October 21-23rd

Sorry posts are infrequent, time is short, internet is expensive, and blogging takes awhile.  I'll post a few days of posts now.  Cannot get pictures to load.  Will add them later

The second day in Auckland, we walked, and walked and walked. Only goal for the day was to find an affordable car we wanted to buy. We checked every hostel in the cities posting board (a lot of walking), and walked to a car auction place (which unbeknownst to us was only open on the weekends), and every online car listing place. There were a lot of possible cars. We looked at one car, but the WOF was about to run out, and we were unsure brakes were safe, etc. Owner didn’t want to renew it before he sold it. We called probably 5 other sellers, and left messages, but without a way for them to call us, it was slow going (I was calling from a pay phone). A couple did email (left my address), but cars were already sold, they were out of the area, or they were manuals. The 2 we were really interested in, we could not get ahold of. What we did do was walk, and a lot of it. As I mentioned before, pay phones here (even with phone cards) were extremely expensive (1.50 a minute), and monies were being burnt quickly. We elected to buy a cell phone, which are much cheaper per minute (pay as you go), and we could more easily contact sellers (and buyers when it comes time).

The one bright point of our day was the Auckland fish market. On our way to the car market, we found the Auckland fish market, a collect of fish fenders selling only the freshest fish. The market was located right on the wharf, the smell of fish was everywhere. The market had every fish imaginable, and all were for sale. There were several restaurants attached, using extremely fresh fish, ranging from fish and chips (or fush and chups as the kiwis say) to quite expensive. There is also a cooking school upstairs where you can learn how to cook your fresh purchase in authentic kiwi style. Amber and I elected to eat at a sushi vendor there, that purchased her fish from the attached market, IT WAS SO GOOD. We will definitely go back to purchase some fish and cook it at our hostel when we return to Auckland to leave.

Freshest sushi money can buy

　



After a frustrating day of not finding a car and no one returning our calls, amber and I booked an extra night at the Auckland hostel. As soon as we did this, one of the car sellers we were trying to contact called back, we set up a time to meet and look at the car. The car was in the shop to get new brake pads, to pass its WOF (Warranty of Fitness).


The next morning Amber and I got a late start. We were not planning on seeing the car until 1 pm, so we spent the morning wandering the streets of Auckland, going to the wharf, and shopping. We spent most of our time at a store called Kathmandu, a very cool outdoor store native to New Zealand (now in Australia and UK). I purchased some sweet base layer, and some gas to cook with. We also went to a thrift store (there were lots) and purchased some jeans (shorts were not cutting it this early in the spring). Ate some lamb kebabs at a small turkish cafe near by.  We met the guy with the car at 1pm, he said the car needed a couple of more things (new rear tire, work on rear drum brakes), but he would need to up the price to cover it, and it would not be done until 3. Price was still very reasonable, and the guy was very helpful, so we agreed. We picked up the car (1995 mitsubishi gallant) later that afternoon. The seller rode with me for a couple of loops to give me tips for driving on the left, but soon I was on my own. After packing up we headed out for Wautoma (south). Driving on the left is a frightening thing if you are not used to it. Walking on the left was difficult for us, we were often running into others on sidewalks. The hardest part is learning to turn into the adjacent lane when turning left, and turning across traffic when you turn right. I learned fairly quickly with only one almost collision (amber was kind enough to let me know repeatedly in a very loud voice). Traffic was very bad heading south, but we soon got off onto a small coutry highway, and headed away from the cities.

Our new car!

Lamb Kebabs

The drive was among the prettiest I have every done. Green describes it very well, everything was very lush and green. Most the hills were very steep and rolling, covered in flocks of goats, sheep and cows. Amber quickly became annoyed that I stopped every 5 minutes for pictures. In contrast to the rolling green pastures there were very dense forests of tree ferns and thick brush, very pretty. I was thrilled with the car, seems so far to be a good purchase. We realized we would not make it to Waitomo tonight, since the car was done later than we were expecting. Instead we took some country gravel roads through very dense forests to go to a town called Raglan. There was another YHA hostel there (we’d planned on camping, but amber was not feeling great).

Tree Fern Forests

Rolling hills with sheep are everywhere

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 We arrived to Raglan late at night. I was driving the road to the hostel, but could not seem to find it. We kept passing the “Solscape eco-resort” where I thought the hostel should be. As it turns out this was the hostel. It was dark, and the hostel was hard to make out. It looked like a very disorganized group of buildings. The office was closed, I went to the kitchen and found the manager. I decided we would camp there (cheap, I could set up tent while amber cooked dinner inside the building), and we had access to showers etc. The hostel is very impressive, great kitchen, several standalone cabins (old railcars converted to rooms) for rent. It is directly on the beach, and definitely a “beach bum” hostel. The rent surf boards and give lessons. They also have chickens from which they harvest fresh eggs that are for sale. Pretty sure I will like this place. I sent up the tent in a very strong ocean breeze, it will be a windy night in the tent.

