Thinking of exploring New Zealand by campervan? So did we – and let’s just say, our first wild camping night didn’t go exactly as planned. From a faulty shower and a silent fridge to a midnight siren that nearly sent us driving inland in our pyjamas, it was a night we’ll never forget. Here’s the full story. – a travel tale by András
Why We Chose a Campervan in New Zealand
When we first came up with the idea of exploring New Zealand by campervan, we quickly realised it would allow us to be far more spontaneous than on any of our previous trips. We weren’t tied down to one place – after all, we were travelling with our home, like snails… just a tad faster. 😊
We had a rough idea of which regions we wanted to see, and since we picked up the van in Auckland, we headed north first, towards Paihia. We decided to spend our first night at a proper campsite, even though our camper was fully prepped for freedom camping – the toilet tank was empty, the fresh and grey water tanks were full, and the batteries were all charged up.
First stop: Paihia’s Top10 Holiday Park
In Paihia, we stayed at a Top 10 Holiday Park (Paihia Top10 Holiday Park) and arrived just before they closed. During check-in, they showed us where everything was – the kitchen, toilets, showers – and even pointed out the tsunami evacuation route on a little map, since the site was right by the beach.
After our evening routine, we made up our bed in the van. That section starts just behind the driver’s seat and stretches halfway across to the “bathroom”. There’s a tiny bit of floor space in the middle, and then on the other side, the fridge and kitchenette make things a bit more cramped for stretching out.
Surprisingly, we slept like babies. We’d expected it to be a bit tricky to fall asleep, but we woke up well-rested and ready for the day. We visited the Bay of Islands and then took a ferry to Russell – the first place where settlers came ashore.
Into the Wild: First Freedom Camping Spot
Later that afternoon, we decided we’d head to the Coromandel Peninsula the following day. That meant a long drive, all the way back through Auckland and beyond. Since it was a fair few hours on the road, I took over driving from Fruzsi to get used to the left-hand side of the road. Meanwhile, Fruzsi searched for a place to stay and found a great freedom camping spot right at the start of the peninsula.
The “campsite” turned out to be a huge car park next to a sports field on the edge of a town called Thames – also right by the water, although we didn’t realise that at the time since it was already dark when we got there. The car park wasn’t empty, though – there were at least 10–15 campervans around us.
After parking up, we quickly made dinner and sat outside under the stars to eat. We had no idea what was about to come next – especially me.
Dishwashing Drama and a Half-Working Shower
The first signs of trouble came while I was doing the washing up. Suddenly, the pump seemed to be playing up – it would sputter out a splash of hot water, then stop, then another splash, then nothing again. This happened over and over. The water was really hot – like, burn-your-hands hot – but there wasn’t much to wash so I just powered through it.
It had been a long day, and we thought it was time to try out the shower in our van for the first time. I was the lucky one to go first. I stepped into the tiny cubicle – and tiny really is the word; turning around in there felt like an Olympic event. Comfort wasn’t the goal, though – we just wanted a quick rinse, so I optimistically turned on the tap
The pump kicked in, the van gave a little wobble… and a splash of hot water sprayed out of the showerhead. A few seconds later – another splash. And then nothing. And then another tiny burst. That was it – shower time was officially cancelled.
We started troubleshooting. The pump wasn’t the issue – it turned out the water tanks hadn’t actually been filled up properly. At least we’d managed to get through the washing up after cooking.
Eventually, we got past the frustration. We brushed our teeth with bottled water, made up the bed, and got ready to sleep. Well, I was still fuming a bit inside 😅.
The Fridge Fiasco
Fruzsi, as usual, fell asleep in minutes. I’m more of a night owl – especially when my mind’s buzzing. I read a little by the light of my headlamp, then felt my eyes getting heavy. I turned off the lamp, lay back and listened to the soft hum of the fridge, feeling reassured that it was keeping yesterday’s groceries nice and cool.
And then… silence. The hum stopped. Dead quiet.
In my already slightly stressed-out state, I panicked – the fridge had stopped! All our fresh food would go off! Maybe the door hadn’t shut properly?
Since it was within arm’s reach, I carefully opened the fridge door and closed it again. Nothing. Still silence. Maybe it needed a firmer push. After all, the camper had over 400,000 kilometres on it – it probably needed some coaxing. So I opened it again and gave it a firm slam.
Of course, that woke up Fruzsi, and the question came right after.
Fruzsi: “What on earth are you doing?”
Me: “The fridge isn’t working.”
Fruzsi: “Okay…”
Me: “I mean, it’s off – the food’s going to go bad!”
Fruzsi: “Right. And what exactly do you think you can do about it right now?”
She had a point. It wasn’t like I could fix the fridge in the middle of the night. She rolled over and went straight back to sleep. Meanwhile, I lay there staring at the ceiling, silently stewing. First the washing up disaster, then the failed shower, now the fridge… it was a lot.
My tossing and turning eventually woke Fruzsi again (each time, a little less patient, understandably). She calmly reminded me there was nothing we could do at that moment, and we’d sort it out tomorrow. That helped. I finally dozed off, drifting into a deep sleep.
But the night still wasn’t over.
Midnight Panic: Sirens and Tsunami Fear
We were suddenly woken by the blaring sound of a siren.
Me: “Do you hear that?”
Fruzsi: “Yes, of course I do.”
Instantly, I remembered how in Paihia they’d shown us the tsunami evacuation route. My mind raced: we’re right by the sea, maybe 50–100 metres from the water…
The siren blared again.
Me: “Get dressed, we have to go!”
Fruzsi (waking from deep sleep): “Go where? Why?”
Me: “It’s a tsunami! The siren’s going off!”
I jumped out of the van, ready to drive to higher ground. But not a single other campervan was stirring. No lights, no noise, no one moving. Just us. The siren wailed a third time, then stopped. Dead silence. I was fully dressed, standing there ready to flee – but absolutely nothing was happening anywhere else. Fruzsi, half-asleep, said she was going back to bed and told me to wake her only if something actually happened. 😄
Still, I was unsettled. Why would a siren go off like that? They don’t test these things for fun at 3am. I wandered around the area, but everything was completely still and calm. When I got back, Fruzsi was lying there, clearly exhausted but unable to sleep because I was still so wound up. So we did what all sensible people do at 3am – we Googled it.
Turns out the sirens often go off in small towns when there’s an accident or the local volunteer firefighters are called to a blaze. Loads of tourists have been freaked out by it, especially during the night. Once we realised it wasn’t a tsunami warning, I finally settled down and got a bit of sleep.
What’s the learning then?
All in all, wild camping is so much fun and it really embodies freedom, especially when everything works properly in the campervan. Therefore, I hope I haven’t put anyone off the idea of campervan travel – honestly, it’s a brilliant way to explore and sleep on the go. Every other night after that, I slept like a log! 😊
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