North Island, New Zealand

December 2023 – January 2024

A road trip from Wellington to Auckland. Read more

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Traveler North Island, New Zealand
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- Day 1
- Tuesday, December 26, 2023 at 11:30 AM
- 🌬 22 °C
- Altitude: 13 m
- New Zealand Wellington Ferry Port -41.29311, 174.78389941°17’35” S 174°47’2” E
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Day 1, Wellington
December 26, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 22 °C
We arrived on time at Sydney airport for our flight. Unfortunately our plane did not. At the time we were due to board there was no plane. It arrived 10 minutes before departure so we started half an hour late. I declared our hiking gear (poles and boots) which meant a further hour to clear immigration. The border security were really nice and they had a job to do. We're on a holiday with no deadlines to meet.

We picked up our car for the trip. A Corolla sedan, 2013 (I think). And arrived at the YHA with a couple of minutes to spare. We're across the road from a New World supermarket and less than five minutes walk to the Bay. Unfortunately there is no off-street parking so we'll be doing a car sucks for the next few days.Read more
Traveler Very pretty
12/27/23Reply
Traveler Gorgeous
12/27/23Reply
TravelerGreat photos Robert 😊
12/27/23Reply
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Traveler North Island, New Zealand
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- Day 2
- Wednesday, December 27, 2023
- ☀️ 18 °C
- Altitude: 12 m
- New Zealand Wellington Ferry Port -41.293213, 174.78396841°17’36” S 174°47’2” E
Day 2, Wellington, part 1
December 27, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
The first full day in Wellington. I asked Chat GPT to prepare an itinerary. It wasn't too bad, but could have been better. More in that later.

Our first stop was Mount Victoria lookout. There is a great view of Wellington, showing how big (not very) and spread out it is. We even named a small walk around the lookout.

Our second so was Te Papa, the national museum. This didn't open until 10am, hence the first stop at the lookout. There was an exhibition of the New Zealand ANZAC involvement in WW1 that I wish I had more time with, but we were running out of parking. There a very good Maori exhibition, but photos are limited out of respect (plus the signs days no photos in certain second).

Chat GPT did not specify opening times, and we drive to an area it directed is to, but it was 4WD only. Not for my hire car.Read more
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Traveler North Island, New Zealand
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- Day 2
- Wednesday, December 27, 2023
- ☀️ 18 °C
- Altitude: 13 m
- New Zealand Wellington Ferry Port -41.293172, 174.78387841°17’35” S 174°47’2” E
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Day 2, Wellington, part 2
December 27, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
In the afternoon we visited the Botanic Gardens. Wellington is a hilly city, more so than Sydney. So the Gardens had a lot of up and down walks. But the views we're great.

Our first stop was the Rose Garden. It's in full bloom for summer. We then walk up and down (mostly up) through the Gardens for an hour before heading back to the Pavilion at the Rose Garden for coffee (and a raspberry and white chocolate slice).

We had some time to kill after the Gardens so we followed one of the suggestions from Chat GPT and drive to the Red Rocks Reserve on the south coast. We made it to the entrance. After that you need a 4WD, and the hire car contact says no unsealed roads. Plus the sign at the entrance said 4WD only. There was a water crossing within 50m, and it looked sketchy.

Tomorrow we're going to return and hike to the Red Rocks. It wasn't far, maybe 3km or so.Read more
TravelerYes love Wellington. Love the photos. Their summer climate is excellent for touring. Enjoy 😊
12/27/23Reply
Traveler 😲
12/27/23Reply
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Traveler North Island, New Zealand
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- Day 3
- Thursday, December 28, 2023
- ☁️ 17 °C
- Altitude: 8 m
- New Zealand Sinclair Head -41.361576, 174.71548641°21’42” S 174°42’56” E
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Day 3, Wellington
December 28, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
This morning we returned to Red Rocks to hike to 4WD track to the Red Rocks and hopefully find a seal or two. The beach we walked along was pebbly. There was no real sand to soak off and made walking hard going. So we mostly stuck to the track. The drivers were considerate apart from one red 4WD. There always has to be one.

We found the Red Rocks at the end of a 4km hike. And yes, there was a seal. There a photo but you'll have trouble finding it. He want exactly close by, and I want going to climb the rocks to get a better photo.Read more
Carmel Carlsen 🧡
12/28/23Reply
TravelerThanks for sharing. Fingers crossed you'll see those Seals🤞
12/29/23Reply
Traveler Can see the seal!
1/2/24Reply
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Traveler North Island, New Zealand
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- Day 4
- Friday, December 29, 2023
- 🌬 21 °C
- Altitude: 12 m
- New Zealand Wellington Ferry Port -41.288795, 174.77721141°17’20” S 174°46’38” E
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Day 4, Wellington
December 29, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 21 °C
Wellington is know as the Windy City and today it lived up to that name. It was wet and extremely windy all day. It was a day for not much but when there is no free parking you need to do something.

In the morning we took a drive around the coast it's a section of Wellington that if you didn't know you would think it was some remote costal area with narrow, winding roads up against a rough sea. The drive was nice. There were a few brave (?) souls on bikes, taking in the wind.

In the afternoon I took a drive into the Parliamentary sector. When in Wellington it would be remiss of me not to take a look. The building is unique. Nearby were the Anglican and Catholic Cathedrals. Unfortunately the Catholic Cathedral was damaged in an earthquake and is still closed.

