Whangarei - Hundertwasser and Waterfall

In Whangarei, there is plenty of water: the Town Basin on the Hatea River, at least one waterfall, and a Hundertwasser house and museum. Did you know that the Austrian Hundertwasser is buried in New Zealand and Whangarei has a Hundertwasser Art Center... I didn't know that before and for a moment I feel like I'm in Vienna. To ensure I complete my planned hike, I set off around just after 6 in the morning towards Whangarei Falls. My hike is about 13 km, and my bus returns to Auckland at 11:30. The path, once I leave the road, is so beautiful, so green, so peaceful, and quiet, like mornings often are. Perhaps that's why I like it so much - when so much is still asleep, except for the chirping birds, it’s not hard to hear the music of the world. 

On the way, a dog sniffs me (thankfully not as a security check this time), I take a cheese sandwich breakfast break at the waterfall (so typically German...) and listen to the voices of friends in voice messages (and political podcasts, but I want to focus on the beauty here). It’s great company on a soothing path, and I return very relaxed to the road. Since I am even back earlier than expected, I can grab a coffee at a window café, where they finally have vegetarian pies, so lunch is sorted too. Moreover, the seller is so nice and filled with such positive energy that I feel completely rejuvenated. Should you ever come to Whangarei: Hello Pickle - fantastic coffee and a wonderful feeling included! My bus is on time and I drive about 3.5 hours to Auckland. There I pick up my forgotten pajamas from my first hotel, check into my hostel room, and do laundry. Then I put one of my goals for this year into action: I go to the cinema alone and watch a movie, which I only realize while watching that I have already read an article about. The cinema is small and cozy, I get free popcorn, and the seats can be adjusted electronically, so you can lie down. Great! In the vicinity of the cinema, I also find a 'Womans Bookstore,' which is unfortunately already closed but does have Angela Merkel's biography in the window. The next day, I make the most of my last night in a single room until the last moment, sleep in, buy new hiking shoes, and read a bit in Albert Park. In the afternoon, I meet the first fellow travelers in my new group and we climb Mount Eden, a vantage point in Auckland. In the evening, the whole group gathers; there are only 8 of us spanning a broad range: from the 20-year-old who dropped out of his studies (and is the lone rooster in the hen house) to the 69-year-old American woman without any electronic devices. Our guide Clinton is a bit overwhelmed, but we manage to plan everything so that we fall asleep with excitement for the new adventure.