Laurel and Ian are from the Taranaki region. They bought the land some years back and beautifully renovated this abandonned village. Located on the Forgotten World Highway, this village was left by its inhabitants following several floods as well as the stoppage of the railway service going all along this area. It had a school, churches and houses as well as halls and stores.
Laurel and Ian first renovated the school to live inside while they built their own house. They also planted an absolutely magnificient and huge orchard providing an incredible abundance of fruits.
They are also fully self-sufficient in water and energy (through solar). When someone put the Forgotten World Highway on a map of cycle trails, they were asked if they would use the school as a cyclist inn and that is how the Purangi Cycle Inn was born.
It is worth to mention the incredible mechanical skills of Ian who built his own glass-fiber boat who folds in order to fit on a trailer and its design is inspired by the polynesian canoes. He did all this, the glass-fiber and carbon material preparation, the cutting up of the wood, the assembly, the painting, the mast...EVERYTHING in his shed. That is a great testament to how resourceful and skillful of a craftsman he is !
Meet them on the Forgotten World Highway!
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