the North Island of New Zealand

On Saturday, April 6, 2019, it was all about driving, driving, driving. We wanted to go to Mount Taranaki, which is about 350km away. It is famous for its perfect cone shape. Unfortunately, we didn't really see much of it because the summit was once again covered in clouds. However, the drive to the visitor center was worth it because Krissi got a free milkshake, which was apparently prepared incorrectly. Lucky us. ;)

After a lunch in a small park, we continued towards Tongariro Crossing, which was about 300 km away. During the 4-hour drive, we also passed through the Forgotten World Highway. It was all very remote and then there was a 16 km gravel road, an official part of a highway. Just imagine that in Germany. We drove through the Shire and passed by some lookouts. One exciting part of the drive was going through a 180m long tunnel built in 1936. They simply drilled a hole in a rock. During our drive, we stopped at the Strathmore Saddle Lookout and the Mt. Tongariro and Ruapehu Lookout. In Tanmarunui, we stopped briefly to refuel before we suddenly stopped in the middle of the road. We urgently needed to book our tickets for the Tongariro Crossing and were afraid that we would soon be in an area without internet. We were right, because the Mangahuia Campsite ($26) was somewhere in the middle of nowhere. We had already expected this, but when heavy rain started in the late evening, we were a bit pessimistic about the next day and our long hike at the Tongariro Crossing.

On Sunday, we still had to get up at 6:30 am because the bus tickets for the shuttle were booked. We had breakfast in the parking lot next to the buses to make sure we were on time. We had to check in at our bus at 8:00 am and after a short briefing, we left around 8:30 am towards Mt. Tongariro. During the drive, a young New Zealander explained some things about the surrounding nature and mountains and gave some last instructions for the hike.

We started the Tongariro Crossing on one side at 9:00 am. Our car - our destination for the day - was about 22km away on the other side of the volcano. It was quite cold and cloudy, which was not the best condition for visibility, but it was better for the physical exertion. First, we saw the Soda Springs, a rather unspectacular waterfall.

Then we climbed the Devil Stairs up to the South Crater at 1660m. On the way, it even started snowing and hailing. When we arrived "on top," we were standing in the middle of a high mountain in a huge crater.

We continued upwards towards Red Crater. But before that, we could enjoy some great views. Luckily, the view of the volcano - Mount Tongariro - cleared up and we could even see the top and take pictures. ;)

The Red Crater at 1886m was quite exciting. As the name suggests, the rocks here are red and look pretty impressive. To reach the Red Crater, we had to cross a small snow-mud field. It ended on all fours for some Asians.

Another highlight were the Emerald Lakes. There was steam coming out of the ground everywhere, and the green lakes were also steaming. The only downside was the smell of sulfur in the air. :D We continued to climb a bit to reach Blue Lake, but we had seen more impressive shades of blue before. Then followed a long descent, to be precise, 8km long. We enjoyed some great views of the valley with lots of forest and huge lakes. Occasionally, steam would unexpectedly rise from the ground. It was also funny to watch the huge toilet tanks being exchanged by helicopters.

When we reached the bottom, at the end of the hiking trail, we still had to walk 800m to the car park. We could have taken a shuttle for a bit more money, but we decided to walk along the dusty road. After a 22km hike, we were very happy to be back at the car and cooked ourselves a delicious soup. It replenished both our nutrients and liquid needs. It was really a great and unique hike. It was exhausting, but definitely worth it.

Afterwards, we wanted to continue quickly because New Zealand is bigger than you think and has a lot to offer. We headed towards Taupo. We only stopped at a small lookout.

At the Hot Water Beach in Taupo, we refilled our water supplies and bathed in the hot springs. We had to lie flat on the rocky floor to be partially covered by water. But when the light rain turned into a thunderstorm, we hid under the showers and continued driving. The other two women who were in the pools stayed a little longer and were braver.

After that, we went shopping again. The exciting part came when we were done. It was pouring rain - really pouring. After a while, Kenny ventured into the rain and was completely soaked within seconds. He parked right next to the entrance, and we managed to store the groceries quite well. The next challenge followed. When we arrived at the Hipapatua Recreation Reserve - Free Camp - we had to secure a spot somehow. It was crowded and dark. We found a small spot almost in the middle and next to a slope. Krissi spent the whole evening reading, and Kenny listened to three German guys. One of them had a crush on the other guy's sister. But suddenly, the brother was texting the girl. That was weird. And then the girl stopped replying, and they needed someone to blame. :D

On Monday morning, the rain had stopped, and we went to the river just a few meters away. It was incredibly clear but also quite cold. Besides one German couple and some ducks, no one dared to touch the water. We secured the pole position right on the shore and enjoyed a long breakfast in the sunshine. Our plans for the day were already starting to take shape, as mist was drifting over the water's surface from time to time. Nearby, hot water was coming out of the mountain, and we would visit such a warm spring later in the day.

So we went to the Taupo Spa Park and the Hot Pools. There, we could bathe for free in beautifully designed natural stone pools. There were three different temperature levels, with the highest one being the warmest.

At some point, we got so warm that we even dared to enter the cold water of the river. And it was really, really cold. But the alternation between the warm and cold water was very pleasant. We had some fun with our GoPro and then drove to the Aratiata Rapids for lunch.

This river should be familiar to Lord of the Rings fans. The floodgates of the dam were supposed to open at 2:00 pm, creating a raging river below us. We still had some time, so we cooked lunch. However, we miscalculated and had to pause in between to not miss the water show. In the movie, the dwarves (?) come along this raging river in their wooden barrels.

