When Falling Is Good

Bridal Veil Falls

The river leading to the waterfall is just a little stream.  Something average becomes something miraculous in a moment.  Back on my journey I flow south to the bottom of the Island.  New Zealand is made up of two Islands North and South.  Auckland is on the North Island.

The first day has been very challenging.  I have rented a car that is from another century and the steering wheel is on the wrong side.  Stay left and look right is my mantra.  After having the car ten minutes, I already had gotten a parking ticket.  Things did not start out so well.

Not Baad

I head south to Waingaro Springs and decide to take the scenic route and surprisingly get lost.  I got lost a lot that first day, but the country is so beautiful you almost don't care.   Love the sheep and cows.

Spring Time For Scott In New Zealand

I have made it a point to visit as many hot springs as possible as they are littered throughout the country.   When I finally arrived around 3 hours later than I imagined.  I was greeted by the owner from India who micorwaved a meat pie for me and I had a ginger beer to drink.  Ginger beer tastes something like a combination between ginger ale, root beer and sprite and is my adopted soft drink of New Zealand.  A meat pie is ground beef in dough.  I soaked for around 20 minutes and dried in the sun as I had no towel.  The place is for families and is a bit run down but the water felt great. 

This Cow Knows I Had a Meat Pie

Next stop was Bridal Veil Falls.  It was a round a 10 minute hike or so to the falls and you could see the falls from a perch or trail down to the base.  Often when these things are advertised, they are short of expectations, the falls were beyond expectations.  They were glorious. 

I headed to the Waitomo Caves area as night fell.  I had a Big Mac at Mc Donalds which I don't think I have had in 20 years.  I guess I wanted something familiar.  Auckland to Waitamo Caves, my destination is around a 3 hour drive.  With my stops, photo stops and getting lost my trip took 9 hours.

I arrived at a lodge style motel in the country and very tired went to bed.  A challenging but great first day.

PLEASE NOTE: You can click on any of the above images to enlarge.