The first days in New Zealand

After we, although Judith was checked and interrogated several times by various authorities during her 36-hour plane journey, finally found each other without any problems at Auckland airport, we took delivery of our campervan "Speedy Gonzales" near the airport. So far, we are very satisfied with the camper, also because the equipment, despite the older car, is brand new on the inside.

Our first real excursion took us slightly north of Auckland to a tiny peninsula: the Shakespeare Regional Park. In this beautiful and lonely park, we unintentionally spent the first night on the abandoned parking lot. The next day we explored the beach and the area around the place and moved to the official campsite, which was about 500 meters away but also almost empty. In the evening, we had a barbecue on the grill provided by the park.

The following day (22.12.) we continued driving to the black beaches of Piha. Although the beaches were not as black as expected, the sand was noticeably hotter than "normal". Nevertheless, an incredibly beautiful scenery unfolded.

We spent our third day in New Zealand in Auckland. First, we got an overview of the city from the 220-meter high Skytower. Later, we looked at the harbor and walked through the streets. Overall, Auckland is not particularly spectacular, especially considering that it is the largest city in the country. In the evening, we headed to the Coromandel Peninsula and stayed overnight in a parking lot where camping is allowed. We really enjoyed the lonely roads through the beautiful landscape with many cows and sheep.