When the policewoman asked me if I had been drinking alcohol today and held the device in front of my nose, she must have thought: “Either he's totally drunk or he's not quite right in the head. He looks like he's dead and doesn't know how a breathalyzer works.” She decides to assume the former and says, “You have to count aloud to five in front of the device.” So I count, and the device displays “Pass.” Somewhat puzzled, she wishes us a good day. It's January 2, and we're standing in front of Kariotahi Beach. Until 1950, there was an “i” before the “t,” which was probably dropped because it was difficult to pronounce, even for New Zealanders (the beach is black, by the way, although Google shows it as white). It is located southwest of Auckland and is a good 37 kilometers long. The beach was formed over two million years and consists of iron oxide from the volcanic eruptions of Mount Taranaki. Here you can surf, fish, ride horses, and go off-roading with the appropriate vehicle. When the policewoman asked me if I had a permit, I didn't know what she meant at first. It hadn't even occurred to me that you were allowed to drive on the beach. Of course, I didn't have any, and driving our car onto the beach would certainly not have ended well. So we park the car in the parking lot and take a walk on the beach. On the way back, we pass the alcohol check again. Apparently, they thought there must be something wrong with the device. But this time I was prepared and obediently counted from one to five.
Kariothai Beach, Tasman Sea, New Zealand
We have been in Waiuku for over a week now. The landscape is mainly farmland. Of course, we also plunged into the hustle and bustle of Auckland on Boxing Day. Boxing Day is the day after Christmas when New Zealanders exchange their Christmas gifts. Actually, it's not limited to one day, but December 26 is the official day. Queen Street, Auckland's shopping mile, is bustling with activity. Everything is discounted, and people are exchanging and buying. We find a parking garage on Durham Street and don't read the fine print. The price quoted for parking doesn't seem very high to us. However, the fine print states that the price is for ¼ hour. We survived. We visit the harbor area, the Skytower, and, as mentioned, Queen Street with all its side streets. Auckland is a very clean city; clinically clean is probably a better description. With 1.6 million inhabitants, it is New Zealand's largest city. Around one-third of New Zealand's population lives here. The city center is relatively small, but Auckland itself is huge. This is mainly because New Zealanders are reluctant to live in apartment buildings, let alone high-rises. Instead, they prefer single-family homes. The city covers an area of 607 km², while the city center measures only 4.3 km².
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| Queen Street with Skytower, Auckland |
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| Shopping mall in downtown Auckland, New Zealand |
On our numerous excursions in this region, we visit Vivian Falls in Harker Reserve, among other places. An impressive bridge leads across the Waikato River, which flows into the sea not far from Port Waikato. Here there are sand dunes worth seeing, which connect to Kariotahi Beach to the south. However, the mouth of the Waikato River lies in between, so you can only approach the beach by boat from the south.
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| Bridge over the Waikato River. New Zealand |
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| Vivian Falls New Zealand |
The peninsula north of Waiuku is called Awhitu. On its western side is the aforementioned Kariotahi Beach. On the eastern side, a long fjord stretches south to Waiuku. The hiking trails lead through a fascinating landscape characterized by dramatic cliffs and dunes. At the northernmost point are the Manukau Heads, which mark the entrance from the Tasman Sea to Manukau Harbor. The harbor is New Zealand's second largest natural harbor. However, navigation is extremely difficult due to a shoal in front of the harbor entrance. In 1863, New Zealand's worst shipping disaster occurred here when the HMS Orpheus ran aground in clear visibility. This catastrophe claimed 189 lives.
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| Manukau Heads Lighthouse, New Zealand |
Opposite Manukau Heads, on the Puponga Peninsula, lies the small town of Cornwallis. This is where Auckland was originally supposed to be built. However, fraudulent land sales quickly put an end to that plan. In any case, Auckland was built not far away. We are only at the beginning of our round trip. But we have really enjoyed what we have experienced so far. If you don't want to miss anything, subscribe to the blog. We wish you fair winds and following seas, even on land, and keep a stiff upper lip.
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