After a day in Waikane, getting things taken care of on our van (oil change, fastening seats, air filter etc.) we went to Turangi to some wicked hot springs. Stefan hit up bungy jumping along the way in the highest place in the north island. Pretty high jump down to the river, some 80m down. We stayed overnight at some private hot springs, off the main path, being able to chill with no one around, just lots of heat and moisture. The next morning, waking up to heat, and moisture in the van, we cooked breakfast over a hot spring, which some Maori locals had shown us. Super fun way to cook food, slow, but it got the job done naturally, using heat from the earth.
Lake Taupo was huge, famous for trout fishing. Cool city too, and we camped on the outskirts near a huge waterfall at a free campground. Super strong river there, which was refreshing after organizing the inside of the van. The gas cooker worked great and the next morniing after another good swim in the river, we had breakfast and on the road again to the west coast to the big beaches. It rained the whole day, but that didn't stop us from swimming in the Tasman Sea in the biggest waves I've seen so far in NZ. Found some hot water springs on the beach too, that weren't too hot due to the rain and tide and one hour later after swimming and coming out drier than before, they weren't too much hotter.
Now we've explored Auckland and are off to an island tomorrow morning nearby to do some wine tasting and hiking.
Private hot springs in Turangi, dug out by the locals
Cooking breakfast of eggs and ham over the hot springs, old fashioned Maori style
Big Blue with breakfast table out back at free campground in Lake Taupo
Big Blue and I, rocking the North Island
Fresh corn, enough said
Green countryside, dotted with cows, and covered with summer clouds
Stefan, Big Blue and the Tasman Sea near Kaphia
Auckland, as seen from Mt Eden, the highest volcano in the city
Queen Victoria with palm trees? Must mean I'm on a south pacific island
No comments:
Post a Comment