After the hectic subtropical Auckland, I put all my faith in the tropical Northland. Well, the first 10 days were similar to the capital (rain, rain, rain, and cold), but on Boxing Day, the summer finally arrived and stayed.. and so did I. During my 4-week stay in the Far North, I had many interesting inner and outer experiences.

KERIKERI

Thanks to HelpX, my base was in Kerikeri, a small town on the periphery of the Bay Of Islands. It was perfect for my NZ exile; I couldn’t have found a better place for self-reflection and isolation. People live here next to the bushes, deeply intertwined with nature. As much as I hated it at the beginning (sure, it triggered my inner demons), I am so grateful now. In this setting, I was finally able to reconnect with myself (which I had lost almost a year ago) and clear my vision about where and what to do.

Bali taught me a lot about the healing power of nature, and New Zealand continued nurturing my soul this way. I adored the noisy possums, the midnight kiwis, the beautiful kingfishers and fantails, and the song of the tui.. and miss them heaps.

The North offers plenty of outdoor activities. Since I had no stretch for fancy spending, I was looking for free and cheap options. This is not necessarily a bad thing; I think it shapes a lot of one’s personality, resilience, and outlook on life. I only visited the Rainbow Falls and the Stone Store. The waterfall has a gorgeous walkway along the river, and at that point, I really needed a long walk (like a baby Camino). The Stone Store is the oldest building in NZ- it’s a tourist magnet but has very pretty scenery.

My favorite place in the area, though, was the Saturday market. The first time I went there was before Christmas, and I was prepared for some ‘cheap’ countryside hoarding. But to my biggest surprise, this market is A THING. It’s super vivid, with lots of fruits, and veggies, and honey, and food, and live music. Too good, and I always looked forward to the Saturdays.

PAIHIA

The hotspot of the Bay of Island is Paihia, with all the backpackers, work and holidayers, and tourists. If you need some civilization and are looking for activities, this is the place.

My biggest fear was spending the holidays alone, far from everything and everyone, and I was preparing myself for depression. But everything worked out in the end, and after a pleasurable Christmas Eve, I had a random New Year’s Eve in Paihia, exactly where I wanted to be: on the beach, with a perfect balmy night under the starry sky, and of course, in fun company, running into the sea at midnight (I love such traditions).

I also visited Waitangi Treaty Grounds, the cradle of the nation (ticket is cheaper on Bookme). Well.. it was okay, I got some insight into the culture and history, but for some reason, the wildflower garden behind the house caught my attention more than the performance.

HITCHHIKING

And finally, let’s talk about the most epic thing to do in the region. If you don’t have a car, your only option is hitchhiking. The distances are enormous, and there’s no public transportation – only some buses with insane ticket prices and schedules. Unusable.

I had never hitchhiked before and obviously had some concerns. I felt pretty uncomfortable the first time standing on the side of the road with my hastily written sign, but it only took 5 minutes till a car stopped and took me to my destination. This start skyrocketed my confidence and awakened my adventurous spirit to do it more. Hitchhiking here is very common, so it’s generally safe (of course, you should always listen to your gut). I quickly expanded my comfort zone and used this way of travelling in the bay area.

The coolest hitch trip I did was the Kerikeri-Kawakawa-Paihia-Kerikeri round. Raise your hand if you’ve ever hitchhiked to visit a toilet. I did. I went to Kawakawa to check out the Hundertwasser-style public toilet (what can I say.. I was starving for some art and culture). It looks actually cute, but as I already loved the concept of ​​the trip, the visual was just the extra.

The Far North takes the meaning of remoteness to the next level but in a very green and peaceful way. I got taken care of, I met beautiful people, and I got my shit together, which makes this place a fond memory in my mind and a sweet smile in my heart.