Road trip in North Island - Day 1

23 December 2016

430 AM, I started walking towards the bus stop to catch the first bus to WLG airport. Though there wasn't much I was carrying from WLG, I ended up with a backpack, a daypack and my camera bag. Some layers on me though it was pretty hot even during that early hours. Sun was still rising up when I reached the airport, its a bonus if your Jetstar flight takes off on time, luckily in the next one hour I was in AKL. As expected Sun was dazzling hot and I managed to reach my friends place for breakfast. I din't want to relax yet, as I had a long day, to collect the car, buy food, tent, stove, canisters. 

Captured my reflection on my way to the WLG airport

It was a busy day at friends place, so I took 2 trains to finally reach NewLynn around 230 PM, from where I was renting the car. It was all very simple, I was introduced to my companion for the next two weeks, a white Hyundai Getz. With the keys in my hand now, my heart was beating slightly faster. AKL traffic is crazy and I was driving for the first time, except for a couple of occasions during no peak hours. I looked at the gear, plain, it was an automatic car. But there was a +2 on one of them and I was like what is that, others were fairly straight forward, R for Reverse, D for Drive, N for Neutral. I ran back to this guy and asked for N instead of +2. He looked at me with a tinge of shock, I am sure he was now skeptical about my driving skills, I don't blame him. He explained all the gear options in one stretch. I returned to my car feeling silly. Got in and mumbled a prayer and placed his picture on the dashboard. I put my hands up, looking at him and said, you are driving me now. 

The view of Ruakaka beach from the SH1

Hesitantly, I hit the streets of AKL and as usual it was busy. I struggled initially but kept going. Fairly long stretch of roads helped. I managed to sail through till warehouse to buy the mobile holder, first need. The Christmas rush was maddening, the queues at the shopping malls were the longest I've ever seen and all I had to buy was this mobile holder for $8. Cursing my last minute plans, I returned to my car with the holder to do yet another silly thing. I dint know how to fix, after few trials I gave up and youtubed the video (yea, I did), and this li'l boy in the video explained me the rocket science. Well, again, I did feel stupid but was happy to get that sorted. Next stop, not far off, the tent, stove, canisters checked. Drove to PakNSave for food shopping. I dint take long, and it was 430 PM when I was all ready. 

I had two options, drive back to friends for the night and start next morning or start the road trip now. I quickly checked from the campsite manual, the closest campsite on the way to Northland. It was only a couple of hours ride and I started preparing myself for the leap. The motorway and the North Shore bridge. I braced myself and recalled the prayers once again and in the next 10 minutes, I hit the motorway. The small car did fairly well so far and I was getting along with it quite well, my eyes went in circles for the map on my mobile, speedometer and back to the road. I managed to take the exit towards North Shore with perfection and even before I could celebrate my victory, the next level of challenge was right ahead, the bridge. I straightened my spine again and my eyes was back in action taking rounds on the various navigation tools in front of me. The view from the bridge is amazing, I knew, but I would not dare looking at them now. I did well once again, and now I was on the SH1. Tan Tadan!!! 

The Sunrise at the Uretiti campsite, the next morning

This is how it is ay. You face a challenge, you sail through it and right at the end of it is the next one waiting. Its so similar to what is happening in my life at the moment. Anyway, I was now tired of sitting like a cricket fan watching a match between India and Pakistan, so I stretched a bit and lazed back. The small car struggled a bit to catch up on the fast lanes, I understood it early and so kept myself left and took it easy. Somehow driving on SH1 seemed easier, there was not much of Christmas crazy traffic just yet. Now that I got comfortable with the driving part of it, it struck to me that I was not listening to any music. I searched for the AUX cable slot, only to realise it would be just FM or no FM. I choose no FM option and the rest of the journey was extremely quite. 

View behind Uretiti campsite

It wasn't too late when I reached Uretiti Campsite which was adjacent to the SH1. I checked into my first ever campsite in NZ, it was fairly equipped with card options to pay, drinking water, chemical toilet and, and HOT WATER SHOWWWWER. Yes! It had hot water shower for $2. My joy had no bounds when I discovered this. I found a flat surface behind a bush to park and pitch the tent. I opened my brand new tent, Mono V2, which is a super light weight tent, ideal for hikers and bikers, it is water and wind resistant, which was sufficient to convince me to buy this. Only to realise, after having it pitched that, I can't even sit straight. ROFL, well as I just said, I could only roll on the floor and sleep, thats pretty much it. I came out of the tent, which is like put your leg half a step away and you are out of it. I looked at it and wasn't happy. A fellow camper passing by my tent, looked at me and exclaimed, BIG TENT ay. We both laughed. 

Hmmm, the bigggg tent next to my small car

I went back in with my mat and sleeping bag this time. I looked around to find some options to hang my torch and with few other things here and there, to convince myself that it is not so bad either. Come on. Now I was hungry, so got busy with other thoughts, my dinner is simple,  boiled sweet potato or Kumara (in NZ). Again, opened my brand new stove, chopped some kumara and chucked into the boiling water. I love my food, so enjoyed every bit of it followed by a glass of warm Almond milk. No luxuries compromised when it comes to food. And thanks to the stove, it seemed to do a great job, pat on the back. 

I strolled around the campsite before calling it a day. The Ruakaka beach was right behind the camp. It was already dark by the time I returned. I grabbed my books and off into my den and, ready to get transported to an all-together different world with my books. I had been reading Ringing of the Cedar book for a while now, but Tales beyond the Known was a complete surprise to me. After reading the first few pages, I realised why this book had to come along. It is a book filled with grace and love. I was in tears within minutes filled with gratitude, at the end of the day everything came along so well. All the drama around driving, will I be able to do this, that, if so, then what, where, then, everything seemed such a waste of time and energy. At the same time, I was still trying to believe the fact that I was here today. 

As the campsite was right next to the SH1, the vrooms of vehicles continued one after the other, as long as I remember into the night. The wild hares, a few I had spotted while cooking, kept hoping around my tents and here I was tossing around my tent reading my books and soon dozed off under the stars.