I write to you all at the moment from a very soft, cozy bed, with a real pillow and a real blanket - kind of a shock to the system after our last week of camping. It's pretty nice. WE were all a shock to the system, I'm sure - the olfactory system - until yesterday afternoon, when we got our first shower, after seven days of hiking and kayaking.
I bring you a quick recap of the road trip so far. Above is a picture of New Zealand's north island. We began at the big blob north of Whangerei, near the top: Paihia, in the Bay of Island. From there we zoomed up to beautiful Cape Reinga, where we spent a couple of days.
On our way back south, the car pooped out and we were stuck in boooring Kaitaia for a day and a half - but we quickly recovered and raced down the island, for a brief stop in Auckland to pick up Lewis, and then on to smelly Rotorua, of the sulfur springs.
After Rotorua it was Taupo, for sailing, excellent espresso, morning swims in rivers, and cider drinking. Around the lake to Taumarunui, a little town lost in nowhere, where we rented five kayaks from a kind family and paddled twenty km down the gorgeous Wanganui, camping beside the same river.
After Taumarunui, we entered the expansive, haunting, and mountainous Tongariro National Park, with its simple, minimalistic beauty, for two nights more camping and some epic day hikes.And here we are now on the East Coast, in the Hawke's Bay wine region, in the art deco city of Napier.
Jen, sadly, left us this morning - but she's off to meet her parents in Queenstown, which is pretty awesome. She flew down, and we'll meet her and her parents in the top of the south island in about a week. I wish her a very happy early birthday - it's tomorrow!!! Jen is an amazing friend, a trustworthy confidante, a cool and collected traveling companion, a funny and entertaining mate in adventure, and I want her to have the absolute best birthday she's ever had.
More details coming soon; in the meantime, I am going to enjoy the heck out of this bed.
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