On my 47th birthday we left Australia and touched down in Auckland, New Zealand. This happens to be the 47th country I have visited! New Zealand is one of the few countries I have had on my bucket list since the beginning of our travels. I have heard it said that it is like a miniature version of Canada with its vast array of picturesque landscapes. If you have seen any of the Lord of the Rings movies you’ve seen what NZ has to offer.
Auckland didn’t disappoint. We were both quite taken with this laidback city. With most large international cities it’s usually a guarantee that at least one if not all five of your senses will be violated. I think this is one of the few cities to not do that. In fact, DawnO commented right away how lovely the air smelled. Happy birthday to me.
One of the things I like to do on my big day is get myself my free Starbucks drink (last talked about in our Seattle blog). I figured it wouldn’t work over here but DawnO convinced me to at least ask the question. As I feared, the answer was “No,” but was then followed up with “but I can just make you a free drink anyway. What would you like?” Points to Auckland.
We stayed at a lovely AirBnB that was in a kitschy neighbourhood and we were a block from a metro station so we explored near and far. Highlights include hiking up to one of the 53 dormant volcanoes in and around the city, walking around the main harbour, and dining at the Indian/Mexican fusion restaurant in our area for dinner.
Our last full day in Auckland was Waitangi Day, which is New Zealand’s annual national celebration. We made sure to attend one of the many festivals taking place in parks across the city. Though it wasn’t as flashy as the Australia Day celebration we attended in Sydney, it was still great to enjoy some live music outdoors.
We have rented a car and started our journey across the northern island of NZ, first stopping in Cooks Beach on the Coromandel Peninsula. This small village is close to some must-visit destinations including Cathedral Cove. This morning we got up early to view the sunrise and beat the crowds to the beach. It was definitely worth the 5:50am wake-up call.
After the throngs of people started showing up we headed to the next must-see destination ready to dig a hole in the beach! Hot Water Beach is the spot to go if you’re looking to soak in a natural hot tub. All you need to do is start digging in the sand where natural hot springs will seep their way through the sand to fill it. Be careful though, if you pick the wrong spot, you could burn yourself in the 64C water. We spent a lot of time walking through the maze of holes and people digging until we finally found the “Goldilocks” spot that we could lay in.
Tomorrow we pack up our rental car and continue exploring the north island. I can’t wait to see what else NZ has in store.
Looks like an AMAZING 47 for your 47th! 🥳