Giant trees and wild sea

3.1 k
views

Something just wants to reward us. When it’s good, it just gets better. There’s no way down, only up. We leave the small farm and head south again. It’s time for the rest of the North Island. We drive through ancient kauri forests. We stop for lunch by the sea in a small restaurant that looks like Green Tomatoes.

Then we take the ferry across an arm of the sea that thought it could block our way. No chance, and on to Omapere. Gigantic sand dunes pile up on an arm of land off the coast. Even bigger than the ones we rode the day before yesterday. You could ride right into the sea here. We climb down the steep coast to the sea. (more…)

155km/h on 90 Mile Beach

Post
#130

1811

2007

Sun

22:06

day #

163

3.2 k
views

A great day must be followed by a bad one. But who sticks to the rules here? We set off early, with a car. First a little to the north, and then along well-hidden and gated paths to the west to 90 Mile Beach. Maoris show us the way. The last few metres are through ankle-deep sand and a small river. Jeep? Pah, Toyota Starlet!

Ninety-Mile Beach is not as long as its name suggests. But it is infinitely wide, now at low tide. The sand is firm and very even. At one point, a Kiwi held the high-speed world record here for a few years at 264 km/h. A few Maoris are driving around in big jeeps with a hundred fishing rods. We have other plans. (more…)

Far North und Cape Reinga

Post
#129

1711

2007

Sat

21:56

day #

162

3.7 k
views

We set off early, four people, two cars. Our first destination is probably the only place in the world where you can shit on art with impunity and intellectual integrity. Hundertwasser spent his last 16 years in Kawakawa, leaving behind a public centre of deprivation.

Allgäu likes to heat things up and is still pushing even though I’m already stoking well. Later she says she would like to drive a racing car. I have to grin. We drive through the northern Northland towards the end of New Zealand. We cross the last of the primeval Kauri forests on rollercoaster-like roads. Cédric has been unwell for a long time. Everyone is a bit shattered from yesterday, which requires a few forced stops. (more…)

Dolphins In The Bay Of Islands

Post
#128

1611

2007

Fri

23:56

day #

161

3.6 k
views

Today I’m heading out to the Bay of Islands. I’ve booked a tour where you can swim with dolphins. Seven o’clock is not a good time after the last short night. But the morning over the bay makes up for everything. The captain of the speed catamaran is a copy of Sandra Bullock. I wonder which film made her decide to take this job?

After just an hour at sea, we spot the first group of dolphins. They are on the hunt, swim fast and are difficult to track even with the speed cat. Again and again they jump out of the water in the morning sun. At some point, the dolphins seem to have had enough. They slow down and approach the boat. (more…)

From Whangarei to Waitangi

Post
#127

1411

2007

Wed

18:54

day #

159

2.8 k
views

I’m lying flat in bed. My lungs are stinging. Bad cold. My laptop is behaving in solidarity. Apparently caught a nice virus from the diving school on Mana. I sip honey tea and worm my workbench. It’s raining and storming outside all day. I do a bit of work and pin the second couchsurfer and Canadian from Khandahar, Maurice.

I feel better the next day. Not the car at all. I’d left the lights on. Maurice helps with the resuscitation. His car is a Holden Astra, no joke. Viva la globalización! My destination for today is Pahia in the Bay of Islands. This is where today’s New Zealand began with the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. Ancient cultural land. (more…)

Full throttle to Northland

Post
#126

1311

2007

Tue

19:36

day #

158

2.8 k
views

In the morning, I finally swap cars. Smaller, newer and much safer. As I return the estate early, I’m stuck with an extra $100. No matter. Onwards. Up to Yaping House. An email almost tears me apart, but it’s good, very good. Frees me up. The sun is shining and the radio is playing Foo Fighters. I set off for Nordland.

A day to heat up. I only find out how much 20km/h too much costs in the evening. Tomorrow I’ll drive slower. On the almost 180 kilometres from Auckland to Whangarei, I stop at every single beach. I’m on the hunt for wind. My new yellow wings insistently demand to be released from the boot. But there is no wind until shortly before Whangarei. (more…)

With new wings over Coromandel

Post
#125

1211

2007

Mon

19:52

day #

157

2.8 k
views

I check out early the next morning. Drive on to Papamoa. Glenn is in Auckland, but his son can just as easily sell me a kite. As long as the kite is as good as it looks, I’ve landed a good deal. Barely used 12 North Vegas 07 incl. 1 year old bar and pump/leash for 430€. Got my wings back. Keep flying.

