At the start of our walk beside the Bay of Islands in New Zealand’s Northland, local kids were having a grand time being blasted with pigment. This is probably a nod to India’s Holi Festival which takes place about now.
Category: New Zealand
Flying North to Bay of Islands
Flew to the far north of New Zealand’s North Island: Nelson NSN to Auckland AKL, AKL to Kerikeri/Bay of Islands KKE.
Heaphy Track
The Heaphy Track in nearby Kahurangi National Park gradually climbed up a mountain, occasionally revealing other mountains through gaps in the trees. We hiked for the day, but found ourselves wishing we could hike the full track, end-to-end, over 4 days.
Farewell Spit
Walked through a monotonous landscape on Farewell Spit, a sandbar near where we’re staying. Unseen by us were big numbers: it’s the longest sandbar on Earth (16 miles); the sea recedes up to 4 miles at low tide; this month, bar-tailed godwits will migrate 7,500 miles to Alaska.
Walking the Beach (Again)
Walked the beach yet again. Each time it’s different.
Abel Tasman National Park
Until now, we’ve avoided Abel Tasman National Park on the north coast of New Zealand’s South Island: it’s just too popular. We prefer to even the tourist load and enjoy a quieter experience by visiting less popular “B-list” places. We would be passing right by Abel Tasman on our way to a remote VRBO (Vacation… Continue reading Abel Tasman National Park
Where Gold Miners Walked
Walked through a subtropical forest in the footsteps of 19th century gold miners in nearby Kahurangi National Park. It’s New Zealand’s second-largest national park, one of the least-visited, and slightly off the beaten path; a good choice for B-list travelers.
Domestic Duties Done
Domestic duties done.
Disappearing Beach
As we walked, the beach slowly disappeared under the rising tide.
On Golden Bay
Drove on the left on slow roads to Golden Bay in the far northwest of New Zealand’s South Island. We’ll chill for a week in an isolated VRBO (Vacation Rental By Owner) cabin.