Donkey in NZ

A 20-day adventure by Little Read more

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Trip start
November 27, 2016
Donkey in NZ Traveler
Auckland
November 27, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
Hello out there!
I am a little donkey on a very big journey and if you like my adventures, have a look here once in a while :-)

Auckland, NZ - I landed ....after a super long trip-Very lucky, because all other flights were canceled (Lufthansa).
A short stop in Shanghai (with some nice teas), picking up the car (spare you the the picture of that little green box)....uuuaaahh I frst need to sleeeeeep!
PS: I dipped my toes into the Pacific Ocean ...so cool!!! in every meaning :ORead more
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Donkey in NZ Traveler
Pahaia
November 28, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
This was my first relaxing day with a bit of walking around and being overwhelmed by sudden summer, exotic plants and all the wooden houses!

My favorite plant is the bottlebrush tree (the red thing)...it came over from Australia.
Everywhere are palm trees and hughe farns, making you feel like in jurassic times ;-)

Amazing ocean view too!!Read more
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Waitangi
November 29, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
Kia ora!
....that is the “hello“ in Maori language :-) And I learned today at the Waitangi treaty Grounds.
It is the historical place, where the British and Maori people signed “their“ contract ..and it just opened a brand new museum. the museum was fantastic, the guided tour much less. A bit too polished for a complex history, which still has ground ownerships debates on that piece of paper.....mmhhhmm. So questions where Highly welcomed, but no time for an answer.

Anyway; I saw that super big canoe with all the scary faces embedded, the gigantic tree trunk it was partly made of and experienced the “intercultural experience“....very impressive singers!

Another first in this afternoon: I saw mangroves!!! super amazing trees in the river banks of the bay, having their roots stick out like 1001 spikes and let their seeds swim far away.

PS: The warm Scones with oranges and dates taste fantastic!Read more
Woah! The dish is bigger than I am says Donkey
11/30/16Reply
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Donkey in NZ Traveler
Mangonui
November 30, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
Donkey is super happy!!!
we had the best fish and chips (of NZ) here...super yammi! and another great beach, with trees near the water (A sub tropical “Amrum“).....wow.
It s a super tiny fisher village!

On the way we passed the first Missionar station in Kerikeri and the rainbow falls.
enjoy the pics B-)Read more
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Donkey in NZ Traveler
Ahipara sunset
December 1, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
Here is our night camp and after so much driving in curvy hilly streets I was longing not only for a car with gears (!!!), but also a good bed :-)

...still time for a nice walk to the (famous surfer) beach and take some sunset pics....Read more
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Donkey in NZ Traveler
Meeting 2 Oceans
December 1, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
Donkey is speechless!!!

we went up all the way North with promising sunny weather and few feather clouds.
At cape Reinga you have a stunning view on the Meeting point of the Pacific ocean and the Tasmanian sea. Waves break into eachother, mingle in colour and speed.....And humans (and donkeys) freeze in awe.....
The Maori belief that their spirits can go back home from this junction point in the world....
And the distances from here seem endless far, so why not into other worlds?

Bthw, it s great to be a hairy little donkey! other companions got some sunburn souvenirs -lolRead more
Maria JosephAwesome
12/1/16Reply
What's up, Donkey!?
12/3/16Reply
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Donkey in NZ Traveler
Sand Dunes and a lost dolphin
December 2, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
Am I in a dessert?! Everything here is full and lush green, an overloaded vegetation with humming life....and than this: The sand dunes.
In the middle between green life and blue sea a wonderful yellow field strikes out.
No surprise, the Kiwis made a sport out of this too! Sand dune surfing!

We finally landed (no surfing) in Opononi, a cute village with the touching story of Opo the dolphin:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opo_(dolphin)

Also the fish and Chip shop here had a dolphin symbol....although that might a bit misleading?!!!

And a fantastic hotel with a balcony towards the bay made my day!Read more
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Donkey in NZ Traveler
big BiG Trees...
December 3, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 -2 °C
Today was a bit fresh *brrrr*...so I was hiding in the backpack while “walking“ through the Waipoua forest, ,which is full of big and old Kauri Trees.

When I saw the “Father of the forest“....I had to jump out....so super amazing!!! You can see mee in front of this gigantic tree ; 50m hight.

Later we went to many Kauri crafting Shops...dangerous terrain for the non-donkeys!!! But a lot of earings had to stay behind ;-)

I made some friends in the meantime: look at these two Lamas!
The curch (in the middle of a fantastic rose garden) was build completely out of this Kauri wood, making the surfaces shimmering red....ooohhRead more
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Tea Time
December 4, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
Near Hamilton is the only Tea Plantage in NZ, it's named Zealong. It s a very smart Business idea and they export most of their production (Also to the German Teegschwender...that's how we heard about it).

