auckland – Travels with Billie

New Zealand Northland

The last time I visited New Zealand I didn’t get to the far North end or the far South end of the country. Even as I boarded my flight home, I knew I’d have to return. I decided to focus on the Northland this time, above Auckland. I’m so glad I did. As you drive North the island grows narrower, so the ocean is never far away. There are forests and farms and lovely towns that entice you to slow down and enjoy the ride.

I chose my favorite photos from the Northland segment of my trip, and I’ll describe the adventure below.

I chose to stay in different areas of the Northland, spending two or three days in each place. It would have been easy enough to use one spot as a base and drive to the various places, but I was interested in trying out some different lodgings.

This part of the trip involved picking up my rental car after leaving Waiheke Island. I decided to use a location North of Auckland and take an Uber to the office from the ferry terminal, rather than trying to get used to driving on the left in the heart of the city. I’ve found that it’s fairly easy to drive on the other side of the road once you get on the highway-it’s the turns that can be a challenge. The biggest issue I usually have is turning on the wipers when I mean to use my turn signal. All the controls are switched.

My first stop was the Avalon resort in KeriKeri. Reasonably priced for what you get, I had a one-bedroom cabin in this lovely setting with ducks and ponds and lots of trees. Oh, and chickens. I was warned to keep the gate to my deck closed, because the chickens like to come into the house. Sure enough, I had a visitor each day.

I went to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds to learn a bit about the Maori culture. There was a museum, a guided tour, and a show with young people demonstrating their songs and stories. I’ve always been fascinated with the Maori culture, but this day gave me a whole new understanding and respect for the people and how they have worked to preserve their culture.

The following day I drove to the West Coast to visit the Waipoua Forest Sanctuary. The gigantic kauri trees there are some of the oldest living creatures on earth. Unfortunately, they are threatened by a disease that is killing many of them, so the sanctuary requires all visitors to go through an entryway that will sanitize their shoes to prevent spreading the disease. So I couldn’t hug the tree, but just being in its presence is awesome.

My next location was an Airbnb in Ahipara on the West Coast. This was a beautiful home right across the street from the beach. The entire front walls of the home opened up, so I could sit in the kitchen, listen to the waves, and breathe in the scent of the jasmine in the yard.

That was the perfect starting point to head to the farthest North point of the country, Cape Reinga. It was threatening rain, but turned out to be a magical day. As I approached the parking area for the Cape, it was raining and foggy. I was disappointed since I couldn’t see the ocean at all. I decided to get out of my car and walk over to the restrooms anyway, and when I did the rain slowed and I could see an archway with a path leading through it. As I walked through the arch, the fog began to lift and I could see the lighthouse in the distance. Now, do I want to walk down there? If I do, it means an uphill walk on the way back and I’m not getting any younger, you know. I decided to go a little way to take some photos. Then a little further. Then the fog lifted completely and I went a little further. Yes, I ended up at the lighthouse, and glad I did. This is the place the Maori believe their dead come to so they can climb down the roots of the tree at the point to their afterlife. It’s a sacred place, and you can feel it. Oh, and the walk back up was actually pretty easy.

Next I was off to stay in the Duke of Marlborough Hotel in Russell. A historic hotel with the tag line “Refreshing Rascals and Reprobates Since 1827”. How could I resist?

Somewhere along the way someone mentioned I’d be taking the ferry to Russell, but looking at a map I found that it’s on the mainland so there must be a road, right? There is, but it didn’t take long to realize it wasn’t a good idea. All gravel, narrow, with warning signs not to drive a camper on it. I figured Avis would not be happy, so I backtracked and lined up for the ferry. There’s a photo in the gallery above, with Polly sitting on my dash checking out the other vehicles on the ferry. It was really easy-just drive on, stay in your car and they come around to take your payment.

Russell is a lovely town, and I loved the hotel. They treated me like royalty, and I had a suite with a balcony overlooking the bay. The Moreton Bay Fig Tree was right next to my balcony, and I think it must be at least 10 feet in diameter. Polly and I enjoyed sitting on the balcony with a glass of New Zealand wine and watching the sun set. There were some great little shops in the town, and in one I had a long conversation with the shopkeeper, who is an American expat who moved here for love. Always a great story.

