East Coast of the North Island

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Candace Collins
6 years ago
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East Coast of the North Island The following day was cloudy and rainy just excellent for a longer drive north toward the east coast of the North Island.

already realized that camping in New Zealand is very different from our previous experiences of camping in the Canadian Rockies.

On the top of it, wireless internet was often also available to keep us in touch with the rest of the world from time to time Napier was a cute town on the ocean and as most New Zealand ocean towns,

1 East Coast of the North Island The following day was cloudy and rainy just excellent for a longer drive north toward the east coast of the North Island. The scenery along the way was changing from forest-covered mountains to incredible combinations of hills, fields, and lakes And the road was windy sometimes less, sometimes more At that time we already realized that camping in New Zealand is very different from our previous experiences of camping in the Canadian Rockies. For our (Canadian) understanding, camping in New Zealand was a real luxury with a kitchen, showers, laundry and iron in every campground and *warm* nights! On the top of it, wireless internet was often also available to keep us in touch with the rest of the world from time to time Napier was a cute town on the ocean and as most New Zealand ocean towns, it had kilometers of beaches. That afternoon it came to us as a surprise that here we had a hard time finding an open restaurant in the center of this town where most of pubs and restaurants close at 5 pm After 2 days of resting from driving almost 1500 kilometers, we continued our travels north on the east coast but now with a much slower pace. The road was winding, winding and a bit more winding through villages and some towns. The only straight stretches of the road were the bridges At that time we still did not know that it was just a beginning of our windy roads in New Zealand. In this part of the world, kilometers and a pretty straight line on a map do not mean much in calculating time to a destination. Fifty kilometers could easily take an hour But the nature along those curvy roads was leaving us breathless 10

Somewhere along the way we found a beach road (one of many!

Although swimming in the ocean was skipped that day (because of insufficient water temperature

its turquoise blue color Our travels and Philip s burning desire to swim brought us to a cute

Well, here we were reminded again that excellent, fantastic and ultimate may not necessarily

that would fit the above description The next day we were pleasantly surprised with the beauty

2 Somewhere along the way we found a beach road (one of many! ) hoping that we traveled north enough to jump in a warm Pacific Ocean. Although swimming in the ocean was skipped that day (because of insufficient water temperature ), getting off the main road was well worth it Pacific Ocean was shining in front of us with its turquoise blue color Our travels and Philip s burning desire to swim brought us to a cute Mahia Peninsula. Apparently that was a place called the Ultimate Beach Experience. Well, here we were reminded again that excellent, fantastic and ultimate may not necessarily agree with our understanding of those words Fortunately, very soon we found a beach nearby that would fit the above description The next day we were pleasantly surprised with the beauty of the east coast of the island It was wonderful to rest again for two days in this village on the ocean with hardly 20 houses (and much less permanent inhabitants) 11

Further north we encountered the first examples of New Zealand history.

That was the year that is officially marked as a discovery of this far away world even though there is evidence that some other sailors arrived to this part of the globe even earlier.

north, we arrived to a cute bay Tolaga Bay with the longest wharf in this country - ~660 meters and straight into the ocean.

3 Further north we encountered the first examples of New Zealand history. In a town of Gisborne, on his first voyage around the globe Captain James Cook arrived to New Zealand in his ship Endavour in That was the year that is officially marked as a discovery of this far away world even though there is evidence that some other sailors arrived to this part of the globe even earlier. It was fascinating to see a monument to Captain Cook in Gisborne and walk around the globe showing where this curious man had been during his 4 voyages around the globe in just 10 years Continuing north, we arrived to a cute bay Tolaga Bay with the longest wharf in this country - ~660 meters and straight into the ocean. In Tolaga Bay area we also enjoyed an interesting hiking trail through the forest and fields (and with sheep and cows ) to a small bay where Captain Cook stopped to fix his ship from not-so-friendly encounter with Maori (New Zealand native people) in the above mentioned town of Gisborne a few days earlier. As the cream on the cake of our wonderful memories from this bay, while sitting at the far end of the wharf that evening, we experienced a spectacular moon rise above the ocean and behind the clouds on a horizon. Although I am a sunset lover (maybe a sunrise lover too, but that part of the day rarely finds me awake ), that moonrise was truly memorable. To make the experience even more spectacular, it was the night of the full moon and a day in the year when moon appears to be the biggest on a horizon 12

