Roadtrip!

Hello I have returned from exploring the Northern reaches of New Zealand and it was quite a bit of jolly good fun.

I trust everybody had a groovy New Years Party?

So, I have been a bit slack with the old photo taking in the past weeks which is why the European 3 piece took so many photos of this trip that if they were magically transferred from digital to material form they would reach around the world 700 times!!!

Things got off to a good start when my good Danish companion, Andreas, arrived with a box of carlsberg under his arm. So we put my new home made BBQ to use and after a hearty feed introduced Andreas to the vibrant Taupo nightlife.

It was a simple journey up State Highway 1, no turnoffs or detours just plain driving. Fortunately Andreas owns a BMW (the best trainee car by far) and it was very smooth driving. 4 hours later we were in the city of Auckland, one of New Zealands largest cities. Whilst it didn't quite compare to Tokyo or London in terms of scale it still managed to convey that city feel that I had almost forgotten completely about since my adventures in densely populated urban wonderland Japan. A trip up the skytower and dinner by the waterfront was a great way to enjoy the city. Getting lost in a multistory carpark, drinking too much and sleeping in the car at 5AM was not a great way to enjoy the city.

After 2 nights of alcohol indulgence it was time to take things easy. A further 3 hours north and we hit the small almost deserted town of Whangarei. The discomfort of 3 of us sleeping in a car the night before had left us in need of a good nights sleep so we checked into a very nice little backpackers. It was run by an elderly couple and felt more like a retreat for young foreiners than a busy money grabbing enterprise. In Whangeri we also visited an extremely nice beach by the name of Matapouri and the naturally beautiful whangarei falls.

Of course we couldn't quite resist visiting just one pub, which as it happened was the only one open in the small ghost town of Whangeri the night before new years eve. It closed at 10 and we just went to bed for some much needed rest. The new years party ahead was going to require lots of energy.

So far the trip was going very well indeed it felt good to be travelling about on the open road and we were all getting along famously.