The first two weeks in Kiwi land - Diary

I know it has been a while but here we are again (also check our youtube channel)!! A quick look back on the last two weeks in this beautiful country.

After we left “One Tree Hill” we visited our friend Agnes and her family in Browns bay. She was the one helping finding Monty :) Thanks again!! Unfortunately I got a little ill that day but nevertheless we started our roadtrip the next day.

9th January: Raglan

• As we still had a surfboard waiting for us we went down to Tamahere to pick it up. Very weird place with weird woofers and backpackers. 

• Feeling al being ‘Surfing dudes’ we decided to stay a night at Raglan. The camping side we wanted to go to was fully booked so we stayed at a more expensive camp side. Fine with me as we had hot showers :)

• We did not go surfing.

10th January: Nikau Caves & Port Waikato

• On our way up north. The weather was pretty crap. By coincident we saw a sign ‘Nikau Caves & Café’. I wanted to go for the coffee, Rick for the caves.

• There were waterfalls somewhere so after 1,5 hours of walk we saw the 1 waterfall (we got lost on our way …the difference between turning right or left can make a huge difference). Beautiful – although it was only one waterfall.

• Then the cave tour started. 1,5 hours, 1km long. No lights, just our torches and glow worms.

• The walk was pretty challenging as we had to crawl on our hands and feet for 12 m as the ceiling was too low. Hello claustrophobia!! But, we managed.

• Beautiful glow worms, stalagmites, stalactites and we even saw eels.

• The night we spent at Port Waikato.

• Oh somewhere in between Rick and me became member of the AA….. which does not stand for anonymise alcoholics but it is the NZ anwb/adac ;)

11th January: Piha

• Driving through green “lord of the rings’ hills – you can watch the drive on youtube. 

• You should have seen the roads (well, they weren’t actually roads) Monty managed to take!!

• We spent the night at the weirdest camping ever! Wild camping up on a mountain. Although it was supposed to be for free, we managed to pay anyway. We were too stupid to call a number that told us to pay. ..so we did. 

• Our first ‘too much wine night’ – we met some French and they told us, that being with French, you need to drink too much wine. Haha.   

12 – 15 January: Glinks Gully

• After Piha we made the first best decision of our trip. We went to Glinks Gully!!

• Rick learned to clean freshly caught fish

• We met Pete, Glenis, Kim, Aron, Steve and Richard – amazing people!! We have never experienced so much hospitality.

• They took us riding along the beach with their jeeps

• We went fishing and searching for ‘strawberries’ (if you wanna know what that stands for, ask us ;))

• Some dune dudes took us for a ride through the dune with their 4 wheel drive. I was flying in a jeep over sand dunes (almost 80 % angle) hahaha

• Spent very nice, cosy nights with our kiwi friends. :)

15th – 18th January: Surfing & Chilling at Ahipara

• On the 15th we left our friends and went further up north.

• On our way we stopped at the Waipuah Forest to see the largest Kauri Tree – it was pretty large. In order to protect the roots we needed to clean our shoes before entering the wood. That was pretty weird. 

• We stayed a few days at Ahipara

• I learned surfing (hmm, ok I had a 2 hours lesson and could stand on the board for 3 seconds – feeling sooo cool and surfer babe-like.

• Unfortunately the next day the waves were too high so Rick was not able to try surfing himself. So I will stay the cool one of us both a little bit longer ;). We just chilled the whole day at Shipwreck Bay. 

18th January: Harrison bustour

• We did our first real tourist thing. We went on a bus trip along 90 miles beach to Cape Reinga.

• The 90 miles beach actually is only 70 km long.

• Body boarding in the dunes is overrated. ;) (I was too much breaking with my feet so it was no fun). You should have seen Rick. He went 3 times and fast!!!

• Nice lunch at a bay I forgot the name of. Challenge: Taking pics without other tourists in it.

• Visited magical Cape Reinga where the Tasmanian sea (male) meets and dances with the Pacific Ocean (female). The Maori believe that the spirit of their dead cross over at a tree located there. They go down through the trees roots, sing their last song and then cross over to Haiwaiki.  

20th January: Paihai

• Sinds yesterday we are in Paihai / Waitangi. Here is where New Zealand was born on 6th February 1840. The treaty of Waitangi was signed here. This is the place where Monty will get a new battery and where will go on a Helicopter cruise tomorrow. Sooooo excited!!!