I’ve timed my stay in Auckland to match the time window that I was assigned to organize my HBS housing online, and thus spend the better part of the morning glued to my laptop. After reviewing my housing options and balancing my books, though, I’m off to what should be a fantastic day on the bike in the Coromandel Peninsula. I’m lucky and the weather is holding – I only have to endure two quick showers. After 300km along the coast and many, many twist and turns (and just about as many smiles) I arrive in Whitianga, a sleepy little harbor town on the east coast of the Coromandel. I’m sufficiently smitten with my hostel that I decide to give myself a day off and stay for two nights; after all, it doesn’t get much better than paying NZ$ 35 for a single with a view – directly on the beach, sunrise complimentary.
the Coromandel
Whitianga, at Backpackers on the Beach
My plan for day #2 is to check out Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach in the morning, then sit on the beach and read for the rest of the day. When I wake up early – my room is bathed in ruby red thanks to a spectacular sunrise over the beach – it’s freezing, and my motorcycle is covered in frost. I spend twenty minutes warming up the engine, but despite patience and lots of choke the bike is giving me trouble to the point of the engine stalling out on the road repeatedly. I grudgingly turn back before reaching Cathedral Cove, leave the bike in the sun for two hours while taking care of some housekeeping items, then start the three hour journey back up to Auckland. In Auckland I convince the dealership to take the bike back and promptly use the refund I get to upgrade my ride: my new vehicle is purple and green, but it comes with rain protection, heating, and a bed; I’ve officially joined the camper crowd.
sunrise over the beach in Whitianga
Even though I’m not excited about driving a campervan I do enjoy its convenience. The drive back down to Whitianga is smooth, and the next day I finally make it to Cathedral Cove which is serene and beautiful. It’s a twenty minute hike from the parking lot to the beach; for a while I’m the only person there. As I step onto the beach in the morning sun Goethe pops into my mind: Hier bin ich Mensch, hier darf ich’s sein.
Cathedral Cove
the postcard shot
at peace
After my morning hike I bid farewell to the Coromandel and head south towards Lake Taupo and the Tongariro National Park. Along the way I check out some of the many hot springs around Taupo, take in the sunrise over the lake and drive by Mt Tongariro, Mt Ruapehu and Mt Ngauruhoe, but decide to skip the Tongariro Alpine Crossing – even though it is allegedly NZ’s best one day hike – because it requires proper winter gear and also because I have to admit to myself that going on a 20km solo hike through snow and ice in the middle of nowhere is not the safest thing to do. Still, driving by Mt Tongariro and Mt Ngauruhoe makes for some nice scenery.
Lake Taupo in the morning
steam from hot springs on a thermal walk
thermal walk
my new vehicle, Mt Ngaurohoe (LOTR's Mt Doom) in the distance
I am learning to appreciate my new, more sensible vehicle even though I quickly discover that using a motorcycle atlas to navigate with a campervan probably isn’t the smartest idea. At one point I find myself on 80km of poor condition gravel that the motorcycle atlas had marked as a great scenic ride, and later the same day I get stuck in soft sand on a stretch of beach – but at least I remember to get on my knees and dig before making things worse, and after five minutes I’m free again. No more driving on the beach for now.
80kms of this: fun
at least the scenery was pretty
And then I’m in Wellington, at the southernmost tip of the North Island, and aboard the Interislander headed to the South Island. I’m comfortably lounging at the bar in the very front, happily typing away on my laptop. There’s an announcement advising us passengers that we have to expect “less than favorable conditions” in the crossing of the Cook Strait due to poor weather, and thus should take care when moving about. Seasickness candidates are encouraged to sit in the back. This should be fun…
1 Comment
June 23, 2009 at 4:10 pm
This is absolutely magnificent. I am deeply, heartbreakingly jealous