Without a car to Raglan

The days in Auckland were quite unspectacular. I placed a few ads on the internet and waited for a willing buyer to come along. But things didn't really move forward because the few people who responded to my ad kept canceling.

To make matters worse, I got sick. I had a nail bed infection (i.e. a thick, swollen, pus-filled finger) and had a fever as a result. After a few days, I also got a nasty sore throat. So I spent most of the time in bed sleeping. Since the coronavirus had also arrived in New Zealand at that time, I was afraid of having contracted it. However, the doctor gave me the all-clear. Phew!

After a few days, I got lucky and met a German couple who bought my car from me. Unfortunately, the price was far below what I had hoped for, but it was by far the best offer. As it is approaching autumn, many people are leaving the country, which means there are a lot more cars than buyers.

When I started feeling better, I took the bus to Raglan, a small surf town on the west coast. After the short walk to the bus stop, it became (painfully) clear to me that I had accumulated quite a lot of stuff during the 4 months with my car. I almost collapsed under the weight and had to take a break every 2 minutes. The first thing I did when I arrived at the hostel was to declutter!

In Raglan, everything moves much slower than in bustling Auckland. There are a few small cafes and restaurants, some trendy clothing and organic stores, souvenir shops, and surf schools. The scent of incense fills the air everywhere, long-haired, shirtless, sun-kissed surfer dudes populate the streets, and recycling is a big thing. Not much happens here, but it's definitely a place where you can spend a few days.

In the hostel, we were a mixed group of Belgians, Italians, Americans, British people, French people, Czechs, and of course... Germans! The relaxed and lively atmosphere of the place rubbed off on everyone, and we had some nice evenings together.

Next stop: New Plymouth!