Aotearoa

Aotearoa; That’s  the maorí name for New Zeland.  Meaning the land of a long white cloud gives you an idea of what you can expect.

 It’s already been five days here and despite visa problems, still missing bag, battery’s runs out and bee bites…we feel like being in the paradise. Everything is just wonderful.  The light is more alive than anywhere else, making everything even more beautiful. Every km we drive or every walk we do it’s a gift.

             

 Unspoilt beaches, like black-sanded Karekare or surf Piha beach where we spend the first night and our first surf attempt was frustrated by an heli rescue of one surfer on the early morning. 

             

               

We made a quick visit to cosmopolitan Auckland to buy some basics before heading to Coromandel Peninsula searching for surf . The spectacular scenery we found in the way left us stoked.  Lush vegetation of an uncountable range of greens and tree types, that leaded us to the Hot Water Beach, voted one of the top ten most beautiful beaches in the world. We had our first surf there.  It was small but we were completely alone and was the perfect first surf after four months. It was warm so I surfed in bikinis . So good to feel the water on my skin again.  

            

                                           

We slept in uncrowded Opoutere, but the surf in the morning was not good so we took and long walk through the beach and saved a bird on the way. Next stop has been Whangamata, where we just went out the water. Quite messy and difficult to get into the peak, was a good second training session.