The Coromandel Peninsula is one of the oldest settlement areas in New Zealand. Both Maori and Europeans. It’s much warmer here. The landscape changes constantly between the Allgäu and the Dominican Republic. I fly a little carelessly, almost running out of fuel at the tip of the peninsula, 50 kilometres from the nearest petrol station. (more…)

Mount Maunganui, Bay of Plenty

Post
#124

1111

2007

Sun

23:34

day #

156

3 k
views

In the morning I want to swap my car for a smaller one. Pete had rung A2B. Result: I have to hand this one in, there’s no new one. Half an hour’s hassle, then I drive on with the old one. It’s off to Mount Maunganui. A New Zealander on Nananu-i-Ra had put me in touch with a contact for cheap kites.

Cruising together is on the radio. Dead animals lie on the road. Tequila’s vibrations are getting worse. The first thing I do in Mount Maunganui is look for a hostel where I can use my laptop. It only takes three hours and seven hostels. Not even the tourist information centre can help. An hour’s internet costs a whopping €8. I can’t work here. I want to earn something too. (more…)

Rafting in Rotorua

Post
#123

1011

2007

Sat

17:29

day #

155

3 k
views

We drive on to Rotorua, an old thermal spa town. Geysers and mud holes bubble all around us. You can let off whatever you want without hesitation. There is sulphur in the air everywhere. Everything is incredibly expensive, especially adrenaline rushes. Our accommodation is Cactus Jack, a nice western village hostel in downtown Rotorua. Lisa has organised a meeting with the two Daves from Mana.

The night gets off to a bloody start. At some point I hear that the two Daves are heading south. The four of us had rented a campervan for three weeks. After five days, I’m left alone. The lights go out, the night gets even bloodier. A concert, a club. The constant “Are you alright?” Questions annoy me. No, not at all. (more…)

Dancing on the volcano

Post
#122

0811

2007

Thu

23:44

day #

153

3 k
views

The night is only three hours short. At five o’clock we pack our things and catch the bus to Tongariro Crossing, an eight-hour trek across an active volcano. The sun is rising. The rocks at Lake Taupo look like Middle Earth. We set off an hour later. The path first leads gently through black lava fields and low-hanging clouds.

The ascent soon becomes more challenging. 300 metres in altitude over a loose lava field with a 60% gradient leave us steaming. At the top, the clouds break and we can see the summit of the volcano Mount Ruapehu. Then we pass through the first crater. The earth steams as we pass snow-covered slopes. (more…)

And I’m free – free falling

Post
#121

0711

2007

Wed

19:35

day #

152

3 k
views

Die Erde schaut von oben ganz anders aus. Ich schau aus dem Flugzeugfenster, während eine Japanerin krampfhaft versucht durch wilde Fingergesten die DVD von ihrem Skydive zu einem wirklich bleibenden Erlebnis zu machen. Mein Puls ist unerwartet ruhig. Hatte zuvor eine Flasche Jägermeister geteilt mit Kevin, einem netten Kanadier, den ich im Fiji Beach House kennengelernt hatte.

Die Gruppe hat ihre erste Belastungsprobe. Wir gehen am Morgen einkaufen. Ja, das Essen ist selbst in den billigsten Supermärkten mindestens doppelt so teuer wie in Europa oder Kanada. Aber als wir anfangen, getrennt einzukaufen geht bei mir ein Licht aus. Egal was teuer oder billig ist: wer kein Geld für den grundlegendsten Genuss der Welt hat, wird verhungern, wie auch immer. (more…)

Road trip on the wrong side

Post
#120

0611

2007

Tue

22:41

day #

151

2.8 k
views

The last night in Auckland is a slaughter. I simply can’t see any more blood and so I go to bed early. But I still can’t sleep, the party and the snoring afterwards are too loud.

