The North and the West Coast

I have been traveling alone again for five days and exploring New Zealand.

In these five days, I have been to many different cities and have driven many kilometers. My first stop after dropping off Steffi in Auckland was Coromandel. Coromandel is located in the north of New Zealand and is about two hours away from Auckland. My program in Coromandel included: The Hot Water Beach and the Cathedral Cove. At the Hot Water Beach, you can dig a hole in the beach and have your personal hot tub. Unfortunately, when I was there, it was high tide and this phenomenon was not possible.

The next stop was Tauranga, which is a modern coastal city located about 2 1/2 hours away from Coromandel. My absolute highlight in Tauranga was the hike up Mount Maunganui, because from there you have an incredible view of the city and the sea. I had heard from several people that the view was very beautiful, but when you are standing up there yourself, you feel an incredible sense of freedom.

From Tauranga, I then drove to the Blue Springs, which were quite high on my list for New Zealand. Once again, I was amazed at the special and beautiful places that nature creates. The Blue Springs are definitely one of my highlights of New Zealand, as they were even more impressive in person than they appear in pictures.

Next, I went to Rotorua, a city that I was also very excited about. In Rotorua, you not only encounter an incredible sulfur smell, but also geothermal and volcanic activities, such as hot springs and bubbling mud pools.

In addition, the Maori culture is very strongly represented in Rotorua, which is why you come across buildings of this culture again and again. I also visited a Maori village there, which is no longer inhabited but still gives a good insight into this culture.

Another highlight for me was Mount Taranaki, which is located on the west coast of New Zealand and is one of the three major volcanoes of the North Island.

In Maori legend, the location of the mountain is explained as follows: In a dispute over a young female mountain, Mount Pihanga, the male rivals, the mountains Tongariro and Taranaki, which are located in the center of the North Island, quarreled to such an extent that Taranaki embittered and sought refuge, creating a long ditch (the current course of the Whanganui River).

For me, it was an incredible feeling to drive up to Mount Taranaki and stand in front of it. I was particularly impressed by the top covered in snow.

My next and for now last stop was Wellington, where I will also stay for the next 1 1/2 months and enjoy my time with Monika, Bernard, Andrew, and Johanna and their children. After almost two months of traveling, I am looking forward to finally arriving at a place and staying there for a longer period of time.