Getting Amongst It

So I finally left Auckland two days ago and began driving North into some of the most beautiful countryside I've ever seen. It's sometimes tropical. Sometimes farmland or beach. But always hilly and green. It's amazing.
I spent my last night in Auckland hanging out with my hostel friends. For good luck, and a sort of New Zealand christening, I jumped into the fountain in Albert Park.

Sky Tower from the roof at Frienz

Sky tower at night from Frienz rooftop

So my first day and night out of the city. I went to Bream Bay and camped at Uretiti Reserve Park. At Langs beach I put my feet in the New Zealand side of the pacific for the very first time. The night was freezing and I decided to buy an extra blanket before I camp again. Both beaches look out on the same giant bay.

Langs Beach in Bream Bay

Uretiti Beach was amazing. It stretched along the entire bay and the sand was so fine and soft and 

white. Like powdered sugar. There were jagged islands running along the horizon of the bay. 

Uretiti Beach looking back onto the campground

The stars here are out of this world. I looked up at the sky from the campground and saw a cloud of stars above me. Every constellation is completely new. I had to take a moment to appreciate that I was seeing stars I had never, ever seen before. 

Uretiti Beach

By the time I got to the Uretiti Park, something was wrong with my new car. A mere 185 km and I was already screwed. So early the next morning I drove to Whangarei and took my car to the nearest mechanic. My wheel bearing was shot and it cost me $330 to have it replaced at the garage. Everything really is twice as expensive here.

While my car was being fixed I spent the time wandering down around the harbour area. I went to half a dozen art galleries and a museum. Walked along the river and window shopped.

Boats along the harbour

Wave sculpture along the harbour

Once, my car was fixed I drove to a lookout at the top of Whangarei.

Then onto Little Earth Lodge where I stayed the night. The lodge is charmingly tiny and set amid tropical ferns and Kauri trees, with a big meadow on one side complete with a tiny pony and an old dog. It has only 10 rooms and each room has it's own sliding glass door that opens up to the patio and garden. My pictures don't do it justice. I'll have to take more and really capture the feel of the place.

The view from my patio

It's next to a place called Abby Caves which I wanted to explore but don't want to go on my own. It's storming like crazy here in NZ so I believe I'll stay one more day at LEL before heading north and camping some more. Hopefully, another backpacker at LEL will want to explore the caves with me. Today I'm running errands and wishing for warm weather.