Weinparadies - Waiheke Island I

After a 40-minute ferry ride, we arrived at the second largest island in the Hauraki Gulf. It is located approximately 20 kilometers east of Auckland. We took the bus to get our first impressions of the hilly island, and in no time, we were already at our destination. A small Air BnB room with an attached bathroom was our accommodation for the next few days. A nice family with a small child and a furry four-legged friend greeted us warmly. We were glad to finally be able to drop off our luggage. It has been months since we had to carry it ourselves, and quite a lot has accumulated over time. Our backs need to get used to it again...

We used the remaining time to explore the small island and ended the first day without Odhi on a cozy terrace with pizza and wine. It feels strange to travel without a car again. Occasionally, we would ask each other for the car keys and whether we had securely stored everything. Humans are creatures of habit after all.

Large parts of the island are easily accessible on foot or by bus. To start the day, we decided to visit a local market. Glad to have left the big city of Auckland behind, we enjoyed the smell of spring returning. Dreamily, we let the blossoming surround us and studied the diverse properties, beautiful gardens, and views of the ocean. The mailboxes were particularly striking, elaborately designed, and some even had plants in them.

Arriving at the market, we treated ourselves to a delicious breakfast with fresh coffee and warm, filled croissants. In the glorious sunshine, people and animals from different cultures mingled happily and warmly. This market had a special charm for us. It offered exclusively self-made products such as jewelry, clothing, artistic offerings, and, of course, honey. Caro couldn't resist any longer and finally bought the long-awaited high-quality Manuka honey. We paid over 50€ for 300g of this precious honey. At first, Tim thought Caro was a bit crazy, but the honey is not meant for simply sweetening tea. Due to a substance in the Manuka tree, the honey is said to have healing properties. Its antiseptic effect is even demonstrated in German scientific studies. Although the price may be off-putting at first, a jar is very long-lasting with occasional use.

The island is particularly known for its numerous and excellent wineries. Therefore, we followed up the market visit with a wine tour. After our experiences at the winery on the South Island, we thoroughly enjoyed strolling through the vineyards and evaluating the quality of the wine. All the wineries had their charm and presented their products on well-maintained properties and magnificent villas. It wasn't easy to find a spot right away. Fortunately, the weather was good, so we could spread out on the premises with a delicious glass of wine. The wines were truly delicious and reasonably priced as well.

After a few tastings, we started feeling hungry. Unfortunately, the wineries only offered small snacks and tapas... but we needed more. Due to the rural location of the wineries, we had no luck finding a restaurant. The walk back would take too long, so we decided to take the bus. The buses didn't run as regularly as we had hoped, and after the extensive tasting, the mood was starting to get tense. On the return journey, we didn't pass any towns with restaurants. So, the only option left was the classic supermarket. Loaded with enough food, we set off on foot towards the Air BnB. Once we arrived, we devoured the food and then went to sleep, well-deserved beauty sleep.