New Zealand
Waimairi Beach

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    • Day 45

      First night in Bongo

      May 27 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

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      🇬🇧 First night in the van
      We spent our first night in the van, but first a review of the last few days. After we bought Bongo (our van), we parked it for the time being, because we had booked a few more nights at our Airbnb. Meanwhile, we have been much in the city and have done some errands, such as opening a bank account. And while we are strolling through the city, someone suddenly calls after us, but we don't know anyone here? We turn around and recognise Jakob and Linda, the previous owners of Bongo. The world is smaller than you think, we learn that more and more often. We chatted briefly with them, but didn't want to disturb their lunch any further. It was a nice feeling to meet someone you "knew", so I texted Linda on WhatsApp if they want to meet us in the evening for a beer. In the evening we sat together in a bar, had great conversations and could exchange about New Zealand.
      But how was the first night in the van? Warmer than expected! Well, we still have 15 degrees here, but I had thought it would be colder with the wind. We were parked at the sea and it was quite windy, but we couldn’t feel the wind. It was definitely cozy for two, we may have bumped our heads a few times and lost a few braincells, but that doesn’t make much of a difference. Having breakfast by the sea in the morning was a great experience and I can't wait to see where else we will have breakfast. Now we are sitting in a library, this is where we spend the most time at the moment, writing applications for jobs. Fingers crossed, maybe we can work at a ski resort!
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    • Day 119

      Kaikōura & Helpx

      August 9 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 4 °C

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      🇬🇧 Kaikōura & Helpx
      After our wonderful time in Methven, we set off again to Christchurch. Lucas is doing help exchange there for two weeks and Emily travels a bit more.

      Lucas: On my side, I decided to Helpx for 2 weeks, I felt like I needed some time to recharge my batteries before travelling some more in the van. I found an homestay in the suburbs of Christchurch. I was so looking forward to sleep in a warm comfortable bed, and to be able to cook some nice food in a kitchen for a change! I am staying at an older lady's house that she recently built, after her first house was destroyed by the 2011 earthquake. The woman, Patricia, is really nice and talkative, and has loads of nice stories to share. I help around the house for about 2.5 hours a day, and I can stay there rent free. That leaves me plenty of time to relax and enjoy a heated home! The tasks I have to do are usually pretty straightforward but varied, such as gardening, cleaning, some data entry work on the computer...

      Emily: During that time, I'm continuing my journey a bit further with Bongo. I ended up in Kaikōura, a charming coastal town north of Christchurch, famous for its remarkable marine landscape. The Kaikōura Canyon, an underwater trench just off the coast, brings nutrient-rich waters to the surface, creating a vibrant ecosystem. This attracts diverse marine life such as whales, dolphins, seals, and seabirds, making Kaikōura a premier destination for whale watching. I didn't take a tour because after Lucas and I have explored the South Island clockwise, we'll come back here and watch whales and other creatures together. The unique geology of the region was further shaped by a significant earthquake in 2016, moving parts of the South Island more than five meters closer to the North Island and elevating sections of the coastline by eight meters.
      I had the chance to enjoy the breathtaking landscape and thriving marine world during my hike on Sunday. I walked 13 kilometers around the peninsula from the city center. The weather was wonderful, the sun was shining, it wasn't windy, and pleasantly warm for winter. To avoid walking on the road, I walked along the beach since it was low tide. However, I didn't notice the seal that was taking its midday nap. When I stood just a meter away from it, it roared at me. I got startled, and I could even see its sharp teeth. That's when I decided to flee and jumped back onto the road. Usually, you're supposed to keep a distance of ten meters from seals. I would have done that, but a gray seal on gray stones is hard to spot... I proceeded cautiously from there. Now, there are pathways available, so I don't have to walk on the road anymore. However, one of the "paths" goes through a field full of bulls, and I certainly won't go that way! As I walked along the edge of the field, I met a local with his two dogs. He told me that he went through that field yesterday and got attacked twice. Another man did the same and got seriously injured. Luckily, I chose the right path, or did I? Just as I was sending Lucas a message telling him what happened, I noticed a bull next to me, scratching itself against a bush. Panic rose within me. I continued calmly and slowly, and this time, I wasn't roared at. After two and a half hours, I'm back in the city center and taking a break. Tomorrow, I'll continue my journey...
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    • Day 26

      North Beach

      March 11 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

      Nachdem wir Jana zum Flughafen gebracht haben, schlummerten wir noch ein paar Stunden. 😴 Erwacht aus dem Schönheitsschlaf, mussten wir uns beeilen, um pünktlich (2 Stunden nach offiziellem Check-Out) den bezahlten Campingplatz zu verlassen. 😬 Mit neuem Frischwasser & geleertem Abwassertank, machten wir uns auf den Weg zum North Beach. 🏝️ Dort angekommen wurde Small Foot von innen gereinigt, sortiert und neu dekoriert. 🧹
      Danach ging es an den Strand, um unsere Bräune aufzubessern, Kaffee zu trinken, Spiele zu spielen und natürlich zu lesen. ☀️ 🎲 ☕️
      Den Strandtag schlossen wir damit ab, den besten Wellengang zu nutzen, um uns immer wieder zum Strand transportieren zu lassen. 🌊 Nach einer Menge Badespaß und unserer geliebten kalten Dusche, planten wir die weitere Route. 🗺️ Mit den meist gehörten Musicalsongs aus unserer Jugend (Tanz der Vampire, High School Musical & Fame) näherten wir uns laut grölend der Westküste. 🎤 Unfassbar, dass diese Natur so viel zu bieten hat und wir nach einem Tag an einem Sandstrand nach nur einer kurzen Fahrtstrecke wieder komplett von den Bergen verschluckt werden. ⛰️ Nach zwei Stunden Fahrt kamen wir am nächsten Stellplatz an, um dort nach einem schnellen Resteessen in unsere Betten zu fallen. 😴
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    • Day 29

      Last Day NZ

      March 11, 2019 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

      Das Wetter bereitet sich aufgeregt auf morgen vor, endlich nicht mehr nieseln, die Sonne kann wieder scheinen.
      Ich fliege frühmorgens nach Fidschi 😄
      Die letzten Neuseelanddinge, gutes Essen, Fusswege, Einkaufszentren, Wein.
      Ansonsten bereite ich das Ziel der Reise vor, Koffer ordentlich packen, Rucksack tuckern 😁
      Ich freue mich auf die Sonne (falls es nicht die ganze Zeit gewittert)
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    • Day 86

      Abschiede in Christchurch

      January 17, 2019 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

      Nachdem wir Anja und Micha leider schon wieder verabschieden mussten (Vielen Dank für die wunderschöne Zeit! 😘), waren wir erst einmal damit beschäftigt, Mahana auf Vordermann zu bringen und neue Besitzer für das gute Stück zu finden. Das hat ziemlich genau eine Woche gedauert, die wir hauptsächlich an einen Freedom Campingplatz direkt am New Brighton Beach verbracht haben - einem super Surf Spot 🏄‍♀️🏄‍♂️Read more

    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Waimairi Beach, Q28180931

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