Blessed to be witness

Somehow we woke up at sunrise. Sun rising from the sea was spectacular, but it got even better when we saw a bunch of Hector dolphins playing not far from the coast. We couldn’t hide the smiles in our faces.

We had a big brekkie as the tide was going up and the surf began to pump. We were not expecting waves, as the forecast said it was going to be flat for a while, but the rocky point was working. It was good fun even though we were worried about the rocks and the sharks. Other surfers told us that it was a sharky point but they don’t usually attack ‘cause they are well feed. After a few waves we forget about that. And the surprise came when I was going out of the water through the rocks and a lil seal came to say hello. Another smile was draught in my face.

Living moments like those makes everything worthwhile. All our travels, experiences, love, instants, breathings, landscapes, beaches, surf, drives, skies, people, food… are being tattooed in our hearts and minds. We feel really alive and happy and knowing that we are lucky to be in this moment, we don’t forget those back home. We’d love you to see all these beautiful things.

Full of smiles in our backpacks, we drove under the rain to the West Coast through scenic countryside and forest. We saw the curious Pancake rocks, a limestone which the nature’s fury has formed into what looks like piles of thick pancakes.

Next stop was the imposing ice flows of the Franz Joseph and Fox Glaciers. Due to the heavy rain we could not walk into the glaciers but saw them closer enough to be astonished. Nowhere else a huge block of ice travelling down the valley comes so close to the ocean. Simply impressive.

sharing mother earth

First step at sunlight in south island and our breath was taken away by its beauty. It’s been already four days and in each one we’ve seen plenty of native flora, wild fauna, spectacular ocean views, golden beaches and clear skies.

We walked and did sea kayaking in postcard-perfect Abel Tasman National Park. Scenic pristine beaches, isolated coves and rock formations where we first saw seals.

Next day, we drove up to the very far north end of the south island, to Golden bay. We visited Wharariki Beach. We had to traverse farmland, hills, bush and windswept dunes to get there, but it’s well worth it for the stunning views and the baby seals playing in the sea pools.

After being sure that there is no danger of tsunami where we are, we’ve head to Kaikoura, where we are now.  Never before have seen anyplace with such awesome mountains so close to sea, and such proliferation of wildlife so close. We’ve seen NZ fur seals, penguins and albatross, knowing that there’s the chance to see whales too.

The surf is being flat and gonna be for a while, so we gonna try Marlborough local wine and keep going.

City of Sails and Windy Welly

Right now we are sailing from the north to the south island of New Zealand. Sun setting and while Carlos watches for whales I’ve just thought that we almost haven’t talk about the cities in New Zealand. Is not that they are boring is just that the country side, beaches, lakes and mountains are so amazing that we rather share about that. Anyway…

Auckland, the biggest city. Beautiful place and geographically blessed. It has two harbors that frame a narrow area full of volcanic cones and fertile farmland. Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean comes really close to each other at some points. Numerous marinas give it the nickname of the “City of Sails”.  Was fun to buzz around the cafes and bars of Ponsonby and K’ road and go up the Sky-Tower to have the best panoramic views of the city. We walked the scenic Tamaki drive to Mission Bay as all the citizens do on weekends but we didn’t had the chance to visit the nearby wild islands.

Wellington, cultural and politic capital, known as Windy Welly ‘cause force winds normally blowing. Beautiful, waterfront and surrounded by hills, it’s a family-friendly city, full of art-houses, bars (we had the best kumara fries ever), cafes, boutiques and restaurants. Te Papa, the national museum, mixes history and modern technology. There’s surf close to the city too. We’ve surfed Lyall Bay, right next to the airport. Waves small and unpowerful and cold water but always better than nothing.

Forgotten World and Surf 45 Hwy

We are not gonna forget the drive through the forgotten World Highway. That’s a road between Taumarunui and Stratford. The drive winds through hilly bush country, passing many heritage Maori sites. It took us almost four to drive 150km. After every curve we found some secret corner making us stop. Small hidden waterfalls, hundreds of sheep in the hills, one way tunnels, stunning landscapes, the most fresh and clean air ever breath, the loneliness of the drive… All that made it magic and unforgettable.

