in the Model T.

presentation (

on the show in Karaka

When we are back Dirk gets the white tires from the T-Ford and gives them to Quinten. He would very much like white tires on his Model T 1913, which he is restoring together with Chris.

tires for Quinten

And then it is so far that we have to say goodbye to our first team of this trip. Steef and Greetje Reilingh. Thank you very much for your efforts. We have had a wonderful trip together and a beautiful time.

depart Steef en Greetje

shuttle

The shuttle bus takes them to the airport.
In the evening, Dirk gets a present of Quiten, a home made chest of kouri wood. According to Quinten, the wood is thousands of years old.
Very special, thank you very much.

box

Report 16 maart
By Trudy

It is a wonderful quiet place. Occasionally you can hear the train.
In the morning Bryan and Lorraine leave but first the cars of Chris and Quinten are viewed. There is still a lot of work to do here.

work to do 1

work to do 2

work to do 3

The men almost do not stop talking.

in the manscave

We have a lovely spot for the delicious breakfast that Greetje has made for us.

breakfast

Leon goes to school, not by bus, but is brought by his father in the Mode T Sedan.

to school in the Model T

Chris’s friends come to see our Model T and take potatoes, pizza bread and vegetables with them.
Dirk has a wonderful workplace. He wants to refresh the oil of the gearbox and the cardan before we start our journey in Australia. With Chris’s workshop, everything is at hand.
There is still time for Jana, reporter of the regional newspaper. He comes for an interview and makes some pictures.
Steef has made an office under the awning. Dry and in the shade and cozy close to the workshop of Chris and Dirk.

office and workshop

Greetje and Steef go with Erin to Pukekohe to do some shopping. Greetje cooks tonight for everyone, so she has to buy some ingredients.

shop

In the meantime, Trudy marks the route that has been driven.

driven roads

Chris has a special carburetor on his Model T Sedan. He takes it off and they build it on Dirk’s Model T. It is a straight through carburetor. The test drive yields two radiant men. The Model T drives like a spear and is stronger up the mountain. That way we can do Australia in 3 months! “Dirk says laughing.

carburettor 1

carburettor 2

In the evening we eat delicious from the meal that Greetje made with the bought and received vegetables.
The boys have also set up a tent and are going to sleep in the tent with the three of us tonight.
We have a nice evening with stories, music , beer and wine and lots of stars in the air.

Report 15 maart
By Trudy

During the club night last night, we met David Nordell, who invited us to come and drink coffee this morning and visit his Bugatti garage.

David and Dirk

Under the coffee arrived the reporter from the local newspaper and did his best to make beautiful pictures.

coffee

reporter

Steef looked at the engine of a Bugatti and saw that it was very busy “under the bonnet” compared to “under the hood” at the T-Ford.

under the bonnet

We leave and on the way the drive axle of the Model T gets a little extra grease from Dirk.

on the road again

extra grease

We go on winding roads to Glenbrook, where Chris Lawrence lives.

winding roads

A Model T is parked at the entrance of Chris’s driveway. That way we can not miss his house.

Chris and Dirk

How wonderful to be able to camp here between all those cars, Steef counted 13.
Chris and Erin and Grandpa Quinten told us that as a surprise Bryan and Lorainne Cossey are coming to camp tonight. Bryan really wanted to see the Model T-Ford.

special made

looking

Outside in the neighborhood of the Model T we are offered a delicious barbecue.

bbq

Report 14 March
By Trudy

The care of the Model Tis more extensive today than in recent days. After the lubrication of all points and various controls now also the crosswise changing of the tires. This because of the wear of the tyres. Fortunately we have a Model T with demountable rims.

tire change

Then we have breakfast with Eddie and Suzanne. Surprise breakfast on the barbecue.

breakfast

Before we take the mapped route to Auckland, Eddie shows us some highlights of the area.
Including the watercourse and the Huka Falls. When we walk there, we feel like real tourists. I could buy beautiful cards there to send to the grandchildren.

Huka Falls

During the coffee break, Dirk tightened the wheel nuts.

check the nuts

We took pictures at the Waikato River.

Model T

LandRover

We drive past mountains and a beautiful landscape. The Model T disappears in green.
A search image for the tracking team.

Model T in country side

Our plan was to camp in Te Awamutu but there was no camp site. In Cambridge there is one so only 20 driving. That was very worthwhile. When we arrived at the campsite, Dirk called Bryan Cossey, a Model T guy who lives there. There was just one evening of the Veteran and Vintage Car Club Waikato. We jumped into the Model T again to go there. A challenge. In the dark it is not easy to be a co-driver.

presentation

At the club Dirk gave a short presentation and then the Model T was admired.

outside

Bryan took us to his house and showed us his Model T. He had an accident and was now completely rebuilding the T-Ford.

