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:
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| 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.
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| Heading south |
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| Sunrise at Boat Club Reserve |
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| 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!
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| 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.
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Andy on Hot Water Beach contemplating
whether we should or should not risk pneumonia
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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!
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