In the morning, after three hours’ sleep, I head back into the centre of Auckland on my own. Again in the rain. I am the first customer at A2R car hire. The price is great, the car very rudimentary. There’s really nothing about the estate that you don’t need. Crank the windows, adjust the mirrors by hand. And back up to Mount Eden to meet our mates. It’s a quick farewell. Although we all brought the apocalypse to Eden, the hostel owner says she would be delighted to see us again. We set off in the rain. (more…)

Getting stuck

Post
#119

0511

2007

Mon

20:33

day #

150

3.1 k
views

Pete, the anti-Ami, joins us. We head through the rain to Central Auckland to hire a car. It’s a sign: no car today. No movement. It’s been the same for days. Partying until we drop. I’m very tired. Don’t stay out, but don’t really stay in either. I’m not travelling the world to slowly dissolve. I’m looking for crystallisation points.

I lose money at roulette in the casino and win every poker match as long as it involves beer. Meanwhile, New Zealand is celebrating the third day of an old assassination attempt on the English Parliament. With fireworks. Lisa and Marc hang over the third bottle of tequila. I try to slow down where I can. But at some point I give up. They have to find the bottom themselves. (more…)

One night in Auckland

Post
#118

0311

2007

Sat

16:54

day #

148

3.1 k
views

Lisa is looking for a job in a vineyard on a nearby island. Meanwhile, Marc and I go into town. We wander through the huge Domain Park. Visit the Auckland Museum. Stand in amazement in front of a 25 metre long Maori war canoe. Sniffing flowers in the greenhouse and wandering through forests of trees that look like they’ve exploded straight from the seed.

Auckland City resembles San Francisco. Quite small, but never cramped. Old and new make a colourful mix. After a portion of sushi, we buy food for the evening. A scoop of mozzarella costs €10. We spend the whole day meeting people from all over the world who live here. I wonder what they eat here. (more…)

From Paradise Island To Mount Eden

Post
#117

0111

2007

Thu

16:41

day #

146

2.9 k
views

I finish my diving course with 90% after a hard night. The last dive goes to 18 metres and is very nice. While diving instructor Andrew tells me about marriage plans on my last evening, his is on the mainland. Saki is also spinning his wheels. He asks a French woman for a massage while his wife listens. She pecks the chickens in the evening in a remarkably aggressive manner.

In the morning, I watch the paradise island of Mana sink into the sea from Saki’s little fishing boat. I keep taking pictures, zooming in closer and closer. At some point the zoom runs out. Paradise sinks into the sea. (more…)

Goodbye Fiji!

Post
#116

2910

2007

Mon

20:30

day #

143

3.3 k
views

Unfortunately, the wind isn’t coming back. I’m going to leave my kite here in paradise without having ridden it again to say goodbye. In the absolute calm, I make a wakeboard bar. We tie it to an anchor line behind a boat and have a good hour of real freestyle wakeboarding fun in the bay of Mana.

A few days ago, two fascinating young Canadians arrived, both with quirky stories and straight hearts. For their departure, the fire pit on the beach in front of Saki’s hostel finally has to be deflowered. I collect and steal wood, stock up on beer. No rain can kill the fire, it burns hot. We drink, sing and chat to good music until the early hours of the morning. (more…)

Sodom and gonorrhoea in paradise

Post
#115

2810

2007

Sun

23:28

day #

142

3.9 k
views

Everyone who has been on Mana tells of paradise in glowing colours. Nobody I met was on Mana for as long as I was. My colours change with the length of my stay. If you’re there for a short time, everything shines brightly and beautifully. If you’re there for a long time, the colours fade.

What always remains beautiful is the colour of the sky, the water and the palm trees. They never change. What fades is the colour of the travellers here. Although they become more red every day, they become less colourful every day. It’s like mixing many colours in a pot. What comes out of the diversity is a boring grey. (more…)

Dive down to Fiji’s sharks

Post
#114

2610

2007

Fri

14:16

day #

140

3.2 k
views

I feel like I should dive down. My sense of humour dictates that I take a PADI diving course with the instructor who gave me the sinking feeling. In the afternoon there’s a short theoretical briefing, followed by practical exercises, half an hour in low water. The next day we head straight out to the Supermarket dive site. Andrew promises me at least three species of shark.

