Saturday, 11.01.20, Day 55

Hipapatua Recreational Reserve, Taupo

In the morning, we go swimming in the Waikato River, the longest river in New Zealand. There is a circular current at the swimming spot where you can let yourself drift like in a whirlpool. However, this is not entirely safe, because if you don't stay in the right current, the raging river can quickly carry you to the Huka Falls. Afterwards, we drive back to the west coast to a freedom camp near the Three Sisters. These are three rock pillars that you can visit at low tide. Since the water is still very low when we arrive, we take the opportunity to go to the interesting rock formations in the early evening, where we also admire the many caves and rock passages. For dinner, after a long time, we finally have potatoes with sour cream, baked fish, and a glass of wine. While we are sitting at the dining table, a familiar truck drives onto the campsite and parks at a distance. When the man waves at us with his daughter in his arms, it is clear to us that they are the ones from the Onewhero campsite and they seem to have recognized us too. We never thought we would meet them again and are all the more excited about it!