On 12th January we packed our bags and said goodbye to Auckland, and began the long drive northward. This would be our first real experience of driving through what you would expect New Zealand to look like; huge hills, tall trees and ferns all creating a very green landscape as we drove through a single road highway. If the views weren’t already great, this would then be contrasted by the odd glimpse of the sea which really made the 3 hour drive go quick. On the way we stopped at a bird sanctuary/museum to see a kiwi bird, this is something we really wanted to see whilst in New Zealand and just by chance we found one along the way; as they are nocturnal this was the best chance we had, and it really was a great experience.
We arrived at Saltwater Lodge in Paihia which was spitting distance to the beach. Shortly after we arrived I played some basketball in a church car park with some other backpackers. On our first full day we then departed for another long drive north to Cape Reinga. This spot draws many tourists because it is the most northern point of New Zealand, and it also features an iconic lighthouse. I really enjoyed walking around this landmark, other notable viewpoints were a sign which showed the directions of cities such as London and Japan, and also the point where the Pacific Ocean meets the Tasman Sea to create a crash of waves down the middle. After that went to Te Paki sand dunes. For a small price you could pay a typical kiwi dude for a board and go sand boarding down the dunes; aside from the face-full of sand it was fun.
On our final day it rained really hard so we stayed in, unsure what we would do for the day. Fortunately it eventually cleared up so we decided to make the most of the time we had left and walk to Haruru Falls as our roommate Sophie had suggested it. Even though we accidentally walked on the path along the highway instead of the scenic route through the trees, we saw the falls and it felt good that we hadn’t wasted the day. Later that evening we learnt some new card games in a big group, and I experienced “around the world” table tennis for the first time which was a laugh.
Unfortunately saying goodbye to the Northland meant another long drive, this time a 6 hour drive to Whittianga.
Lee Teivans Travel Blog 