Free internet has been a challenge on the north island, so we have some catching up to do here. On the whole, the north island is beautiful and indeed very different from the south island- we've enjoyed the north just as much. Here's a rundown of where we've been for the last 2 weeks:
Wellington- Following a misty but gentle ferry crossing to the north island (fair winds, so we were told), we landed in soggy Wellington. Never really hit our groove here (rainy weather, very "unremarkable" hostel...) but loved our 3 days in Te Papa Museum, one of NZ's best! Even though we spent a lot of time in the museum, there was still more great stuff we didn't get to...
Wanganui- We more or less stumbled upon this place and it turned out to be fantastic. This small town along the longest navigable river in the land- 350ish km that leads directly into the Tasman Sea. Took a scenic drive along the river (top of the list when we come back- paddle the Wanganui!) and visited the Koriniti marae (traditional Maori gathering place) in Corinth village. It was full of beautiful buildings and some incredibly ornate carving work.
Tongariro National Park- This was our destination for the famed Tongariro Crossing, which lived up to its reputation as one of the best 1-day hikes in New Zealand (thanks Denise!). Another UNESCO heritage area that we can check off our list :) During this hike, we crossed some landscapes of the like we have never seen before: volcanic craters, freakishly emerald-coloured lakes, alpine thermal vents steaming despite the cold winds and a few volcanoes. This will remain one of the highlights of this trip for us.
Taupo- This was our introduction to a truly geothermal area. Hiked to Huka Falls and stopped for a dip in the local (free!) natural hot springs.
Rotorura- Attended a Maori cultural evening complete with hangi (earth-oven feast), cultural dance, waka canoe demonstration, glow worms and bush walk. Following day, we visited 2 natural thermal "wonderlands", Wai-O-tapu Thermal Wonderland and Waimangu Volcanic Valley; steaming sulfur vents, bubbling mud pools, geysers, craters, mineral terraces and fluorescent pools were just a few of the strange and incredible sights (just check out the photos!). This place is definitely another highlight of the north island.
Coromandel- Took the good advice (Denise) to head to the beach for Christmas and take in a truly Kiwi Christmas experience. We've spent the last 3 days in Opoutere tranquility with visits to Hot Water beach (dig-your-own hot pool...or borrow your neighbour's....), Cathedral Cove natural rock arches and beach. On Christmas morning, we watched the sun come up over the Pacific ocean from the Opoutere beach a mere 5min from the hostel, kayaked in the nearby estuary among semi-blooming Pohutakawa trees, feasted on delicious BBQ meals and had a nap on the beach. It was AU' SOME bro :)
Auckland- This morning we arrived to our last stop in NZ- the big city of Auckland. We'll spend tomorrow, our last day, exploring the city, the harbour and possibly the Auckland Art Gallery.
It doesn't seem like we left Ottawa only 10 weeks ago and now it's almost time to go home. We've seen so much on this trip- it's been an INCREDIBLE adventure. That said, we're both looking forward to seeing our family and friends...and trading in our "jandals" (sandals) for our snowboarding boots---once we acclimatize back into the Canadian winter.
See you soon and Haere rā Aotearoa New Zealand!
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