The first 2 weeks (14.10. – 28.10.2012)

The start in Hamburg was not good. 40 kilos luggage, including the sport luggage, was allowed, I had 42.4 kilos. For the 2.4 extra kilos I have to pay € 150. The result was that one of my two windsurfing sails stayed in Germany.

Thanks to all who were at the airport. I was impressed and I’m sorry that we did not have more time together before I left.

The flight was very long. From Hamburg to Dubai took 6.15 hours and after a 4 hour stopover in Dubai, it was 18.45 hours to Auckland with a short stopover in Sydney.

When I arrived in Auckland, I was very tired.

Jo picked me up with her car. On the roof a kayak, on the rear rack a mountainbike. In Auckland we borrowed from friends a second kayak and a mountainbike and drove north.

 

 

The next 2 days we stayed in a lovely motel in Snells Beach.

 

We biked from Snells Beach to Scandrett Regional Park and the historic Scott Homestead. It was stressful, because the roads go constantly up and down, but we had beautiful lookouts and fantastic weather.

Then we drove up north, had a stopover in Sandspit and Matakana and drove to the Tawharanui Regional Park, where we stayed in a tent on a campground near the beach for the next 3 nights.

 

 

I was at this park half a year earlier for one night, see  http://www.axelweitweg.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/22022012-tawharanui-cape-rodney.html .

This park is very beautiful, with sandy beaches and nice walking tracks.

 

 

 

 

 

Friends of Jo from Auckland visited us and we biked near Matakana and kayaked at Leigh.

 

Every second day we had some rain and I missed my campervan. We decided to go back to Auckland for one night and then to drive to Coromandel.

 

Jo’s brother has a house in the bush North of Colville. The next and only neighbour is more than 500 m away, no phone and TV, but electricity from a solar panel and generator and hot water. A perfect place for relaxing. Here we stayed for 3 nights and enjoyed the nature.

 

One of these days we did a bush walk and missed the right track. So for hours we were on a climbing tour in a jungle and we used our compasses in the I-phone and camera to find the right direction!

 
Before we drove to the Bay of Plenty, we visited Port Jackson at the top of the Coromandel Peninsula. To reach this small town, you have to drive many km on gravel roads. In this area, there are some nice campgrounds.

 
In Tauranga, we picked up a Windsurfboard, which I bought from Germany on Trade Me, that is the Ebay of New Zealand. I’m now the owner of a F2 Axxis 254 Wave. Then we visited friends of Jo in Papamoa Beach. They have a house directly on the beach with amazing views on the water.

 

We walked up Mount Maunganui. On the top we had beautiful lookouts.

 

The day after, we drove along the coast to Whakatane, Ohope (see http://www.axelweitweg.blogspot.co.nz/2012_03_11_archive.html )and Opotiki and had a bike ride on the Pakihi Track, a part of the Motu-Trail. It was mostly easy riding, because we did the downhill part.

 

Afterwards, we started the long drive back via Rotorua, Taupo, Turangi, Taihape to Waikanae Beach.

On the way we had a view of Mount Ruapehu.

A police car stopped us, because the bike and bikerack on the back of the car obscured the number plate and the backlights. After a warning without a fine we arrived at the beachhouse that night.

Next day I hoist the flag of Kiel.

We visited the brother of Jo, who lived some houses along the beach and had a bikeride in Waikanae.

Sunday, the 28.10., we drove to Wellington.