Part of the kitchen

View over ocean from the hostel

Our tent site

Solscape

It was a very very windy and rainy night sleeping out. I woke up early, mostly because there was several roosters forcing me awake. I got out of the tent and looked around. Probably the best ocean view I’ve ever seen. Went for a run down a short track to the beach, ran for an half hour on the beach. The track wound through thick forest of tree ferns, I love the Kiwi bush. It is entirely different from anything I have seen. The best part about this place is there is no one here. Super pretty, but deserted beach. I saw 1 person on my entire run. I decided that I wanted to try surfing here, and surf lessons were quite cheap (60 buck US for wetsuit rental, board rental, 2.5 hour lesson and transport to and from beach). When Amber finally woke up we walked some of what I ran that morning, and I got some pictures. We collected shells on the beach for awhile. Amber got some to use for the jewelry she makes. It was almost noon by then, so we had a quick snack and met my surf instructor, Andrew. Andrew is your typical kiwi surf bum, he was a super nice guy, and a good teacher. I don’t think I am a master of surfing, but I managed to get up on several waves, and rode a few out to the beach.

Solscape reception.  Booked surf lesson here

collection of old rail cars turned cabins

Do it

Sample of the local fauna

Track to the beach

Tree Fern forest, super cool

Overlooking the beach by our hostel (surfed here)

proof

Later we headed into town to try some fish and chips, gurnard and hoki was on the menu. Fish and chips are typical kiwi fair, I do not think I will incorporate it into my daily diet. We wondered around the town of Raglan for an hour, buying a few supplies, and exploring. Soon after we headed to the town of Te Mata, to see the near by Bridal Veil Falls. 55 meters tall, incredible waterfall. It was a fairly short hike to and from the falls. I have been continually impressed by how well maintained hiking trails are in New Zealand.

 We were hoping to also see the Waitomo Caves today (glow worrns, watch Planet Earth, they’re sweet), but we were running short on time, and instead drove all the way to Lake Taupo for the night. Hopefully we can see glow worms elsewhere, or on the way back up to Auckland. We did almost run out of gas on the way to Taupo, barely made it (apparently a lot of gas stations close by 6pm). Another thing I’ve noticed about New Zealand, the highway system is not nearly as convenient or well marked as in the US. The roads are very narrow and extremely windy. The landscape is very hilly and mountainous, the roads often feel more like a roller coaster. Despite the difficult driving conditions, Kiwis drive very very fast. I am not yet entirely used to driving on the left, but I am fairly well acclimated. I do not think I will every drive the same speed as the average Kiwi. Seems unwise.
The Taupo hostel was not nearly as impressive as other hostels. More what I expected a hostel to be, cramped beds, crowded dorm style rooms, and a bit smelly. The staff however, was quite helpful, and a large useful kitchen. However it is right on Lake Taupo, a huge lake, in a fairly mountainous region. It was a long weekend here, and the area is filled with trout fishers and other such lake dwellers. After chatting with the receptionist about things to do, Amber and I headed out to the local farmers market. This market was more goods than food, but some local farmers also. There were a lot of tents. Ended up buying some asparagus and a scone. Amber found a local artist that carved jewelery out of local shells, she bought a necklace. Every place we go we usually collect a painting from a local artist. After wondering a bit, we found an artist that made sand paintings with sand from the beaches. The sand on the west coast is black, east coast is white. She used these with a bit of glue to make some awesome paintings. Amber has been practicing her left side driving, which has been scary. Twice she turned into the wrong lane, so far we’ve survived.

View over lake Taupo.  Mt Tongariro and Ruahupoe visible

Lake from the Market

small bit of the market 

Two of the New Zealand sand "paintings"

After the market we headed to the Hot Water Springs, a neat area where some geothermally heated water comes out to for a spring and mixes with the river leaving Lake Taupe (). You can bathe in the springs, natural pools have formed for the hot water. The water straight out of the spring was quite hot, I would guess around 108-110 degrees. A bit hotter than your average whirlpool. It was quite nice to bathe in this part, but you got hot fairly quickly. Since the water mixes with the cold river, you could swim out ward to the cold river, or find a cooler temperature you preferred. As the hot mixes with the cold there is a temperature gradient, gradually cooling as you go out, pretty awesome. The water did not mix that quickly though, often the top 2-3 inches of water would be quite warm, while the bottom foot of water would be quite cold. The water here was incredibly clear and blue, even at the deepest point in the river you could easily see the bottom. The walking track that goes to these hot springs continues to the Huku waterfall. We walked this track, which followed the river, for about an hour to get there. The falls were not as impressively high as the Bridal Veil falls, but the sheer amount of water pouring through was impressive.

After leaving the falls, we cooked lunch, slack lined with some aussies at the hostel, and left for National Park. National Park was not too long of drive from Taupo. National Park is a very small town, mostly a base for backpackers and skiers, as the near by Tongariro national park and Whakapapa ski fields attract both. Tongariro has several active volcanoes (Tongariro (1961m) and Ngauruhoe (2287m) being the tallest). Ngauruhoe is a very impressive mountain, the cone is very steep, it reminds me of how Kilimanjaro looks from a distance. Amber and I leave for the Northern Circuit hike in the morning (5 days, 4 nights). I intend to summit both peaks, however, the area just got a late season snow, ice axe and crampons are now required for Ngauruhoe, which I rented from the hostel. We dined at a small, somewhat upscale café called Elvins Off-piste Café and Bar. Almost everyone in town is either here for the last day of skiing (this weekend), or doing the Tongariro Crossing (a famous day hike). All the hostels are brimming with people.