I knew that the more populated North Island of New Zealand would challenge me in some ways, but I hoped that I would see enough beauty and explore enough wild places that it would be worth it. I can now say that I have experienced it for myself; I’ll save my recommendations for the end, but I bet you can guess!
The one thing I was most excited about on the North Island was the Timber Trail. Everyone I met talked about how amazing it is! In the back of my mind I kept wondering, is it THAT amazing in the scheme of amazing NZ scenery, or is it just amazing for the North Island? It was beautiful, and absolutely wonderful to get off the sealed roads, highways, and to camp in the bush again; however, it really did not add anything to the splendor of birds, plants, and views of the South. In the end it was a lovely two days even though it rained nonstop the first day. The following three photos are from the Timber Trail.
Following the Timber Trail I made my way to camp on the reservoir in Mangakino. When I was in NZ two years ago I met a group of guys living in Auckland and bikepacking the South Island. One of them is walking the entire length of NZ this summer on the tough Te Araroa trail. Another of them is hosting me in Auckland for the days leading to my flight next week, and the other, Wayne, was nearby in Rotorua. Wayne and his girlfriend, Tatiana, drove down to Mangakino to camp with me that night, bringing a much needed new fuel cannister and a six pack! We hung out on the beach under the stars while Wayne and I practiced our Spanish with the very patient and kind Tatiana who grew up in Columbia. One of the things I like about the North Island is the multicultural experience. Not one person mentioned in this paragraph was born in New Zealand. Opposite, but related, I have finally met many Maori, the original people of New Zealand (Aotearoa). There are many more Maori on the North Island than the South.
The next day Wayne and Tatiana kindly drive me to Rotorua to avoid some highway miles. I joined them for an amazing vegetarian feast at the home of Wayne’s brother and the next day they took me to Blue Lake to hike and swim. They extended so much generosity my way for which I will be forever grateful.
From Rotorua I had to start riding highways to get to the Coromandel Peninsula, though I was able to get on a rail trail for one day. Busy highway riding is just not for me! I honestly don’t understand road touring where you have the stress and noise of vehicles speeding past you all day long. I have nothing against pedaling on sealed roads, as long as there are almost no cars! I was also unfortunate enough to land on Coromandel Peninsula on a holiday weekend, which included a car show, so traffic was worse than normal. Every region has their own special public holiday and as a visitor you will never manage to figure out in advance when they are! But basically they mean crowds, some stores are closed, and the places that are open get to add a surcharge to every sale.
Despite the challenges I did make it to some beautiful places! In particular Cathedral Cove in Mercury Bay stands out:
I’m currently camped at Cooks Beach and enjoying a much needed day off the bike. It’s a joy to swim, stretch,and catch up on some writing. Last night the local winery had live music and as soon as the first notes sounded my heart let out a sigh. I didn’t realize just how much I missed live music until that moment. Paul Ubana Jones is a great blues/folk singer and a wonderfully kind individual. Check him out!
In two days time I will be in Au kland and on Friday I arrive in Tasmania, Australia! I look forward to the quietness of Tasmania that by all accounts resembles remote NZ in many ways. I guess it’s no secret that my advice is this: Go to the South Island and skip the North completely. With the exception of volcanoes the South has almost all the same natural beauty, but on a much grander scale, with a lot less crowds, and overall friendlier and more available locals. It has been a gift to live for three months in another country and I have learned a lot about myself along the way. Six more weeks of summer down under and then I’ll be back in the U.S. for a couple months! ❤️