Bryans Model T

Stories were told back. Bryan called with Chris Lawerenc, a Model T man in Glenbrook, about 230 km. from where we are now and on our route to Auckland.
We agreed with Chris that we would come to him tomorrow.

story

Report March 13
By Trudy

After a delicious breakfast at Jim and Kaaren Smylie we go to the clubhouse of the Bay of Plenty Vintage Car Club for the “morning tea”.

morning tea at the club

The Model T can now be admired.
From Mr. V.D Hoven we get the book he wrote about Rosie Sudiebaker.

We say goodbye and head south along Lake Rotorua. We’re lucky, it rained so hard yesterday and tonight that the clouds are empty and the sun is shining again.
The Buckley family invited us through friends in Edam and in the beginning of the afternoon we drive up their driveway. The grandchildren of Eddie and Suzanne are also there and I am enjoying myself with the children.

children

We look at the spot on the mountain where they are going to build a house. From this mountain you look at the Lake Taupo.

lake Taupo

Dirk tells the story of Piggelmee to Millie. She listens but if she understands it !?

fary-tale

In the evening Eddie and Dirk view the route towards Auckland. He shows us a good route on quiet roads.

route

Report 12 March
By Trudy

Don shows us the kiwi orchard. 
It is special to see how the kiwi’s grows

kiwi

Then Phoebe takes us to Te Puna Quarry park. Beautiful trees, plants, butterflies and art.

art

Steef find an old machine and now also has the feeling with the handles like Dirk in the Model.

Steef

Dirk has prepared the Model T for the trip to Otumoetai.
A short ride today and that is good because it is raining.
Jim and Kaaren Smylie are already waiting for us. Our T-Ford goes in and with the T-Ford from Jim we go directly to the harbor.

Model T

The boat is ready to leave and we go on board.

Jim and Dirk

Greetje and I are at the top of the boat and have a good view. As far as that goes in the pouring rain.

boattrip

Kaaren had prepaired a delicious dinner and then we got back in the Model T to go to the clubhouse of the Bay of Plenty Vintage Car Club.
Club night and the Presentation of our Model T World Tour.

presentation

attention

Finally Steef and Dirk sang the Ford Song and received a resounding applause for the presentation and the song.

Fordsong

We received a beautiful plaque for the Model T, among other things. 

plaquette 

Again it was a successful day. 

Report March 11
By Trudy

Our campsite is full of dinosaurs (fortunately not living). Our grandson Wouter loves dinosaurs so I send some pictures to him first.
Our goal today is Te Puna, about 100 km to go. That’s why we can take gravel roads and that’s what Dirk loves to drive on.

Dirk road

Dirk road 2

During our coffee break we celebrate the birthday of Ruben, our grandson, who is today 2 years old.

birthday Ruben

It is a beautiful route, the sun is shining and the trees are huge and green. I am also glad that we have chosen this route and am fully enjoying it.
Early in the afternoon we arrive at the kiwi nursery of Don and Carol Twaites. Don looks at the route on the T-Ford.

route

He takes us and shows the environment, tells a lot about nature. Now we also know that the tree fern is called Ponga and we took a picture of the heart.

view

ponga

It is already dark but he promises to lead us tomorrow on the kiwi plantation.

Report 10 March
By Steef

The sun shines exuberantly when we prepare for departure. Dirk files the hole where the pedal of the first gear goes through a bit bigger because the metal rubs along the wood.
From a building on the camp, a thick smoke suddenly appears. It turns out that the water of the campsite is heated with wood that probably comes from the beach. I walk to the beach where the slow waves of the low tide turn the beach into a mirror.

adjusting the floor board

the stove

mirror

Of all the natural beauty, the trees are the most impressive. The flourishing timber trade is responsible for well-maintained plots with high healthy pine trees. More disastrous it is with the deciduous trees and the shrubs. Everywhere there are broken branches and fallen trees. Some tribes are half broken down with still a brave tuft of green. It is one big battlefield. All that wood comes in due time after heavy rains in the countless rivers and eventually ends up in the sea. The trees that survive are overwhelming in their size.

fern trees

giant tree

the Model T

We have not seen many birds. After being hunted by the Maoris, there came opossums on the islands from Australia. There are now about 3 million. They have no natural enemies and empty the nests of the birds. Their only enemy is traffic. We see them lying everywhere, crushed by car tires.
We have coffee and lunch at the most beautiful places. Then we go inland again towards Lake Roturoa.

amazing coast

into the country

On the way we see a typical Maori building. We stop and enter the empty grounds, there is no one. We take some pictures and Dirk and Trudy are on the road again. Then a door opens and we are invited to come in. A nice Maori shows the building and pours a cup of tea. We talk about the culture but quickly get back on track not to fall too far behind.

Lake Roturoa

This evening we reach All Seasons Holiday Park, where we store our camp between concrete dynos.