I alternately whistle “We’ll meet again” and “I will survive”. Did Johnny Depp also smile in Dead Man Walking? Why is this submersible called “Better Boat” and what happened to its predecessor? Can you really fart the great white shark theme tune? When I jump into the water, I have the big shiver. (more…)

Kitesurfing on Mana

Post
#113

2310

2007

Tue

19:13

day #

137

3.6 k
views

After a week in the doldrums, the wind arrives unexpectedly on Mana. Mana is the Fijian word for magic. The wind is exactly the same: just right for my kite, not too much, not too little, a little gusty, but easy to ride even with a three-year-old kite. Within two days I can get out into the bay for a few hours.

The wind and waves are good for jumping. Joost, a nice Dutchman, takes some of the best pictures in eight years of kiting. Thank you very much! My jumps are getting higher and higher. I’m currently working on the third floor. No big tricks, just as high as possible. A sailing boat arrives, and the speed cat. I drive right through it, take off and all the tourists shout “Higher, more”. (more…)

The gay pirate from the Black Forest

Post
#112

1910

2007

Fri

14:37

day #

133

3.9 k
views

I can’t sleep. After a fairly uneventful day and a collapsed internet connection, I’m walking along the beach at one o’clock. Suddenly I hear music. A good guitar player, nice songs and good singers. Where there’s singing, settle down. I end up in the middle of a very bizarre bunch of tourists and locals and receive a very warm welcome.

Fiji is at the end of the world. Mana is out in the sea before the end of the world. At the end of Mana is the Mana Lagoon Hostel. You can’t get any further away. You would expect to find the most secluded outsiders in the world here. But they are not. They are as close to the centre as possible. (more…)

Don’t push me cause I’m close to…

Post
#111

1710

2007

Wed

19:29

day #

131

4.4 k
views

I’m listening to Grandmaster Flash on the beach. Literally pretty pissed off. The roof in the dorm leaked again during the night. At two o’clock a jet pours into my face again. Move the bed again. Awake for another two hours.

In the morning I have to cool down. Swim with John, an American triathlete, out to the outer reef. From the beach it looked like maybe 700 metres. I don’t know how far it was. All I know is that a good two hours later I crawl back ashore, shaking. It takes a while for the shaking to stop. Two Cokes, a packet of chocolate crackers, a packet of crisps and a portion of chips with sausage. (more…)

Catching lightning in the Pacific

Post
#110

1610

2007

Tue

19:41

day #

130

3.3 k
views

In the evening, powerful thunderstorms pass over the Mamanuca group. You can catch the lightning with the film function. Using Virtual Dub to export image sequences. Swoosh. Lightning pictures. The less nice thing about the thunderstorms is that after a while they also pass over Mana.

There is already a tarpaulin on the roof of the Dorm-Bure. But unfortunately it’s not enough. A waterfall comes down right above me. Soaking wet in bed again. We move the bed in the middle of the night, but water really wakes you up. Can’t sleep, swim a lap in the rain while the last guests seem to be prolonging their stay with heavy beer consumption. (more…)

And when I’m not here…

Post
#109

1510

2007

Mon

20:26

day #

129

3.3 k
views

…I am on the sun deck. I am I am I am I… The sign next to me says: to the Sundeck. I look around, right at the top of the speed cat for Mana. That’s right. The sun is shining again after the last day in Nadi was a disaster. I’ve been scratching a stitch on my foot for the last few days. Cleaning it every day didn’t help. It bled and oozed for four days and four nights.

On my last night in the Horizon, I woke up at two o’clock in the morning. My foot hurts like hell. I go out into the light and see a pumpkin where my foot used to be. Swollen like a bull’s balls during mating season. The little stitch turns into an ulcer. I take a taxi to the hospital. The doctor says: just in time, it would probably have turned into blood poisoning. (more…)

Travelling means difference

Post
#108

1410

2007

Sun

13:23

day #

128

3.1 k
views

I’m back in Nadi. All international flights arrive here. Everyone is just on their way, nobody stays. If you see a face again the next morning, that’s a long time. I don’t like Nadi. Unfortunately, there’s no other choice on the way from Nananu-i-Ra to Mana. I need a day or two of fast internet before I’m stuck on a modem on an island again.

There’s not a single hotel with internet on the entire north coast. If you mention the word broadband, the other person usually just starts laughing. Telekom Fiji seriously recommended that I open a wireless account. The “Broadband Internet” in Nadi is on its last legs – if it has any air. (more…)

Kitesurf final Fiji: 10km downwinder

Post
#107

1210

2007

Fri

11:24

day #

126