Karen's World Adventures

After leaving the rain behind in Taupo we arrived in Tongarirro National Park. Only to promptly turn around and drive back to Taupo to get my much needed camera battery and charger, and then some bear - just for fun, then return immediately to the National Park again. That pretty much killed the day.
Woke up at 6am the next morning hoping to do the Tongarirro Crossing but just as predicted the weather was foggy, overcast and raining. So we didn't go. It turned out to be a BEAUTIFUL day. So instead we just did a little hike to a waterfall. And I hurt my leg. Twice. In the EXACT same spot. Not fun at all.

I left rainy Rotorua and arrived in very rainy Taupo. The place wasn't quite what I had expected. Just a generic town bordered on a lake (Lake Taupo). I had expected much more and it was one of the places I was most looking forward to going to on the North Island. Anyway, it rained the whole time I was there and was basically a disappointment. I just mainly hung around the hostel or walked around the town and it was pretty boring. So I moved on.

Next we were onto Rotorua. I had been warned of how badly the town smells, but you really can't be prepared for it. It was pretty nasty and kind of makes you feel nauseous. The good thing (I think) is after about a day or so you really can't smell it anymore and really only get whiffs of it at random times in REALLY stinky areas. James and I had pretty different plans for Rotorua, so we kind of just divided and conquered.
My first day there I went to the Blue and Green Lakes, and the Whakarewarewa Forest.

I also took an afternoon to introduce myself to the geothermal world by visiting Kuirau Park right in the centre of Rotorua.

Next day James and I headed to Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland and then onto Waimangu Volcanic Valley. It was a lot of walking in one day. Both of these places turned out to be quite similar attractions and I would have to say that Wai-O-Tapu was my favorite, although it was quite a bit more touristy and less natural. I really like the Champagne Pools. Probably because orange is my favorite color

Here's some of my fave pics:

Arrived in Tauranga/Mt. Maunganui. Tauranga proved to be just another city and so really wasn't my thing. We basically drove right through to get to The Mount. Which turned out to be pretty much exactly my thing. We checked into a 16 bed dorm at Mount Backpackers and headed to the isite just in time to have the doors closed and locked in our faces. Awesome start. All I really wanted to do here was hang out at the beach – which I did, and climb up Mount Maunganui – which I did. At sunset. So Mt. Maunganui was a success for me. It was a little chilly to be laying out at the beach, but that didn't stop me as it was my last chance to catch some rays in NZ.
While I was chilling on the beach Mr. James – Cantsitstill gathered up a huge box of shells and shipped them home. Costing a grand total of $204.00NZD. Hopefully they make it through customs....

Not much else to say - it was a nice and relaxing place to be and it was really good to just chill out.

This was really just a place to stop for the night. We thought about spending another night in Hahei, but decided that since it was early eve and we didn't have anything left there we wanted to do, we may as well get some miles behind us and shorten the next mornings drive. We stayed at a cabin in a holiday park and actually spent way more time in Waihi that we had planned. We checked out a gold mine, had coffee/breakfast, then went to the library and I called my mom to wish her a Happy Birthday. It was afternoon by the time we finally got on the road.

Next stop on the tour was Hahei. Home of Hot Water Beach, Cathedral Cove and most importantly - Cooks Beach. Hahei is a ridiculously small town. As in population of a few hundred. MAYBE. We stayed in a cabin at the holiday park. We hit up Hot Water beach in the morning. It was way more crowded that I had anticipated. It it was really hard to get a good spot. The water would either be scalding hot or just cold. Eventually we managed. But the tide came in really quickly it seemed and before we knew it, it was time to go.
Next I did the hike down to Cathedral Cove.

It was nice but I really don't get what the big draw is. Kind of like the Hole in the Rock up in Paihia. It's a hole in a rock. So what?

Last thing on the Hahei to-do list was to find the beach named after me. We did! And it wasn't that nice

After I collected James we headed straight for Whitianga. It turned out to be a pretty small town and oddly enough it seems that most of our time there was spend driving around half lost. Either that or sitting in a cafe downing coffees and hot chocolates and trying to somewhat plan the days ahead. We stayed at Turtle Cove Backpackers, as per Rachel's suggestion. The only real activity we did there was go to Bay Carving and make our own bone necklaces. It was quite interesting and a good cold/rainyish day activity.

So I finally made it to the Coromandel. After a year of people telling me how nice it is and that I just HAVE to go there. My first stop was Thames. I had thought I would stay the night there but was pretty unimpressed to I continued on and spent the night further up the coast at a holiday park. The next morning I rolled into Coromandel Town with a next to empty gas tank and m hair straightener on my roof. Oops. The town was unbelievably cute.

But small, Very small. I had thought about spending the afternoon there before heading up the coast, but I was through with the town in about 15 minutes. So I headed up the west coast of the peninsula right to the top - Fletchers Bay. The views along the way were nice.

At Fletchers Bay I did a short hike - short because I turned around after half an hour because it wasn't nearly as nice as I had expected it to be. I thought it would be a nice coastal track but instead just found myself heading inland through fields and sheep poop.
I headed back down the coast and found myself a nice little spot to chill out, read and wait for the sun to set.

After a very cold night's sleep I headed back to Coromandel Town, had a nice warm coffee and picked up my friend James.

So surprise surprise. More consecutive days off work. Once again decided to make the most of it and get to Hokianga before my time in Paihia was through. I had no plan of course, but I had my car and sunshine. I headed off and spent the majority of the days just driving around new landscape. When I arrived in Opononi I headed right for the beach.


