Day 454-456: Auckland, New Zealand

---

---

Sunday, April 25th

What a gorgeous sunny day we woke to! To celebrate it we went for a nice jog down to the beach, up a steep hill (that nearly killed us!) and back to camp. We had a cold shower underneath the hose, then sat around reading, playing guitar and harmonica. It was a lovely and relaxing Sunday, a typical day of rest. We had a wee nap, then pulled out our wraps for lunch. Unfortunately these had gone extremely mouldy so we had to improvise.

After lunch we watched a movie, then sat outside drinking wine and eating cheese, feeling very spoilt and happy in the late afternoon sunshine. We cooked up a big dinner and enjoyed this by the light of another starry night. We felt extra spoilt today!

Today's highlights:
1. A wonderful sunny Sunday.
2. Great jog.
3. Wine and cheese and great conversation.

Monday, April 26th

Another beautifully sunny day greeted us. After breakfast we had a great run followed by a bath from the bucket. We spent a moment to pay the two accounts we still have back in SA before catching up with a few emails. Just after 11am we filled our water supply and set off for Orewa. Here got a few supplies and had lunch by the beach. Then Talita phoned the ARC (Auckland Regional Council) for info on the one year camping pass. They said they could post it to us or we could collect the pass at their offices in Auckland City. We had decided to visit some of the regional parks to the south of the city so opted to go pick up the pass on our way down.

After collecting the pass we took the "scenic" route south. It wasn't our intention, we just ended up in all the wrong lanes all the time so we had little choice. Before heading to the camp we stopped to get some Henna hair colour for Talita. The gray was starting to get to her and Ferdi's measly three gray hair didn't help to make her feel any better.

As we took the turn-off to the park we realised that we'd been to Omana Regional Park before. It was during our early times in NZ, but we couldn't stay that time. There was too much rain and the campground was closed due to the squishy ground. Looking at the parched and cracked earth it's hard to believe it was the same place. You guys in SA probably won't believe us, but the northern part of NZ was in the grip of a proper drought, causing water shortages and lots of worry about livestock.

We found a camping spot with a view down the cliff and to the ocean where we opened a bottle of red and enjoyed the view and the wine. We cooked an early dinner, then watched a movie and read a bit before finally drifting off to sleep to the sound of the ocean and the wind in the Pohutukawa trees.

Today's highlights:
1. Getting our camping pass.
2. Finding 100%!n(MISSING)atural Henna for those pesky gray streaks.
3. Great camping spot.

Thought for the day:
Recycling a stack of newspapers one meter high saves one whole tree.

Tuesday, April 27th

The weather today was fickle, turning from a light drizzle, to sunshine, to cloudy, and back again. As long as we stayed out of the wind it was pretty warm and muggy though.

We spent a few hours reading and when the sun poked its head out again we went for a short hike around the perimeter of the park. Thankfully the drizzle stayed away for the duration of the walk. Omana RP is also a working farm and at the top of a hill overlooking the area we found an ancient goat looking after a flock of sheep. He wasn't too keen on contact so we let him be. With no protection from the elements the wind howled over the hill, at one point ripping our map from Ferdi's hands and blowing it down the hill. It got stuck on a fence so were able to retrieve it.

Back at camp we had fried egg samies and Karen's delicious home made Vig & Ginger jam. The weather turned drizzly again so we spent some time reading before having a nap.

For some reason we were bored today. Bored and anxious, our minds kept second guessing our intuition. We struggled with too many thoughts about our future, too many worries about our present. What is that we want? What are the right things to do? Does it matter, one way or the other? It was a hard day, but we know things would be better soon. And why are we worrying anyway? It won't change a thing.

While Ferdi was having his bath a wild kitten came to visit. Talita nearly melted with gushy feelings and quickly dug out our last tin of Tuna. The kitten was obviously feral and wouldn't come too close. Until Talita opened the tuna, that is. We were tempted to give her the whole tin when we saw how hungry she was, but realized that she'd just throw up if we over fed her.

She hung around while we had a snack dinner in the light drizzle. Just as we finished it started to rain a little harder and we retreated to the van, hoping that the little one had a warm and dry place to go to.

Today's highlights:
1. Meeting the kitty.
2. Delicious dinner.

Thought for the day:
Sometimes waiting is so much harder than action. It must be because action makes you feel like you're in control, even though you're not.

---

Photos

Ginger, our second visitor at the park
She became a local and would hang out with us all the time, even following Talita to the toilet

Our third visitor
If she wasn't so wild we'd now have a kitty traveling with us

Comments

[Michael]

How?
My wife and I are interested in a journey like this. I am just curious as to how you afford the trip. I have not read all of your entries, but plan to. This was the first travel blog I've ever clicked on.

[Steven]

New Zealand
You definitely did have an interesting trip here. However, there are actually a lot more interesting places that you can visit here. Rangitoto Island is one such place that you would want to see here.