Today is a traveling day. I pack my stuff into the car, check the apartment and put the key back into the keybox outside. The drive will be between 4 and 5 hours for about 350 km.

Audio book on and driving down SH1 towards Auckland. Just a small lunch stop on the way (and a geocache that I found there after checking if there was something^^). A lot of traffic around Auckland which takes some more time, but south of the city all is good again.

Swinging east towards the Coromandel peninsula. I informed the owners of the apartment I rent, that I will arrive around 15:00. In fact I am at the town an hour early. Time to drive through town. The town (8000 inhabitants) reminds me a lot of an US American town. One big central street with all the shops an myriads of parking spaces, but not much room for people.

I have some time to kill so I do some laps in the public pool in town, which is an outdoor pool, heated (even with 26 degree C air temperature) and very old. Everything is very old. But enough to swim. I leave after about 15 minutes because of the sun. The ozone layer above NZ must be a mess and I don’t have enough sun blocker on me. I don’t want to be a lobster the next days.

At the house at about 15:00. The owner arrives at the same time as me and shows me everything. A very nice apartment which is part of their house. I get a lot of good tips for what to do with the rest of the afternoon and in close proximity. The apartment has the most amazing patio and a fantastic view.

Some small talk  later (and the reminder that breakfast is included and can be eaten at their kitchen every morning – great) I drive towards the Kauaeraga valley to do a short bush walk with some dam they rebuild there for educational purposes. Nobody there, but a nice 20 minute walk.

Back to town to get some food for the evening. Dinner outside on the patio with a stunning sunset in the background. The evening is concluded with some blogging and film on Netflix.