I camped at a holiday park that night. The next day was spent at he beach, doing a hike and driving around the coutryside. I decided to head home later that evening instead of staying another night, so it was a pretty short trip, but I'm glad I went.

I had a few days off from work again. Unwanted days off that is. So I decided to make the most of it and take off for a few days in search of something new. Being in a beachy mood, like I always am, I decided to head up north to the Karikari Peninsula. Being me, I had no specific plan in mind other than to get in the car, drive and see where I ended up. I left Paihia around 2pm on Tuesday and stopped in Kerikeri for a chiropractor appt. My first stop was going to be Matauri Bay. Someone had once told me not to take the first turn off to Matauri Bay, but the second instead. Bad advice as it ended up being a much longer drive. Eventually I came up over a hill and had my first glimpse of the Cavalli Islands.

Stunning. I could see why Steve loved it there so much. I immediately pulled over for a photo op. Continued on my way til I arrived at Matauri Bay.

It was love at first sight. Lovely white sand, beautiful blue water, perfect waves and a lone surfer with the islands as a backdrop. I hung out for awhile, read my book on the beach but eventually had to leave to find somewhere to stay for the night.
I had it in my mind that I would stay at a little beach I had passed along the way. There was a sun shower as I drove and I arrived to find a giant rainbow that ended just out in the water off the beach.
Maybe not a pot of gold, but a sign that this was my home for the night. The rain didn't last long and after taking a few pictures I sprawled out on the beach with my book. And yes, pretty much all I did this trip was take pictures and read!
The next morning I headed further north, first taking a side trip to Whangaroa Harbour. Another of Steve's favorite places. And aside from that, I've become addicted to caffeine (workplace hazard) and needed my daily fix. I was impressed once again. It was a cloudy day, but when I arrived, it was windless and the water was flat and calm. Another photo op.

Got myself a mocha and took a walk along the harbour. As soon as the caffeine kicked in I was in the car and heading north again. As I got further along, the sun was struggling to appear so I decided to stop for awhile around Cooper's Beach/Cable Bay (two places I had first seen on my first trip up to Cape Reinga and had told myself I would get back to and spend more time there). I backed my car in at a rest stop popped the hatch and laid on my bed reading and watching the ocean.
Eventually I continued along yet again, finally reaching the Karikari Peninsula. I headed straight for Matai Bay which, according to random people AND Lonely Planet, was supposed to be the most beautiful of all the beaches on the Peninsula. It was definitely gorgeous.


And not another soul around. I love when that happens! It had a big main beach then by walking around the rocks through the water, there was a little tiny beach, cozy, sheltered and secluded.
Matai Bay is actually 2 bays. I didn't think the one further north was quite as nice.
After completing my obligatory reading / photographing I drove around a bit and checked out the other beaches. Eventually it got late and it was time for food and finding a place to stay. I grabbed food at the only place there really was to get food, and headed over to Rangiputa to eat it, because it was the west facing beach and I love sunsets.
Turns out it was a good place to go because I discovered a good place to stay for the night. Bonus – other people had discovered the same place. I just always feel safer when other people are camping in the same place as me and I'm not totally completely alone in some random place that I don't know at all. Northland can be sketchy. The sky that night was amazing. SO many stars. I've been told that Northland is one of the best places in the world to view the sky. After Hawaii, I'm sure. :p So I had a great sleep and because I strategically parked backed up to a giant hill that would block the rising sun til late, I actually managed to sleep past 7. I headed off from my spot in search of coffee, Which I learned couldn't be obtained until after 11am. So I went for a shower and killed a little time at Matai Bay before heading to Carrington Winery's Cafe for a mocha and a stunning view.
Stunning view. It made that mocha last me longer than any drink ever has before. Ultimately I pried myself up from my chair and headed to Karikari Beach. I had passed by the day before and saw there was a walking track there. Turned out the walking track was really just a path down to the beach. The most stunning beach of all, that is. White sand. Clear water. Reminded me so much of Hawaii.

I ended up spending hours there. In that whole time I saw maybe 5 other people. None of whom stayed very long. I worked on my tan (in other words got burnt) read my book (I was on to my second book of the trip at this point), took too many photos, swam, went for a walk and collected too many shells because they were all big and pretty. Once I was feeling crispy and hungry, it was time to reluctantly leave.

I decided to start the drive back home so I wouldn't have as far to go the next day and could hopefully get in a real shower and a nap before work. I headed back down to Cable Bay. Went for a nice walk through a beautiful nature reserve, read my book on the beach and spent the night there.

The next morning I had a little bit of time for a morning walk on the beach and some reading, then I headed back home wishing I didn't have to go. But first I made a stop for coffee.

So the holidays ended and Marie had to go back home so life eventually settled down from the non-stop party it had become. Life got real.
I acquired a job as a bartender/server/barista at a newish place in town called The Pier Cafe and Lounge. It was a love hate kind of gig. Nothing much else too exciting happened this summer. Never really went out or did anything. Just worked and tried to save money. Went to the wine festival in Kerkeri with Emily, Rachel and Pam. That was a good time. It was a beautiful summer in the bay. Barely any rain, actually a drought was declared in some of NZ. So very different from last summer.
Other than that I just panicked about having to leave Paihia and New Zealand while trying to figure out where to go and what to see in the country before I'm gone.