Road Trippin'

Alrighty. So on Friday the 3rd Remco, Jenny, and Nils scooped me up from Leigh around 3pm and we all embarked on our extremely too brief tour of the Bay of Islands. We took the scenic route up the east coast of the Northland. The views the entire way were absolutely fantastic. There were forests so dense and thick you could only see trees for miles. There were lush, green, blanket-like pastures with ridges worn into them by the sheep and cows that have been grazing there for years. There were grand expanses of blue sea from peripheral to peripheral. And there was every combination inbetween. While I did get a touch of car sickness, it was easily calmed by rolling down the window, breathing the clean air, and reveling in the beauty around me.
We had booked a hostel in Paihia (Pie-he-a) and were shooting to arrive there around 9pm. The drive is something like 3 hours but we took more like 6. First we stopped at a Dutch food store (Remco is Dutch and really jumped out of the car while it was still moving to get to that Dutch store, Nils is Belgian so he was also excited to check it out, Jenny is German so she was indifferent, and I was car sick and loving the chance to get out of the vehicle). The boys bought some snacks there and I got to taste authentic Dutch peppernuts (ours are better), and Speculaas (something like a ginger bread cookie). Then we were back in the car and off to Whangarei (Fang-gar-ae). Whangarei Falls were what we were shooting to visit in Whangarei but we really had no idea where they were. So like good little tourists, we went to the I-site (tourist booth) to get directions. We arrived at Whangarei around 5 and fortunately/unfortunately, there was a 24 hour tourist interactive map and sights guide at the I-site. However, said touchscreen wonder was locked behind the glass doors of the I-site which had been closed for the evening (see facebook for image). Kiwi's are such jokers. We figure that there was a security camera stategically placed so that the workers could sit around and watch footage of tourists staring bewildered at the 24 hour tourism guide that was just out of reach. Fortunately, there was a map also taped to the glass door on which the falls were clearly marked. Thus, after a good laugh, a short bathroom break (at toilets that were advertised as open 24/7 and actually were open 24/7), and a mild stretch, we were off. The falls were highly over-rated. They weren't very tall and there wasn't much falling water. However, they were still quite beautiful and because they were on the smaller side we were able to climb the rocks around them until we were basically underneath. Jenny and I ventured out first and made it quite far, but because we were wearing flip-flops (aka jandels) we stopped once it started getting to slippery.
After the falls, we were back on the road and straight off to Paihia. We found our hostel with very little trouble, threw our stuff into our room, and got directions to the golf course so that we could go star gazing. Remco, Jenny, and Nils grabbed some drinks (of the alcoholic persuasion) and I drove. Of course, I took directions for my tipsy co-pilot Nils and we ended up going the completely wrong way. There was no golf course in sight but we did find a campground that advertised having a beach. So in we went, around 11pm, to star gaze at a campgrounds beach. We parked, wandered, couldn't find the beach, and were just hopping into the car to drive back when the manager of the campground came out and hasselled us about being on his property and "acting suspicious". He told us that he had taken down our licence plate number, demanded that I tell him where we were staying, and asked me what my name was and where I was from before he let us go. We were all a little shocked at his mistrust and anger but we let it go and took off. About 5 minutes after that there were flashing lights in my rearview and we were getting pulled over by the cops. The officer asked us what we were doing, and then held this device in my face and asked me for my name and address. I was so confused. I figured it had to be a breathalizer but there was no mouthpeice and I wasn't sure how I was supposed to blow and talk at the same time. So after a mild twitch fest in which my head was jerking uncertainly toward and away from the device, I stated my name and was about halfway through my Canadian address when he told me that was good and that we could go. Apparently in New Zealand there are three different stages to being breathalized. First you speak into a device. If you fail that, they get you to blow into another device. If you fail that, then they take you to the cop shop to do a third test. Weird? I think yes. Anyway, we were back on the road and managed to get on the right track, to the golf course, star gaze, and get back to the hostel with no further issue. We spent the rest of the night hanging out with hostel peoples and sleeping.
