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Published: January 17th 2010
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Huka Fall, TaupoHello from Aotearoa - the land of the long white cloud!
As you can see I am now in New Zealand's North Island. I haven't had a chance or the time to update the blog, it's not easy to get access to the internet staying in hostels.
Well, NZ has been an interesting trip for me so far. I arrived in Auckland on the 5th - another time zone to get my head around, I am now 11 hours ahead! It was not nice leaving Frances, Derek and the kids! So I decided to treat myself to a nice hotel for a couple of days so that I could organise my bus trip and hostels. (Mel, thanks for the website).
Unfortunately the morning I was due to leave for my first leg up to the Bay of Islands, I cut my finger quite badly and had to get 5 stitches! not a great start! I missed my bus and had to stay in Auckland another night. Feeling a wee bit sorry for myself in turned on the TV and there was Ian Robinson, that cheered me up!
I booked my travel with the Magic Bus on Jackie's recommendation (thanks Jax)
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Hokianga Harbour it is a really good way of meeting other travellers and takes the hassle out of organising and worrying about bus times, they also take you to interesting places along the route.
Everyone - or almost everyone I have met has been really friendly, the New Zealanders as well as other backpackers, I think there must be an unwritten rule that if you are travelling on your own people strike up a conversation, although, you would be surprised, I can talk too!! (Jax did say that would happen too!) You end up travelling together for a day or two and then go on your seway!
New Zealand is such a beautiful country, very green, mountains, lakes, fantastic beaches, rivers with I am told the best white water rafting in the world! I will try it when my finger is fully healed. It reminds me of all the best bits of Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England except with a lot more sunshine, the average temperatures have been 24 - 28 degrees. There are some very good herds of cows here too!!
I have almost completed my tour of the North Island from Cape Reinga where the Tasmin Sea meets the
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Tongariro Alpine crossing under snow and cloud - try again tomorrow! Pacific Ocean, through the Bay of Islands, Hokianga Harbour -That is where the famous Kauri tree forest is found, very important in the Mauri folklore as they believe that is where life began. The oldest tree is about 2000 years old and 15 metres around the base. Opononi - where the little gay dolphin came to play with the children back in the 50's - their description! through to Coromandel Peninsula, Paihia, where the Treaty of Waitenga was signed between the Maoiri people and the English and on to Rotorua, famous for it's Lord of the Rings locations and the geothermal activity, the smell is sweet when then the wind blows the wrong way! There are fantastic outdoor hot spring mineral pools to relax in!
I have stayed in some lovely hostels, my favourite so far was up in Opinoni, run by a sweet but mad ex-nurse from Jersey. It had fantastic views of the bay, with hammocks in the garden and an outdoor wood fire at night, I didnt want to leave. Some hostels have been less impressive - enough said. It is a small world I met Lisa Wesbroome's sister and cousin there also and spent a
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Bill our Maori guide at the father of the forest - Kauri Tree couple of days travelling with them and another scottish girl, all really good fun!
I came to Taupo yesterday via the Waitomo caves which have gloworms, they were amazing, unfortunately no photographs were allowed. I was up at 5am to trek across the Tangoriro Alpine crossing but due to adverse weather conditions we were not allowed to proceed . It climbs to 1886 metres to the red crater of an active volcano, 18.5 km and takes an average of 7 hours, so hopefully Snowdonia will stand me in good stead and Niel's knee strap will come in handy!
Hopefully I will be able to download some photos.
Take care, miss you all!
Sue
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Iain H
non-member comment
Hi Sue. Glad to see that you are having a fantastic time. Just wanted to know if you have managed to jump out of a plane yet. Taupo is the best place for it.