Eine Stunde Unterschied

Hier in Kiwi-Land hatten wir am Osterwochenende Zeitumstellung auf Winterzeit. Das hat zur Folge, dass nun leider bereits um sechs Uhr abends die Sonne untergeht. Aber solange frau auf dem Nachhauseweg solche Ausblicke hat...

The (not so) Forgotten World Highway

I did a little round trip through the Southern part of the North Island. 1,300km, all on the left side, and I survived. As an important fact of the road I noted that Kiwi's obviously take the 100km speed sign merely as a minimum recommendation. I let them... while I was conveniently driving 80 to 90km mostly in awe by the stunning and constantly changing landscape in front of me. From rugged, flat and dry to rainforest and mountains, from wild beaches to dormant vulcanoes, all in a blink of an eye. It doesn't get much better than this (well it could, if I only had a bike, but who am I to complain since the rental car is a freebee sponsored by the company, and all I had to do is fill it up...). The photos certainly don't do it justice.

Driving down the last leg of HWY 3 to Plymouth had its charm already. It went through jungle like vegetation and gorges following the Awakino River, before it reached the Tasman Sea.

I spent the night in a lovely B&B and moved on to surround Mount Taranaki.

At Strathford I hit the eerie Forgotten World Highway. No fuel for 150km... better refill before you enter. The road started in good quality and there was actually a bit traffic, mostly bikers (them lucky bunch!), so I didn't worry too much.

Even riders stop for a nice view, and I chatted with them for a while before they blasted down the twisties.

Here's the turning point, and the usual stop for a refreshing drink, before the two-wheelers that I had met before would return to do the twisties again.

And then the eerie part begins: ghost towns, gravel roads, a weird one-lane tunnel that is on the verge of break-down and several one-lane bridges to cross... all I met on this part of the road was a beemer (GS of course...). I slowed down to let him pass, and not throw any debris in his direction and he thanked me with a quick nod, otherwise busy keeping his motorcycle straight.

 

My day ended in Taupo where a feasted from a AYCE buffet at the Millenium Resort.

The next day I visited several places with thermal activities, more waterfalls and enjoyed the everchanging landscape while I was heading towards Rotarua, and finally back on my way to my temporary home in Auckland. It was a darn good road trip.

The route

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Knapp 1,300km spaeter

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Am Ostersonntag geht es wieder frueh auf die Piste, denn der letzte Teil des Kurztripps will bewaeltigt werden. Das Gebiet zwischen Taupo und Rotorua ist bekannt fuer seine Thermalquellen. Ueberall dampft und qualmt es, wie hier an den Craters of the Moon.





Erstaunlich, dass die Vegetation es schafft, bei den Temperaturen und dem sauren Boden zu ueberleben.
Und ein letztes Mal veraendert die Landschaft ihr Gesicht bevor es dann auf die Heimreise nach Auckland geht.