RAGLAN

Sonntag, 26. Februar 2017

A week of craziness

25th February 2017
Whangamata


I don't know how I can describe the last few days. It happened incredible much of crazy, funny things I would've never dreamed about.

Instead of driving up the east coast after leaving the Menpes family, which I lived with for a month, I just booked a flight from Christchurch to Auckland. Particularly to catch up with David again, a guy from Dresden I met on Stewart Island. Because he is leaving New Zealand today and I wanted to see the Coromandel in summer anyway, we met each other in Whangamata.

I hitchhiked all the way from Auckland and he from Taupo. Without any plans and only a tent with us we started our journey.


Hitchhiking deluxe

I arrived a few hours earlier than David. It were 28 degrees and for the first time since Raglan I liked a place immediately. After I spent too much money in new shorts, the shop owner told me about a rock festival end of March. I just decided that I wanna stay and work in Whangamata and probably intentionally missing my flight back to the south island in two weeks. I popped in a few cafes and restaurants and got some contact details. During waiting for Davids arrival I met a guy at the beach, who offers us to build our tent in his garden for the night. Sweet as!

On the next day we drove to Hahei and walked to the beautiful Cathedral Code. The waves were massive but it was absolutely worth it to jump into the water. Afterwards we got a ride to the Purangi Winery, where I wanted to go anyway. We had a jug of cider and a delicious pizza and in exchange we could sleep on their camp ground for free. For sure one of my best days in New Zealand so far. On the next day we hitchhiked to the unknown Otama Beach. To swing at an empty beach on a hot summer day makes the day even more perfect.


Cathedral Cove

Otama Beach


On our way to Coromandel Town Seff, a benevolent family father, took us with him and offered us after only two sentences to overnight in his caravan. No tent building today, yay!




The way up north we went with Maurizio. He is depending on his wheelchair for 20 years. This year he fulfilled his dream and travels through Australia and New Zealand by himself. It was a pleasure to met this strong, spirited characater, who showed me again that you can do anything and that there are no excuses for not to travel.

Fletcher Bay with David and Maurizio

When we came back to Coromandel Town we got a ride with a man from Germany, who moved with his five kids and his wife from spain to New Zealand a few years ago. It's absolutely crazy, how many different people and stories I've met and heard already during my time here in Oceania.

We slept the night in a garden of an old couple in Thames and I had to decide if I wanna go to Raglan and join Daivd on his way to Auckland or if I should go back to Whangamata. I rang Andy, he gave us a ride out of town when we were in Whangamata a week ago, for asking if I could tent in his garden. And then the unbelievable happened: He told me he's not at home for the night but we're welcome to stay at his place. He told me where I can find the keys, gave me the wifi password and offered me to usw the washing mashine and the kayaks. We only spent five minutes with each other! Anyway...Because David got super jealous we hitchhiked a last time together and made David the greatest last day in New Zealand with kayaking to Hauturu Island.

Kayak professionals



A huge thanks to David for that amazing week!