We also visited St Gerard's, originally owned by the Redemptorists but more recently ICPE Catholic Mission. It too was damaged by an earthquake and is currently abandoned. Mass is still held on Sundays, but enter at you own risk.Read more
Traveler Wow is that the damage on the stairs by the earthquake?
1/2/24Reply
TravelerI never noticed, but no. It had been raining quite heavy earlier in the day. That's water running down the stairs.
1/2/24Reply
Traveler Parliament building?
1/2/24Reply
TravelerYes
1/2/24Reply
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Traveler North Island, New Zealand
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- Day 5
- Saturday, December 30, 2023
- ☁️ 19 °C
- Altitude: 819 m
- New Zealand National Park -39.174402, 175.40116839°10’28” S 175°24’4” E
Day 5, roadtrip to National Park.
December 30, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
Woke to a very windy Wellington. The wind seemed stronger than yesterday. It wasn't raining so that's a plus. We packed out things and found the car before the parking inspectors. There's no free parking in Wellington during the day with the exception of supermarkets for 90 minutes, and street parking between 8pm and 8am. I was booked the first morning for parking in a clear way that started at 7am.

We headed north to find cheaper petrol (so expensive in Wellington) and found it 20 cents cheaper at Porirua. We then drove to Palmerston North. Or Palmy as the street banners called it. We found a cafe that was open - most closed for New Year's, and walked the Square, with some lovely smelling roses, before heading to National Park.

We arrived after 2:30pm and realised that the vigil Mass was at 4pm, half an hour away. It was a quaint little church with a very small attendance. We had a cup of tea with the parishioners after Mass.Read more
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Traveler North Island, New Zealand
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- Day 6
- Sunday, December 31, 2023 at 12:00 PM
- 🌧 17 °C
- Altitude: 934 m
- New Zealand Tawhai Falls -39.172591, 175.51470639°10’21” S 175°30’53” E
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Day 6, National Park
December 31, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 17 °C
As much as I wanted to hike Modor I have to be realistic. It's raining heavy with thunderstorms forecast this afternoon. Visibility is down to zero.

As an alternative we visited Gollum's Pool (Tawhai Falls). It was a short walk off the road, and the rain eased long enough for us to see them. You could hear the falls and the rapids long before we saw them. The rain certainly helped with the volume of water flowing.

Tomorrow we plan on returning when the weather is better to hike to another waterfall before another road trip to Taupō.Read more
TravelerWoW NZ powerful rapids... the Kiwis are known for their Kayaking skills but those rapids would test them. Thanks for the photos and video !!!
1/1/24Reply
Traveler 😲
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Traveler 😀
1/2/24Reply
TravelerThanks for sharing your photos and video of your trip. 😀
1/2/24Reply
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Traveler North Island, New Zealand
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- Day 7
- Monday, January 1, 2024 at 10:15 AM
- ⛅ 7 °C
- Altitude: 1,182 m
- New Zealand Taranaki Falls -39.196803, 175.56446339°11’48” S 175°33’52” E
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Day 7, Taranaki Falls
January 1, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C
Happy New Year. And the sun was shining. There was still some cloud and rain about, but it didn't last long. We needed to drive to Taupō today so there would be no long hike. We elected to do one we missed yesterday did to the rain, Taranaki Falls. It's a short walk from the snow village. The sign says 2 hours, but it was really doable in 1.5 hours.

Initially the surrounding volcanoes we're covered in cloud, and their was some drizzling rain about. The walk went through beech forests, then an open plain across which ran a number of small creeks. You could hear the waterfall looking before you saw it. Mostly because the route I took was to the top. It wasn't until I walked down a set of stairs the a rainforest that I was able to take in how powerful the waterfall is.

You might sense a bit of a theme. I have a liking for waterfalls. They're beautiful, majestic and powerful.

Sadly we left the volcanoes behind after the hike and headed to Lake Taupo. It's way larger than I thought. Like a mini-sea. Traffic in the city is chaos. There a story be the lake like Bondi. Crowded with cars and people there for the holidays. Or accommodation is one street of the lake, with views over the lake.Read more
Carmel CarlsenA lovely way to bring in the new year
1/2/24Reply
Traveler Gorgeous
1/2/24Reply
Traveler Wow
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Traveler North Island, New Zealand
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- Day 8
- Tuesday, January 2, 2024 at 9:00 AM
- ⛅ 15 °C
- Altitude: 347 m
- New Zealand Huka Falls -38.648754, 176.08991938°38’56” S 176°5’24” E
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Day 8, Huka Falls
January 2, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Another day, another waterfall. Well, it's water being channeled through a narrow gorge on the Waikato River, but there is a waterfall at the end.

This is Huka Falls, and apparently you can't visit Taupō without a visit to the Falls. They are said to be the most photographed feature of the North Island. I didn't fact check that so don't quote me.Read more
Carmel CarlsenThe water looks cold
1/2/24Reply
Traveler Great photo of the two of you.
1/2/24Reply
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Traveler North Island, New Zealand
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- Day 8
- Tuesday, January 2, 2024 at 10:00 AM
- ⛅ 16 °C
- Altitude: 460 m
- New Zealand Karapiti -38.6443, 176.07139238°38’39” S 176°4’17” E
Day 8, Craters of the Moon
January 2, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
Just a short the minute drive away is Craters of the Moon. A geothermal active area with a lot of steam vending through cracks in the earth.

Original it didn't look that impressive at the entrance. Just a few bits of steam across a large field full of short shrubs. Then you walk through the field. There are reminders everywhere not to leave the track. The ground is fragile and you might fall into a stream vent or mud pool.

There is an hour long loop around the field explaining the different features and the history. There used to be an active geyser in the field but a geothermal power plant changed the surrounding pressure under field and the geyser stopped.Read more
Carmel CarlsenDoes it smell?
1/2/24Reply
TravelerYes, but it's not strong. At least I didn't think so. Rotorua tomorrow will be the test.
1/2/24Reply
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