Adventures in New Zealand Part 1 - North Island

Adventures in Aotearoa

I've been dreaming of visiting the magical kingdom of New Zealand for as long as I can remember (even before the whole LOTR explosion). I am so thankful for my friend and volunteer Dennis Dooley who sponsored my trip and served as a most excellent tour guide/hiking companion.  

I arrived in Auckland after a most posh flight for a couple of quick days on the North Island on my own to rest from the trip, finish up my grading chores for the semester and get myself centered for a real adventure down south...

And boy, did Aotearoa welcome me in high style! 

Yeah- rainbows over the harbor and grassy sloped volcanos at sunset. But - I'm getting ahead of myself. First...

First-class, that is. What a way to travel, if you can! My free-to-me trip in Business was a sweet treat! While the copious legroom was somewhat wasted on my stubby gams, I did love laying flat while (still not) sleeping. 

My stay at Auckland's Verandahs Lodge and hostel was perfect. Situated at the boundary of one of the city's gorgeous parks, it was close to everything but still felt like sleeping in a garden. 

On my urban hike I happened upon the Symonds Street Cemetery. The site had amazing walking paths and fascinating historical significance. At times it was hard to imagine I was in the heart of a thriving city, but instead felt like I'd stumbled into some bizarre neglected botanical collection or abandoned metropolis.  If you are interested in how cemeteries can help tell the story of social change - this one is a great place to look at with a tight lens. 

Of course, it was Christmas time...and the Arizonan in me did not find the sunny skies and warm afternoons at all strange. I do feel that the "Christmas Spirit" that so takes over the US was less frenetic overall. I was to see much more impact from the summer part of the holiday than from Santa Clause and Baby Jesus... 

I hike through the Central Business District (CBD) to catch a ferry across the harbor to see a historic (working) sugar factory. The pedestrian infrastructure here was mind-blowing. I worked hard to find routes-less-traveled, and there is such an incredible network of pedestrian pathways and parks to accommodate travel on foot! A ferry ride and 3 mile walk also lead me to find some of the do-not-miss food treats recommended to me by friends more familiar with New Zealand: lamingtons and meat pies. The first includes light sponge with raspberry jam and cream, all dunked in chocolate sauce and rolled in coconut. Yum! As for the second...how can you go wrong with beef stew in a piecrust?

In the end I decided that if I lived in New Zealand, all the walking paths would be necessary for balancing my calorie intake. Eating well here, it would seem, will be a recurring theme. 

So, this photo hung on the wall at my hostel. Inspired by the idyllic scene, I booked a sunset paddle to Rangitoto.  My urban hike ended at the pickup point at the Art Museum where our Argentinian guide, Ben, waited. As I'd been walking, though l, the weather was changing rapidly as it often does on islands. Conditions weren't quite what I saw on the brochure...

With 24-30 knot winds, we were right at the threshold of what the tour could many considered safe. (Check out those stoked kite surfers) Ben offered us a plan B of kayaking to Browns Island instead. The route would keep us in the lee of the main island longer, protected from the worst of the wind. To be honest, I'm not sure this was the case. 

Our paddle was pretty challenging. As the most experienced paddler in the group, I was in the back seat of one my teams boat. Rick was a machine - I had to do little to keep us moving forward. But he also kicked up a lot of water with his paddles, most of which was blown into my face by the wind. Within minutes I was soaked in spite of the paddle jacket and spray skirt. 

The couple who were on our trip struggled more. He confessed from the very start that he didn't like kayaking, and she said that she was afraid of the water so the chop was pretty intimidating. By the time we reached the island they were barely on speaking terms, and that was just the trip out. 

Our trip leader, Ben, was from Patagonia and to him this was just another breezy day that reminded him of home. Despite being soaked and pretty tired after the paddle, I was feeling really amazing. After all, it's not everyday. One gets to test oneself against the elements on the other side of the planet.

Once we reached the island, Ben set out a delicious barbecue dinner for us. We walked through waist high grass to reach a meadow spot where we could eat. It was hard for me to not freak out over the grass, but there are no snakes, scorpions or other dangerous critters hiding in those grasses. They kept reassuring me that I was safe in my sandals. After a nice hard rain storm lasting about 5 minutes, the skies started to clear and we headed for the peak of the volcano to catch sunset.

It was a lovely hike and the sunset was stunning. A double rainbow crossing the harbor and gorgeous skies in all directions. I had no doubt that this was going to be an epic adventure all around.

We paddled back in the growing dark. The lights of Auckland up ahead were our beacon, and our guide expertly kept us on course. That is until he got caught in a fisherman's line then things started to get a little crazy once again. I didn't make it home until almost 10:30 p.m. with after a dead truck battery on the tour vehicle and an Uber driver who didn't know how to get me back to my hotel. Day one down.

My second day in Auckland I did more urban hiking, touring parks, and checking out some of the amazing public infrastructure. I hiked up to the top of another extinct volcano for views of the city and the harbor. 

My time in Auckland was very short and I'd like to return to visit sometime. There's so many things to see and do and though it is a busy bustling city, it has a relaxed feel and a friendly attitude that I absolutely adored.

I caught a plane that afternoon which took me to Christchurch on the South Island and met my hiking buddy, Dennis. Now the good times could really kick off! 

I loved this tavern in Christchurch located in an old church. A live band was rocking out and it was connected to an amazing little Irish pub that also had traditional live music going. 

A sign of wonderful things to come... Join me here soon for the next installment including batty birds, hanging bridges and some spectacular hiking.