After Rotorua and the conference, we had two days left to drive back to Auckland. We had two memorable stops. Mount Maunganui is a narrow peninsula with a steep mountain at the tip. The people who live in the area must really like their mountain, it is full of nice walking paths which weren't exactly crowded but well used. The local walking club just had some event and one of their members offered to take our picture together.

We planned the next stop at a hot ocean beach. It's not the ocean water which is hot, but the hot spring which runs underneath the sand. People dig holes, let them fill with water and soak in these natural tubs. Unfortunately, we didn't time our visit right, this wonderful arrangement only works during low tide and we got there when it was high. Even so we had much fun on this picturesque beach.

We almost got stuck in New Zealand. Upon trying to leave, we were required to pay an "exit tax". What if we had run out of money? We may not even have regretted having to stay. We loved the people, the scenery, the plants and in general had a wonderful time. If only it weren't that far. Or is it? In the shipping harbor of Napier (a smallish town halfway up the North Island) there was a sign: "Australia and the Pacific, Japan, Asia, America, Europe and the Middle East are all easily accessed through Napier ..." in short, Napier - hence New Zealand is the center of the world.

Back | The End