Adventures on the North Island!

Okay, a quick update! Super quick! Goodbye Auckland (for now)…. You were grand, but you were rainy and it was getting me down. I met some great people there (some much greater than others…) and I had loads of fun ;) In the end, sadly, it was just another city and I needed to leave you to find bigger adventures. I thought about getting a job at a vineyard restaurant on your nearby Waiheke Island, but it was just a bit too small for my liking. Plus, it was raining there too!

(Photos of Auckland / Waiheke)

Onwards then, to Hahei, home of the Hot Water Beach and Cathedral Cove. Alas, it was rainy there as well, but still more beautiful. I didn’t brave the cold to dig a natural spa pool in my togs (bikini) to then sit in a vat of sandy scorching hot water… Don’t feel as though I missed out, though it was kind of cool to see! Later in the day we did a SUPER muddy hike to Cathedral Cove, which is incredibly beautiful… We saw some people trying to get married in a natural Cathedral there, would have been so much more amazing on a sunny day, but beautiful nonetheless!

The following day we were back on the bus (ugh) with our driver, BaggiNZ (looks kind of like Frodo and lost some bags once, hence the tricky name) to get to Raglan. A frustrating experience on a crowded beach didn’t do it for me. SO glad I had my first surf experience with our guru Tim, otherwise I don’t think I’d be so determined to keep doing it! Oh well. I stayed at the super-hippy-psychadelic-paintings-everywhere-dorms-in-the-woods hostel in Raglan, had a ride on the Flying Fox (whoopadeedoo!) surrounded by people in dreadlocks and dirty clothes. Exaggerating. But still. Funny.

The next day zooming off to Waitomo caves for a bit of caving, that was amazing. I abseiled 3 times, twice over waterfalls, crept through underground streams and under rocks, saw some glow-worms (which sound pretty in principle, but really their butt glows and bugs get stuck in their poop), and generally just spent an amazing day underground.

(Photos of Hahei / Hot Water Beach / Cathedral Cove / Raglan / Waitomo / Bridal Veil Falls)

Later on, to Uncle Boy’s Marae near Maketu. This Maori guy, Phillip, built a family Marae (not a traditional one, but one for his family and all the visitors to his home/backpacker’s) on his land. We got there and he talked (a lot, in that endearing but rambling old man sort of a way) about his life, then we had a delicious hangi meal before being entertained and trained in the art of Poi dancing. The boys did the Haka dance (JEALOUS!) and the girls got to learn the poi. I managed alright but couldn’t swing and take photos at the same time, so no photos of that, sadly. Only photos of white guys trying to beat their chests unconvincingly while the Maori intimidated like nothing else. Wow.

This morning we drove up to Rotorua (known also as Roto-Vegas) where some people went Zorbing and others white water rafting. I decided to check out some of the geo-thermal stuff, like the geysers and the mud pools. Stinky stinky poo poo. I doubt people there ever eat eggs, the whole town stinks like rotton ones. Ick. The walk was okay (and free!) but every time I got to a burbling mud pool it was all I could do to not make a face. Later on BaggiNZ took us to a place where a hot stream and a cold stream meet, for some swimming. Then to Huka Falls which is so brilliantly blue because of all of the oxygen in it. Tonight in Taupo, home of skydiving and bungee jumping and general adrenaline addictions all over the place!

(Photos of Uncle Boy’s / Smelly Rotorua / Huka Falls)

I’m opting out of the jumping business for the time being (maybe later?) and saving up my energy for the Tongariro Crossing tomorrow. Should have some amazing photos from that!
xoxox
I miss you!