05/11/2017 - Waiheke Island

The early waking up continues. On this day too, there was no sleep after 06:00 in the morning. So we got ready and had some cereal with milk for breakfast.
Now it was Sunday in New Zealand and we found discounted tickets for the ferry to Waiheke Island through an internet portal. We packed our camera backpack and headed to Half Moon Bay, where our ferry departed.

Waiheke Island is one of the largest islands in the Hauraki Gulf and only 18 kilometers away from Auckland. Many Auckland residents with the necessary funds own a vacation home here. Not quite incomprehensible once you've been on the island.

Our ferry departed at exactly 09:00 and we were looking forward to a nice day trip. Since it had rained the day before, we packed our rain jackets just to be safe. We couldn't have known at that time that this was completely unnecessary and that we would end up getting sunburned at the end of the day.

We walked happily from the ferry terminal towards Oneroa - the only town on this island. Our path led us along the coast, past lonely beaches and panoramic views, all the way to the beaches of Oneroa. Here we took ample time to take pictures of this breathtaking scenery. Since taking pictures makes you hungry, we then looked for a restaurant for a little lunch break. Searched and found - a homemade burger with a sea view - there can be worse things. ;)
Since it's not ideal to hike on a full stomach, we took the bus to the next beach. The ride was quite bumpy and exciting. But suddenly, we were there, at a beautiful deserted sandy beach - Palm Beach.
Euphoria spread as we realized that we could still visit the last sandy beach on this island. Within the first half hour, the climb was very steep and we slowly started to feel the constant sun exposure on our heads... After another 30 minutes of hiking, we decided that the hour and a half walk back to the ferry should be enough for today. We made our way through forests and empty streets to catch the 17:00 ferry.
On the way, we passed various wineries. Waiheke Island has a very balanced and mild climate and is known for its top wines. We treated ourselves to a refreshing drink at the oldest of these wineries, Goldie Estate. But when we read the prices for a glass of wine, we smiled and instead ordered water and apple juice - also very delicious and refreshing. ;)
We arrived in time at Kennedy Point, a ferry terminal on Waiheke Island, and sailed back to the North Island of New Zealand.

Once we arrived home, we tended to our sunburn and fell tired and exhausted into bed after many hours of hiking and experiencing this beautiful scenery.