New Plymouth

Dana and Hayden picked me up from another airport on Friday night, this time in New Plymouth, a city right on the beach. We had a few points of interest to see in the area before heading back to Wanganui on Sunday.

First up, Knead Donuts! They had exceptional reviews online, and we just had to go see what they were about. GIANT cream filled donuts, hehe. After getting several to sample, we concluded the actual donut part was delicious, but there was really too much of the filling. It overpowered the simple sweetness of the donut itself. Zero regrets in trying them out, though!

Next up, we drove about an hour to see The Three Sisters and Elephant Rock. We had to time this one with the low tide. Otherwise, the path to walk out there becomes impassable. Hayden researched low tide, and it was 10:30. We arrived quite a bit early, around 9:15, but we checked the walkway, and it looked fine, so out we went!

We walked through a little estuary area, and since the tide was out, all that was left behind was a small gully of water and super muddy and slippery ground. We nearly fell more times than we could count and laughed the whole way towards the more solid and stable sand. The beach was black sand and completely deserted! Always go early! It’s so worth it! 🤗

We walked straight towards the water and saw Elephant rock first, then walked through a secret tunnel, and then we saw them: The Three Sisters! Three stand-alone pillars that remain strong after a millennia of erosion. They appeared to be glancing toward the horizon, keeping a watchful eye over the coastline. We enjoyed being the only ones there, and after a while, we decided to make our way back to the car.

Good thing we left when we did! The tide was already rising, and what was a muddy pathway was now filled in with water! We’d only be gone for about 30 minutes, and the estuary had filled in significantly. Most of the way, the water was just up to our ankles, but there was a dip and the water passed our knees, lol. We certainly weren’t planning on swimming, lol, but it added to the adventure. As we ambled back, we saw some people headed out, and we gave them fair warning that the water had already risen significantly, and to beware.

By the time we got back to the starting point, more people were showing up for the 10:30 low tide, which apparently, was incorrect information. Everyone decided to stay put, and we chatted about NZ travels and watched in real time as the water level continued to rise. How crazy!

Soon we decided to head back to New Plymouth for a few other short stops and then for fish n chips! We didn’t expect these to be any better than the life-altering fish n chips we had in Taupo, but were hopeful they’d be decent. Well, they were okay. Not bad, but definitely not as good as Taupo.

After lunch, we decided to hit two breweries and to sample some local beers. The second brewery, The Three Sisters, had the better beer by far, and how neat was it that we went to see the Three Sisters earlier in the day, and were now finishing the day off at their brewery.

Our Airbnb for evening was adorable and boasted a Mountain View of Taranaki, but the clouds thwarted us and we were unable to see anything! But, the home we stayed in made up for it. Comfortable beds, a quick continental style breakfast was provided, and an espresso machine! Better luck on the view tomorrow!

Sunday:

We woke up somewhat leisurely and enjoyed the fancy coffee machine and frother. So bougie! We lounged around, noting the clouds were still obscuring the beautiful view of Mt. Taranki, and hopeful they would burn off sooner rather than later. Our day would be rather calm and laid back with only one trek on the list: Wilkies Pools and Dawson Falls.

We left the Airbnb around 8:30 and drove to the trailhead. The main road ends and there is a tiny one lane road that continues into the woods. I guess we go down there? Haha. We were early, thankfully, and only came across one or two other cars, but I could see this easily being a cluster on a busy day. We finally make it to the parking lot and get ready for our hike.

The first part of the hike is through the Goblin Forest! How cool is that? There were tons of the beech trees here, covered in the moss and lichen hanging down. It really did give the forest a goblin-fairytale vibe. So cool!

Next up was Wilkie’s Pools, a place many people choose to go for a swim. We were prepared and already wearing out suits, but we could already tell it would be WICKED cold. We began the day in warm layers and knew the mountain water would be icy. Those of you who know me, you know I can’t turn down a polar plunge, so I was automatically in, hehe. We waited our turn to get into the deeper of the pools, when Hayden spotted a better pool up ahead. Dana and I had already stripped down to our suits, and scrambled up the rocks and were so excited to jump in the water. Well, sort of. Haha. We started making our way, and stopped, as Hayden was going to join us. Rather than get in the water and wait, we wisely chose to stand on a rock.

Hayden got ready and he was the first in, so we could take a video and photos for him. He was a champ and just walked in and dunked immediately! Haha. Amazing! Hopefully Dana and I can be just as graceful!

Our turn is up and we gingerly walk into the water, our feet so numb that the rocks felt like daggers. I’d say that part was harder than actually dunking into the cold water. We got in, and pretty much on the count of three, bent backwards and dunked in the frigid water. It was COLD, to say the least, hehe. It was refreshing, though! I LOVE a good cold plunge. It awakens the senses and gets the heart pumping in a way not much else does.

