Month: October 2016

I spent the full morning visiting the lazy town of Kerikeri. It is not a great beautiful town, but you could have a first view of New Zealand also visiting some stores, having a drink and talking with people

I bought a Vodafone SIM card, really a good deal. You could have for 29NZ$, 1Gb data, free call in New Zealand and in Australia, some free tickets for the cinema and calling Europe just for 2NZ$/60 seconds. No passport needed! Just buy the card and some charge, call the 777 and follow the instruction.

I got a reflexology massage at “the Body Divine”, nice, but not the correct pressure in my opinion, then Judith brought me to the airport.

She used to work in what is called “opportunity shop”. People is giving stuff for free the would be sold for real cheap price. The earned money will be used for charity.

The flight to Auckland was terrible, so much turboence that I felt sick and I jumped out several times from my seat!

In Auckland I rented a car with ACE. Really great dea and service. Not costing so much, good and cheap full insurance and the service was quick. For sure you need to call them to picked you from the airport to their place, but it would not take so long! The car is quite new, less than 40000km!

Mum arrived without luggage… lost forever? It could be…

Then we start driving to Coromandel town. Some traffic just getting out from Auckland.

Cuttle are everywhere, so much, so dense! Incredible!

But the road from Thames to Coromandel is spectacular! The sea on your left, flower and trees on the right and on top. Then birds all over, and an impressive color of the light.

Really, world could not describe what you see! No traffic, just a duck with puppies…

At Coromandel we ate really a great meal, tasting the Oyster of the region, then fall asleep!

The reason why I bought a fly to kerikeri is to visit the marvelous Bay of Island.I booked the “Cream Cruise” wit Fullers GreatSights from home on internet and I must say that it was really a great choice!

The tour starts at 9:30 from Paiha and finish around 16:15. The cost is 127NZ$ per person. On internet you get a 10% discount.

 I reached with intercity bus at 7:30 from Kerikeri (17NZ$) and drop me directly at the warf.

I decided to spend this hour just loafing around “along side” just in front of Bay of Island. Amazing!!!

The cruise started punctually at 9:30.

The seat on the top of the boat just in front in the middle are the best, but it could be windy and very freezing, so have a layer dress code and as usual as much as sun cream as you can!

You can swim with the dolphin just paying 30NZ$ or swimming in the cage…

I decided to concentrate all my energy just enjoying the color of the sea, the incredible nature and vegetation and looking the dolphins and the seal!



What an amazing day! I had most of the time te impression to be in all the world at the same time. The vegetation of New Zealand is exceptionally different. Sometimes I had the feeling that all the seads on Earth are planted all together here!!!

 

At 13:00 we just have our unique stop over in Otehei Bay, where with just 15 minutes walk you can reach the top of the island and enjoying of a breathtaking 360* view.

Unfortunately we didn’t stop at Russel, but I suggest you to have a visit of this lovely city or better to spend the night.

On the way back, Judith pick me up and show me a really important place for the Maori, Waitangi, where each 27th February there would be an event with the typical Maori boat, where people are allowed to discuss what is not going properly with the prime Minister.

Judith would not like to talk more about the political situation between the governement and the Maori.

Anyhow, there are places where “the white”, named “Pākehā”, literally, “pig”, are not allowed if not invited.

I guess that like always, it would be more complicated than this, but as she suggest, she lived there since only 7 years and it is really not enough to know anything about it.

Many children were playing without shoes; it is normal in New Zealand going also to school barefoot. Shoes must be put only after high school!

Finally!!! I arrived in Auckland… but not my final destination today! Kerikeri, I am coming!!!

Even if you need to get a domestic connection flight, you need to go through the passport control and the luggage control.

I had my hiking shoes on, plenty of mud, so I declared it. They cleaned it and sanitized, just 5 minutes, not more, so I suggest to declare whatever you carry, like food, and not to occur to a fee of 400NZ$…

When you get out, finding the domestic terminal is a piece of cake. Just walk through the green path for about 1 km or wait for the bus.

Self check your luggage and wait. Just 15 minutes before the flight you will get in at the gate directly in front of the plane!

The 45 minutes flight was amazing! The color of New Zealand is changing while you are traveling norther.

In Auckland there is a tiny fog that make the solar light completely different. The see seems more like a grass with wave and all the colors are more pastel and black.

Kerikeri is an explosion of vegetation, colors and fragrances.

The airport is just a pokey space, and there I found Judith, the English woman that decide to follow her son and to move to New Zealand. I found her with AirBnB. Lovely!

We just stopped at the Saturday market where there are interesting carved wood, homeopathic cream, food and honey!

Then we went home where she offered me the lunch and introduced me his son’s lovely dog Maki

In the afternoon Judith had an open gardens events, or means that she could visit as many private garden as she can just to get some inspiration.

She grab me to the Stone Store, selling since 1836. Just 2 steps ahead the Rega’s village, a replica Maori fishing village, 10NZ$. Interesting.

Then I walked though the path to Rainbow falls. The vegetation is unique! You could find gum trees together with evergreens, and bloom fragrance and chirping all over… my garden of eden! Terrific!!!

Flying with air New Zealand were good, 2,5 hours of delay apart.

The service is great, great selection of movies, music, entertainment, wine and… toilets are amazing! Like to be at your place 😍

Anyhow, after so many hour sitting on a chair, 1h43 minutes from arrival and the third plane, waiting for some scrumble eggs if the people before me prefered the noodle, I feel that I need this… DEFINITLY!

And one flight is gone… it was Lufthansa flight, comfortable, the food was good, but too “Chinese” for my taste.

Anyhow, now I am in Shanghai. Before getting to the transfer gate, you need to check your self at the transfer desk. They will ask you the receipt of the come back flight, print once more your boarding card and letting you go after greeting.

For sure one more luggage control and you’re in!

Finding your gate is not too complicated, but you could loose yourself just to check out what are they selling.

Those grab are alive! And are not sold in a restaurant, but in a kiosk, ready for the next flight 😳

Well, it’s time for my second flight!

Talk to you at the other side of the world!!!