New Zealand - North Island

BEN'S. BLOG. IS. BACK..

That's right folks.. Hello!

How are ya?

Don't be mad, don't be mad.. I know, it's been a while!!

June 2013 since my last entry in fact..

A lot has gone down since then. And a lot hasn't. Aside from the conclusion of my great first year in Melbournel, an horrific three months doing farm work in North Queensland, my second year in Oz including a trip to Tasmania and the east Coast, a trip to Fiji including a wedding (not mine!), a reunion trip to Ireland and England which included the Shanbally reunion, a move and a three month job for Cadbury's in New Zealand which included a trip to Cape Reinga (the northern most tip) as well as the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, Hobitton and Waiheke Island.. not a lot has gone on..

So why am I starting again? Cos the travel is up again folks! That's why! As I mentioned I moved to New Zealand in October 2013 the day my Oz visa expired. Sam (the new missus for those who I haven't spoken to in over a year!) and I quickly got jobs in Auckland when we arrived. I scored a sweet (pun intended) job in Cadbury's NZ. Awesome place to work and a nice change from the high pressure Customer Service jobs I'd had in Oz. Kiwi's man, what can I say? The coolest bunch of people there is (probably joint first with the Fijians). We had a great 3 months working in Auckland and more importantly managed to save the necessary funds for the next big trip - New Zealand.

So we got a campervan - the only way to see New Zealand apparently - we got a spaceship. I didn't particularly want to drive around in a bright orange car which says 'Rocket' which made us look like a pair of over enthusiastic Protestant Leprechauns.. but it was cheap and cheerful..

So we headed first to the Coromandel Penninsula - A popular holiday spot for Aucklanders. We traveled right up to the top via 35 km of Gravel road to our first camp spot at Stony Bay. We've stayed at Dept of Conservation (DOC) campsites that only charge $6 - $10 per night which has been great and saved us from freedom camping. Apart from the nice scenery there's not a lot to report from this place. Sam was feeling sick (for the first time in 3 years!) as luck would have it so we went to bed early and left early in the morning.

Cooking!

The Rocket

My own Spaceship

The next day we drove down the Peninsula and visited 2 of my favourite places so far - Hot Water Beach and Cathedral Cove. As you will see from the pics Cathedral cove was a beautiful little beach which takes 30 mins to hike to (40 mins when Sam is coughing her lungs up from being sick!) but is well worth the journey (and the sunburn which I got!). Hot water beach is a little beach close by where if you dig a hole in the sand at low tide and sit in it you have your own natural hot tub heated by the Geothermal heat of the earth. However in true Ben and Sam style we arrived at the wrong time to experience this but still a cool little beach all the same. We camped that night in what can only be described as a gravel car park by a river.. but still cheap so happy days continued..

Cathedral Cove

Me @ Cathedral Cove

The next day we drove to another popular spot - Mt Manganui. Refered to by the locals simply as the Mount we climbed it and got the great view from the top. In return we gave the mountain the last of Sam's phlegm. We're always giving back to nature.. We drove along the coast known as the Bay of Plenty visiting a Kiwi farm (the fruit, not the locals!!) and Sam continued her love affair with oversized things on the side of the road. We camped at a great campsite which included a 3 minute shower for 50c extra..

The View from the Mount

Sam made it to the top!

From here we made our way to the tourist haven of Rotorua. This is an amazing place not to be missed and is distinct from the rest of the country as it smells of rotten eggs - literally! This is from the Geothermal activity in the area and the many active volcanoes in the region. Even in the park in the town you can go along and look at ponds and small lakes that bubble from the heat of the earth - pretty cool! Here we: Luged (see below), Zorbed (see below) and visited a park with huge amounts of Geothermal pools and Geysers which are frickin amazing. However, the highlight for me was a visit to the Tamaki Maori Experience. This was a night where you visit a Maori tribe and they show you how they used to live. It was brilliant. They did a traditional welcoming ceremony where you have to assure them you come in peace then they show you some of the skills ancient Maori warriors and people used along with a traditional meal called a Hangi where the food is cooked underground using Geo-thermally heated stones. A great evening and.. I GOT TO DO THE HAKA!!

"Rotorua is kind of like your pet dog.. It smells bad but you can play so many fun games with it that you can't do with anything else, you hafta love it" - B. M. Buckley 2014

The Welcome!

Me Doing the Haka - Highlight of my life!

Welcoming Ceremony

At the Geothermal pools - heated by the earth

Luge!

Zorb!

Me at Tongariri National Park

Wining in Napier

Sam and her Cider in Napier

We scooted south to Tongariri National Park and did a drive around the circumference of the park which includes 3 active volcanoes including Mordor from Lord of the Rings but because of the stupid cloud we couldn't get a photo... We even did a drive and had a look at the Ski resort which was vacant for the summer (for the craic sure..) and the views were pretty cool. We capped it off with a 2 hour hike to a waterfall before a swift visit to Taupo (to have a look sure..) which is home to New Zealand's most active Volcano (which is located UNDER the huge lake that it's on!!) before driving to Napier in Hawke's Bay.. (That was all one day!)

Here we met up with Colin and Wendy whom (avid, loyal followers of my Blog will know) I met on my last trip (see previous blog for full details!). We had a great weekend including Wendy and Colin forcing Sam and I into a 20km bike ride before and after a big meal, a tour of the very cool Art Deco orientated town, a free wine tour and a great BBQ with their family including their hyperactive, very funny 5 year old Grandson; Hunter. It was a great weekend and reminded me what it was like to get a real bed, Internet and showers after a week on the road! Thanks so much for your hospitality guys! Oh and the wine was pretty tasty too..

We then moved onto Wellington where we visited the museum and rode the cable car up to the Botanical Gardens and walked down. I now write this on the ferry to the South Island.

Next Week on Ben's Blog: New Zealand - The South Island!
Coming Up: South America and a whole new bunch of travelers in a truck..

Stay Tuned!

Anywho, hope you enjoyed this little comeback blog I'm going to keep it up to date now for the next 6 months so keep onnn reading... Talk Soon, Ben..