The Suitcase Backpacker

Aotearoa New Zealand

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First week campervanning itinerary:

Auckland – Coromandel – Rotorua – Taupo – Wellington

5 min read

The camper trip with my friends had officially begun and for me it was a bittersweet, yet, welcoming farewell to Auckland, and hello to new sights and finally exploring the rest of this beautiful country. I probably never would have done anything like this if not for the BUNAC orientation week and the new friends I’d made from this. Van life was definitely an adjustment…and it meant returning to the bag lady lifestyle once again! I was forever packing my things away then realising I’d forgotten something, and having to restart the entire rummaging process. We did well with keeping the van in order and making it liveable considering there were three of us, plus all our belongings, plus extra bags; an Aquarius and two Virgos, what can’t we organise!

The Coromandel Peninsula and Hot Water Beach

The first campsite we stayed at in the Coromandel Peninsula felt very off-grid. We had arrived quite late in the evening to find out that all the lights were switched off after 9pm, so there we were drying our dishes in the dark…using sonar to navigate of course. Thankfully Lachlan had his head torch handy illuminating the space and I was able to see what the heck I was doing; saving power and energy is quite a big thing in New Zealand. As I was washing up it dawned on me that this was going to be my life now…well, at least for the next three weeks!

On our final day at the Coromandel Peninsula, we ventured off in the late afternoon with spades in hand to Hot Water Beach along the east coast. The beach is famous for its hot sand which generates geothermal pools when the tide dips in and out; all you need is a shovel to dig a large hole to relax in. I was pretty knackered afterwards from all the frantic digging and trying to keep up with the ebb and flow of the tides filling the pools with cold water. We ended up scavenging for pools already made that needed less digging work, and we lounged in these for a nice while. Eventually it started getting cold and dark, plus dinner was calling, so we hurried off and enjoyed fresh burgers at the campsite takeout venue.

Hobbits and Things

Next we stopped at the famous Hobbiton movie set, where Alison and I meandered along the pathway with the tour group enjoying the little hobbit houses, the lush green hills, and the Shire’s charm. It was a gorgeous day with stunning views of the lake, each passing moment mirrored in the glittering water. The tour ended over the bridge at the Green Dragon Inn where I enjoyed a delicious beef and pale ale pie.

I enjoyed driving the campervan once I felt comfortable behind the wheel. It was the largest vehicle I’d ever driven in my life, and took me a few times to get used to driving an automatic too, plus the brakes were more sensitive…I was having to apologise to the crew when I placed my foot down and it turned out to be a lunging slam.

Rotorua Scents and the Magic of the Night

Our next stop was the sulphur infused town of Rotorua, known for its geothermal activity and Māori culture. Unfortunately there were a few things I didn’t have time to experience here, so I plan to revisit another time. Alison and I soaked in the Polynesian Spa’s simmering hot pools and I welcomed the opportunity to soothe my van life/hiking aches and enjoy the warmth of the waters as the Southern Hemisphere was slipping into Autumn. The Blue Lake campsite where we stayed was distant from the city lights with pristine stargazing visibility. Later on, I noticed the Southern Cross constellation and caught a beautiful hazy glimpse of our galaxy, the Milky Way.

Taupo Time

The following morning we made our way to the relaxing town of Taupo and spent roughly two days here. It was the fourth day of the camper trip and I had finally gotten around to journaling. The last few days had been quite full on, so I welcomed this brief pause and therapeutic time to myself. I had been itching to travel to the South Island for a while and I couldn’t believe it was just around the corner now. I was so drawn to all the beautiful photos and videos I’d seen online and wondered what it was going to be like in person. Later that day, we visited Huka Falls, then went on a geothermal walk called Craters of the Moon.

Wellington Finish and on to the South Island

Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city, was our last stop on the North Island. I had explored most of the city back in March, so check out this post to discover more. We had reserved a cabin for the last night in Wellington, which was the height of luxury given that the nights in the van were suddenly becoming colder. The next morning we said goodbye to the North Island and boarded the ferry to the gorgeous South Island. The views as we approached the tip of the south blew me away. As I gazed out the front windows of the ship I was filled with awe, emerald mountains surrounded us, like a slow hug, drawing us in, contrasting with the cerulean sea. It was harmonious, and my little nomadic heart was erupting at every turn.