For my final stay I chose a place with a short drive to the airport. I didn’t want to stay IN Auckland, but NEAR it. The Castaways Resort is south of the city on the coast, and it was a lot more than I was expecting. I thought I had booked a small studio room, but when I got there I was given a two-bedroom villa! The villas are very private, and the hotel takes you to your accommodation by golf cart. If I had known how beautiful the place was, I would have planned to stay longer! The one funny thing was how long it took me to connect the icon on their website, which looked like Wilson in the movie. Of course. Wilson, Castaway, Wilson, Castaway. I was two days into my stay before I made the connection.

On my final day I drove out of the resort property and stopped along the driveway to take a photo of the rabbit sitting in the field. It’s about six feet tall, from what I could estimate, and I’m pretty sure it’s a statue. Either that, or its name is Harvey. (Look it up if you don’t get the reference.)

New Zealand continues to be one of my favorite places in the world. I hope I’ll be able to return again. I still have to visit the far South end of the country, after all.

New Zealand-Finally!

Next on the agenda for this year of travel: a return to New Zealand. I visited two years ago and fell in love, vowing to return. I had done a day tour to Waiheke Island, known for its wines, and knew I wanted to spend more time there. So for the first few days “down under” I headed to an AirBnB on Onetangi Beach. It was ideally situated with three amazing restaurants down the street and a gorgeous beach right across the road.

A hop-on hop-off bus tour to the Eastern part of the island allowed me to see a part of the island I didn’t see the first time, and introduced a less populated area. I stopped at the Waiheke Distillery for lunch and a gin tasting, and the bonus was sitting out on the patio with an ocean view that would take your breath away. The lunch was great, and I tried a new kind of pizza: they fry the dough first and then put the toppings on-no oven. I can’t wait to try this when I finally have a kitchen again.

For those wanting practical information on this part of the trip, here you go! I flew into Auckland, and knowing I’d be jet lagged after flying from Fort Lauderdale to Atlanta to Los Angeles, and then 13 hours to New Zealand, I opted to book a SuperShuttle transfer and a hotel in Auckland right by the ferry dock. The M Social is literally across the street from the dock, and a great place to stay. Every room has a view of the harbor, and the staff was very kind in getting me into a room even though I arrived well before check-in time.

The next morning I took the ferry to Waiheke. There was plenty of room for my luggage, and the ferry runs hourly. I hired a taxi to take me to the Airbnb (expensive, but I didn’t know where I was going).

I booked the Eastern Waiheke hop-on hop-off bus online and was able to pick it up just a couple of blocks from my lodging. Besides the stop at the distillery, it gave me a good look at the island. When it was time to return to Auckland, I was able to grab the local bus just down the street and head right to the ferry terminal. The best part of that? When the bus picked me up the driver insisted on picking up my luggage and loading it for me, and then did the same at the ferry terminal. Wow, you have to love these wonderful Kiwis!

New Zealand’s North Island

Arriving on the North Island in Wellington after a ferry ride from Picton, the weather was bad but the ferry handled it just fine. I even treated myself to a glass of bubbly with a sandwich from the on-board café. The trip went quickly thanks to a chat with a local returning from a visit with her parents. It was pouring rain in Wellington, and taxis were scarce. After waiting for a half hour, I called an Uber to take me to the Avis office. All car rentals have been moved off the harbor due to construction, and that created an amusing interlude. The Uber driver picked me up, looked at his navigation, and informed me we were AT the car rental. No, it moved downtown, I said. Well, the nav system says you’re there, he said. He finally took the address I had been given and put it into his phone, and off we went to the correct location. I just paid him in cash.

I’m not a fan of big cities, so I headed right out of Wellington in the rain, white knuckles and all. My destination was a vacation rental in Paraparaumu, about an hour north on the coast. This was my mid-travel break, and I spent five days in a lovely apartment with a stunning view of the ocean. Despite many horror stories about vacation rental disasters, I’ve been fortunate to find lovely accommodations all over the world. My recommendation is to always read the fine print, definitely read the reviews (and evaluate whether they sound like real people), look closely at the photos, and if the price sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

In this case, I found a real gem. My landlady lived upstairs and was friendly and helpful. We even walked her dog on the beach together. After being on the road for a couple of weeks, this was just the relaxing interlude I needed. Long walks on the beach, a little exploring, a trip to a bird sanctuary island, and one day trip over the mountains to wine country.

