ꯐꯣꯉꯈ꯭ꯔꯦ꯫: 03.10.2024
The long drive from Dargaville to Cape Reinga is made beautiful by the stunning landscapes. After shopping and heavy rainfall, through dense forests, endless expanses, and along the beautiful beaches, I arrive at the 'Tapotupotu Bay Camping Area' in the late afternoon. For lunch, I had avocado toast with cheese.
After I arrived at the campsite, it was time for an early sleep.
The next morning I set off well-rested and fit to the northernmost point of New Zealand. There, I was greeted by a stunning view along both coasts, thankfully I picked a day with excellent weather and sunshine!
A half-hour walk along the coastal ridge led me to the beach, where I could only dip my feet in. The reason for this was the 18 degrees Celsius ambient temperature and the very strong waves, which should not be underestimated, especially on the west coast of New Zealand.
After these breathtaking landscapes, I headed to one of my personal highlights so far. Sand surfing on the 'Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes,' something I had always wanted to do. $15 for a board and off I went, though it was more challenging than expected to make my way up the hills through the sand and against the wind. However, it was incredibly fun to race back down.
Lunch break with chocolate toast at 'Rarawa Beach' and then continued to 'Ahipara.' Another night at the campsite, I cooked myself pasta with tomato sauce and cheese for dinner, though without onion and not too many spices, it was rather mild in flavor.
The sunset was unfortunately hidden from me due to the clouds, but I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities for that in the future.