Category: 2018-12 US New Zealand

After a good pancake breakfast we have the calories on the Waterfall trail in about 2.5 hours. It is a beautiful hiking trail, sometimes a bit steeper, and twice you have to cross a stream.

The waterfall is 42m high and it was worth the effort of the ascent. There are many mountain bike trails here in Hanmer Spring and you can also do jet boat trips and bungyjumping. Would definitely be a place for a longer holiday. However, we have moved on. In Amberley today we sleep on a campsite right by the sea.

On the dark beach some sport fishermen threw out their fishing and a few families had a picnic. The only annoying thing here are the sand flies – very annoying!

Silke

We walked again to the pebble beach of Kaikoura. There we observed a "walewatching" helicopter taking off and landing.

Then we started inland. The landscape is really great. Lavender blue slopes and ice blue rivers, …

In Hanmer Springs we visited the thermal bath, which was heated to 40 degrees with natural gas. Now we stand just outside the forest on a DOC campsite under a shining starry sky.

We lost the match Carcassonne against the "Prince".

Silke

Immediately after getting up we took the 8:30 a.m. ferry from Wellington to Picton – South Island. The crossing was very pleasant, in the best sea weather. It lasted a good 3 hours and costs for 4 pers. + camper 531 NZD. You don’t have any fixed seats, but we got a nice table in the conservatory of the café.

On the way to Kaikoura we saw a large sea lion colony at Half Moon Bay. That was probably a few hundred animals, many mothers with very small howlers. They have basked on the rocks.

You can see them very well from the side of the road, over a railing. At the campsite we grilled for dinner. The weather is getting a little better, we could sit outside at about 20 degrees.

Silke

After a breakfast in fine weather outside, we packed our seven things and went to Wellington. On the way we did a short shopping box stop in an outlet center.

Wellington is a beautiful little port city and by the way the capital of New Zealand. We walked along the harbour promenade and looked at Cuba Street. There we also ate Mexican in the restaurant "Fidel Castro".

We are standing in a public car park right next to the harbour tonight. Parking fee 24 h 30 NZD.

Silke

After a stormy rainy night, we had breakfast in the camper pancakes. The weather has now cleared up. We then set off on a 3 h hike towards Putangirua Pinnacles. The entrance was directly at the campsite. The trail led us up a forest path to a great viewpoint over the bizarre rocky pinstripe landscape. Like a theatrical setting, it spreads out in front of you.

Through a riverbed, which had to be overcome partly by boulders, we reached the foot of the rock columns. Here the "Paths of Death" scenes for "The Lord of the Rings" were filmed.

Afterwards we went on to Wellington in the camper. We grilled for dinner.

Silke

Lake Taupo – Tongariro – Cape Palliser

At breakfast we had a phenomenal view of Lake Taupo.

Then we went on to the Tongariro National Park. There it poured like out of buckets.We decided against the planned hike towards "Schicksalsberg" and went all the way to Cape Palliser to spend our night there. The cities along the way resembled ghost towns, as all shops and even McDonald's had closed.

The campsite is a DOC campside, which are not so comfortable but in a great location and there is a toilet. Today there was rice with vegetables as Christmas dinner. At The Carcassonne we still have 48 cards open with relatively equal scores.

Silke

We wish everyone a merry, blessed Christmas.

Today we were in Matamata/Hobbiton. In the original film set of the Lord of the Rings/ The Little Hobbit. There we did a 2 h guided tour at 10:20 a.m. Enjoying the atmosphere and the scenery was very nice. You can see a lot of things from the movies.

Then we drove on to Lake Taupo, where we set up camp. Christmas Eve was celebrated this year without a Christmas tree and with a nude run! The rainy weather holds!

Silke

Finally – After a nearly two-day flight. through Amsterdam and China, our children Janik and Melina have reached us. So to speak, an early Christmas present. They will accompany us for the next few weeks.

We went to Hot Water Beach on the Coromandel peninsula. There you can build a spa pool from a hot spring at low tide. Janik and Reiner have taken over this part. The water is actually warmer than the sea. They were not optimal weather conditions, but they were still a lot of fun.

Afterwards we found a place at Hahai Beach at Holiday Resort Camping and fried something delicious for dinner. Unfortunately, it has rained down quite a bit at the moment. However, the "locals" have assured that it is very changeable weather here and can often have all four seasons in one day.

Silke