November 16, 2008
Oh my word what a whirlwind couple of days!
So we drove up the coast and we went up to the first campsite up at Spirits Bay. We were eaten alive by mosquitos, but it was a beautiful place with horses and wildlife. On the way up to the campsite, we went to a beach called the White Sand Beaches. it was so beautiful! The sand was like flour! It was so amazing! The weather wasn't that great, it was wet and grey,but it was so fun walking out to the beach in the rain and walking down the beach in the drizzil and the water was so clear and so shallow, we decided to take a walk out into it! It was so great! Our original plan was to camp at the site there, but the site wasn't that great and it was far from the beach, so we continued on to spirits bay.
We camped out, but none of us slept well. The mosquitos were rough and we were all bit up all over the legs and feet. And the moon was almost full and the skies were amazing, but the swarms of mosquies made us paranoid and constant biting was waking us up. We took showers that morning...cold outdoor showers... Ari had to do a type of war dance to get psych himself up to jump in...it was SO cute. mitch took his sweet time and even shaved! I don't know how he did it..it was SO cold.
The next day the boys decided to hike to the next campsite and I would meet them there. 21 hours and a tiring-restless-cold night, two very haggard looking boys showed up at the campsite.
So, we decided not to take the slower road and drive all of 90 mile beach back down. We went up to Cape Reinga...which was BEAUTIFUL! and saw where the Pacific Ocean meets the Tasman Sea and waved home. We finally made it to the most northern point of the North Island.
Then we drove down to a little town halfway down the penninsula and got gas and then we cut over to the 90 Mile Beach. We drove out onto the sand and drove all the way along the waves down to Ahipara. It was amazing! And so beautiful!
because none of us had slept or eaten in about 24 hours we found a really nice luxury boutique hotel with a nice living room and kitchen and two bedrooms (for only NZ$150..super cheap for the quality). We took hot showers for the first time in about 5 days and we went out to a very nice seafood dinner in Kaitaia.
I have no idea where we're going today...but somewhere. we have to be back in Auckland by Friday...so we'll see what happens.
Have I mentioned how they repair or pave roads around here? I took a picture, but I can't load it at the moment. they do the entire road at once. So, basically you just drive through a construction site. ravel, rocks, people, machinery moving everywhere! It's quite a dangerzone, but everyone works with it and they look out for you and you look out for them and somehow it all works. And everyone waves as you pass...EVERYONE. other drivers, people on the streets, construction crews...everyone.
And remember a while back I mentioned about how trustin they are. Yesterday I went to get gas and instinctively went first into the station to give the man cash. He said "what are you doing? Just put key in the amount and pay me later." I completely forget...you pump and THEN pay....how many of us back in the states would pump and then run? seriously? you know you would have all thought of it or not had quite enough cash and so you would take the chance and bolt. I'm sure i would have at least once.
i think we're all getting a little tired of being on the move. Next weekend Ari and I are going on a Maori adventure for a weekend. We'll be living in a hut with a Maori group for a night and participate in a Hangi (traditional meal cooked in a pit in the ground that the community helps prepare) and go for a ride in a Haka (canoe) and do some sort of art stuff and just get to know the culture. mitch is going to go on to taupo so probably we are going to meet him there after our weekend and then we'll figure out where to go from there. I think we'll proabably settle down somewhere for a while and Ari might do a dive master program while I work to try and put some food on the table.
that's all for now..we're going to play some cards and drink some tea and we're going to keep on moving.
xoxo
Alissa
So we drove up the coast and we went up to the first campsite up at Spirits Bay. We were eaten alive by mosquitos, but it was a beautiful place with horses and wildlife. On the way up to the campsite, we went to a beach called the White Sand Beaches. it was so beautiful! The sand was like flour! It was so amazing! The weather wasn't that great, it was wet and grey,but it was so fun walking out to the beach in the rain and walking down the beach in the drizzil and the water was so clear and so shallow, we decided to take a walk out into it! It was so great! Our original plan was to camp at the site there, but the site wasn't that great and it was far from the beach, so we continued on to spirits bay.
