Thou it is said camping, there was still a price to be paid.
I thought camping was supposed to be free but another country another context. So
there was a few difference. You needed to get to a campsite which is regulated.
You can’t just camp on the streets or a patch of grass like a homeless for if
the Ranger gets you then a heavy fine would be issued.
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| Cheap Tent Bought in New Zealand for NZD16 |
There are the absolute dirt free camping site where you
don’t have to pay for it but there is absolutely nothing other than a toilet
which is a hut, a toilet bowl with a very deep hole in it. Then there is the
honesty box camping which is like the free one, sometimes with water and you
have to put money in a box as per the stated price. No one to man the campsite
and just a box to put your money in. How Honest are you?? Then there is the
paid campsite which is like camping at someone back garden usually a hostel or
a caravan park and there you have all the modern facilities, a power source,
hot shower, wifi, kitchen, depending on campsite facilities defers but you get
the picture.
Thou one have to pay for camping it was still much much
cheaper than getting a bed in a hostel.
Going up the northern tip of New Zealand coast was a crazy
road trip. Not the slow drive and stop that you would expect for even on single
roads the speed limit was 100 and the drivers was determine to hit that mark.
So we flew no stop. Of cause the landscape was a beauty looking out the window
but even when we reach a town somehow we still flew through it pretty fast.
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| Waterfall at Matakana |
First stop was Matakana. Camp for the night in an YHA
hostel. Still had to pay a NZD18 per person so I was shocked that camping was
that costly. The cheapest way of travel was camping, pitching a tent and not
campervans. For campervans cost more to rent and even more for gas. For a NZD16
tent alternating between free sites and paid sites I say we really knew what we
were doing money wise.
Matakana campsite was next to a very nice waterfall which I
and Mat took a quick dip in it. It was a long swim to the waterfall and deep
waters too that there was no resting point. I almost drown swimming up to the
waterfall as the water was so cold I was having difficulty breathing and at a
point almost could not feel my legs. The splash thundering of the waterfall to
the bottom cause a spray of mist which blew heavily onto us while we swim up
making it harder to breath. I knew my limits … turn around and headed back …
still it was cool.
First night at camp was good since it was paid so we had hot
showers, proper kitchen, reading area, power to charge batteries and limited
wifi of only 50mb per person.
Next day the long journey all the way to Cape Reinga the
northern most tip of New Zealand brought us almost a whole day of driving with
little stops. Some stops here and there but it was mostly driving and Chel did
a good job getting us there. Bay of island which was supposed to be the
highlight of the day turn out a bluff. There was no way to see the bay of
island other than getting a boat which cost at least NZD100 per person and that
would be 2 hours. We ended up taking the cheap ferry to Russells a walk around
town and to the top of the hill for the viewpoint and moved on
We got to the campsite after dark. With the mist and fog and
poor lighting it’s a wonder we made it in one piece let alone found the place.
Camping grounds was an honesty system where you just drop your money into a
box. We camped and by daybreak left without putting in any money. There wasn’t
much at the camp grounds other than a toilet ….
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| Cape Reinga |
Cape Reinga in the morning and to our disappointment the fog
or mist was so think we could barely see 10 meters in front. By luck wandering
the walking tracks we manage to locate the lighthouse before banging our heads
onto it. Heading back down south we stop by the largest Kuari Tree in one of
the national parks and it was magnificent. It reminded me of the tree in
Malaysia where it just grow way bigger than the rest of the forest and even 10
people joining hand could not go around it. This tree was big and grand but
still not that big
Final day was driving day again with few stops …. In a way I
would say we did not do much in terms of activities but we see a great deal of
the landscape of the north. That part of the journey I would not repeat in
future for I think I had given it more than its fair share of travel.
Part Two of Road Trip - Coromendal Peninsular
We dropped off Chel and pick up another girl May which was
from France as well. 2nd part of the travel to Coromendal peninsular
we had in total nearly 4 long walks during the 5 days which took nearly 3 hours
every day. I was super exhausted by the end for the shoes I wore was not meant
to do hiking and I was not fit of course. Weather turned out to be sucky with
rainy and cold draft always so I was just in a daze all the way. In fact I fell
sick towards the end due to always being cold and damp due to the rain. NZD 16
tent is useless when it’s raining.
Hence if you ask me about Coromendel Peninsular I would not
remember much of it other than one forest is not much different from the other
in New Zealand. If you love nature then New Zealand is a good place to visit
where there is no predators or poisoned insect that may kill you.
I will need to redo New Zealand for although I visited many
rural places … it was not the heart and soul of New Zealand.
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