Kerikeri, New Zealand
April 25, 2007
S 35°13.706
E 173°56.441
Two minutes into Marc’s shower the fire alarm sounded. He started barking orders to me to grab a few things as he jumped out of the shower and pulled on a pair pants and a shirt. We quickly made our way down the stairwell and found Shelby just ahead of us; the three of us rushed out the front door of the hotel right as the fire department arrived. Shelby mentioned she grabbed her iPOD, but “forgot” her husband—whoops!
After the fire department determined all was clear, we were allowed back in the building. Marc finished his shower, we gathered our packs, and headed back downstairs to load up the Ford Territory and begin our journey to the Bay of Islands… of course not until we posted a new blog update.
We never found out what triggered the fire alarm, but we quickly forgot the incident as we made our way up Motorway 1 North. Marc drove and actually said he was beginning to feel comfortable driving on the left side of the road after a few kilometers. Our Road Trip officially started!
We figured a few stops up the coastline would help break up the journey; our first stop was the Honey Café. They produce honey on-site, with bees flying everywhere, and sell several of their products; obviously not a
great place to stop if you’re allergic to bee stings. However, since it was ANZAC Day, similar to Memorial Day in the States, the store didn’t open until 1:00 PM. We missed out on the fresh honey since it was only 11:15 AM, but we did see lots of bees and received some excellent travel advice for our trip North from the shop owner.
As we continued up the coast, several businesses were closed due to the holiday—most until 1:00 PM which is the minimum required by law, others all day.
We made a quick stop at Langs Beach to take in some of the beautiful coast line, and we knew the beach wasn’t closed! We sat on the white sand while gazing out at the aquamarine water. The waves crashed 10 feet from us as we snacked on cheese and crackers. About every thirty minutes a tractor pulling a trailer and boat would make its way onto the beach; making the trek to the south end where the tractor pushed the boat into the ocean. It appeared to be a very efficient way to launch boats without a ramp; in addition it eliminated hundreds of personal trucks from being parked along the coastline.
We tossed the Frisbee a little and walked on along the beach, testing the cold water, before jumping back in
the Territory and continuing our journey towards Kerikeri. We were amazed by the immense lush green fields of grass and trees only occasionally dotted with tiny towns with populations of fewer than 500. We scoped out the houses with the best views of the ocean; imagining ourselves living in one of the houses someday, maybe as neighbors.
I’m not sure what it is about beaches and daydreaming, but the two definitely go together. We had plenty of time to daydream as we looked out on the ocean before finally reaching the charming town of Kerikeri. Tomorrow we’ll explore the small shops and take-away restaurants and of course enjoy a few beers along the river at our campground.
April 25, 2007
S 35°13.706
E 173°56.441
Two minutes into Marc’s shower the fire alarm sounded. He started barking orders to me to grab a few things as he jumped out of the shower and pulled on a pair pants and a shirt. We quickly made our way down the stairwell and found Shelby just ahead of us; the three of us rushed out the front door of the hotel right as the fire department arrived. Shelby mentioned she grabbed her iPOD, but “forgot” her husband—whoops!
After the fire department determined all was clear, we were allowed back in the building. Marc finished his shower, we gathered our packs, and headed back downstairs to load up the Ford Territory and begin our journey to the Bay of Islands… of course not until we posted a new blog update.
We never found out what triggered the fire alarm, but we quickly forgot the incident as we made our way up Motorway 1 North. Marc drove and actually said he was beginning to feel comfortable driving on the left side of the road after a few kilometers. Our Road Trip officially started!
We figured a few stops up the coastline would help break up the journey; our first stop was the Honey Café. They produce honey on-site, with bees flying everywhere, and sell several of their products; obviously not a
great place to stop if you’re allergic to bee stings. However, since it was ANZAC Day, similar to Memorial Day in the States, the store didn’t open until 1:00 PM. We missed out on the fresh honey since it was only 11:15 AM, but we did see lots of bees and received some excellent travel advice for our trip North from the shop owner.As we continued up the coast, several businesses were closed due to the holiday—most until 1:00 PM which is the minimum required by law, others all day.
We made a quick stop at Langs Beach to take in some of the beautiful coast line, and we knew the beach wasn’t closed! We sat on the white sand while gazing out at the aquamarine water. The waves crashed 10 feet from us as we snacked on cheese and crackers. About every thirty minutes a tractor pulling a trailer and boat would make its way onto the beach; making the trek to the south end where the tractor pushed the boat into the ocean. It appeared to be a very efficient way to launch boats without a ramp; in addition it eliminated hundreds of personal trucks from being parked along the coastline.
We tossed the Frisbee a little and walked on along the beach, testing the cold water, before jumping back in
the Territory and continuing our journey towards Kerikeri. We were amazed by the immense lush green fields of grass and trees only occasionally dotted with tiny towns with populations of fewer than 500. We scoped out the houses with the best views of the ocean; imagining ourselves living in one of the houses someday, maybe as neighbors.I’m not sure what it is about beaches and daydreaming, but the two definitely go together. We had plenty of time to daydream as we looked out on the ocean before finally reaching the charming town of Kerikeri. Tomorrow we’ll explore the small shops and take-away restaurants and of course enjoy a few beers along the river at our campground.
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