Day 3:
It’s been a hot day. I just returned from a stroll down at Hahei Beach on Coromandel Peninsula, which is known for beautiful, secluded beaches. There are some really spectacular views and lots of walking trails. I suppose I should back up a bit and begin with the morning. Today started bright and early when the Kiwi Experience bus came to pick up a bunch of us up from the hostel. Can’t miss the bus really – it is a big ol’ bright green machine. The Kiwi Experience isn’t really a tour per se but rather a transport system that allows backpackers to hop on and off wherever the bus stops. So for instance, I bought a Geyserlake pass which goes starts in Auckland, then travels east to Mercury Bay where we stay overnight. In the morning we are departing for Rotorua which is southwest of Mercury Bay. If time allows and you want to, then you can stay in that place for an extra night because another Kiwi Experience bus comes every day and then you hop on that bus to the next destination. From Rotorua, is Waitomo then down to the adventure capital of the North Island (evidently), Taupo. After Taupo, then it is back to Auckland. You can buy really extensive passes that cover both north and south islands but that is for people who have more than 10 days like me. So anyway, the first stop of the day was Mt. Eden, the highest point in Auckland. Mt. Eden is a dormant volcano and from the top you gain 360 degree views of the city. On the way up, the driver told us a story about a few mysterious, mischievous people who hauled rubber tires to the massive crater, poured petrol all over then lit it on fire thus creating black smoke. Beings how this was a dormant volcano, people in Auckland started to panic, rightfully so. The pranksters were never caught but had they been, they would have been in the world of trouble. Another funny sight on the way to the top, we saw a small herd of cows just lying on a patch of grass near the bend of the road. City cows – I couldn’t quite work out where they belonged because well, no barns or anything like that around. Just a giant crater and houses. I guess it really depicts New Zealand quite nicely – cows everywhere, even in the city.
After leaving Auckland, we stopped in a village called Thames for lunch. Nothing really much to say about it. I ate a chicken avocado sandwich, chips (fries to Americans) and a ginger lime soda. From the short time we were there I sensed that this area was kind of a hippie village. For it being quite small I noticed a fair amount of holistic health practices, unless this is just a big thing in New Zealand. I don’t really know – I’ve only been here for a few days. Anyway, we left Thames and were on the way to Mercury Bay, or in the Maori language, Whitianga (pronounced Fit-e-ang-a). The clouds had parted by this time and the sun was beating down when we arrived to Cathedral Cove. Even with sunscreen my Midwest skin cannot handle the sun. I was outside for about an hour and my shoulders turned a tad pink. But it was still a lovely day, outside of being on a bus for awhile. The scenery was quite nice though. It is pretty much like what they would show on TV or the movies – rolling green hills and large herds of sheep gathering under a large tree for shade. More from me later, mates!
No comments:
Post a Comment