Kapiti Island is a bird sanctuary, and visits to the island are limited and controlled. It lies just across the bay from Paraparaumu, a fifteen-minute boat trip. I booked a day tour to the island well in advance, and learned it fills up in the warmer months. I wanted to be able to stay in their overnight accommodations, but they were all booked far ahead of time. Our guide was a descendant of the early Maori settlers, and he was interesting and informative. I did a hike with others in our group, and then they provided a delicious lunch. I highly recommend this excursion, especially if you’re a bird lover. If you’re hoping to see the national symbol, a kiwi, be advised that they are nocturnal and hide in burrows during the day. Why the locals chose a symbol that most people will never see, I have no idea.

A drive over the mountain to the Martinborough wine country was again one I wouldn’t recommend to a nervous driver, but I loved it! Narrow winding roads with spectacular views. The wine country was not as large or varied as the Marlborough region on the South Island. If you had to choose just one, I’d opt for the South Island. I visited Greytown, which is an early Victorian village that is now filled with shops, antiques, and cafes along the main street.

I visited a WWII Marine war memorial that was recommended by my host. New Zealand was key to the Pacific war effort, and this area was the site of a large camp used for training, supply, and respite for the fighting Marines-the beaches were perfect for assault training.

Flexibility being my mantra for this trip, I decided to skip going back to Wellington and taking the train North. A conversation with a local had me keeping my rental car for the duration and heading to Lake Taupo to take advantage of the scenery and an afternoon at Wairakei Hot Springs, which is somewhat less touristy and very relaxing.

The next day I drove to Otorohango, my jumping off spot for the Waimoto Caves. On the way I stopped at Haku Falls-not spectacular, but a nice side trip. I also stopped at Waireki Thermal Valley, which gives a good look at the continuing volcanic activity in New Zealand. I hiked down to the bottom of the valley and took the bus back up. I found it to be somewhat like Yellowstone, but without the tourist crowds. Or bison. I had a conversation with a young Israeli man who was traveling in the opposite direction. We compared notes and exchanged recommendations on things to see.

The following day I went to the Waimoto Glowworm Caves in Orotanga. This was an awe-inspiring excursion into a cave, with a short walk and then a boat ride. The glowworms inhabit the roof of the cave, and in the darkness seem like thousands of tiny stars. I think this was a must-see.

A Visit to the Shire!

Off to Matamata to get ready for my visit to Hobbiton. The drive was shorter than I thought, and I arrived midday. I was able to check into my motel, which was about a mile outside of the village. The road tended to be busy and noisy, so I would recommend staying in the village.

I had fortunately booked a dinner tour well in advance-it was sold out for days. Arriving at The Shire’s Rest, I found a gift shop and café, as well as plenty of parking and restrooms. Hobbiton in located on a sheep farm, so we were taken in on short bus ride. We were given a delightful tour of the entire movie set (which looks like a real Hobbit Village) and then treated to an amazing dinner at the Green Dragon Inn, served family style.

Our guides were informative and enthusiastic, allowing plenty of time to explore. The dinner, while expensive, meant we had the place to ourselves. It was dark after dinner, and we were given lanterns and taken back to the green for a lovely closing to an amazing tour. Even if you are not a rabid Lord of the Rings or Hobbit fan, this tour was well worth it.

My last stop was three days in Auckland. I really hate driving in big cities, even though I used to do it all the time. I’ve lost my enthusiasm for freeways. I booked a room at the Andelin Guest House in Devonport, across the bay from the main city. Once I got there, I parked my car and didn’t move it until I drove to the airport. It was walking distance to the ferry port and the main street of town, filled with restaurants and shops. My host recommended a couple of restaurants, and he was right about both!

I booked a wine tour on Waiheke Island for the next day. The ferry from Auckland stops at Devonport and then goes on to Waiheke. My tour was a small group of eleven, and we had a great day. On the way back I had a mishap with the ferry. The only scheduled to stop at Devonport is at 4 pm, and there was a long line to get on. The line was stopped once they reached capacity, and I missed it. That meant I had to take the ferry to Auckland and then back to Devonport. If I were to do it again, I would stay on Waiheke and have a nice leisurely dinner, do a little shopping, and then return.

On my last day I took the ferry to Auckland to explore the city. I found that the waterfront area isn’t as nicely developed as the of Sydney, although they are working on it. I decided to take the tour of the Weta Workshop, which is a company that creates movie illusions: creatures, makeup, buildings, etc. It was a fun and interesting to see the development of movie magic.

So that’s it. After five weeks of travel, I headed to the airport, braving the holiday travel in Auckland. Note to self: NEVER forget to turn in the keys to your rental car.