A happy encounter
Publisearre: 14.10.2016
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With a black eye and the confidence/hope that my eye will recover, we are ironically hitting the road again. Where to? Back to the north. Sounds silly, but it's true. The reason is that we haven't received any response to our first job applications and we want to write more applications to get a job as soon as possible. And since unlimited Wi-Fi is not very common on campsites (or only expensive), we want to go back to the good old Cowshed Campsite near Kaikohe. Here we have super nice owners (they give us eggs when we arrive again), clean toilets and unlimited Wi-Fi (which I am currently using) for only $8!
But we're not there yet. So our journey starts at the bar of the dangerous pool cue in Waipu and takes us from there to the north (again through Whangarei, etc.). But after just a few kilometers, we have to stop. Not because the car is acting up or my eye is causing problems, no, it's just that the view of the sea is once again outstanding! We park the car at the nearest parking lot, climb the dunes, and have this view:
While I'm taking my photos, I strike up a conversation with a local woman who is sitting a few meters away. And this conversation turns out to be a stroke of luck! She asks us a few questions about where we come from, what we're doing here, and also gives us tips on what else we should see. These tips are something else. More precisely, one special tip. She tells us about some pool not far from Whangarei and relatively hidden behind a mountain. She says this pool was once in the top 3 of the most beautiful something in the world. Wow, we're intrigued! The name of this pool is: Mermaid Pool. We've never heard of it before! Even in my extensive travel guide, there is not a word about this pool. Even when we arrive at the starting point of the 20-minute path that is supposed to lead to the Mermaid Pool, the information sign at the parking lot doesn't mention the pool. It seems to really be a secret!
However, we listened closely to the directions and don't let ourselves be discouraged. We set off and pass through a densely palm-covered forest.
After just 20 minutes, we're there. And we're not disappointed. We have the pool almost to ourselves and the view is simply outstanding! While the waves crash against the rocks on the left and the water foams up, directly to the right is the Mermaid Pool with its clear, calm, greenish water and exudes an incredible peace. You feel like jumping in immediately, but it's currently spring and the water is freezing cold. But it's really, really beautiful here. What luck that we stopped at Ruakaka Beach and met the local woman! Otherwise, we probably would never have seen this beautiful spot...But see for yourself!
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