Chapter 12 North Island New Zealand

On 20.01 it was finally time. Our plane took off from Brisbane to Auckland right on time at 9:30. After an uneventful but relaxed flight, we landed safely in Auckland and New Zealand was enriched by three curious nature boys.

We quickly went through the tent inspection and then sat in the shuttle to the car rental.

After a short wait, we stood in front of a Nissan Tiida Latio, which should safely take us through the next 26 days and through New Zealand.

It quickly became clear that the space in the car was just enough to fit our belongings, groceries, and of course the three of us dwarfs.

Arriving at the hostel in Auckland, we were glad that everything had worked out so smoothly and that we had finally arrived in New Zealand. We were happy to leave Australia behind without any fire or heat.

In the evening we strolled through Auckland and visited the harbor. Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand. We quickly realized that everything here is smaller than in Australia.

Early the next morning, we set off for Mt Eden, a well-known hill that serves as a viewpoint.

After a short shopping trip and loading up our car, we set off towards the north.

Our first destination was Whangarei. On the way, we visited some beaches and were already amazed by the beautiful landscape. We also descended into a small cave and admired some glowworms on the ceiling.

Arriving in the evening, we were greeted by a beautiful campsite right by the water. After a short bathing interlude, we set up our tent right by the water.

The tent offers us more comfort than expected. Max and I fit our air mattress perfectly, and Jonas' yoga mat fits as well.

The next day started very early and we set off along the west coast back towards Auckland. Along the way, we stopped at waterfalls and the Bay of Islands. But we also made stops wherever we liked. We would continue this pattern.

After a slightly longer drive, we spent the night at a campsite right by the sea.

This is where Jonas and Max unpacked their fishing gear for the first time. Unfortunately, without success for now. However, we were rewarded with a beautiful sunset and were amazed by the number of birds nesting there.

The next morning we headed to Hot Water Beach. This is a beach with a hot water spring deep under the sand. This means that if you dig a bit, hot water will appear. Max and I made it our mission, but unfortunately without success for now. We just couldn't manage to get to the hot water. Jonas, unfortunately, a little under the weather, watched us with a smile on his face.

Understandable from the pictures.

Fortunately, we were quickly alerted that there was a puddle of water not far from us and there was hot water there. After a bit of digging, we were now lying in very hot water and sizzling in the equally hot sun. A somewhat strange but still fun experience.

Afterwards, we made our way to Tauranga, where we set up our camp for the night.

In Tauranga, it was time for our first real hike. We climbed a small mountain at the tip of a peninsula and were rewarded with a beautiful view. Max reached his limits a little here for the first time, but would clearly exceed them in the next few days.

After the descent, we rewarded ourselves with a swim in the sea and some rest before the next exciting day for Jonas and me.

We were now in for a treat as two Lord of the Rings fanboys. We had a tour of Hobbiton planned. This is the filming location for the Shire from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. For non-fans, I'll spare you further words, and for fans, I'll say that pictures speak louder than a thousand words.

After a dream come true for two of us, we headed to Rotorua. Here we visited thermal springs and mud pools. These small, sulfur-smelling ponds have formed in the middle of the small village.

We didn't miss out on a small foot bath in the pleasantly hot water before heading towards Taupo.

Unfortunately, Jonas' infection hit him hard the next day. He was completely out of action for nearly three days.

Taupo is a small, sweet city on Lake Taupo. We stayed near a river close to the Huka Falls. We spent about 2 days in Taupo and met up with Dario and Anthony, whom Jonas and I knew from our shared high school days at BBZ.

Max pursued his passion for golf, but unfortunately, he didn't manage to make the $10,000 shot. We relaxed in Taupo in the evening, with a beer by the lake and watching the sunset with the five of us. Despite not feeling well, Jonas made sure to say hello to Dario and Anthony.

The next day, the first real challenge awaited. Unfortunately, only two of us, Max and I, set out to conquer the Tongariro Alpine Crossing day hike. We had to cover 19.4 km through volcanic landscapes, up a mountain, past a volcano and sulfur lakes, and then back down the mountain.

Max initially sprinted ahead in experienced hiker fashion. I couldn't keep up, but still managed to enjoy the beautiful volcanic landscape. Part of the Lord of the Rings was also filmed here. The valley is known as Mordor and the volcano as Mount Doom.

Finally reaching more challenging terrain, the leadership position quickly changed. We climbed stairs for about an hour. Finally, at the top, we stood in a valley with an impressive view of the volcano. The volcano is still active but hasn't erupted since 1972.

The relief that washed over Max's face when he took the last step quickly faded when he saw the final ascent.

Once we reached the top, we marked our territory and proudly presented the best club in the world to everyone who climbed with us.

Now the descent began. Not only from the mountain but also in terms of the quality of the hiking trails.

4 hours after reaching the summit, the seemingly endless descent was behind us. Jonas was waiting for us at the parking lot, full of pride. Phew, that was exhausting, but still a beautiful experience.

So, after a short harbor tour, we settled into our hostel and the next morning took the ferry that took us to the South Island.

You will learn all about the South Island in our next blog post.

We all enjoyed the North Island very much. The landscape was already very impressive.

Now we are all ready for the next adventures.

Until then.

Yours, Jonas & Louis