Kiwi Experience - Paihia to Auckland

We were woken early by someone clattering pots in the kitchen next to our bedroom (hostel living) so we decided to get on with it and went down to the beach for a morning jog. A fog hung heavily over the water obscuring the islands and boats in the bay. The sand was cold and hard beneath our feet but we quickly warmed up as we took a route between the lapping waters and the road. The sun was turning trees on a hillside from green to orange as we returned to our hostel.

We breakfasted with the same travellers as yesterday morning, who offered for us to drive with them back down to Auckland. It seemed like we would have fun with them but felt torn between this and our newly forming group with Kiwi Experience. So in the end we kindly declined and spent the time before our bus back to Auckland with Pierrick, Jamie and Abi, bathing in the sun on a shoreside pontoon. At the front of Paihia's pier is a piano painted in an array of colours. Pierrick, with encouragement from the rest of us, began to play classical pieces he had learnt when he was younger. Although a number of keys did not work the music was still a great compliment to the postcard scene around us.

Back in Auckland we returned to the same hostel we had previously stayed at, Verandahs. The owner, Campbell, greeted us at the door before giving us a free upgrade to an ensuite, which was very welcomed. We settled in for an early night as it was another day travelling tomorrow, this time southward to Hot Water Beach.Read more