Blogs from Northland, North Island, New Zealand, Oceania - page 34

After some initial work to the van, we decided to test it out properly and head north... Parakai A short drive north we decided to stop at the thermal pools of a small village called Parakai. We pretty much enjoyed the afternoon and the heated pools before heading up north the next day... Dargaville and North to the Kauri forests We shared the driving this day, heading north from Parakai and up through a town called Dargaville (seemed nice enough but was cut off from the internet so we headed on). Our goal was the Waipoua Kauri tree forests which we arrived at, had a quick look from the lookout and then proceded to the DOC (Dept. of Conservation) campsite nearby and had a picnic on the grass. Later we went into the forest to look ... read more

We woke up bright and early and had breakfast in the hostel, neither of us were quite sure how we got to bed last night and why we were still fully clothed but after a cold shower we were ready for another journey. We were going to Waitangi today and the treaty grounds where the nation was born, it was a lot closer than we though and were there in half and hour, we weren't quite ready to go in yet so decided to keep on driving and catch Waitangi on the way home. We headed on through Kerikeri and Kawakawa and up the coast towards Cape Reinga, we stopped for lunch at Bledisloe Point then walked along the beach at Kawakawa. The beaches here are so different from Hawai'i, they go on for ever and ... read more

After a night in the flat doing washing and re-packing our bag we were up early on Hogmanay to catch the bus to the Bay of Islands. We had been up there in September, not thinking we’d be spending New Year in the same place, but that was where we found a holiday house (in a place called Opua, outside of Paihia, the main town in the Bay) and it’s a lovely place to visit. Joining us at the house were David and Lindsey, Cat and Rob (whose house we had Christmas at), Alex and Sara (friends of Lindsey’s from the UK, who are here on holiday) and Kenny. Unfortunately Luke had too much work to do to join us (he’s doing a long distance degree as well as working full time), and we missed him ... read more

I really enjoyed sea-kayaking when I tried it in Canada last year - so I was looking forward to having another go here in N.Z.  Although last time I was in a tandem kayak with the instructor doing most of the work.  This time in Paihia the guide said I should try a single kayak - the main difference would be I would be in control of steering aswell as the paddling. I got paddling and the steering was quite tricky(possibly it as adjusted properly for my short legs)  - I just seemed to be going zig-zag the whole time making alot more work for myself.  It wa hard work and the sea despite being in a sheltered bay was quite choppy.  We headed out towards an island, the guide said I was doing well so he decided ... read more

Hey peepz, how's the lovely English winter treating you all? Had any snow? ... if you have then just think of us in our shorts 'n' tshirts basking in 28+ sun walking across sun bleached white sand, kayaking(for free!) across cyan blue sea's, aaaaah, what a life!:o) Well, Christmas went by without much notice from most of us at the backpackers, me and dina had a few drinks and chatted most of the night, well I had a few too many and spent most of New Years day spewing into the twalette, i didn't get out of bed until 7pm that evening!:o) We decided to go up to pretty much the top of NZ, in the Northland, a place called Pukenui, to do some Mandarin thinning. Off we went on Jan 4th and spent the best ... read more