We camped out, but none of us slept well. The mosquitos were rough and we were all bit up all over the legs and feet. And the moon was almost full and the skies were amazing, but the swarms of mosquies made us paranoid and constant biting was waking us up. We took showers that morning...cold outdoor showers... Ari had to do a type of war dance to get psych himself up to jump in...it was SO cute. mitch took his sweet time and even shaved! I don't know how he did it..it was SO cold.
The next day the boys decided to hike to the next campsite and I would meet them there. 21 hours and a tiring-restless-cold night, two very haggard looking boys showed up at the campsite.
So, we decided not to take the slower road and drive all of 90 mile beach back down. We went up to Cape Reinga...which was BEAUTIFUL! and saw where the Pacific Ocean meets the Tasman Sea and waved home. We finally made it to the most northern point of the North Island.
Then we drove down to a little town halfway down the penninsula and got gas and then we cut over to the 90 Mile Beach. We drove out onto the sand and drove all the way along the waves down to Ahipara. It was amazing! And so beautiful!
because none of us had slept or eaten in about 24 hours we found a really nice luxury boutique hotel with a nice living room and kitchen and two bedrooms (for only NZ$150..super cheap for the quality). We took hot showers for the first time in about 5 days and we went out to a very nice seafood dinner in Kaitaia.
I have no idea where we're going today...but somewhere. we have to be back in Auckland by Friday...so we'll see what happens.
Have I mentioned how they repair or pave roads around here? I took a picture, but I can't load it at the moment. they do the entire road at once. So, basically you just drive through a construction site. ravel, rocks, people, machinery moving everywhere! It's quite a dangerzone, but everyone works with it and they look out for you and you look out for them and somehow it all works. And everyone waves as you pass...EVERYONE. other drivers, people on the streets, construction crews...everyone.
And remember a while back I mentioned about how trustin they are. Yesterday I went to get gas and instinctively went first into the station to give the man cash. He said "what are you doing? Just put key in the amount and pay me later." I completely forget...you pump and THEN pay....how many of us back in the states would pump and then run? seriously? you know you would have all thought of it or not had quite enough cash and so you would take the chance and bolt. I'm sure i would have at least once.
i think we're all getting a little tired of being on the move. Next weekend Ari and I are going on a Maori adventure for a weekend. We'll be living in a hut with a Maori group for a night and participate in a Hangi (traditional meal cooked in a pit in the ground that the community helps prepare) and go for a ride in a Haka (canoe) and do some sort of art stuff and just get to know the culture. mitch is going to go on to taupo so probably we are going to meet him there after our weekend and then we'll figure out where to go from there. I think we'll proabably settle down somewhere for a while and Ari might do a dive master program while I work to try and put some food on the table.
that's all for now..we're going to play some cards and drink some tea and we're going to keep on moving.
xoxo
Alissa
posted by Alissa and Ari at
1:29 PM
6 Comments:
Wow you guys are amazing. What an adventure! Hugs and Kisses. Miss you guys!
Luv Kelly
Nora was over today to plan our Thanksgiving menu for the veggies and the traditionalists. Wish you were going to be here...we will miss you!
Love Grandma
man...how do you not run out of adjectives for "beautiful"? it sounds absolutely stunning! i'm so excited for you guys that you have this adventure!!! and i love that you keep us updated!
We went to Mary's 40th birthday party at a really fun beer tavern. Chris and Kari are here...Thor, and all the Van Thillos. Karen is so pregnant I think she is going to have the baby any second. Anyway, we miss you! This adventure sounds so incredible. I marvel at all the things you are seeing.
Love Mom
That all sounds so awesome. When can I visit?
Lissy! How fun! I can't believe how brave you guys are! Miss you!
:) m
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