4 Here are a few more incredible scenes from Tolaga Bay Philip & Sandy s Honeymoon If up to that point we thought we experience what curvy roads in New Zealand are, the East Coast proved us wrong when we took a highway (read: the only road ) toward East Cape. The road was winding, climbing hills and descending and bring a neverending series of spectacular views 13

The kilometers ahead would bring many bays

leaving us breathless Wonderful sandy beach,

real Canadian) could hardly wait to dip into

5 The kilometers ahead would bring many bays with villages and beautiful beaches. That is how we ended up in an amazingly beautiful village of Anaura Bay, with only 2-3 houses and a campground. The majesty of nature in front of our eyes leaving us breathless Wonderful sandy beach, warm summer day, a never-ending line of waves was calling us to get into the water. I responded up to my knees, while Philip (a real Canadian) could hardly wait to dip into the waves. Here we went on another hike through a thick forest and with wonderful views of the bay. 14

6 We continued up the east coast all the way north to East Cape: the most eastern lighthouse in New Zealand. The road was winding among the mountains and along the ocean. Instead of traffic lights, we were stopping for cows on the road The hiking trail to the lighthouse was made of ~600 steps through a subtropical jungle with fern and palms. And the views from the top were amazing 15

That is how we arrived at the Bay of Plenty - that time just traveling through.

and stopping to catch some of those moments with our cameras.

seen so far in a village right next to the ocean. Basketball players in the crowd, what do you say?

7 That is how we arrived at the Bay of Plenty - that time just traveling through. A bit tired from a full day of driving, the next day we spent just driving down the highway along the bay, enjoying the scenery in front of our eyes and stopping to catch some of those moments with our cameras. And there was no end to curves on this road Right there at the end of the world we came across one of the most cute basketball courts that I have seen so far in a village right next to the ocean. Basketball players in the crowd, what do you say? Here we also encountered Maori culture for the first time although I have to admit that at the time we did not understand much of what we were looking at. It was a cute village elementary school with 30 students. The school backyard on the hill was overlooking a long sandy beach and the ocean. I wondered how the children there could concentrate on books 16

Rotorua Philip & Sandy s Honeymoon Although we planned to follow the roads along the ocean for most of our trip, we could

From the stories we had heard before, we expected incredible nature, but what we encountered there was much more than

Among tourist attractions, there were sheep shows, a museum with Caterpillar machinery (what a joy for Philip!

The Rotorua Museum remains as a special memory since we almost saw only the baths from the whole thing.

8 Rotorua Philip & Sandy s Honeymoon Although we planned to follow the roads along the ocean for most of our trip, we could not pass on the opportunity to visit the volcanic area of Rotorua. From the stories we had heard before, we expected incredible nature, but what we encountered there was much more than nature It was our first closer encounter with a culture of New Zealand: it s past, present and future. Among tourist attractions, there were sheep shows, a museum with Caterpillar machinery (what a joy for Philip! ) and phenomenal Rotorua Museum. The Rotorua Museum remains as a special memory since we almost saw only the baths from the whole thing. Fortunately, our museum experience improved in the last moment when already pretty disappointed with the exhibits we found some courage to walk through the door on the other side of the hall and were amazed with incredible exhibitions of the history and culture of this part of the world ). Well, we made it. Good on us! 17

9 Natural wonders of this area brought endless (colorful, warm and very pleasantly smelling ) surprises of the first visit to the active volcanic area (Wai-o-Tapu Thermal Wonderland) Gysers, lakes of boiling mud, craters and the most amazing vibrant shades of orange, green and turquoise blue colors. Fantastic 18

