The drive north to the Bay of Islands was scenic. We booked our rental car from a pick-up site just out of the city — which was good because we did not have to drive through downtown. Ian quickly adjusted to driving on the left and Sunshine navigated. We stopped at the beachtown of Orewa to stretch our legs along the breathtaking beach and get lunch where they served French toast with pink candy floss, aka cotton candy.
We made a second stop at Whangarei Falls and hiked down to the falls. This 26-meter waterfall is on the Hata River and is a popular swim spot. We did not have easy access to our swimsuits but we did see a older German man swimming in his boxers while his three traveling companions laughed. It was amazing how this (and many other) sites are so close to the road.
We spent the next four nights in an apartment in Paihia. It rained intermittently for three of the days. When walking through town, the bookstore/post office had a travel set of Rummikub! We played many rounds late into the evening. When the rain slowed down to a drizzle or the sun came out, we went exploring. One such outing was a walk on the Paihia School Road Track (Trail). Although a little muddy, the trail was well-marked and ended at a nice overlook.
One afternoon we took advantage of the sun and walked to Horowitz Beach next to the site where cricket was first played in New Zealand.
There is a fantastic Indian/Thai restaurant in town. We loved it so much the first night that we returned the third night. We did not call ahead so we had to wait a few minutes for a table. It was just then that we enjoyed a rainbow over the bay and enjoyed some street art.
The Waitangi Treaty Grounds was a short drive away. The name means “weeping waters” in Maori and is considered the birthplace of the nation. There was a special exhibit about being Chinese in New Zealand that provided a different look at the Chinese experience and integration into New Zealand culture. The permanent collection explained the significance of the site and the treaty.
After walking through the museum, we went on a guided tour of the grounds and cultural performance. We missed Waitangi Day (a National Holiday) by two days. It would be fun to return and participate in the many celebrations.
We had hoped to jet ski our first day, but it was cancelled due to the rain. The company emailed to say there was availability the morning of our departure—we packed up our car, checked out and went on a jet ski tour at 8:30 am. It was sunny and we had a blast. The ocean had three to five foot swells that got even bigger as we left the bay. Riding across the swells was both exhilarating and terrifying. We jumped on a water trampoline, learned about an annual game of cricket that is only possible during low tide exposing an island for several hours and stopped in Otehei Bay for a coffee. It was the perfect way to wrap up our time in the area. The Bay of Islands has so much more to explore and see and we hope to return one day.