It is all Oolong tea from a taiwan tee plant...and it tastes good :-)

After drinking liters of tea, we went on - Coming through Matamata, we at least stopped in “Hobbity„ , the marketing center for trips to Hobbiton. So Donkey could shot some pretense pics :-)

The area here around Matamata stills holds some amazing beauty places for free - like this double water fall in the mountains !!!Read more
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Sulphor smell...
December 5, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
in Rotorua!
Donkeys were not allowed :-( ....but I heard the Polynesian Spa was a fantastic experience!!!

Different hot pools, very smelly and super heslthy mineral water....aaaahhhhhhh....mhmh.

Later in the park I could enjoy first hand this smelly steams and blobbing muds! Uaaaaah!Read more
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....and roses
December 5, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 15 °C
after all this super smelly images, I d like to share also some pics without mud!

A rose garden was next to the spa :-)
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Donkey in NZ Traveler
Falls, Springs and Lakes
December 6, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
....a water day in full sunshine!

the lake district around Rotorua is wide spread and full of walks between all different waters: Creeks, springs, rivers and lakes (and of course the smelly pools!).
Craving for fresh water experiences we set out to see the deepest spring in NZ: Hamurana springs and nearby the dancing sand spring!

The second spot was the Okere Falls wirh 5 different fall steps and finally a peaceful stop at the lake Rotoiti....

...and maybe now: to the Hotel pool ;-)Read more
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into the wild
December 7, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
Taking the (old) state highway from Rotorua to Napier we wanted to see the wildest forest with the Lake Waikaremoana and the even more amazing waterfalls...
We got to see it all!

And more: 40km of unsealed road included a lot of DUST and many hours in the little green box -lolRead more
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Wine :-)
December 8, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Napier
....in this place we finally got some wine tasting (and some Rain) It was very nicely done and we got some new flavours to know ;-)
With all the recomondations what to drink on a hot Xmas day we left the Hawkes Bay and went over to the other coast.

Whanganui
...and here we drank the wine :) The city has a cuty center with many shops and boutiques. In theory great place for shopping, BUT...everything closed at 5! So: cheese and wine in the motel ;-)
Donkey was very happy!!!Read more
Martin DyerI am SURE I saw Bano's Fiat in one of the pictures?
12/11/16Reply
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on the Surfer Highway
December 10, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ -2 °C
On the search for the vulcano Mt. Egmont (or Taranaki) Donkey saw a lot of lava stones on the beach, but only a short glimpse of the majestic snow tip...

....then the Rain started !
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Rain&Fall....ähm...Dawson Falls
December 11, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
Donkey stayed safe and tugged away, while the real adventure was taking place in ice-rain!
...during a short break, at least some pics were shot.
Cool!

Hot coffee was a high demand afterward!
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elephant
December 12, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
On the way up north (ahh yep....no time for the south island).....we passed the 3 ,sisters`
a rock formation you can visit at low tide.
...and next to them sits an elephant!

Dinner was in this really interesting Pub in Kawhia...
Although there was so much sand to eat today with the stormy weather, it was a surprise we were still hungry!Read more
Traveler Check out the Christmas decoration!!!
12/12/16Reply
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Hot Water beach
December 13, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
Te Puia Springs
....so so great!!! And difficult to describe by pictures!
At this beach you dig a muddy pool in the sand and enjoy the warm water underneath. Up to 45°C let you cook nicely. wow

The Bay itself is a wonderful colour set of blue and green, simply beautiful.

How to find them:
http://www.nzhotpools.co.nz/hot-pools/kawhia-sp…Read more
Traveler This was our pool :-)
12/13/16Reply
Traveler Kawhia village....a super peaceful village, where the goats watch the doorstep.
12/13/16Reply
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Bridal Veil Falls
December 14, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 15 °C
A waterfall so perfectly falling for 55m that an impression of a veil is created....unless it s a windy day ;-)

The nearby sufer paradise Raglan looked fantastic, but in the rainy weather we went on to Hamilton.
Here Donkey could post his Santa Claus mail!Read more
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Hamilton
December 15, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Hamilton city has a beautiful park with a collection of thematic gardens. Although it was a bit rainy it was an amazing visit!

The collection of restaurants here was amazing as well! Victori Street is overloaded with choices ....and after too many Fish&Chips stops during the last weeks we indulged in the more exotic kitchens :-)

Donkey was specially happy about the “Samurai Sizzle“ a newly opened japanese place, with fantastic live cooking (Teppanyaki).
All the best for them!

http://www.samuraisizzle.comRead more
Tepper yaki. Always a pleasure
12/21/16Reply
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Goodbye little Donkey
December 16, 2016 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
Time to say goodbye to NZ (wave)....
Flying via Tokyo we hope to be all back to Germany soon :-)

best wishes and a merry Christmas to all,
Donkey

PS...3100km in a tiny mint green Toyota Passo: not always comfy ;-)Read more
Oh my! Poor you
12/21/16Reply
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Trip end
December 16, 2016