What amazed us the most in the Rotorua area was our first close encounter

not-so-friendly welcome as the word would usually mean to Europeans or

;) Visiting a village, learning about different customs and games, and a

10 What amazed us the most in the Rotorua area was our first close encounter with the Maori culture, native people of New Zealand. What an interesting culture! A completely different world One evening, Philip and I visited a Maori village Tamaki near Rotorua. We experienced a traditional welcome of Maori warriors (that was a not-so-friendly welcome as the word would usually mean to Europeans or North Americans ), but with tourist guides it was a wonderful experience. ;) Visiting a village, learning about different customs and games, and a fantastic performance of Maori dances and songs were very special experiences. As the cream on the cake, the first evening of Maori culture came a delicious hangi dinner traditionally prepared under the ground 19

Amazed with the Maori culture, the next day we visited an authentic Maori village

Our tourist guide was a middle-age woman that grew up in this village.

making traditional clothes and decorations from leaves of plants, a more modern way to

village We tried corn cooked for 5 minutes in a gyser and it was the best cooked corn we

.. It was hard to believe that the whole village was built on gysers in other words on a

11 Amazed with the Maori culture, the next day we visited an authentic Maori village Whakarewarewa in Rotorua. Our tourist guide was a middle-age woman that grew up in this village. We could hardly find a better guide Here we saw marae (a meeting house), the process of making traditional clothes and decorations from leaves of plants, a more modern way to prepare hangi (food preparation under the ground), and food cooking in geysiers in the village We tried corn cooked for 5 minutes in a gyser and it was the best cooked corn we ever tried... It was hard to believe that the whole village was built on gysers in other words on a centimeters thich layer of rocks above pretty warm inside layers of our planet. Even skeptics would be easily persuaded in the thickness of that layer of rocks if they were just to sit down for a minute on the rocks or sidewalks in this village 20

of Tauranga. City center was very touristy with tons of souvenir shops, restaurants and cafes.

12 Tauranga and Mt. Manganui We continued our travel north by returning to the Bay of Plenty and visiting a cute town of Tauranga. City center was very touristy with tons of souvenir shops, restaurants and cafes. We were up for a nice hike that day so very soon we got to the bottom of a nearby Mt. Manganui. The views from that mountain left us speechless. Anyway, check them out for yourself 21

Coromandel Peninsula The next few days we spent

Beaches, palm trees, fern, pohutukawa trees (more

and windy roads And all that just a few hours

far away from civilization As a welcome, we

Beach) and enjoyed a wonderful walk to the hidden

And there we arrived to a paradise: amazing beach

13 Coromandel Peninsula The next few days we spent on Coromandel Peninsula. Beaches, palm trees, fern, pohutukawa trees (more about those amazing trees later in the letter), and windy roads And all that just a few hours from Auckland, even though it looks like a place far away from civilization As a welcome, we arrived to kilometers and kilometers of Waihi Beach) and enjoyed a wonderful walk to the hidden Okurawa beach. And there we arrived to a paradise: amazing beach with white sand, blossoming pohutukawa trees, turquoise blue colored ocean and white foam of breaking waves. Spectacular 22

14 In the next few days we enjoyed tons of amazing scenery and a wonderful walk to Cathedral Bay 23

15 Coromandel Town Following the road we arrived to Coromandel Town at the north-west end of the peninsula. A wonderful walk, views of the ocean, sun, sailing boats and even tractors are some of our memories of this town. 24

16 In Coromandel we did not miss the opportunity to experience a railway and train ride through native New Zealand forest. A local citizen spent 27 years building this small railway. Besides incredible engineering wonders of the time, zig-zag railway ascent up the hill, and tunnels along the way, nature, and just the experience of riding in this train were incredible. It was a very exciting morning 25

17 The roads on Coromandel Peninsula are very *very* curvy with very frequent road signs for curves of 25 to 35 km/h And the nature was simply amazing 26

Route: New Zealand itinerary 4-8 weeks Part 1 (2017)

Route: New Zealand itinerary 4-8 weeks Part 1 (2017) Giving yourself some time to explore New-Zealand? Then this is the ideal route for you, perfect when staying from 4 up to 8 weeks in New-Zealand. The