Cape Reinga to the Coromandel Peninsula

Welcome Back!

Since I last wrote, Andy and I visited Cape Reinga on the northern tip of the island and have made our way back down south through Auckland to explore the Coromandel Peninsula.

The morning we visited Cape Reinga was a cold and windy one, so though I was able to see the famous lighthouse from a distance, I waited in the car while Andy got these awesome close-up shots!

We then traveled south, stopping once in the cute little town of Paihia by the Bay of Islands before driving through Auckland once again. This trip has been one of self discovery for me. For example, I've learned that I am not a fan of big cities. They overwhelm me. I much prefer to explore small towns like this one:

Paihia

Once we drove through Auckland headed south, the weather became noticeably colder (which makes sense since the Northland area is after all known as the “winterless north.”) We spent the next few nights freedom camping (staying in free campsites which are generally empty parking lots approved for overnight stay) as we made our way towards the peninsula.

Heading south

Sunrise at Boat Club Reserve

Sunset in Tairua

 

When we finally reached the peninsula, there were only two places on our must-see list: Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach. What we didn't anticipate was the weather and the fact that Cathedral Cove requires a 40 minute hike to reach. But we were motivated. Battling fierce winds and pouring rain (okay, I am exaggerating), we emerged victorious!

Entrance to Cathedral Cove

The hike there and back also offered some great scenery:

 

Our next stop was Hot Water Beach, where you can basically dig a hole on the beach and create your own personal jacuzzi. However, due to the weather, we decided to sit this one out.

Andy on Hot Water Beach contemplating whether we should or should not risk pneumonia

After all, we have a full day ahead of us and cannot wait to share with you all in our next post. Stay tuned, you will not want to miss this!

Picture of the Day: Lamb Stir Fry

Lamb Stir Fry: Our first proper home cooked dish on our little gas stove.

Picture of the Day: Welcome to NZ

Welcome to New Zealand

Me with a cup of tea on Day 1 after arriving in New Zealand,
having a new found understanding of the term 'red eye'.

Note: I will post a picture of the day selected from our archive of photos on days I have access to the Internet and have the time to post.

Our first week in NZ

Hello Family and Friends,

As promised, here is an update of our past couple of days in New Zealand. Andy and I are almost fully recovered from jetlag and are thoroughly enjoying our time on the North Island. The weather has been very nice, especially for winter (similar to a spring day in WA). We picked up our campervan in Auckland, which will be our home + transportation for the next 3.5 weeks. It has everything we need, including a kitchenette with fridge and stovetop, table and seating which convert into a bed, and a porta-potti.

It had initially been a bit unnerving sitting on the opposite side of the car and driving on the opposite side of the road, but Andy made the adjustment quite smoothly (may I also mention it was on stick shift?). We drove through Auckland, which reminded me very much of Seattle (especially when it began to rain), but once we got north of that, the skies cleared and we found ourselves surrounded by beautiful green rolling hills (very much like Hobbiton!). So of course we had to put on our Lord of the Rings soundtrack :)

We had since been to a couple of different campsites in the Northland area as we made our way towards Cape Reinga on the northern tip of the North Island. The drive and stops in between have not been short on incredible scenery. Enjoy the photos below!

Te Arai Point

Sunset

Still jetlagged

Sunrise the next morning

Andy on the hill at sunrise

  

 

 

Skipping rocks

 

Our campervan at Te Arai Point

On the road

Campsite: Blue Heron, near Whangeri

Our campsite at Tapotupotu near Cape Reinga

A nearby meadow

View from our hike (if you look carefully, you can see our campervan below)

Thank you everyone for your prayers.  God has been showing up in so many small ways, I've lost count.  He is so good.  Please continue to pray for us as we pray for all of you.  We will try to keep you updated, but bear with us as internet is not always easy to come by :)

Will write more when we can!

We Have Arrived

Due to popular demand, here is our new blog to document our travels to New Zealand!  After a very long flight, we have made it to this beautiful country in one piece.  As you can imagine, we are extremely tired and recovering from jetlag, so I promise to write more once we are rested.  Stay tuned!