The first stop on our big road trip around New Zealand was the Bay of Islands, at the very top of the North Island. It should only have taken us a few hours from Auckland but we didn't arrive until the early evening - partly because we left a little late and partly because our tomtom had a mad five minutes, but mainly because we drove so slowly, giving ourselves time to take in the amazing views around each corner and over every hill. The landscapes here cover every shade of green I can possibly think of and look all the more vibrant against the bright blue skies. I lost count of the number of times we all 'wowww-ed' in unison but it felt like every other minute.
Whilst in the Bay of Islands we stayed in a small town called Paihia, so tiny that we could hardly warrant even calling it a village but New Zealanders refer to them all as towns. A short ferry ride across the water took us to Russell, another beach town even smaller than Paihia but ever so slightly prettier. We took a picnic to the beach and spent a couple of hours relaxing there, still not quite over our jet lag and the recent late nights. The sea was a little too cold to swim in but we paddled our feet and massaged them with the soft sand in the bay.
Deciding we should then walk off our lunch we trekked the whole way through town and up to a view point in the hillside. It was almost eerily quiet and we saw more seagulls than humans throughout the entire day. Somewhere so beautiful back home would no doubt be overrun with people but here there are so many vast open spaces, all equally as stunning and with such a small population to fill them.
As we plan to head South we have a few long journeys ahead of us but we're actually looking forward to them now. Hiring your own car is by far the best way to see New Zealand because there's so much to stop and admire on the way that you'd completely miss if you were stuck on a bus. I'm so thankful for our little Frodo already and he's only been with us a few days!
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