Since it was rather cool in New Zealand, we longed for warmth again. This is what the Twin Streams offered - a warm stream. Unfortunately, the water looked absolutely unappetizing, it stank everywhere, and there was always the risk of contracting meningitis. So we continued to the famous Wai-O-Tapu. This beautiful complex with hot springs, a geyser, and mud baths wanted to charge $35 per person. We arrived about an hour before closing time and had already seen a few steaming and bubbling waters. So we decided against this expensive visit. Especially since the Mud Pools nearby were free. There was a huge mud pool, and it was bubbling and simmering everywhere. It was pretty funny, although the smell of sulfur was in the air again.

We then stopped at Kerosene Creek and the Volcanic Lake. At least in the creek, you can also bathe in warm water. We even stumbled upon a naked couple in the water behind a corner. But it was too crowded for us, and we had already bathed extensively that day.

No one was swimming in the Volcanic Lake, maybe it's not allowed? Although it should be the same water as in the creek... In any case, the lake was also steaming heavily, and the rocks in the background were very pretty to look at.

Following the theme of the day, we continued to Rotorua Kuirau Thermal Park. Here, there are numerous small and large lakes. Some are blue, others are green, some are full of mud, and some are simply steaming.

In a free park, you can see all variations of sulfur. But there is no geyser like in Wai-O-Tapu.

On our way, we stopped briefly to refuel, and suddenly, a beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky. The whole remaining drive, we were accompanied by a very romantic sunset to our camp. In the dark, we finally arrived at the free Ngatea Council Carpark. Or at least near it. There was a small green area between us and the approved parking spaces that we couldn't pass with the car. So we drove one more round and then entered through an official entrance on the other side.

It wasn't until the morning of April 9, 2019, that we realized that while we were on the right parking lot, we still hadn't parked in the official parking bays. Well, luckily everything turned out fine.

Today, we only had swimming on the agenda, but we didn't know yet how exhausting it would be. So we leisurely drove to the Pepe Reserve via the Rainforest Lookout. Here, we were rewarded with a breathtaking view of a beautiful blue lake with numerous small boats. Right next to it, there was a nice playground that we used again for a little Tough Mudder training. Various forms of hanging even challenged Kenny. :D

For lunch, we actually wanted to go to Hanai Beach. Unfortunately, the parking situation was really bad, so we went directly to our destination for the day, the Hot Water Beach. At the beautiful and peaceful car park, we enjoyed a delicious lunch. We devoured pasta with pumpkin. Refreshed and already sunbathed, we strolled along the beach. From a distance, we could already see where the hot springs would be. The beach was full of tourists with shovels in their hands, searching for the perfect bathing hole in the sand. It was not that easy - the water was too hot in one spot and too cold in another. Krissi even burned her foot when she briefly tested a small water hole. The next problem was that we didn't have a shovel with us. Well, no problem for Krissi. She quickly approached some German guys and started digging. In the end, we even teamed up with Leonard and Markus (the source of shovels). We got another shovel from some Asians in the nearby water hole and dug a big hole. Hot water came from one side, and cold water from the other. So the temperature for bathing was perfect. We just had to keep digging because the sand at the edges kept sliding down. In between, we even voluntarily jumped into the cool sea. It was a welcome refreshment since the weather was exceptionally warm that day.

After 3 hours in the water, we all packed up and handed over our water hole to happy successors. They could now skip the tedious digging.

We ate the leftovers from lunch in our car and drove back to the same camp as the night before, actually parking correctly this time.

On Wednesday, our last full day in New Zealand began. We had a long and leisurely breakfast with delicious pancakes and coffee for Krissi. Somehow, we had to finish all our food supplies, as there was quite a lot accumulated.

Today we were headed to Auckland. First, we stopped at a volcanic crater - Mount Eden. From here, we had a great view of the Auckland coastline. Then we went to the harbor in Auckland. We saw many small wooden boats and strolled along the waterfront. Our trip to Auckland wasn't anything special, especially since we eventually realized that our credit cards weren't working. We still don't really know why. The problem was that we needed cash for our upcoming accommodation. Krissi approached a woman, and she loaned us the missing $1. Well, Krissi was a bit annoyed because she had imagined the last day in New Zealand to be more enjoyable with dining at the harbor, but in the end, we were just running from ATM to ATM because of our credit cards.

We arrived quite late and in the dark at our camp, the Ambury Regional Park. First, we passed a small house where we found all the important information. If the camp gate was locked, we should just come in and look for the caretaker, register with him, and get the code for the gate. It wasn't that difficult. In front of the locked gate, we met a German and a Frenchman. They were both somehow desperate because they didn't know what to do. Apparently, they hadn't read the description? Krissi and the other German went to the camping area, and everything went as described. It really wasn't that hard. :D

On April 11th, we woke up surrounded by numerous chickens and rabbits. The campground was really nice, although the sanitary facilities could have used some renovation and cleaning. We had a chat with the German girl because she still had her trip to Australia ahead of her and gave her some tips along with our distribution box.

We had to be at Lucky Rentals at 9:00 am to return our car, which had been our home for 4 weeks. By now, we had even gotten used to the mold on the ceiling. On-site, we were informed that we hadn't filled up the tank completely. That's right, we forgot about it. Luckily, we still had time until our shuttle, so Kenny went to fill up the tank one more time, saving us the processing fee. ;)

After a coffee at the airport, we headed to Sydney at 1:00 pm. At the airport, we had burgers and pizza, and then we continued to Denpasar, Bali shortly before 6:00 pm. Theoretically - because we had a 1-hour delay.