Like Switzerland with an ocean at the doorstep

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Hello to our family and friends.
New Zealand welcomed us with rain and sunshine. Us, that's Anke and me.
We stayed for the first couple days in Auckland. The city is much smaller than Sydney, but still almost as charming. Auckland is easy to discover by foot, although you should take the elevator to reach the top of the 328m sky tower.
Aucklands waterfront is packed with bars, pubs and restaurants, which have very nice appearence but not so nice prices. We didn't really check out the night life, because both of us just needed to catch up with some sleep... maybe Anke more, cause she traveled for about 30h and had to cope with a 12h time shift.

With our super rental car for only 30NZ$ and 166000km we drove way north to Paihia. Along the way we stopped at the Whangarei falls and later at the beach of Tutukaka (They have so funny names here).

The next day we drove further north passing Doubless Bay and many other little bays which unfortunately did not appeal to be inviting on such a gloomy day. Lets say it was a car-ride-day. We could not reach the most northern point on this day, but we reached the most northern accomodation in Waitiki Landing. The cabin was lovely although the kitchen felt like it's alive...
So after breakfast in the living kitchen... not to be mistaken with a living room.. LOL we drove on a gravel road up to the almost most northern point of New Zealand, Cape Reinga. Besides the cute lighthouse it is pretty interesting to watch two waters collide, the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean. We could actually watch the waves running into each other. Later on that day we thought it would be a great idea to surf down some giant sand dunes near the Ninety Mile Beach.
Reaching the top of the dune (ca 200m high) was hard but not as sandy, as the way down. Once you try to brake with your feet the sand just blows up into your trousers, shirt and of course the face... we felt like Wiener Schnitzels. But it was an amazing fun ride.
The time went pass much faster than we've expected, so we just reached Kaitaia... not much to say about this place.
Along the west coast of New Zealand's Northland is another must see tourist site, the Waipoua Kauri Forest.
After a long drive south we reached Orewa. It was a sunny day, the second one so far, a day to test our new tent. The Spirit 2 from Coleman is a fine shelter. It's a little bit small and with two inside, it feels like in a couple-sleeping-bag, but it's cool :-)
Today we drove pass our car hire company and told them that our brakes would make uiek uiek uiek... They looked at them and offered us a free upgrade :-) This has also 168000km but it feels so cosy and powerfull at the same time, that we are both so happy about our luck. Right now we stay in Coromandel, which is again a must be place. It's so charming and small... and booked out. But we got a bed... the last one. :-) I wish you all good night, because I am eager to take a close look at that bed soon.

Cu Stefan & Anke

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Photos

Auckland's Sky Tower
It looks pretty futuristic from the outside.

Sign in the maritime museum
The museum itself was average, but this sign is just funny.

Even the Queen visited us.
Queen Elizabeth 2 in Auckland's harbour

Cape Reinga through my polarized sunnies
This is where the Oceans meet

Comments

[Doris]

Hallo Stef hallo Anke Ich freu mch so, dass es euch gut geht!!! Neuseeland ist ein Traum. Schaut doch mal bei der Huka Lodge vorbei und in der Waitomo Glühwürmchengrotte. Das ist auch traumhaft. Ganz, ganz liebe Grüsse und bis bald im Ticino Doris, Robin und Kevin