Tauranga Bay

Day 38- March 15th

We drove up through Whangarei, through KeriKeri, and up to Tauranga Bay. First we stopped at Matauri Bay and went swimming in the waves. I used my dad’s little waterproof camera to take some pictures of the waves. Unfortunately, a waterproof case for my camera would cost about 2000 dollars, so for now I am limited to my dad’s little point and shoot, which doesn’t take the best pictures. I will have to put a water proof case on my birthday list.

After swimming we drove to Tauranga Bay and got a campsite. We found one right on the beach and set up my parents tent. Mine was still a little wet from when I used it in Rotorua, so I let it dry out. I then walked with my parents down the beach. At the next point there was a big hole in the rock that let you onto the next beach. This beach had a house on it that looked really nice.

When we got back to the campsite I tried to set up my tent, but it was too windy. My tent is a Tarptent and only has a few poles. It mostly relies on stakes to hold it upright and in the wind it would flap around too much. I decided to just sleep outside without a tent.

After having hamburgers and baked courgettes (zucchini), I laid out my sleeping pad and went to bed. It was only 8:30, but I had nothing else to do. Unfortunately, this was what my parents wanted us to do for the next week; just sit around and relax. I was more interested in exploring and seeing the rest of the Northlands than I was in swimming and sleeping. I think my parents came here to get away from the cold, but I came here to see New Zealand. There is so much to do here that it seems a waste to relax and dawdle.

In the middle of the night it started raining, so I had to crawl into my parent’s tent. After that I couldn’t sleep, so I got out and took some night pictures and worked on my journal. I am right now (at 3:45) squished in the front of the car trying to type in the dark.