Bay of Islands

I woke up at the mega super Parkplatz, and for breakfast, I had avocado toast with tomatoes, so it could only be a good day. First, I drove to Russell from the back roads and ended up on a deserted dirt track without meeting anyone. At some point, I found my way back to civilization and reached Russell. It’s practically a mini-town, with a kind of harbor flair, very sweet. I hiked Maiki Hill, which is just a few steps up a mountain, and had a fantastic view over Russell and the little islands in the distance. I drove through once and then mustered the courage (remember Wellington and my slight fear of ferries) to take the ferry from Okiato to Opua. It was quite simple; you drive there, wait for the ferry to come, drive onto it, and pay by card on board. Yeah, I worried for no reason; it was easy, folks. The next stop was Paihia. There, I went to a lookout where you can see the islands beautifully and the sailboats in front of it, with the beach on the left. I briefly refueled and then headed to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. The Waitangi Treaty Grounds are the place where, in 1840, the Treaty of Waitangi was signed between many Māori tribes and the British Crown.

This treaty was supposed to be the foundation for a shared life in New Zealand – the Māori gave up many rights, but to this day, it is disputed how much they truly understood and what was promised to them.

That’s why Waitangi remains an important place for identity, justice, and remembrance – for Māori and all of New Zealand.

It is also called “the birthplace of the nation.”

I received a tour overflowing with information, my head was spinning afterward. We also had a dance performance, which was a traditional Māori cultural performance with singing, dancing, and the famous haka – it showcases the pride, history, and spirituality of the people.

This takes place in a carved meeting house and is a powerful, honest representation of Māori culture – not a tourist spectacle, but a genuine expression. And that was truly special. There were only four of us, two men and two women, and a chief was to be appointed (thankfully, it has to be a man); so the chief had to stand in front of the building while the other three of us stood behind him. Then the Māori came out, and how do I describe this – the dancing and singing/yelling, it was rather intimidating somehow. They offered us a token, which our chief accepted. After he explained that we came in peace, we were allowed to enter. Inside, we experienced the dance performance and singing after our chief had to give a speech. The poor man was quite nervous but did very well. It was a unique experience; I felt like I was in Moana when they sang and danced, and they were always laughing too. After that, I explored the museum, etc., and then continued on to the Haruru Falls, which were also really impressive because they are very wide. After that, I headed to the camp.