Our lovely little campervan
Takapuna - Auckland
We arrived in New Zealand dazed and confused after 3 consequtive flights. Auckland was wet, windy and grey and the exact opposite of the lovely Goa we left behind. Picking up the campervan, we headed to our campsite in Takapuna where we unwound with a bloody great bottle of red wine and Italian meal.
Haruru Falls in Bay Of Islands
Bay Of Islands - 18th December
After a rest day in Takapuna we head north to the Bay Of Islands and Haruru Falls. In 2006, a study showed that the Bay Of Islands has the 2nd bluest sky in the world after Rio de Janeiro. There was no evidence of this as we arrived as it's still pissing down with rain, choking the lovely natural bays with depressing cloud and mist. Lucy does a scuba dive to visit the wreck of Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior which was sunk in 1985 by the stinking French Intelligence Service killing one of the activists.
Raglan - 20th December
From Bay of Islands, we drive 5 hours south to Raglan which is a renowned for it's popular surfing beaches. We clumsily ask a local for Ngarunui Beach only to be told that we shouldn't be pronouncing the silent 'g'. Regardless of what the beach is called over here, we have a great 2 hours surfing in the choppy sea. Lucy has the ability of an athelete to stand on her board, while I look like a drowning puppy.
Waiotapa geothermal pools
Rotorua - 21st December
Next stop is Rotorua famous for it's geothermal areas including mineral pools and geysers. These features cause the city to be bathed in an intoxicating, sulphous eggy smell. The best place to see these natural phenomenom is in Waiotapa and 'The Thermal Wonderland' and it's pretty impressive if very touristy.
Takapuna - Auckland
We arrived in New Zealand dazed and confused after 3 consequtive flights. Auckland was wet, windy and grey and the exact opposite of the lovely Goa we left behind. Picking up the campervan, we headed to our campsite in Takapuna where we unwound with a bloody great bottle of red wine and Italian meal.
Haruru Falls in Bay Of Islands
Bay Of Islands - 18th December
After a rest day in Takapuna we head north to the Bay Of Islands and Haruru Falls. In 2006, a study showed that the Bay Of Islands has the 2nd bluest sky in the world after Rio de Janeiro. There was no evidence of this as we arrived as it's still pissing down with rain, choking the lovely natural bays with depressing cloud and mist. Lucy does a scuba dive to visit the wreck of Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior which was sunk in 1985 by the stinking French Intelligence Service killing one of the activists.
Raglan - 20th December
From Bay of Islands, we drive 5 hours south to Raglan which is a renowned for it's popular surfing beaches. We clumsily ask a local for Ngarunui Beach only to be told that we shouldn't be pronouncing the silent 'g'. Regardless of what the beach is called over here, we have a great 2 hours surfing in the choppy sea. Lucy has the ability of an athelete to stand on her board, while I look like a drowning puppy.
Waiotapa geothermal pools
Rotorua - 21st December
Next stop is Rotorua famous for it's geothermal areas including mineral pools and geysers. These features cause the city to be bathed in an intoxicating, sulphous eggy smell. The best place to see these natural phenomenom is in Waiotapa and 'The Thermal Wonderland' and it's pretty impressive if very touristy.
Losing Lucy in the eggy mist
Napier and Cape Kidnappers - 23rd December
Napier is wine county in New Zealand and seems rude to not sample their delights. First off we pop into Napier´s oldest vineyard, Mission Estate and then onto Elephant Wineries, which I think offers the better wine of the two. Lucy orders an amazing Wine makers platter for lunch.
Napier is wine county in New Zealand and seems rude to not sample their delights. First off we pop into Napier´s oldest vineyard, Mission Estate and then onto Elephant Wineries, which I think offers the better wine of the two. Lucy orders an amazing Wine makers platter for lunch.
Lucy's amazing wine makers platter
We feel great after two wine tastings so head off to Cape Kidnappers to see nesting herring gulls. Unfortunately we leave it too late and have to turn back to avoid getting trapped by the high tides.
No nesting Herring gulls for us
Wellington - 24th to the 27th December
Spending Christmas day in a campervan doesn't completely fill us with joy so we book ourselves into the Bolton Hotel in Wellington for the festive period. The drive down from Napier is absolutely trecherous however as high winds threaten to toss our campervan from the road. Lucy frantically steers into the wind to compensate and get's us into Wellington in one piece.
Spending Christmas day in a campervan doesn't completely fill us with joy so we book ourselves into the Bolton Hotel in Wellington for the festive period. The drive down from Napier is absolutely trecherous however as high winds threaten to toss our campervan from the road. Lucy frantically steers into the wind to compensate and get's us into Wellington in one piece.
We eat and drink through the Christmas period just like everyone else and wake up at 4.30am on the 27th to catch the Interlander ferry to Picton and the South Island.
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