My summer holiday

Hi everyone, this extra post is not one I had planned on writing. You see, my parents and I had a summer road trip planned some months ago when New Zealand’s travel restrictions were eased. This summer we were finally able to do it after the New Year. For the whole story, click below…

My parents and I drove from our home northwards towards the northern-most town of Kaitaia. For those who are unsure, New Zealand is made up of two large islands and many smaller ones. We live on the North Island’s largest city of Auckland and Kaitaia is about a four-hour drive or roughly 337 kilometres. Dad and I took turns driving so I managed to get a good view of the countryside I passed along the way. We hadn’t travelled that far before so the changing scenery from city to rural farmland was fascinating. New Zealand is known for its sheep and dairy farms, but we also saw some alpacas in one field at one stretch. We spent a few days in Kaitaia and ventured on a guided bus tour of the northern end. Our stops included the world famous lighthouse at Cape Reinga where you get to see the point where the Pacific Ocean meets the Tasman Sea, 90-mile beach and the giant sand dunes at Te Paki to name a few. This patch of New Zealand is known for its gorgeous beaches and hands down 90-mile beach is the best!! It felt as if it was longer!! My parents really enjoyed their holiday exploring this corner of the North Island. 

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Since my parents are a little bit older I didn’t tire them out too much and we had a few days in between where we just stayed at the motel and checked out the local sights instead. 

On the next leg of our road-trip we stopped at Whangarei, the entry-point to the Bay of Islands. Since we stayed close to the town centre our adventures took us to the local hotspots of Whangarei Falls, the Whangarei Quarry Gardens and the Claphams Clock Museum. Having avid gardeners and nature-lovers for parents meant I had to spend many minutes waiting for them to finish taking their photos!! To say our photos were mainly of trees and plants would be an understatement!! 

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Also it happened to be my birthday and I felt it was only fitting to spend it immersed in nature, breathing in cool, fresh air while walking inside a forest!! What a way to celebrate the passing of time!!

All in all, this little break and road-trip was quite relaxing in its own way as it took us away from the humdrum of daily life and we were able to let down our hair and enjoy the world around us. Exploring the natural world and locations we had only heard about, truly felt like an amazing adventure, even if it was at the slower pace of my parents!! 

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I hope this post gives a small picture of the amazing country I call home. 

Although most people in the world right now aren’t able to travel, I hope you stay safe and are grateful for all you have. I know I am. For my family and friends, the city I call home and the amazing people I work with. 

Stay safe and keep reading,

Miss Mahee