We got up early this morning to ensure that our long road trip ahead wasn't made very much longer by driving through Auckland. We timed it so that we would reach Auckland just after the rush was dying down. We started hitting heavy traffic just outside of Auckland at about 9:30 am. It probably took about an hour to get through the entire city. All-in-all, it wasn't too slow going. We probably averaged a speed of about 60-70 KM/hr.
After Auckland we were on a toll road unlike any I've seen in Canada. Instead of stopping to pay the toll, you get your picture taken and simply pay online within five days of your travel. Kristie brought up the point of people who don't have Internet access while on Holiday, but they also had a method of paying via mobile phone, or if you don't have a phone, then you could have chosen a well marked exit that avoided the toll highway.
Since we made it past Auckland, we were settling into the rest of the journey kind of free and easy. We stopped in a little town called Warkworth where we took a boardwalk trail around their Kauri tree forest.
After leaving Warkworth, we stopped to get some food in Whangarei. Of all the towns we had stopped in until this point, this was our least favorite. It just seemed to be lacking a personality. The town centre seemed to utilitarian and uninteresting. We tried finding an interesting place to stop for a picnic, as they were located on an estuary, but even that wasn't anything special. We did finally manage to find a good cafe to eat lunch, but had to sit outside the City Counsel chambers to eat. All in all, Whangarei was quite disappointing.
After Whangarei, we stopped at Kawakawa to see their world famous bathrooms. True Story! Apparently, the bathrooms at Kawakawa were designed by a world famous designer. Not only did they look really interesting, they were also clean and functional!
Further along our drive, we stopped for a break at Bay of Islands. This area is quite nice and picturesque, but a bit too touristy for our taste. There were quite a few places for photo ops, and would probably be quite nice for a short visit, but not a destination in our opinion.
Our last stop was our destination, here in Cooper's Beach. When we arrived, the sun was just about completely set, but what we were able to see was absolutely amazing! The bach itself is beautiful, functional, and wanting for nothing. It is spacious, clean, equipped with large deck and barbecue along side. Can't wait to see what it all looks like in the morning as the ocean is only about 20 metres from our deck!
After unpacking everything, we thought we should go into Manganui to try out their, much talked about, Manganui Fish Shop. The Fish Shop is built on pylons over the water, so you can see the ocean lapping directly under you, through the floor boards. Kristie and I both ordered one piece of their freshly caught, Bluenose and a scoop of chips between us, and I had a squid ring. The fish was absolutely wonderful! It was lightly battered, and served in traditional newsprint; as all fi & chi should be. The only downside was that the chips weren't home-made; they were McCains. This was probably the second best fish & chips that I have had here in NZ; the first being from Waikanea, a town very close to Wellington.
After almost 11 hours on the road, by the time we got back to the bach, we were pretty tired, so now it is off to bed.
See you tomorrow.
After Auckland we were on a toll road unlike any I've seen in Canada. Instead of stopping to pay the toll, you get your picture taken and simply pay online within five days of your travel. Kristie brought up the point of people who don't have Internet access while on Holiday, but they also had a method of paying via mobile phone, or if you don't have a phone, then you could have chosen a well marked exit that avoided the toll highway.
After leaving Warkworth, we stopped to get some food in Whangarei. Of all the towns we had stopped in until this point, this was our least favorite. It just seemed to be lacking a personality. The town centre seemed to utilitarian and uninteresting. We tried finding an interesting place to stop for a picnic, as they were located on an estuary, but even that wasn't anything special. We did finally manage to find a good cafe to eat lunch, but had to sit outside the City Counsel chambers to eat. All in all, Whangarei was quite disappointing.
Our last stop was our destination, here in Cooper's Beach. When we arrived, the sun was just about completely set, but what we were able to see was absolutely amazing! The bach itself is beautiful, functional, and wanting for nothing. It is spacious, clean, equipped with large deck and barbecue along side. Can't wait to see what it all looks like in the morning as the ocean is only about 20 metres from our deck!
See you tomorrow.
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