Paradise in Okato | Dogonit Travels

Firstly general business; an apology to Mt Taranaki!!! I have referred to you in previous posts both here on Dogonit and on Facebook as a female. I am advised that you are a male and so henceforth I will refer to you as such in the masculine.

As I stated in our last hooman post; we visited Okato Domain after visiting friends, Graham and Karen and travelled back to Bellblock in New Plymouth for the night before decamping the following morning and heading back. Karen and Graham arrived to watch us complete our set-up and we all commented on what a great location it was; very quiet. There is a rugby club, squash court, bowling green and swimming pool in this area that all utilise the domain. We watched touch rugby games and were invited to the bowling green but had sadly already made other plans.

I must say that parking on the green with plenty of space for the dogs was a lovely change after the NZMCA park in New Plymouth which is a metal surface with no footpaths and both Mac and Rose seemed reluctant to go in the dog run…………………………no idea why.

We enjoyed a BBQ dinner with Graham and Karen that night with a few drinks to celebrate our move and it was lovely not to hear the sound of heavy trucks, industrial machinery in the early hours, very soothing to the spirit.

Our time here in Okato has been amazing not just because we have friends here but the locals have been very welcoming in general with people stopping to say hi and ask about Dogonit, and meeting Mac and Rose. I will miss the guy who passes right by our door most mornings calling out “morning campers” as it has made us feel very welcome. We are surrounded by fields or trees which make it a great place to walk the dogs with Stony River a stone’s throw from our location. Crossing the swingbridge was a step too far for poor Rose but since we crossed it several times (last time for an icecreams) she actually ran across the last time on her own without having to be carried; brave baby girl!!

Graham and Karen have been the perfect ambassadors for Okato showing us around and taking us to visit Pukeiti where they had been running the cafe until the end of lockdown. What an amazing place to visit, the gardens are absolutely beautiful and a credit to the gardeners!! My favourites would have to be the meditation, spiral garden which led into a tunnel and a small ampitheatre, and the stream with the watermill. Our small good deed for the day was ensuing a small fledgling was removed from the road berm and located in the bush so mum could rescue it.

Did a reconnaissance trip to Opunake to check out a potential site to stay. Also visited Cape Egmont where we enjoyed a dinner at the club, again with our local tourist guides Graham and Karen, and the fish and chips were amazing!! It was great to visit them at their home again and spend time with Zee their rottweiler and also meet the goat and the neighbors llamas.

The Prada Cup has added to the excitement and we have watched all the races in the company of Graham and Karen with shared nibbles, meals adding to our waistlines. Graham also had a birthday on the weekend so it would have been rude not to have cake……………made by me in our gas oven (still struggling to come to terms with it).

We have had only one hiccup to our plans; with Mac. We noticed a swelling on one of his toe joints which we thought may have been a seed lodged under the skin. Took him to Okato Vets who examined it and he was put on antibiotics and monitored for a week to see if it would work it’s way to the surface . A week has passed and although the swelling has receded it has not worked it’s way out so we are due to see the vet tomorrow.

This has sadly affected our plans to visit Opunake as we have to be in Hawera to pick up prescriptions etc., maybe next time….

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