Travel: The road out west

BY CATH BENNETT

AS far as cars go, I'm no expert. I'll register the colour, and whether or not the vehicle has electric windows, but horsepower and suspension are terms I believe should be reserved for the stables and naughty kids at school.

However, even I got excited when I saw the flash set of wheels that would be taking me on the five-hour journey from Auckland to New Plymouth.

I was joining funnymen Ewen Gilmour, Vaughan King and Jarred Fell on a road trip down to their gig for the Taranaki Comedy Club, and our chauffeur for the day was Gilmour who, as ambassador for tyre company GT Radial, uses a seven metre long stretch limousine as his main form of transport.

We met early on a Friday morning in Pokeno by the Bombay Hills, a village only slightly longer than the limo, and proceeded to trace a route south on State Highway 1 to Ngaruawahia, before turning on to SH39, and beginning the scenic part of the journey.

Knowing that comedians like their booze, I was half expecting we'd be having beer for breakfast, but at our stop in Piriongia the stimulant of choice was coffee. I did, however, have a bottle of vodka brandished in my face. The label said Purple Monkey Finger, and King and Gilmour proudly revealed the drink is their new business venture – a vodka made from kumara.

"You make vodka from potatoes, so why not kumara?" former councillor Gilmour asked.

Driving through the rugged scenery of the west coast of the North Island prompted Gilmour to reminisce about his past.

We passed by Tongaporutu, most famous for its "three sisters" rock formations, where his mum once had a bach, and motored on to Ahititi, the remote area where the comedian spent summers racing around on a farm bike as a teen. After winding our way around Mt Messenger we came to Uriti, where Gilmour's mother Janet grew up. He informed me the town's name means "small penis". Whether he was joking or not was unclear, all I could confirm was that the village is famous for being a location The Last Samurai starring Tom Cruise.

By lunchtime we had arrived in New Plymouth, a coastal town sitting in the shadow of Mount Taranaki which, for the duration of our stay, was shrouded in cloud.

With the rain pelting down, I ditched my planned leisurely stroll along the coast and instead checked out the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, which is known for its contemporary art and is home to the work of late Kiwi artist Len Lye. Those hoping for delicate watercolours or detailed portraits may be disappointed, as the emphasis of the images on display was the abstract. But the pictures were beautifully displayed and, with exhibitions constantly changing, this award winning attraction is definitely worth a visit.

In the late afternoon, we headed to Taranaki Tyre Torque for a barbecue and it seemed our arrival in town had not gone unnoticed. We were told by the local radio station several excited people had called in to say they had spotted our impressive GT Limo.

The evening was spent in Basement Bar, a funky space underneath Peggy Gordon's Celtic Bar, where the Taranaki Comedy Club have a night on the first Friday of every month.

Gilmour and Fell, with King as MC, went down a treat and the comedy was washed down with the surprisingly inoffensive Purple Monkey Finger vodka.

First thing the next morning with the sun shining, I joined dozens of strollers, dog walkers and joggers pounding the boards of the New Plymouth Coastal Walkway.

Stretching for seven kilometres from Port Taranaki to the Waiwhakaiho River, it's a great way to enjoy the seafront and, if the tide is right, you can drop down to the black sand beaches which rim the city.

It also takes you past the Wind Wand, which resembles a knitting needle with a glob of bubble gum on the end.

Another must see in New Plymouth is Puke Ariki which features a museum by the library and information centre. Puke Ariki, which means "hill of the chiefs," stands on the original pa site of Maori Chief Te Rangi Apiti Rua and inside is a wealth of exhibitions about Taranaki in days gone by.

Instead of taking the GT limo back to Auckland, I hopped on a plane which was as easy as catching a bus, with no security checks and few queues. And as we jetted out of New Plymouth, I finally got my first glimpse of the elusive Mount Taranaki, perhaps the most spectacular sight in the region ... apart from when Gilmour's limousine is in town.

Cath Bennett was hosted on the trip by Tyres4U, go to www.tyres4u.co.nz

GETTING THERE

New Plymouth is about 350km from Wellington and 370km from Auckland by road, with the trip from either main centres taking between four to five hours. Nakedbus links towns and cities nationwide with Taranaki, with fares starting from $1. Go to www.nakedbus.com Air New Zealand and Air Nelson operate out of New Plymouth, with regular daily flights. Wotif currently have a deal with the four-star Copthorne Hotel Grand Central New Plymouth. You can book a double room for $135 – saving nearly 50%. If you'd rather stay out of town, the Caniwi Lodge and Chalets Lake Rotorangi have chalets for $295 per night including continental breakfast brought to your door. www.wotif.com or 0800 441 092.

AT A GLANCE

New Plymouth is the major town in the Taranaki region, on the west coast of the North Island. It is a 30-minute drive from snow-clad sleeping volcano Mount Taranaki. You can snowboard and surf on the same day. Taranaki enjoys among the highest number of sunshine hours in New Zealand. Don't miss the 7km coastal walkway, the Len Lye-designed 45m Wind Wand, Puke Ariki, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery and the botanic gardens.

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