We got a later start this morning. We had to clean up and pack to get check out of the studio. Our swim suits and towels were still wet and smelly despite the soak in the sink, so we had to get creative with the packing and loading of the car. We worked on the blog a bit and then left the key in the lock box around 9. We went back to the Ciabatta Cafe and Bakery for another Brekkie and some sandwiches for lunch. We left a napkin on the tourist wall that resembled a note we found at a restaurant in Italy during out Europe trip.
We then headed to the city center to take a stroll around the lake. There is a big island in the middle of the lake, but pictures don't do it justice. We also walked around the gardens near the lake and chased some blue chicken-looking birds.
We then loaded back into the car and set off toward the north coast. We had to stop for gas, which was exorbitantly expensive. $5 USD per gallon! We spent the next 3 hours driving along winding and narrow roads through what looked like a rain forest. We stopped a look out points, grocery stores, and even took a detour in search of ocean views.
We finally made it to our destination, a little town called Hahei and the Te Whanganui-A-Hei Marine Reserve. We hopped on a shuttle bus that took us up a small mountain (or big hill?) and dropped us off at the opening of the Reserve trail. It was a 40 minute hike to Cathedral Cove. Kaylea had been excited about it since we first started planning the trip. The views were phenomenal and it was a shame that we didn't have more time to spend there.
We then loaded back into the car and set off toward the north coast. We had to stop for gas, which was exorbitantly expensive. $5 USD per gallon! We spent the next 3 hours driving along winding and narrow roads through what looked like a rain forest. We stopped a look out points, grocery stores, and even took a detour in search of ocean views.
We finally made it to our destination, a little town called Hahei and the Te Whanganui-A-Hei Marine Reserve. We hopped on a shuttle bus that took us up a small mountain (or big hill?) and dropped us off at the opening of the Reserve trail. It was a 40 minute hike to Cathedral Cove. Kaylea had been excited about it since we first started planning the trip. The views were phenomenal and it was a shame that we didn't have more time to spend there.
We spent the next few hours play in the sand and surf with the go pro. Kaylea had to retrieve a football that a small boy threw. They boy's mom was yelling for him to not go any further, as she was afraid he'd be carried out to sea. The water was perfect and blue! Aaron had to practically drag Kaylea out of the water when it was time to leave. They had an hour to make the hike back before the last shuttle left. The hike back was mostly uphill, but we made it back just in time. We got back in the car and drove to hours, returning to our first hotel in Auckland. We spent the evening doing laundry and relaxing after a long day of driving and hiking.
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