Today I will travel almost only along the coast line. It is not a long trip but I need to keep my energy for Waipoua forest tomorrow. I’ve seen, in the Rawene camp’s kitchen, a place where we can see enormous stones balls called Kouru boulders (Maps). It seems to be interesting and apparently free :-). Let’s go!
Today I want to take more pictures of places like this cafe.
The tide is low and it will be more appropriate if I visit the place I want. I need to move.
That must be the mountains of the Waipoua forest (web). I’m nervous about it because I’ve read it’s about 400m in altitude. I still remember the time when I was on my way to Pakiri and reached about 280m, something like this. I was totally exhausted… I really need to keep my energy.
But how can I keep my energy if I have to ride this! haha.
Climbing slowly
I’ve seen the boulders sign board along the way. I followed the direction and here I am, in a dead end. Rah! Good view but no boulders…
I might have found another way.
I left my bike on the top of that cliff and I’m now trying to find the way to those shy boulders. The advert said that we have to walk along the coast by low tide and the farther we go the bigger the boulders become. Right now I can’t see any shadow of any proper rock ball. How come they can hide so well? I could continue but I don’t want to leave my bike alone for so long.
Ok, I’m definitely not in the right place. It’s getting really muddy and I don’t see any interesting things here. I’m going back. Maybe I’ve turned too early?
I gave up on seeing the boulders
I’m reaching Opononi! The landscape becomes nicer and nicer every meter.
All the picnic places are wonderful! This sand dune seems so huge! Few!
That’s colorful!
Break time
I was having a break, eating front of this marvelous landscape when I hear someone very happy coming from the side. Seriously? Karl? here? Already?! I’ve met him and his friend when I was coming back from Cap Reinga. At the time, he was on is way there. Surprisingly he caught me up today. He is very fast!
His friend went searching for a camp for tonight so I decided to join them. That’s cool :-).
Right now we’ve stopped front of this “scenery lookout”. I decided to visit this place before joining Karl and his friend at the campsite. In fact, Karl’s friend is driving a camper van while Karl is on is bicycle. That’s maybe why he is faster because he doesn’t carry everything like I do. But it doesn’t take away that he remains a fast cyclist 🙂
A little while later
Opononi is in the background :-). I’m at the entrance of this natural harbor where the Tasman sea is less agitated (compared to Cap Reinga).
To many pictures to take:-)
Aaaah! So good!
The perfect place to do some stretching and be ready for tomorrow 🙂
I've reached the campsite for tonight
They see to have a very ecological way to cut the grass around here.
Another “green” lawn mower. They are also very silent! 😉 See you tomorrow. I will take a picture of Karl before he leaves.
Ouaaaaaaaaah !! so beauuuuuuutifulllll sea landscapes ! And where are stones balls ?
I didn’t find the bloody boulders… I was too tired to continue searching.
Do you prepar Olmpic’s games ? I like when you stage. I laugh alone on my sofa. It’s funny !
The country is very green, and the sea is very blue, but it is cold … all the moment ! The spring arrive quickly, and autumn for us !
It’s raining today, we seems New Zeland !
Kiss Damdam
have you find boulders finally ? No photographs !
pfiouuuuu.. quand je vois le temps de merde qu’on se tape à Paris ..ça me débecqued ( je ne sais pas comment ça s’écrit tiens! ça doit encore être une expression de chez nous qu’on ne trouve pas dans le dico ..)
je t’envies avec tous ces paysages à couper le souffle !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! va falloir que tu entraines ton cerveau à mémoriser toutes ces images plus belles les unes que les autres !!! ;D