A trip to the far north - Northland and Cape Reinga

After getting used to the time difference and picking up my camper, I headed north. The goal of my multi-day trip was Cape Reinga. In order to get there, I had to drive through the Northland region. After my last post, I was already on my way north. My first stop on my tour two days ago took me to the Whangarei Falls, a small and nice waterfall. After a walk of about 20 minutes, I could also view it from below and feel the mist on my skin. After returning to the camper, I used the public toilets for some personal care (brushing teeth, etc.). Since I had stayed overnight at a free spot the day before, which only had an outhouse, this stop was quite welcome. My next destination was the town of Paihia. Not really a worthwhile trip, as this town is very touristy and all about selling tours to the Bay of Islands. However, such a boat trip was too expensive for me, so I just walked along the promenade and enjoyed the very warm midday sun. Fortunately, it was not a big detour. After a lunch break with instant noodles and coffee, I continued towards the Cape. The landscape was characterized by huge green pastures where 1000 sheep and cows grazed. Going up and down hills from time to time, I slowly made my way towards my destination. In New Zealand, there is a speed limit of 100 km/h on all roads outside of cities. That's quite pleasant and I have gotten used to driving slowly, especially since South Africa. Since my camper is heavy and sluggish and I usually don't drive faster than 80-90 km/h, I quite like the speed limit. Of course, it takes quite a long time to cover 100 kilometers, but I have all the time in the world. I didn't make any further stops and so I reached the Cape in the afternoon. My goal was to find a camp for the night as soon as possible and then thoroughly explore the Cape the next morning. However, I still made a short detour and looked into the distance from the Cape parking lot. Then I drove to a campground that was supposed to be free, but it turned out that a 2-hour hike would have been required and there was also no way to reach it with the camper. So I spontaneously decided to drive to a very basic government campground nearby. Very basic means that there were only toilets and cold water showers. Unfortunately, this place cost money. To pay, you had to fill out a form and then put the amount in a plastic bag into a sort of mailbox. At an indeterminate time, a ranger comes and checks whether everyone has paid. The location was unique, though. I parked my camper almost right on the beach. The place was so spacious that I hardly saw the other campers. Truly a beautiful spot. I used the evening sun to take a longer walk on the beach and after having an early dinner and reading a bit in my travel guide, I went to bed quite early. Since I didn't have cell phone reception and there was no internet, there was no reason to stay up any longer. With a hot water bottle on my legs, this night was much more comfortable, even though it was still very chilly. The next morning, I woke up before sunrise and took advantage of the early hour to pack my things and leave the campground to drive back to Cape Reinga. At this time, the atmosphere up there was absolutely magical. The sun was about to appear on the horizon every minute and there were a few other people at the Cape who were waiting for the sunrise. When it finally came over the hill, it was truly one of those absolute WOW moments. Feeling the warm rays of the sun on my skin after a freezing night. Goosebumps! After this spectacle, I walked to the lighthouse which was about a 30-minute walk and I was all alone there for a brief moment. I was overwhelmed by the landscape, nature, and all the wonders that this earth holds. Even though the journey up here was very exhausting and there were relatively few highlights along the way, every kilometer was worth it just because of these moments. After returning to the parking lot, I went through my morning routines again and started on the way back towards Auckland. This time, I took a slightly different route than on the way up and passed by huge sand dunes and through one of the few remaining Kauri forests. These trees are sacred to the indigenous Maori people. Unfortunately, they have been extensively logged in recent decades. I made a stop at the oldest tree in New Zealand and the 4th largest tree in the world, Tane Mahuta. It was truly impressive to stand in front of such a living being that has been alive and growing for over 2000 years. Moreover, I was lucky that there was a free guide who provided detailed information about the history of the Kauri forests and Tane Mahuta. After that, I looked for a campground for the night. This time, I spent a bit more money and had a place with a hot shower and a kitchen. I used the afternoon to tidy up myself and the camper. Then I read a bit more in my book and went to bed early once again. Today, I'm heading south, stopping at the supermarket to replenish my supplies, and just drove through Auckland and made a stop at McDonald's for Wi-Fi. My next destination is the Coromandel Peninsula near Auckland. I'll be spending the day and night there tomorrow.