In the morning, we got up around 8:30, took a dip in the pool and decided that the weather was officially crappy. It was really cloudy, not raining but definitely looking threatening, and it wasn't overly warm. Thus we postponed our plans to go kayaking and opted for some hiking instead. We took the ferry over to Russel and climbed up Flagstaff hill, another (lame) hill, and another breathtaking hill (of unknown name). It was still really cloudy but I was still quite impressed. The cloudy/fog tinted everything is a misty blue and the layers to the horizon became so delicately clear. Everywhere we looked it was lush green foliage, dark blue sea, and etheral blue horizon. After hiking, we crashed on the beach and had a bag lunch complete with this delicious spread of roasted kumara and pumpkin. Kumara is a New Zealand vegetable that is similar to a sweet potato. Oh, after climbing the first two hills we went exploring in the town of Russel. We checked out some of the local shops, got some information from the I-site, and took a gander at the oldest church in New Zealand. It was built roughly 150 years ago and is surrounded by a cemetery that is equally old. The church has quite the history as it was involved in a couple gun fights and skirmishes throughout New Zealands history. Feel free to google it for more details. Right, so back to the chronology. We had lunch on the beach near the third hill, and then went back into Russel to decide what to do next. The weather was still bad and we decided there would be no kayaking that day. In the end, we went swimming at Long Beach. It was quite chilly at the beginning but the waves were great, and the sun did break through, so it was really fun. We played volleyball and soccer on the beach which was fun, but ended being quite costly for me. During a set, my ring flew off my finger and was never seen again. The sea (or some lucky little kid) is now $80 richer. You're welcome. Haha. (Don't worry mom, I still have the ring with the saphires, I lost the plain silver thumb ring).
So with the beach done, we did a brief walk on a marshland boardwalk and then we attempted to skidaddle back to Paihia via the ferry. While sitting in line at the Ferry, I realized that my wallet which held the return ticket was no longer in my bag. We drove back into Russel and scouted the bathrooms, the I-site, and were then directed to The police officers house (yes, I do believe there was only one of them in the entire town). I found the police officer drinking and having a BBQ in his backyard. It was pretty funny, cause I walked into the back and everyone stopped to stare at me. I said "Is this the police station?" and this one guy stepped out and said "You lost your wallet". I was like PHEW! It turns out the guy who found my wallet was also at the BBQ so I got to thank him personally. After excessive thanking, we were legitimately off back to Paihia. The return was uneventful and we spent the rest of the night just chilling at the hostel. I went for a brief run (about an hour) and everyone else BBQed.
On Sunday morning the weather was glorious and we booked a half day kayaking tour of the Bay of Islands. We went out to a couple of islands and a couple of beaches. The tour supplied us with homemade scones that were absolutely fantastic. The toured part of our kayak adventure was about 4 hours long and then we adventured on our own for about 3 more hours. We kayaked through mongrove forests and to the Haruku Falls (even less impressive than the Whangarei Falls). We picniced briefly by the falls and then paddled back to the kayak shop. Then it was time to bust out of Paihia.
On the way back we stopped at Ngahwa Springs and Kawakawa. Ngahwa Springs are a natural hot springs that are chalkful of minerals and reek of sulpher. We paid $4.00 entrance to the super ghetto looking springs and were able to test out roughly 20 different pools. The temperatures ranged from about 15 degree to 51 degrees. We spent most of our time in the a pool that was about 45 degrees. That was perfect. It was freaking hot, but didn't burn like the 51 degree pool did. I couldn't even keep my feet in that pool for more that 10 seconds. Think about it team. That's halfway to boiling. Youch! We exited those pools feeling refreshed, extremely hot, and stinking like there was no tomorrow. It's Tuesday as I'm writing this and I still stink like sulpher. Jenny is sitting near me and while I can no longer smell her from across the room, she assures me that the smell is still clinging to her skin as well.
From Ngahwa Springs we went on to Kawakawa to check out the "world famous toilets" designed by German dude Hundertwasser. They were pretty cool. Very unique and unusual decor for toilets. I can see why the quotation marks are applied to the "world famous" bit though. While the dude that made them is pretty famous, and the site itself is well known in New Zealand, it really wasn't that big of a deal. None-the-less I can now say I've used a famous toilet. Haha.
Right. This is getting long... Shmeh.
We basically just drove straight home to Auckland after that. We did stop for gas and had an epic dance party at the pumps as we squeegeed the windows of the car. But other than that, it was just a dark drive back.
Yesterday was uneventful, played some pool, went for a run, went for a walk, went to bed. Now I'm chilling in the hostel trying to get a hold of my new boss. I suspect he's on the plane back from Bali or where ever he was vacationing. I'm planning on snagging a bus to Hamilton very shortly and checking that out as I head down to Rangitikei to the lodge.
Tha tha that's all folks!
Snuggles and cuddles to you all,
Julia