Confident and pleased with our polar plunge, we make our way back to our packs and change into dry clothing. Nothing worse than hiking in cold, wet bathing suits. Haha. It’s never easy changing back into leggings, and even less so while on the trail, but we managed! And were so happy we did:). Now we can continue our hike comfortably and enjoy the scenery.

The rest of the hike was gorgeous, and each new turn in the trail looked like another scene out of a fairytale. We stumbled upon Dawson Falls, and climbed down 138 steps to reach the base of the waterfall. The views down here were way better than from the viewpoint further up the trail. We soaked in the moment and hiked up those steps again. Quite the leg workout, haha.

We make it back to the car and realize the clouds have lifted and there is a perfect view of the summit of Taranaki! Yay! She’s gorgeous! Volcanos are simply the best. I love them. 😍🤩

Now it’s time to head back towards Wanganui. We stop for kebabs on the way, and we all order a large, thinking it’ll be the same large as you get at the place Dana and Hayden frequent, but this was essentially a supersized kebab. Way more than we needed, lol. Oh well. They didn’t go to waste! 😅🤣

Next stop was a lovely beach, and we walked along the black sands and hunted for interesting rocks and shells. We found so many! Our pockets and hands were full, so we decided we’d had enough and continued on our way home.

But not before stopping for Tip Top ice cream! Super well-known in New Zealand and praised as the creamiest ice cream there is. And it WAS super creamy. A nice touch to end our road trip.

Back home to watch more Ghosts and to get some much needed sleep. 😴

Monday:

We woke up slowly, more tired and sore than we had expected. Today would also be an easy day, with only one real objective: to hike Bushy Park. A conservation park that is well maintained to prevent predators from entering in. Possoms are a huge problem here in NZ, and there are traps set everywhere to catch them.

We were literally the only ones at the park, and walking along the trail was like walking through an ancient land. One filled with Jurassic looking trees and the only sound was the birds calling to one another. We were lucky to see a few birds on low laying branches, and even one right in the middle of the path. What a lovely way to start the day!

On our way home, we stopped in to buy some pies! Savory and warm and absolutely delicious pies. It was a brunch snack/lunch and hit the spot. A bit heavy, they were nearly nap-inducing, but Dana and I had a a few errands to hit before getting cozy. It was supposed to rain in the afternoon, so we hoped to finish before that happened.

We did some shopping, and I scored a merino wool tank top for $36USD! Not too shabby! I told myself I wouldn’t buy any new clothing, BUT, I’ve wanted some merino wool clothing, as its simply the best to own. And I don’t have a merino wool tank, so basically, I needed it, lol. #girlmath

Back to the house to relax and catch up on blogging and photos, and of course, Ghosts, hehe.

Tuesday

We woke up to a very exciting delivery! The two pint glasses I ordered from the Three Sister’s Brewery showed up! And that’s not all… they sent us 12 beers! Hehe. I didn’t order those and they gave us two of each variety, so guess who’s having a beer tasting later this afternoon? Hehe

After my morning run, Dana drove me to town for a haircut! It’s a little shorter than I intended, but I love it! I had been growing my hair out and it had been feeling too bushy and wild, so it was time for a bit of a chop. Dana finished a few errands before I was done and was enjoying a coffee across the street at the Orange Cafe. As soon as I was done, I met here there for a flat white and to create a game plan for the rest of the day.

We first did a quick FaceTime with our missing ⅓, Kelsea. She’s in Turks and Caicos! What a fun traveling international bunch we are! :). The water there looked like a painting, even from the video, hehe. After we were give a virtual tour of their ridiculously nice hotel, we headed out to shop. I wanted to pick up a few things for the return trip home… its gonna be a long one, haha.

After all the errands were complete, we came home to do some of my laundry, and most importantly, paint some rocks! Haha. We collected quite a few rocks and shells from the beach and wanted to shellac them so they always look wet. The coloring was so drastically different when the rocks and shells were wet vs. dry. And what better opportunity to have a drink while waiting for them to dry? It was a lovely day, blustery and windy, but sunny and warm. Perfect to sit in comfy chairs in the shade.

We went out to dinner at a new Thai place in town with Hayden’s family, and it did not disappoint! The food was excellent and Hayden’s sister and brother-in-law have a new baby, and he was just the cutest ever :). You can’t hold a baby and not smile, hehe.

Back home to pack the big pack as strategically as I could to accomodate more Oreos than one person should transport halfway across the world, haha. But these Oreos are amazing! And I’m pretty sure they don’t exist in the states. They’re called Dark Chocolate Mud Cake, and they’re double stuffed! Score! I don’t usually like the creamy center, but these are a dark chocolate stuffing and I’m totally here for it. I’m excited to get home and onto the next adventure, but its always bittersweet leaving a beautiful place and dear friends behind.

