New Zealand 2007 - North Island

Central Business District (CBD). Auckland New Zealand

It was fantastic to arrive in a new country and be met by a familiar face. My friend (Christine) lived in the suburb of Howick and her family were extremely welcoming. Christine and I went on many road trips together around the North Island during the following two weeks. From Auckland you can drive to some amazing volcanic, black sand beaches and the nearby Waitakere Ranges Park is one of my favourite locations on the planet. I have a special affinity for Karekare as it's somewhere I went through a period of reflection and made decisions that changed the direction of my life. Apart from being picturesque, the charm is that it never gets overcrowded and you can often roam large expanses of beach alone. Another memorable location is Waitomo Glowworm Caves which I'd heard about from a school friend many years before I finally got the chance to go. Quiet is a requisite of the cave tours because loud noise can disturb the glowworms. The resulting atmosphere is eerily serene, and as the boat passes through the tunnel it's almost like looking up at a star-filled night sky. I only had two weeks remaining in NZ, so I left the family behind to do a whistle-stop tour of the South Island.


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