NEW ZEALAND!!!
I'm in New Zealand!!!
well, it's not a new thing anymore (almost a month now) but I'm still excited about it!
well, on Dec. 24th, in the afternoon, i arrived to NZ.
i was picked up by Ruti, Yael's aunt who's doing a sabbatical in Auckland.
The next day Ruti, Yotam (her 7-years-ols-kid) and I went hiing in the "Waitakere* ranges" just out of Auckland. it was very nice - green and all, but i encountered for the first time what has proved to be a very typical NZ problem - we were walking along a stream, but could hardly see it. Even when there was a waterfall, you couldn't really see it - not more than a few glimpses here and there through the trees...
the next day, Sunday the 26th, we joined Bennett (Yotam's friend) and his mom to "Tiritiri Matangi" - a small island that functions as an open sanctuary for birds. we toured the little place, and it was really very nice. we saw a few interesting birds and heard the extraordinary sounds some of them make.
The next day i started out of Auckland, heading north. after 2 buses and 6 rides, including ~30 minutes tour of the country side looking for some keys and a guy that lived 1.5 years in Tel Aviv, I decided to stop for the night in Kawakawa**.
On the 28th I got a ride to Pahia - Bay of Islands. i went on a ~2 hours walk along the coast and it was very nice with superb views of the bay. i headed north again and tented in Pukenoi for the night.
the following day i started hiking around cape reinga - the northern most point in the N. island. but i found out that due to a very dry season, there are no water in 2 of the 3 days hike...
so i only did the last day of the hike.
it was potentially very nice walk.
potentially, due to the mentioned problem in NZ.
I started by walking along the coast. almost. there was a line of very low sandy hills between me and the sea, Just tall enough to block my view...
after that i climbed up a steep climb (very hard climbing for me, after almost 2 months with no hiking and especially no carrying my heavy backpack) and walked along the ridge line. and the views...
judging by the glimpses i had through the trees growing along the trail, the vies could have been great! rocky bays, clear-blue water...
next morning it was raining. that plus the lack of water along the reminder of the tramp and the fact that my stove didn't work last night helped me making my mind about heading back to Auckland... i got almost as far as Auckland, but finally i pitched a tent in Orewa, a suburb north of Auckland.
on Dec. 1st i arrived to Auckland, but didn't do much over there...
on Dec. 2 i went with Ruti and Yotam to the very nice volcano island Rangitoto (just off the coast of Auckland) and we hiked around for a couple of hours. it was really nice.
Dec 3rd we spent in Hunua just out of Auckland, and had a nice walk over there. it was the best place I've been to in NZ at that time. just a nice green area, with 2 dams creating 2 nice lakes.
afterwards i headed south, went to hot springs, met some dolphins, hiked, saw geisers did... but that will wait to the next post... have fun!
* a Maori name. It's quite annoying - I can't remember those names. Too often when I'm hitchhiking, someone will stop and ask where do i want to go, and after an embarrassing moment I'll answer "north".
** Again, a Maori name. sometimes they just sounds like the sounds you make when you try to make a baby laugh... try korokoro or aniwaniwa etc.
well, it's not a new thing anymore (almost a month now) but I'm still excited about it!
well, on Dec. 24th, in the afternoon, i arrived to NZ.
i was picked up by Ruti, Yael's aunt who's doing a sabbatical in Auckland.
The next day Ruti, Yotam (her 7-years-ols-kid) and I went hiing in the "Waitakere* ranges" just out of Auckland. it was very nice - green and all, but i encountered for the first time what has proved to be a very typical NZ problem - we were walking along a stream, but could hardly see it. Even when there was a waterfall, you couldn't really see it - not more than a few glimpses here and there through the trees...
the next day, Sunday the 26th, we joined Bennett (Yotam's friend) and his mom to "Tiritiri Matangi" - a small island that functions as an open sanctuary for birds. we toured the little place, and it was really very nice. we saw a few interesting birds and heard the extraordinary sounds some of them make.
The next day i started out of Auckland, heading north. after 2 buses and 6 rides, including ~30 minutes tour of the country side looking for some keys and a guy that lived 1.5 years in Tel Aviv, I decided to stop for the night in Kawakawa**.
On the 28th I got a ride to Pahia - Bay of Islands. i went on a ~2 hours walk along the coast and it was very nice with superb views of the bay. i headed north again and tented in Pukenoi for the night.
the following day i started hiking around cape reinga - the northern most point in the N. island. but i found out that due to a very dry season, there are no water in 2 of the 3 days hike...
so i only did the last day of the hike.
it was potentially very nice walk.
potentially, due to the mentioned problem in NZ.
I started by walking along the coast. almost. there was a line of very low sandy hills between me and the sea, Just tall enough to block my view...
after that i climbed up a steep climb (very hard climbing for me, after almost 2 months with no hiking and especially no carrying my heavy backpack) and walked along the ridge line. and the views...
judging by the glimpses i had through the trees growing along the trail, the vies could have been great! rocky bays, clear-blue water...
next morning it was raining. that plus the lack of water along the reminder of the tramp and the fact that my stove didn't work last night helped me making my mind about heading back to Auckland... i got almost as far as Auckland, but finally i pitched a tent in Orewa, a suburb north of Auckland.
on Dec. 1st i arrived to Auckland, but didn't do much over there...
on Dec. 2 i went with Ruti and Yotam to the very nice volcano island Rangitoto (just off the coast of Auckland) and we hiked around for a couple of hours. it was really nice.
Dec 3rd we spent in Hunua just out of Auckland, and had a nice walk over there. it was the best place I've been to in NZ at that time. just a nice green area, with 2 dams creating 2 nice lakes.
afterwards i headed south, went to hot springs, met some dolphins, hiked, saw geisers did... but that will wait to the next post... have fun!
* a Maori name. It's quite annoying - I can't remember those names. Too often when I'm hitchhiking, someone will stop and ask where do i want to go, and after an embarrassing moment I'll answer "north".
** Again, a Maori name. sometimes they just sounds like the sounds you make when you try to make a baby laugh... try korokoro or aniwaniwa etc.
posted by הזידנרים at 4:14 AM
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