The Windsor Lodge Backpackers Whakatane

Distance 45.9km, 16.5km/hr

After leaving teh hostel at which I was the only guest I cycled to Opotiki, along the way I made a decision:

I WANT A DOG!

Now don't ask me for detailed logistcal questions, this is not a complete plan, it is a goal or ambition. It's not just a dream as I want it to actually happen.

There was a dog related incident that ...

... friendly and helpful. The apartment was like an upside down house with a living room, kitchen and bathroom when you walked in and a big bedroom downstairs. The accommodation was immaculate and good value for money ($120 per night) I would definitely recommend a stay here. Later that evening we went to the Indian Aroma Restaurant, as we were arriving they were closing so they made us our meals to takeaway and the food was really nice.

... and then repelled about 40 meters down into a cave. Once everyone was down we followed the guides through the caves. I happened to be first, and suddenly Jah stopped, turned around, and started clipping me into a zip line. "Hey, um, Jah? Where does this take me?" --no response-- "Uh, where do I hold on?" --no response-- ....finishes clipping me in.... Jah: "Ok, now go." Me: WAHOO!!!! Down I flew, into the black abyss along the zipline until I ...

... fruehstens im November, sicher aber erst im Dezember beginnt:-( Mein zweiter Versuch mit Delfinen zu schwimmen ist daher auch gescheitert. Zumindest die andere Option, ein Ausflug nach White Island, fand statt. Habe noch eine 16km Wanderung gemacht, die Neuseelaender sind auch gerne outdoor und daher hat so ziemlich jede Stadt (nun ja, sind 16000 Einwohner schon eine ...

... with women and children and gave the town its name, because she "acted like a man". A steady hour and a half run to the island, being accompanied by a pod of common dolphins on the way. At the weekend there was a report that the boat had seen orcas (killer whales) but they had moved on. We anchor in a small bay and are ferried ashore through the (quite) warm sea by a zodiac inflatable, unloaded from the stern of our custom made boat. We land by scrambling ...

... how to say a boistrous "KIA ORA!!" when he said it to us. I must say, we did pretty well... I think he was impressed :) He proceeded to tell us about his Marae that he had built. (A meeting house in the Maori culture). It was only about three months old, and he had built it in memory of his mother and father. We were to take off our shoes before we went in, and then head into the kitchen for a traditional Hangi meal. The food was SO good. It included fish, beef, mutton (which ...

... ik morgenochtend vragen of hij me weg kon brengen. Na wederom een korte nacht, bedacht ik dat het allemaal heus niet zo erg was hier, maar dat ik mezelf wel heel erg in de weg zat. Ik hoef mezelf niet te bewijzen als een grote dappere meid, dit is een vakantie en een vakantie moet boven alles leuk zijn. Maar ik was vergeten dat er die ochtend mensen zouden komen voor het kayakken dat hij naast de boerderij doet. Er gaat slechts 1 bus vanuit het dorpje naar het westen per dag, om ...

After the caves we drove back thorugh rotorua on our way to Whakatane, a tiny little town on the bay of plenty. This was our first look at the coast along the north island. Some pretty great beaches. White island, is a volcano that breaks the surface of the water not too far off shore. It was a pretty cool sight. Theres planty of volcanoes aournd this country. The fact is the ...

... beauty. Although not large tourist attractions, gorges are common and beautiful on both islands. It is almost as if they are the bridge between each city that I go to. The Waioeka Gorge was no exception. One of the larger gorges, Waioeka is also one of the steeper gorges I have driven through; luckily it was in my favor. It was of course filled with green, rolling hills and followed along a river that cut its way through the hills. After at ...

Ik begin nu echt wel bruin te worden!! Haha!! Na zo'n dagje "zwaar" werk op de boerderij....

Maar waar was ik? O ja, op Waiheke Island....
Het was een leuke week. Hoewel ik Willem en Liz maar weinig gezien heb, werd ik door de andere bewoners van de boerderij vaak wel mee op sleeptouw genomen om de omgeving te zien. De manager van de boerderij heeft mij zelfs een tour over het eiland gegeven; echt super!! En tijdens de lunch werden we gespot door de ...