We arrived to New Plymouth under a heavy rain. The surf for next day was supposed to be good so we went sleep early. Still raining in the morning and the surfed messed by the wind. Carlos surfed classic Fiztroy but as it was insanely crowded we drove south along the Surf Hwy 45. All along the way you have good surf beaches, mostly isolated and surrounded by farmlands and tractors.  We checked most of them but the surf conditions were bad; windy and messy everywhere. So unluckly we still have been surfing much but we had the best mixed berries organic ice cream ever and walked under the rain in Mt. Taranaki jungle forest. It’s clear that in New Zealand there are many good surfing spots but you really need to know where and when to go depending on swell, wind and tide conditions.

Rotorua, deeply alive.

Our surf was worth it sacrified for visiting the heartland of Maori culture. In Rotoura´s district 35% of the population are Maori, some of them still live on the Whakarewarewa Thermal village where we learnt a bit about their culture, food, celebrations and the Ta Moko, the art of tattoo. Although was kind of prepared for the tourist, was really interesting.

          

There are 16 lakes in the vicinity of Rotoura, all of them formed from craters of extinct volcanoes.  But the subterranean is still alive and the proof of it are steaming hot springs, explosive geysers, bubbling mud pools and the clouds of sulphurous gas responsible for the town’s unique eggy smell. We visited the thermal reserve Wai-O-Topu, meaning “Sacred Water” and  we were astonished by the landscape and the kaleidoscopic colours of the pools. Check the pictures to get an idea.

From Rotoura we drove to the Central Plateau, where a vast water-filled crater is Taupo’s Lake, the largest in New Zealand.  Near by there is the Tongariro National Park with three massive peaks. We had the intention of doing an alpine crossing but it was raining like hell so we move on to Taranaki.

It's time to smile.

Sitting in a funny cafe in Rotoura it has came to our minds some particular things that we have found on our way and that have suprised us. The list follows:

· One bridge lanes, even in highways, so you hav to stop and give away
· Super clean public toilets( even the remote ones). Always paper on it.
· Liquor ban in public places.
· Not tolls!!! All roads free.
· Happy cows everywhere. True.
· Fresh fruit and vege shops on the highway.
· Pinky sheep. Ready to rock!
· Not much kiwis around (either the fruit or the animal). Thanks God 'cause Carlos is allergic to it.
· Speed restrictions to 100 both on curvy roads and motoways.
· Funny mail boxes everywhere.

Don't miss pictures below.  :-)

from Raglan with aroha (love)

A few days ago an earthquake shaked Christchurch in the south island of New Zealand. It’s been a big disaster with almost a hundred of death, still hundreds of people disappeared and lots of damage. The whole country has been shocked. We are still in the north island where everything is ok. Thanks to all the people that has worried about us. We are lucky to continue with our travels, explores, fun and surfing and he hope all the best for people affected by the quake.

When we wrote this post It had already been three days in Raglan…and finally were two more.  This small laid back coastal town surrounded by green countryside is a good vibes and swell magnet! Not being high season right now, Raglan is a quiet place, where people go from cafes, to surf, to bar… quite simple and easy life.

The day we arrive the surf was double overhead what keept us out of the water. Anyway, just being a spectator was impressive. We surfed the following day on Manu Bay, which is one of the three world-class spot in New Zeland . Well, Carlos did and got the best left-handed wave till the moment. I was just paddleing out when big waves coming… J  .  

We ‘ve just made a stop in Whangamatha where the surf was pretty good and where I found by chance Ferran, a friend that I met in Byron a year ago.  Was nice to see that he continues with his travels too.

Our next stop is Rotoura which remain strongholds of Maori tradition and history.  So on the road again on the search of kiwis .