The closing act of chapter 3
Well as I sit at Auckland airport I do so with a cracking big smile on my face. My final few weeks in in New Zealand have been just as good as the ones which preceded them. Not only did I have the time of my life, I met friends I hope to have for the rest of my life and on top of all I saw views worth several lives.
It’s hard for me to put into words how much wonder New Zealand has given me.
I realised it's exactly 1 month since the previous blog and let me tell you... all will be revealed in the next one as to why.
Rocking it in Rotorua
Yep, what they say is true… if the wind is blowing a certain direction anyway.
I was lucky to have friends from Taupo in Rotorua. Nathan and Holly invited me to join them on a day adventuring slightly further afield as they had rented a car and let me chip in for. We headed out to find the sights which lay out of reach to those on feet and after quickly deciding that we weren’t gonna spend money we made our way to Rainbow crater and the short hike which is there, Kerosene creek & the Blue springs in Putaruru. All 3 are vastly different from each other but cool in their own rights with them showing off the areas natural beauty and wonders. The 2 of you made me laugh and I am very thankful to have spent the day adventuring with both of you… I hope that our paths cross again.
Most of the rest of the time was spent entertaining myself and I decided to go and explore the nearby redwood forest. What a cool, unexpected, thing to see here in New Zealand. Surrounding the redwoods themselves is an area of forest which is almost like a rainforest which is contrast you’ll struggle to find anywhere else in the world I’d imagine. They were so cool I found myself going back a day later to take them in again. It’s a must do if you’re in Rotorua & on a budget in my eyes.
The last evening was an evening spent hanging with Marlit, we’d briefly crossed paths in Taupo but hadn’t chatted much. We had a lovely wander around the town while we were treated to a sunset which was as impressive as the ones I’d come to expect from New Zealand. We didn’t chat about anything in particular but I hope that Marlit enjoyed it as much as much as I did. We took some cool photos, laughed about who knows what and enjoyed the sunset.
Ending in Auckland
I’ll be straight up, 12 nights in Auckland is to long… but that doesn’t mean I’ve not had a great time. Im fortunate to have had Iza and John (recurring character from our Taupo issue). The 3 of us were sticking around a little longer than others who were passing through Auckland which meant we formed a core in which others could fall in with for a few days before they moved on. It was nice to have people you knew you’d see everyday for a while.
Duck Island ice cream, what treat this was and I’m almost sad that between it and Frankie’s in Byron Bay some of the best ice cream and gelato i’ve ever had is on the other side of the planet, but hey thats part of the joy of traveling. I’d struggle to name everyone who joined us at Duck Island but Elena was a regular who would jump at the chance to come with us.
We laughed, joked and played cards of course and I hope that both Iza and John know how much they mean to me and that I really do hope to see them sooner rather than later.
Au revoir Aotearoa
I hope with all thats in me it won’t be too long before I return to New Zealand. While I am not near the end quite yet I feel confident in saying it is the jewel of my travels. As I write this now I think of the spectacular views, the many wonderful people and deeply personal moments I had while I was there.
I feel incredibly grateful to have spent time in such a wonderful country and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to convey quite how amazing it was.
I will reflect on my time there with love in my heart for a country which felt so much like home and for friends made from every corner of the globe.
I will be back.
Toddy
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