Long story short

The past weekish I’ve been traveling quickly through my last couple of towns in NZ’s north island. So rather than writing about my one or two days I spent in each town here’s the short & sweet version. Ready, go.

Rotorua…they call this place RotoVegas but I’m not really sure why because it’s nothing like Vegas…

• Hobbiton!!! Not going to lie, at first I really only headed to the shire to do the touristy thing and say I’ve done it but it turned out to be incredibly beautiful and magical.
• Mountain biking- Rotorua apparently has been voted to have the best mountain biking in the Southern Hemisphere and not that I had any experience to compare it to but it was pretty awesome. I may have wiped out a time or two but the scrapes and bruises might be my favorite thing I bring home. Plus the scenery is amazing! Just biking through the redwoods would have been worth while.
• Government Gardens- A beautiful walk around the government gardens to see the natural sulfate pools (the smell though….*barf*) and the building is spectacular! I also got a little extra treat when I got to watch some old men bowl (isn’t the same as heading over to the bowling alley in the states).
• Zorbing- if you don’t know what it is look it up!! Fun stuff and it originated in Rotorua.

Taupo…favorite stop so far!

• Huka falls- Cue jaw drop. These rapids are incredible. The color doesn’t seem real. I spent a bit of time hiking to the falls which was well worth it as I saw the clearest water I’ve ever seen in my life! No kidding you could see straight to the bottom 15 ft. deep! It was about a 3 hour return hike and you can stop for swims along the way.
• Tongariro crossing- Cue jaw drop again because wow. I can’t explain this hike into words you just need to see it to believe it. The crossing itself is phenomenal but when you do the Mt. Ngauruhoe side summit (aka Mt. Doom s/o Samwise Gamgee) it is something you’ll never forget. WARNING: Mt. Doom summit is probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Don’t think you know how to hike up a volcano.
• McDonald’s- Actually one of the silliest things ever but after a day of crazy hiking I went to the Taupo mickey d’s because it’s rated the COOLEST MCDONALD’S IN THE WORLD and who wouldn’t want to see that?!? I would also like to recognize the fact that New Zealand’s McDonald’s menu is like a 5-star restaurant compared to America’s.

Wellington…really is “the cutest little capital”!! A very inspiring city with a very strong resemblance to San Fran with an extreme hipster side. Yep, just summed it up perfectly.

• Cuba St.- This is the extreme hipster side. A very fun, bright street with tons of shops and cafes. Defiantly worth the time to check out.
• Te Papa Museum- Great exhibits with so much information on all aspects of New Zealand. You could spend a whole day in there! Very modern plus it’s free!
• Six Barrel Soda Co.- Wellington is pretty well known as having a billion and one coffee shops but I wasn’t feeling it so I checked out this soda shop and it was so cute! I got a little tasting board and tried a few of their customer favorites. Looked like they had some good milkshakes and fries as well.
• Really just a whole lot of walking and looking and sitting by the water… fun stuff!                                    

Coroman, it’s raining, del

If you don’t understand the title than I apologize because I couldn’t tell if anyone would think it was as clever as I thought it was. Oh well. 

I have just finished off five days in the Coromandel Peninsula (do you get the title now? Coro MAN IT’S RAINING del…ha. ha. ha?) and you guessed it folks, it was a wet one! Not to complain, because I am in New Zealand, but I would be lying if I said I liked the rain. Who wouldn’t want picture perfect blue skies whilst sitting on picture perfect white sand beaches? 

Although it was raining I still managed to make it through the towns of Thames, Coromandel, and Whitianga. Not the biggest or fanciest towns in the world but I think I spent just the right amount of time in each to get the full experience. 

The town of Thames is a funny little almost western/cowboy town with some good hikes right outside the area. The short amount of time I spent there, I occupied with a small hike that turned into one of the hardest hikes of my life. I almost died. But that’s a story for another day… Let me tell ya…the kiwis want you to get where you’re going and get there fast which means straight up inclines for daysssss. But ignore my complaining. All in all good hikes in the Thames area. 

Now, when you hear there’s a town of Coromandel in the Coromandel Peninsula one would think it might be a significant town (don’t get me wrong it is a significant town in the fact that there’s a ferry that connects from Auckland to Coromandel but in other regards, not a very happening place) but you’re wrong. Especially when it’s raining, there’s certainly not much to do. So I can’t say I did much in my 24 hour stay. However, I was told there were some walks/hikes around as well as some mountain biking trails. I think the most significant part of my stay in Coromandel was meeting Lena. Lena is from Switzerland and came in to the hostel I was staying at around 10 p.m. after walking the coastal walkway all day. We got to talking and I felt relieved that I had met someone I connected with. We had breakfast together the next morning and went to the bizarre downtown for some thrifting. Unfortunately we had to part ways that morning as I had a bus scheduled for Whitianga. We exchanged contact information so we’re hoping to meet up with each other sometime soon. 

Whitianga is probably one of the more popular places to see on the peninsula being it is by so many famous beaches. You can spend a day beach hopping and hit Cooks Beach, Cathedral Cove, Hot Water Beach, etc. and by the end of the day you’ve seen it all! Now with the rain, that’s not always the best option. I ended up doing a boat tour one morning when the rain had settled. It was more of an amusement park ride than a tour because the swell hadn’t calmed completely from the storm. I thought it was fun but the girl throwing up over the side of the boat would probably beg to differ. Besides the puke, it was cool to see the cliffs, caves, and islands up close and personal. Highly recommend if you’re one for new perspectives. The rest of the day was spent hiking up some of the cliffs I saw from the water and swimming and tanning for the small amount of time there were blue skies. The town itself had some cute cafes and of course, my favorite, surf shops. Mom, be proud I kept my self from buying any new swim suits even though they were soooooooooooooo cute:( 

Anyways, I hope if you’re reading this and ever make it to the Coromandel Peninsula you get better luck with your weather. There is also tons more stuff to do up there than what I’ve mentioned. I’m off to Rotorua for the next few days where there’s lots of adventurous activities to do and a great place to spend all your money! RIP bank account. 

        Cheers!
                   Sarah

P.s. more pics!
             

  

KIA ORA!

Kia Ora from New Zealand! At least I think I’m in New Zealand… It’s hard to believe I’m on the other side of the world in a small little country that has so much adventure awaiting me!!! So far, (post dramatic breakdown of questioning my decision making capabilities…who’s idea was it anyway to fly across the world alone??? Surely couldn’t have been me.) the rolling sheep filled fields, turquoise blue waters, vibrant island colors, and 5-star hospitality from the friendliest of kiwis has been more than I could have imagined. I’ve seen the most beautiful greenhouses and have learned about the agriculture. I’ve eaten at the cutest cafes and have seen views that can’t be captured in a picture. The best part, it hasn’t even been a week. I’m off to the Coromandel Peninsula today to have a go at some treks, kayak thru coves, and sit on white sand beaches. Adventure awaits! 

        Cheers!

                   Sarah

P.s. Here’s some of my favorite pictures from around Auckland!

 
     
    
          

 

 
 

First & Foremost

Hey ALL! Welcome to my website…I am so glad you came!! I am so excited to be able to share my dreams, travels, thoughts, and so so much more. Everyday is a new adventure so I hope you will join me in traveling the world and relishing the life we live!