___________

We wake up pretty early to make it to the Wanganui airport for the 6am flight up to Auckland. Dana and Hayden recommended the earliest flight because these little planes cancel often due to weather. Being a tiny airport with no security, we were way early, arriving a little less than an hour before the flight. The small airports in NZ have felt more like a bus station, where you just show up a few minutes early and hop on and take off. The smallest regional flights have no security whatsoever.

Soon they begin boarding the plane, and I give Dana and Hayden big hugs, and force myself to walk away and towards the plane that will be the first and shortest flight of my journey back to Boston.

Arriving at the Auckland domestic terminal, I had a delicious bagel at the Ugly Bagel Place, and leisurely enjoyed my breakfast before walking over to the international terminal. I did pass though security here, and once inside, I shopped around at the souvenir stores and ended up finding the postcards I had been looking for! Yay! And I had some cash to spend, so it was the perfect scenario.

I waited in the food court area an hour to two before heading into the lounge that Priorty Pass gets me in. Dana let me in on a secret that this lounge has showers, and taking a shower before a flight is a game changer. Say less! Haha. I enjoy some snacks and beverages while writing my blog, waiting to take my shower towards the end of my stay.

I have to say, the shower really IS a game changer. It was so relaxing to shower and put on clean clothes and feel refreshed for a flight instead of the opposite. I do wish I had this chance at the LAX airport, after flying for so long, but that didn’t happen.

The flight to LAX was perfectly fine, but it was delayed an hour into LA due to weather. I was getting messages on the airline app to change my flights, since it was very likely I’d miss the originally scheduled ones. Great. Here we go. I choose a flight that goes through Detroit, and gives me about 1.5 to get through immigration and customs and back through security. I felt confident about this time frame, until, we got to the gate and had to wait for the jet bridge to be properly hooked up to the aircraft. Ugh.

I have Global Entry, which is a lifesaver if you want to skip the long immigration lines. But, because I’m in a rush, of course, the kiosk took a blurry picture of me, forcing me to go to a booth. Well, the person in front of me had an issue with their passport, and the immigration officer was spending an extra long time talking to them. Meanwhile, I’m like, can I just flash my passport and go? Haha.

I book it down through the baggage claim and am so grateful for having just my backpack. I will never travel with checked luggage again, unless absolutely necessary, haha.

So off I run out of the secure area and to the check-in counter where I hope to be able to print a boarding pass. Because I had changed my flight, the new flight boarding passes had not be uploaded to the digital app. I thought I was lucky that the plane to Detroit was leaving out fo the international terminal at LAX. 

BUT, it turns out there are no Delta agents at the check-in area at the international terminal. The kiosks don’t even have a delta option for check in. What?? They must funnel everybody through terminal 2 and 3 to then take the bus to the Tom Bradley terminal. What the heck? So I’m instructed to go to terminal 3 and have an agent print out my pass. At this point, I have an hour or less to make it to the departing gate.

Here we go. I walk as fast as I can to terminal 3, and find the help line, which is already long. Grrreat. I ask the delta agent standing there if the kiosk will print my pass, since I’m getting a message that I need to speak with an agent, specifically. He asks me when my flight is, and now its 50 minutes from now. He tells me to “hold on,” and ropes off the help line and goes behind the counter.

He comes back, my hero, within 5 minutes, and hands me both my boardings passes to DTW and then to BOS, and encouragingly says to hurry to my gate. Understood! 🫡 And with many thank yous, I’m off running back to the international terminal. Thank god I’m a runner. Haha This backpack filled with Oreos isn’t the lightest, and my swollen and jet-lagged legs are struggling to propel my exhausted body forward, but onwards I press.

I make it back to the international terminal, and bolt for the first security I see, usually all the security is in one place. Well, not here! Haha. Pre-check is on the opposite side, so I sprint across the way, rush up the stairs, and wait in a 3 person line that seems to take forever. I’m sweating profusely by this point, and I had hoped to have a minute to use a bathroom and fill my water bottle.

The TSA line moves ever so slowly, but I get through and begin searching for my gate. Luckily, its one of the closer ones, and there is a bathroom right across the way. The flight was minutes away from boarding, but I took my needed bathroom break to help recombobulate myself before the flight to Detroit.

When booking this flight, I selected a seat way in the back in an empty row, hoping nobody else would fill in. And I was right! Ha! So I had the entire row to myself, and it was such a luxury after the 13 hour flight from Auckland. I got to DTW and had enough time to grab some airport dinner and head to the next gate. Soon I was sitting on the flight that would take me to good ‘ole Boston. It’s been a day. And then some, haha.

With a chaotic ending, my three weeks in New Zealand came to an end, and I couldn’t be happier with the time spent adventuring with some of my dearest friends. Until next time! 🤗✈️